CHEF Arnaud Stevens has just been appointed executive chef of a world-famous London restaurant.

Arnaud, who grew up in Teignmouth, has enjoyed a successful career in the high-pressure world of top level restaurant food.

Now he had landed the job as executive chef at the Savoy Grill, London.

After growing up in The Triangle, as a young boy he enjoyed going on stage with The Tykes, the junior section of Teignmouth Players. But at 16 he turned his sights to catering, having grown up with a love of food from his French mother Martine.

Building his career, he worked under some of Europe’s elite chefs where some held Michelin stars. By the age of 27, he was head chef for Gordon Ramsay at Maze, London.

A few years later, Arnaud was appointed director of food for Searcys, London and was in charge of the catering at both the Royal Opera House and The Gherkin.

He said: ‘I was under immense pressure but I still take pride in that time in my career where I was able to train, coach and develop the whole food philosophies within the group. Those procedures are still in place now.’

Back in Teignmouth, his proud dad is well known businessman Jim Stevens who runs a successful Regent Street hair salon and still working at the age of 80.