CORD by Le Cordon Bleu welcomes its new Executive Chef Karl O’Dell 

CORD, the first fine dining restaurant by Le Cordon Bleu in London, located on Fleet Street, is delighted to introduce its new Executive Chef, Karl O’Dell, and a new team of hospitality professionals. 

Karl, who recently competed as a finalist in National Chef of The Year 2023, the most prestigious chefs’ competition in the UK, spearheads a passionate brigade of chefs at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu. A skilled and innovative chef, Karl employs his unique culinary style to craft seasonal menus that showcase the freshest produce and flavours available throughout the year. He collaborates closely with Senior Sous-Chef Justine Bordet and his team of chefs to meticulously refine each dish to ensure the highest standards are met.

The team is complemented by Senior Sous Chef Justine Bordet, Junior Sous Chef Marnix Taghon – Le Cordon Bleu London alumni – and Restaurant Manager Simon Widdison, alongside Assistant Restaurant Managers Antoine Lebrun and Florent Marianne. With their diverse backgrounds and wealth of experience, this talented group is sure to elevate the overall guest experience.

Chef Karl, who launched the new seasonal menu at Cord restaurant in October this year, has previously held the esteemed role of Executive Chef at the Monarch Theatre at Park Row in London. Prior to that, he was Head Chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Texture and was also a valued member of the team as Senior Sous Chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Michelin-starred restaurant Petrus.

He said: “Customers satisfaction is our number one priority. We focus on seasonal ingredients and prime products, and we deliver them to perfection”.

Senior Sous Chef Justine Bordet takes an integral role in designing and polishing menus, supervising the kitchen team, and executing exceptional dishes. Prior to joining CORD, Chef Justine held several roles in exclusive establishments, including the position of executive chef at Le Sylvestre in France, helping the restaurant to earn a Michelin star within two months of her joining. She also held the title of executive chef at Alya’s by Sylvestre Wahid in France, where she directed the concept and creation of their Mediterranean-themed menu.

Junior Sous Chef Marnix Taghon, who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu with the prestigious Diplôme De Cuisine in 2017, has undergone extensive training in several well-known establishments. He held the esteemed position of senior chef de partie at The Jane, a 2 Michelin-starred restaurant in Belgium and most recently he worked as a junior sous chef at Hide, a highly acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant in London, where he manned the meat and fish section.

Dishes from the new seasonal menu will range from poached Cornish brill with coco beans, dill, mussels, and Champagne velouté, to the showstopping Highland venison with farci, beetroot, blackberries, and juniper. 

CORD by Le Cordon Bleu offers an exquisite fine dining experience in the heart of the city, with its expertly crafted menus, exceptional wine offering, meetings and events spaces for all occasions, cooking classes and corporate events.

Located in a grade II listed Lutyens designed building, on Fleet Street, CORD is a perfect combination of timeless elegance, innovative menus, and excellent service.