A Swedish chef who worked under Gordon Ramsay is in critical condition after being attacked near the Notting Hill Carnival on Monday.

Mussie Imnetu, 41, head chef at the Arts Club in Dubai, was in London on a business trip. At around 11.20pm on Monday, Imnetu was attacked at Dr Power restaurant in Queensway.

The Metropolitan Police said that patrons in the restaurant tried to stop the attack and that patrol officers at the fair were alerted to an unconscious man with a head injury. Officers administered first aid until paramedics arrived, police said.

A 31-year-old man in Newham was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder early on Wednesday morning and remains in custody at a south London police station.

Police said they were keen to reconstruct Imnetu’s movements from the time he left London’s Arts Club in Dover Street at 1pm on Monday until he arrived at Dr Power’s restaurant at 10.30pm.

A biography of Imnetu on the website of the Arts Club in Dubai describes him as a “well-travelled chef” who is of Eritrea and grew up in Sweden before working in London and New York.

Before becoming head chef at the Dubai branch of the Private Members’ Club, he worked in several fine dining restaurants in London, including the Original Arts Club, Oblix at the Shard and the Savoy Grill.

DCI Brian Howie, who led the investigation from the Met’s Homicide Squad, said: “Our focus is on what happened to Mussie. Did you speak to him in the restaurant or do you have any images or videos from that time that could assist with the investigation?”

“The attack occurred at around 11.20pm. Customers on site tried to prevent the attack. We need to speak to these people and I urge them to contact us.”

“We are publishing Mussie’s name and two photos of him – one of which shows him on the day of the attack – in the hope that this will trigger someone’s memory and prompt them to come forward.”