The Priory Caerleon welcomes new head chef

The Priory in Caerleon, South Wales, has welcomed Grady Atkins as its new head chef, marking a new chapter for the historic restaurant and boutique hotel. 

Atkins brings over three decades of international experience at Michelin-starred kitchens, luxury hotels and independent ventures. Guests can expect to see the first of his new dishes appearing on the menu this month, ahead of a fully revised, Atkins-led menu launching on 1 December. 

The chef began his culinary journey as a kitchen porter in Sheffield, before starting his apprenticeship in London at the Hyde Park Hotel (now the Mandarin Oriental) on his 16th birthday. His career has since spanned Boston's Ritz-Carlton, a year in Hong Kong, Le Meurice in Paris and stages in Sicily, before moving to California, where he spent 17 years at The Peninsula Hotel, as chef-partner at Perroche and as an instructor at Le Cordon Bleu. 

Returning to the UK, he earned three AA Rosettes as head chef at Le Gallois, and later helped establish the kitchen at Bacareto in Cardiff city centre. Before joining The Priory, his most recent role was at Insole Court. 

"I'm very happy to have joined a business with owners who have a clear vision and progressive ideas for the future," says the chef. "It's a beautiful location with equally stunning interiors, and I'm excited to contribute to its growth and be part of a team who are passionate about delivering something truly special."

About The Priory

Located on the River Usk and once a 12th-century Cistercian monastery, The Priory is a unique hospitality venue, having previously been a nunnery, a private residence and a family-run hotel and restaurant since 1996. 

Operated by Benito Martinez and his wife, Sophie, as part of the Fire & Wine restaurant group, which also includes Park Side, Ballers and Bodega, the bar and restaurant underwent an extensive refurbishment in 2024. The transformation, completed earlier this year, has seen the Grade II-listed building sensitively updated with a renewed focus on fire cooking, fine wine and provenance. 

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