Richard Neat: Biography

A Brief Biography

Apprenticeship in various restaurants in UK and France, including;

June 1987-March 1989.

Senior Chef-de-Partie at Le Manior aux Quat’ Saisons, with Raymond BLANC, during which time I won M.O.G.B. Young Chef of UK (1988).

March 1989-October 1990.

Sauce Chef at Restaurant Jamin in Paris with Joel ROBUCHON. First British Chef to work at his restaurant. Robuchon was awarded Gault Millau Chef of the Century in 1990.

October 1990-November 1991.

Head Chef for Marco Pierre WHITE at Harveys in London.

January 1992.

Opened Pied-a-Terre in London as Chef, co-proprietor, receiving first Michelin star in January 1993 and second star in January 1996 at the age of twenty-nine, being one of the youngest ever recipients anywhere, of such an honour.

***

1995 Included in the iconic book "People of the 90's"

***

September 1996 until September 1998.

Consultancy in India with the Taj Group, opening the highly regarded Longchamps Restaurant in the flagship Taj Mansingh hotel in New Delhi, as well as helping at some of the other hotels within the group.

June 1999.

Returned to France and opened NEAT Restaurant in Cannes as Chef-Proprietor. The following January, just seven months later, the restaurant won a star from the Michelin Guide, where I became the first British Chef to win a star in France, as well as Robuchon performing his first parrinage (endorsement) for the opening.

June 2001.

Opened NEAT Restaurant in London as well as continuing the restaurant in Cannes.

April 2003

Consultancy in Moscow with the country’s leading restaurateur Stepan Mikhalkov and became a partner in one of his flagship properties.

May 2004.

Opened Casa Lalla Riad and Restaurant in Marrakech which enjoyed a fantastic success, including a review in Conde Nast 80 world’s best restaurants for 2005. Time Out also wrote that a meal at Casa Lalla “could be the highlight of trip to Marrakech”.

September 2006 until present.

Opened Park Cafe in San Jose, Costa Rica. Reviewed in The Daily Meal for an article about Costa Rica in April 2017. “My last meal in Costa Rica was impeccable, fabulous, the best meal I ever ate anywhere! I realize that that’s very high praise and I mean every word. It was in the Park Cafe.”

"This place it truly one of those so unique and special restaurants you will never forget.. " "Exquisite food from a master. We are so delighted to have found this restaurant/antique store. Dining discoveries like this are one of the reasons one travels".

October 2016. Traffic Magazine; included in list of the Twenty People who had Transformed Costa Rican Society