Daniel Clifford (chef) first commis chef at The Bell Inn in 1992, and became a demi-chef de partie at Marco Pierre White's Box Tree through 1993. He gradually moved up in responsibility through a variety of restaurants including working in France until becoming a senior sous chef at Rascasse in Leeds in 1996, where he worked until being named head chef of his current restaurant, Midsummer House, in 1998. Clifford was awarded his second Michelin star at Midsummer House in the 2005 list. It was the only new restaurant to earn a second Michelin star that year, and became one of eleven restaurants
Christopher Lee (chef) and Grill's Alfred Portale for the chef de cuisine position at Stephen Starr's remake of the Striped Bass, in Philadelphia. Lee quickly rose to the executive chef position. In August 2006, Chef Lee moved back to New York City to accept the executive chef position at Gilt, which earned him international acclaim. The restaurant received four stars from Crain's New York Business, and under Chef Lee's guidance, Gilt also earned its first-ever Michelin 2-star rating. In late 2008, Lee accepted an offer from Charlie Palmer to be the executive chef at Aureole in NY. He led the transformation of Aureole