Member Article

MasterChef Professional joins Rockliffe Hall

A finalist from the BBC TV series, MasterChef: The Professionals, has joined Rockliffe Hall in Hurworth as the 5* resort’s head chef in The Clubhouse.

David Henry, from Eaglescliffe, appeared on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2009 reaching the final eight with his duck, parsnip puree, parsnip fondant, savoy cabbage and bacon dish.

In his role as head chef at Rockliffe Hall’s Clubhouse, located at the resort’s world class golf club, David will be responsible for developing the menu to complement the resort’s other two restaurants, The Orangery and the Brasserie by Atkinson.

David is working with Kenny Atkinson, Rockliffe Hall’s celebrated director of food, to continue with the resort’s commitment to quality local produce and dishes.

David’s re-launched menus include British classics such as North Sea fish pie, local beer battered haddock and pan-roasted Raby Castle Estate venison sausage, as well as sirloin, rib eye and fillet steaks from the grill and sandwiches including a Yorkshire twist on the Croque Monsieur.

Before joining Rockliffe Hall, David held a number of roles working as a chef all over the UK and in Northern Ireland at places including the luxury Sharrow Bay Hotel in the Lake District, the Fat Lamb in Cumbria and the Pot Kiln in Berkshire before returning to his native North East to work at Hide and 1-0-4 in Yarm.

The Clubhouse is part of Rockliffe Hall’s impressive restaurant portfolio which also includes the triple AA rosette Kenny Atkinson at The Orangery, which offers fine-dining tasting menus, and the Brasserie by Atkinson, specialising in local, seasonal a la carte menus.

Speaking about his new role, David said: “I’m a huge fan of British food and a passionate supporter of local producers so being able to work with someone like Kenny who shares my enthusiasm is great. I’ve spent some time tweaking the menus in The Clubhouse to offer British classics to give people the option of more informal- yet still 5*- dining.”

Kenny Atkinson added: “David has worked at some pretty impressive places, famed for classic, British food served in imaginative ways. He brings with him some great ideas for The Clubhouse where we offer a relaxed style of dining as it’s important to provide three distinct restaurants at Rockliffe Hall and The Clubhouse offers an alternative to our fine dining or a la carte options.”

For more information go to http://www.rockliffehall.com/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison .