Jason and Irha Atherton appoint Frankie van Loo as Head Chef at Hai Cenato and Marcus Rohlen as Head Chef at Social Wine & TapasSwedish-born Marcus Rohlen moved to London in 2007, where he began working for Irish chef Richard Corrigan at the Michelin-starred Lindsay House in Soho. After a year and a half, including four months in Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill on his days off, Marcus was made sous chef at Corrigan’s Mayfair, where he worked with Dale Bainbridge (now head chef at Pollen Street Social). In 2012, Marcus was appointed junior sous chef at Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social, and very quickly promoted to senior sous chef working under Dale and Jason. In May 2017, Marcus was made Head Chef at Social Wine and Tapas, taking over from Frankie van Loo.
Frankie van Loo, Head Chef at Hai CenatoJason Atherton commented, ‘Marcus has been my senior sous at Pollen Street Social for the past five years, and now he’s running his own kitchen. It’s an amazing step forward for him, and already his menu changes have been fantastic. I am very proud’.
Frankie van Loo, born and raised in Yorkshire began working for the Social company in 2011, where he was chef-de-partie at Pollen Street Social, and was part of the team when it was awarded a Michelin star. Almost two years later he was made sous chef at Michelin-starred Social Eating House, working under Paul Hood. In 2015, he was appointed head chef at Social Wine & Tapas, until recently when he was made head chef at Hai Cenato, Jason’s latest restaurant in Victoria.
Atherton said, ‘Frankie is the perfect person to run Hai Cenato – his food is light and vibrant and I’m excited to see the menu develop even further. After working at Pollen Street Social, Social Eating House and Social Wine & Tapas – he has really matured into a brilliant cook’.