Shay Cooper started before he had even left school. Since then, he’s worked at Juniper in Altrincham, Stockcross’s The Vineyard, and was named head chef at the Endsleigh Hotel, gaining three AA rosettes for his efforts there.

He then impressed at The Bingham in Richmond, chalking up another three AA rosettes and his first Michelin star, before moving on to take the role of executive chef at London's Goring Hotel. He left in 2019 for the next chapter in his career.

Instead of making the whiz-bang, show-off food that one might expect from a young chef bursting with ideas, Shay has earned praise for his light touch, which allows the ingredients themselves to do the heavy lifting. In their discussion of his ‘subtly sophisticated flavours and textures,’ Quintessentially Insider pointed out, ‘Cooper is a sufficiently intelligent chef not to try and over-egg the pudding… by overcomplicating the dishes.’

When Time and Leisure asked him whether he had a signature dish, he politely demurred, but pointed out that ‘We… always like to feature a risotto on the menu and elevate it with a few more textures and elements.’ It seems that in Shay’s case, good judgment can be as reliable a kitchen appliance as a well-worn spoon.

Having left the Goring Hotel, Shay joined Julie’s in Holland Park, where he spent two years as chef-patron. In 2021, it was time for his next move, joining the kitchen of The Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge as executive chef.