Paul Ainsworth

Life and career

Ainsworth grew up in Southampton, England and lived in a guest house run by his mother, who is from the Seychelles, and his father. While he was at college, Gary Rhodes invited students to work for him and, following a successful interview, Ainsworth began working for Rhodes in 1998 at his restaurant Rhodes in the Square, located in London's Dolphin Square. He then worked for Gordon Ramsay at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay for three years before moving to Ramsay's Pétrus restaurant in 2003, working under Marcus Wareing for three years and continued to work for Wareing when he relocated to The Berkeley. was originally named Cornwall – Number 6. However, in 2009 Ainsworth bought out his friends, taking over the business with his wife and, three years after opening, the restaurant was renamed Paul Ainsworth at Number 6. It is included in the Good Food Guide's top 50 UK restaurants with a rating of 7 out of 10 and describes Number 6 as "Padstow's premier gastronomic address".

Ainsworth also oversees Padstow Italian restaurant Rojano's in the Square which he reopened with businessman Mapp in 2011 and, along with his wife, runs The Townhouse guest house, also located in Padstow. The restaurant was re-branded as Caffe Rojano in 2020. Television

In 2011, Ainsworth competed in the BBC's Great British Menu, winning the dessert course with a dish called Trip to the Fairground. He is a regular guest chef on BBC's Saturday Kitchen. He is a regular chef on BBC's Yes Chef and in 2017 was a chef on the BBC's Royal Recipes. Since 2018, he has appeared as a judge on Great British Menu.

In 2023, Ainsworth served as a mentor alongside celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Nyesha Arrington on the British version of Next Level Chef.