Paul Kitching Obituary, Death – A pioneering chef in Edinburgh who was described as a “genuine inspiration” has received heartfelt tributes after his passing. This week, at the age of 61, Paul Kitching passed away unexpectedly after co-owning and operating the five-star restaurant 21212 with his girlfriend Katie O’Brien. On Thursday (December 15), when she announced the news on social media, Katie tweeted, “I’m sorry to tell the love of my life has passed away.” The comments section was filled with people sharing their sympathies and reminiscing about Paul. One person commented, “Paul was such a great person — so gifted, extremely creative, but also had time to chat to everyone and listen.” [Citation needed] Was a privilege to both get to know him and work with him.
Another user of social media commented, “I will never forget my time working at Juniper, he was a great, wild, humorous, and motivating man,” while a third user of social media wrote, “He was the most inspiring person I have ever encountered, genius!” In response to the news of Paul’s passing, the chef at the Pompadour restaurant within the Waldorf Astoria on Princes Street, Dean Banks, posted an emotional tribute to Paul on Instagram. It was written that he was “A genuine source of inspiration to the thousands of chefs who went through his doors and to many more.” Paul showed me that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to cooking. I often recommend a few dishes, such as lemon tart with chicken and Swedish meatballs with venison. Paul’s legacy will continue on through the kitchen and the classroom.
“Paul was my final Head Chef before I struck out on my own, and he was genuinely a contributor to the development of both myself and my style. My deepest condolences go out to everyone who knew and loved him, as well as to everyone who admired him and considered him to be one of the greats. He will be missed very, very much. In 2009, Paul and Katie opened their restaurant 21212 on Edinburgh’s Royal Terrace. Since then, the restaurant has been honored with a variety of accolades, including being awarded the greatest new restaurant in the United Kingdom, earning a Michelin star between 2009 and 2019, receiving four AA rosettes, and being recognized as the Restaurant of the Year by Catering in Scotland.
In addition to this, the Prince Philip medal for services to the hospitality industry was bestowed upon Paul. The couple was previously the owners of Juniper in Greater Manchester until they moved to Edinburgh. The restaurant was named England’s Restaurant of the Year, became the only establishment in the region to be awarded a Michelin star, and was included in the top 20 restaurants overall in The Good Food Guide.
