Chewton Glen to launch cookery school with James Martin
Hampshire's Chewton Glen hotel is to open a cookery school with chef and TV presenter James Martin.
Planning permission has been granted by Christchurch Council for the development of the school on the site of the old gatehouse at the five-red-AA-star, 70-bedroom hotel. The school, which will feature cooking stations overlooking a kitchen garden, will feature a schedule of courses created by Martin.
The opening of the school will mark a return to Chewton Glen for Martin, who spent a short stint at the hotel more than 20 years ago as a pastry chef.
Martin, the presenter of BBC TV's Saturday Kitchen for 10 years, will head a rolling rota of visiting chefs from across the UK.
Andrew Stembridge, managing director of Chewton Glen, said the cookery school will be a key addition for the property in what is the hotel's 50th anniversary.
"Chewton Glen is a significant business in the area and the cookery school will create 20 new jobs. The additional turnover will also further benefit the 150 local businesses that already enjoy working with Chewton Glen.
"We are delighted that James Martin has agreed to partner with us in this exciting project, which will bring a new kudos to the gastronomic profile of Highcliffe and Christchurch. With planning permission secured, work will commence very shortly on the cookery school, which we hope to open in the autumn of 2016."
The cookery school will incorporate a dining area, charcuterie bar, bakery and patisserie.