City & Guilds Vocational Success Story - Marcus Waering

Entrepreneur and renowned restaurateur Marcus Waering, kick started his career with a City & Guilds qualification to go onto achieve outstanding success, Michelin stars and the impressive honour of cooking for the Queen.

Hailing from Lancashire, Waering trained at Southport College where he obtained his City & Guilds qualifications in Cooking and in Alcoholic Beverages. He kick-started his career in The Savoy at the early age of 18, and in the following years he fine-tuned his expertise in classic French cooking in various international hotels, including the Grand Hotel in Amsterdam, under Albert Roux, and Gravetye Manor in West Sussex.

In 1993 Gordon Ramsay offered Marcus the incredible opportunity to join him as Sous Chef in the launch of his new venture, Aubergine, which went on to win two Michelin star’s within three years of opening. His meteoric rise saw Wareing move on to the Guy Savoy restaurant in Paris, which also held two Michelin stars, during which time he was named the Restaurant Association’s Young Chef of the Year.

Proving his culinary skills to be in great demand, Wareing opened Pétrus in 1999 and within seven months it had also won a Michelin star - a second star followed in the Michelin Guide to Great Britain & Ireland 2007. Highlighting his success, in 2003 Marcus was voted the Chef of the Year by Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine and, together with Head Chef Josh Emett, restored the Savoy Grill to its former glory (it has since achieved its first Michelin star). Also In 2004 Marcus was voted Restaurateur of the Year at the Tatler Restaurant Awards.

In the past two years, Wareing has competed in BBC Two's Great British Menu, winning the honour of cooking the dessert course at the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations, he is therefore an entirely appropriate recipient of the Highly Commended Certificate.

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