And still it rumbles on at Coworth Park….
After being open a total of 622 days, Coworth Park has seen off two Executive chefs (and technically a former two Michelin starred consultant). Today, hot off the press The Dorchester Collection are set to announce their new incumbent of the mantle at their country outpost. Most readers of this blog will say ‘who??’ and it’s probably for that very reason that he’s got the job.
Brian Hughson is currently Head chef at The Grill at The Dorchester, a position he’s held since mid March 2009. Previous to that, & The Dorchester website makes much play of his background, his experience has encompassed such venues as: Rhodes W1 (1 Michelin star, at the time); Petrus (1 Michelin star, at the time); Savoy Grill and a plethora of mid market Marco Pierre White restaurants. But they would, wouldn’t they? After all Mr Hughson was replacing Aiden Byrne, who was off back up north to varying degrees of success.
To me looking from the outside looking in, it appears that since the arrival of Monsieur Ducasse across the lobby from The Grill in mid November 2007,that the hotel have never really known what to do with the space. The Mr Byrne brand of fine dining was never going to be able to compete with M. Ducasse, so it was back to the tried & trusted carving trolley with just enough stove work to keep chefs interested. From what I’ve been told there will be more than enough to keep Mr Hughson interested at Coworth Park, as long as he can stay there long enough.
As ever with new appointments, I’d like to wish Mr Hughson all the best for the future.
*Post Script: Less than twelve hours after this post went live, news of yet another high profile departure from Coworth Park has come my way which not even the staff know about. Laura Richardson, the equestrian manager is leaving at the end of this month to go to baliequestriancentre.com, this is yet another blow to Coworth Park as she is highly rated.
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Chef Hermes – please check your facts. Brian Hughson did take part in the cook offs in exactly the same way as the other chefs applying for the position.
Of course he did ;-)But not at Coworth Park according to my sources.
The facts remain, Coworth Park is a mess. 3exec chefs in under 2 years.
I dare say he is a good cook, but where on his CV does it demonstrate that he has the experience of a multi-outlet property. Nowhere is the answer.
Ultimately Coworth Park has become damaged goods & quite frankly a loss of the Michelin star is widely expected.
I was merely pointing out that your statement of him not taking part in the cook-off was factually incorrect.
And even if Coworth Park has had a difficult start, let’s hope the future improves immensely.
Surely any business, especially in the current climate, should be encouraged. Having people revelling in its problems is neither helpful nor productive.
Well Mr Shaw, let me educate you.
If the PR department hadn’t be such arses when they were first approached concerning their situation, then I wouldn’t be writing about it.
But their attitude was ‘let him do his best, we’re not bothered’.
Coworth Park had the potential to be a real standard bearer, but unfortunately poor leadership & internal politics are hindering it, to the point where the recruitment & staffing is now a joke.
Informative piece as always Chef Hermes…..I have it on good authority that there was significant interest in the position from a couple of serious high profile chefs so a rather odd decision by the DC to promote from within….especially as their catch cry for Coworth is “reinventing the country house hotel” but certainly as far as the restaurants are concerned their actions have yet to match their message….pity.
Yes, several high profile chefs with Michelin stars / Three AA rosettes did cook offs. Which is why this appointment may have come out of the blue for some.
Mr Hughson didn’t do a cook off & so will probably come on the back of a recommendation from Henri Brosi, the Executive chef at The Dorchester.
Well, I would suggest that they need someone who does not create but who follow the orders of the master general manager Zoe Jenkins, who, not been able to compromise with the previous two chefs need someone clearly brain washed before hand from the company to make her life easier. Fairly pathetic.
and no pastry chef now either ( yesterday moved on to pastures new )