Farlam Hall appoints chef patron
Hrishikesh Desai, who is due to take up his new role in April 2023, will lead the recently-refurbished hotel and its restaurant
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Farlam Hall, the 15th-Century manor house hotel in Cumbria, has announced the appointment of Michelin star chef Hrishikesh Desai as the chef patron of its Cedar Tree restaurant.
He will also be joined by Karen Baybutt, former managing director at The Gilpin Hotel and Lake House where Desai oversaw three award-winning restaurants, achieving numerous rosettes and a Michelin star within 16 months.
Desai, who is due to take up his new role in April 2023, will lead the recently-refurbished hotel and its restaurant to become “a beacon of true high-class hospitality” in the Northwest region.
As chef patron, Desai will be tasked with giving the menu a full makeover, promising “simplicity with oodles of class and an unexpected twist to make guests smile”.
Desai said: “Farlam Hall is a very special place with genuine Cumbrian warmth, understated elegance and a passionate yet relaxed team. It is a place of storytelling, and the food, superbly sourced wines, spirits, beers and ales are central to that.
“Its kitchen gardens, poly-tunnels and honeybees provide an abundance of produce as does the wider environment of farmland and freshwater streams. We’ll be using these ingredients from these sources to their full potential.”
Baybutt said: “Hrishikesh and I have moved to Farlam Hall as a team and will take the next step together. We will work in partnership with the existing team to deliver a memorable, but beautifully uncomplicated, experience for guests.”