Danesfield House head chef Adam Simmonds wins Best Chef award

Adam Simmonds - whose Michelin-starred restaurant in the hotel takes his name â€' beat some of the counties' top chefs to the win, in a nominations line-up which also included Tom Kerridge of The Hand & Flowers.

More than 500 magazine reader nominations and an independent panel of judges helped make the final decision, with the awards presented at a ceremony on 6 September at Ascot Racecourse.

Other categories included Newcomer of the Year, Butcher of the Year, and Best Local Supplier.

A historic mansion built in 1901, the Grade-II listed Danesfield House is set in 65 acres of grounds and landscaped gardens, and also features a spa, pool, gardens, tennis courts, gym, putting green and a helicopter pad.

Having won a star and four AA Rosettes for the Adam Simmonds Restaurant since his promotion to executive chef in 2010, Simmonds had also reached Michelin standard at his former restaurant, Ynyshir Hall in Wales. Grounded in classical French cooking, he has worked at many high-end sites, including The Ritz, The Lanesborough, Marco Pierre White's Les Saveurs, and Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons.

He is also set to release a new book in 2014, with an e-book taster â€' called AS The Book â€' already available online, and recently announced plans to leave Danesfield in order to focus on opening a new restaurant in London.

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