CHEFFY DREAM TEAM AT FARNCOMBE ESTATE!

Following the appointment of Martin Burge as Culinary Director in April, Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds has announced two new Head Chefs at Foxhill Manor and Dormy House. Martin will now be joined by Sam Bowser and Matt Weedon.

Martin Burge, who brings more than 27 years of experience to his new role as Culinary Director of Farncombe Estate, joined the team from Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa in Wiltshire in April 2017. In his previous Executive Chef role Martin achieved numerous accolades, attaining his first Michelin star in January 2005. In September 2008, the AA recognised The Dining Room with four AA rosettes and in January 2009 Michelin awarded Martin a second star, which he retained for nine consecutive years.

Sam Bowser, who was appointed Head Chef at Dormy House on 11 July, will work alongside Martin Burge to reimagine the culinary offering at The Potting Shed – a relaxed and rustic setting serving classic British and European favourites and The Garden Room – an unpretentious a la carte gastronomic restaurant. Originally from Lincolnshire, Sam has worked in some of the finest kitchens in the UK including the 2 Michelin Starred Whatley Manor with Martin Burge, as well as Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons with Raymond Blanc; Le Gavroche with Michel Roux Jnr and The Square in Mayfair with Philip Howard. Sam’s first focus is developing a new menu at The Garden Room in conjunction with Martin Burge, which will launch on 6 September 2017.

Matt Weedon has been appointed as the Head Chef at Foxhill Manor, the exclusive eight-bedroom private house hotel. Here, the Whatever Whenever ethos is put into practice whereby guests can choose to eat whatever they want whenever they want and wherever they want. Head Chef Matt Weedon will sit down individually with all guests to find out their preferences and recommend a selection of options. Guest can either choose from Matt’s recommended black board of dishes in the kitchen or opt for a bespoke creation. All food will be locally-sourced and seasonally fresh. Extensive professional experience working in country-house hotels has seen Matt Weedon develop a highly-assured, French-inflected style of cooking. His light, pared down take on the classics lays emphasis on seasonal ingredients of the best possible quality.
Matt was appointed as head chef of Glenapp Castle in south-west Scotland, where he won his first Michelin star and was awarded the AA rosettes. Following this, his next position was at Lords of the Manor which gained its first Michelin star in 2009, only one year after Matt Weedon took over as head chef. Earning multiple accolades, including Michelin stars at two of the restaurants he headed, Matt will be working with Martin Burge to take Foxhill Manor to the next level on the food scale.

Andrew Grahame, CEO, Farncombe Estate commented: “I am delighted to welcome both Sam Bowser and Matt Weedon to the team along with our new Culinary Director, Martin Burge. This is a very exciting time for Farncombe Estate and I believe that with these new appointments and culinary developments across the hotels, we will put Farncombe Estate on the food map and ensure our food offering is a standalone reason to visit for our guests.”

Following these developments, the next stage for Martin Burge and Executive Head Chef John Ingram will be the development of a new restaurant at the Fish, the third Hotel at the Farncombe Estate – which is currently being conceptualised.