Matt Weedon leaves Fallowfields to open pub
Matt Weedon has left his role as head chef at Fallowfields hotel in Oxfordshire to take over a pub in the county.
Weedon, who previously held a Michelin star at the Lords of the Manor, had worked at Fallowfields for around 18 months and achieved three AA rosettes in his time there.
He plans to take over the tenancy of the Lamb Inn in Crawley near Witney in Oxfordshire, opening in November.
Meanwhile, sous chef Mark Potts, who has worked with Weedon for the past four-and-a-half years, has already taken over as head chef at Fallowfields.
Hotel owner Anthony Lloyd told The Caterer: "Increasingly, our management objectives diverged, and this has resulted in Matt and [partner and restaurant manager] Rachel taking on their own pub business, a bit closer to their home. Everybody at Fallowfields wishes them both very well in their new business direction.
"As Rachel leaves us, our restaurant team will be managed in the short term by our number two, Slawek. We are currently recruiting for a new restaurant manager. The stable kitchen brigade that Matt has trained and left behind, is intent on moving the Fallowfields vision forward.
"Mark has already put together his plan for the remainder of this year and beyond, and started to implement it today.
Lloyd added that Fallowfields would focus on creating a cosy, welcoming atmosphere that moved away from more traditional, stiff service styles.
"Our vision is to build a successful, sustainable business, demonstrating ‘respect for the individual', to staff, customers and suppliers alike," Lloyd said. "I would be the first to admit we have a way to go in all respects. But that's what visions are for - to give us a direction and a direction to strive for."
Weedon was not available for comment before this story was posted online.