Dean Westcar joins Woolley Grange

NEW HEAD CHEF AT WOOLLEY GRANGE

DEAN WESTCAR, a former Head Chef at Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park, is now heading up the kitchen brigade at Woolley Grange.

Woolley Grange Hotel has recently welcomed a new Head Chef Dean Westcar, formerly Head Chef at Restaurant Hywel Jones, Lucknam Park. Dean was born and raised in South Africa. He enjoyed cooking as a child and, after moving to England aged fourteen, took a full time job in catering as soon as he left school.

Dean has won a number of prestigious awards throughout his career: South West Professional Chef of the Year in 2014, BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals semifinalist in 2015, the Acorn Award in 2017 (awarded to 30 leading lights of the industry aged under 30) and finalist of the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year competition in 2017.

He has some exciting plans for the food at Woolley Grange: "I have a real passion for local, homegrown, simple unpretentious food. We are very fortunate to have the walled kitchen garden which provides an abundance of freshly grown fruit and vegetables in season plus a range of really good local food producers and suppliers. I have been working on new menus and am particularly excited to introduce the new Market Menu. This menu will change two or three times a week capitalising on what's in season in our walled garden, from our local butcher and fishmonger and from other local artisan food businesses. We will also retain our Orangery menu offering perennial family favourites, beautifully cooked and well presented.

My experience has taught me how to produce well curated, local dishes to a high standard, but also how to host ‘chef's table’ style meals. I want to bring the same ethos to Woolley, ensuring the whole team is knowledgeable and passionate about our food and that I get out of the kitchen regularly to talk to our guests. It is really important to me that I get to know our locals and regulars and understand more about what it is they are enjoying on our menus and where we can improve and expand. I look forward to meeting you all." To celebrate Dean's arrival Woolley Grange has just launched a new Sunday lunch offer. This delicious menu features 2 courses for £25 (add an extra course for only £6), a special children's Sunday lunch for £15 plus and, for those in need, one hour of free childcare in their Ofsted registered crèche for children from 12 weeks up to 8 years old. The childcare must be pre-booked when booking lunch and is subject to space availability. Sample Sunday lunch menus can be seen on the Eat page of the website.

To book a Sunday lunch please call 01225 864705.

Dean is the new Head Chef at Woolley Grange Hotel

“We are very fortunate to have the walled kitchen garden which provides an abundance of freshly grown fruit and vegetables in season”