Renowned local chef Roderick Vella has been appointed Executive Head Chef at Marriott Hotels Malta, he has shared.

Mr Vella made the announcement on social media, saying: “I’m excited to start my new job as Executive Head Chef with Marriott Hotels Malta.”

The new appointment comes after a recent stint as Executive Chef at adored catering company Busy Bee.

His impressive career has also included an extended spell at the five-star Grand Hotel Excelsior as Executive Chef, and a period sharing his expertise as a Visiting Lecturer at the Institute of Tourism Studies.

Even more notably, he also spent a stretch at the Corinthia in Tripoli, where he was occasionally woken up in the middle of the night to prepare food for the country’s leader at the time, Colonel Gaddafi.

In this extensive career, he has won a number of impressive culinary awards, including the Malta Kulinarja Cookery and Culinary Art Championship, which he has won both in his capacity leading The Grand Hotel Excelsior’s culinary offering and in his individual capacity as Senior Chef of the Year.

Malta Marriott Hotel and Spa is a five-star hotel in St Julian’s.

It has a number of catering establishments, including The Marketplace, which is its main restaurant, from where it serves buffets.

It also has Atrio Bar and Restaurant, an all-day establishment offering Italian and Mediterranean specialities, with seasonal al fresco dining on the hotel terrace overlooking the picturesque bay.