Meet the Team

Gearoid Devaney MS – Founder

Gearoid Devaney’s restaurant career reads like a directory of Michelin starred establishments from Paris to London. After training with Pierre Gagnaire in his 3 Michelin Star restaurant in Paris, he was instrumental in the successful launch of Tom Aiken’s first Chelsea restaurant, which quickly gained 1 star. A regular speaker at industry events, Gearoid also runs regular staff training for restaurants, hotels and gastropubs, as well as hosting tastings and masterclasses for generic bodies alongside examining for the Court of Master Sommeliers both here and in Asia. 

As a Director at Burgundy specialist wine importer Flint Wines, Gearoid is a key figure in the Cabotte board and also restaurant team, bringing encyclopedic knowledge of Burgundian wines as well as restaurant experience.

Together with Xavier, Gearoid opened TRADE – the Hospitality members’ club which is now launching as an App.

Xavier Rousset MS – Founder

Xavier started his career working at various prestigious restaurants in France such as the two Michelin Star Le Laurent in Paris and Villa Belrose in St Tropez before becoming Chief Sommelier at the Hotel du Vin. In 2002, Xavier won the Ruinart UK Sommelier of the Year and became the youngest Master Sommelier in the world. He was next appointed Head Sommelier at the Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons working with the esteemed Raymond Blanc. Upon leaving, Xavier set up Texture restaurant in 2007 which, within only three years, won a Michelin Star plus a host of other accolades including three Rosettes in the AA Guide. In 2010, Xavier opened 28-50 Wine Workshop and Kitchen in Fetter Lane, followed by outlets in Mayfair and Marylebone.

Stepping away from restaurants for a year, Xavier travelled and ate his way around the world whilst also being a judge on key industry panels and teaching at the Court of Master Sommeliers. In 2016, he opened the Marylebone-favourite Blandford Comptoir, Cabotte in the City and Comptoir Cafe & Wine – Mayfair. Together with business partner – Gearoid, they opened TRADE, the hospitality industry’s members’ club which is soon to launch as an App.

Sabrina Barreiros – Operations Manager

Sabrina moved to the UK’s hospitality scene in 2007, where she spent 5 years working for Hotel du Vin – including two openings.

She headed to 28-50 Marylebone, where she started as a Restaurant Manager before moving up to Group Restaurant Manager for all 28-50 sites.

Sabrina worked at Jason Atherton’s ‘Social Wine and Tapas’ for 1.5 years, before joining Xavier again to open Comptoir Café & Wine, Blandford Comptoir and now The Black Book.

Vittorio Meli – Group Head Chef

From the Deep South of Italy, Sicily – Catania city sits on the foot of Vulcan Etna, which is where our chef first stepped into a kitchen of his family restaurant. Vittorio graduated at the Culinary School ‘Gambero Rosso’, following this he moved to Milan and then Vienna, to be trained in the art of Austrian – European gourmet cuisine.

In 2011 came to London, starting out at Vinoteca, he then took over the Head Chef position at Polpo Soho. 

His cuisine is built on a foundation of Mediterranean cooking styles with a modern twist and fusion with Japanese techniques. “Truly tasty” is his motto!

Tanguy Martin – Wine Director

Tanguy grew up in Lyon, in close proximity to the vineyards of Beaujolais and the Rhône Valley. Later, he obtained a diploma of winemaking and wine growing after 5 years of study between Beaune and Montpellier.

In 2011, Tanguy joined the English countryside and stayed working alongside Gerard Basset MS MW and Laura Rhys MS for 4 years. During this time Tanguy took part in the UK Sommelier Competition and was named ‘UK Sommelier of the year 2015’. After his win, he took up a new challenge as Head Sommelier at the Michelin star restaurant La Trompette in Chiswick for two years. He worked for D&D London group as Wine Manager before he joined us as Wine Director in March 2020.