North Lakes Hotel executive head chef to launch new venture
The executive head chef of the four-AA-starred North Lakes Hotel and Spa in Penrith, Cumbria, is to launch his own venture this month.
FYR (pronounced fire) will open inside the hotel as part of its £3m refurbishment. It will feature an open fire grill centrepiece and specialise in grilled meats such as roast sirloin of British beef and lemon, garlic and herb marinated spatchcock chicken.
Doug Hargreaves, who has been executive chef at the Thwaites-owned hotel since 2010, has created an all-day dining menu showcasing regionally-sourced ingredients and steaks aged for a minimum of 28 days.
It features starters ‘from the larder' including Eden valley venison carpaccio and ham hock terrine and ‘from the store' dishes such as soup, seared scallops and smoked applewood cheese and garden herb croquettes.
Mains range from classics such as confit of lamb shepherd's pie, Thwaites beer battered fish and chips and homemade heirloom tomato, basil and mozzarella ravioli; to grilled kebabs such piri piri chicken and Tandoori marinated salmon, king prawn and monkfish.
Sides include mac ‘n' cheese, beer-battered onion rings and garlic and rosemary roasted new potatoes while sticky toffee pudding, panna cotta, and chocolate brownie sundae feature on the dessert menu.
A series of steak evenings will be held for diners to sample steaks such as Tomahawk or T-bone steaks cooked to the chef's specifications. A masterclass will also run alongside the series to teach diners how to correctly grill meat.
The interior design will be inspired by the Cumbrian countryside and showcase artwork of the Lake District. A rowing boat is mounted to the ceiling in the space decked in oak furniture, wooden panels and beams.
Hargreaves joined Thwaites in 1994 as an apprentice chef at the Oaks Hotel in Burnley. After competing his qualifications, he continued to work with Thwaites at sites such as the Cottons Hotel in Knutsford, the Crown at Wetheral and the Aztec Hotel, Bristol.
His first head chef position was at the Millstone at Mellor. He then held head chef positions at Kettering Park Hotel and Thorpe Park Hotel before joining the North Lakes Hotel in November 2010.
Mac & Wild to open third restaurant >>
Native to relocate to bigger premises in south London >>