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Interview: Gidleigh Park's new exec chef Chris Simpson

26th February 2018

Categories: Visitor News

Chris Simpson arrived at Gidleigh Park in January 2018 to take up the position of executive head chef. As head chef at Restaurant Nathan Outlaw for seven years, which has held two Michelin stars since 2011, Chris enjoys a reputation for outstanding cooking with the very best of local ingredients.

Visit Devon caught up with Chris to find out how he's settled in - and to hear about his plans for the future at Gidleigh Park.

Congratulations on your new position, Chris! How have you enjoyed your first 8 weeks at Gidleigh Park?
We’ve had a great start here at Gidleigh Park and I’m delighted to be settled in the kitchen and focused on our new menus. The team here are so talented and we're already working well together refining these dishes, with fantastic feedback from our guests so far. I’m excited to put my own stamp on the restaurant, placing emphasis on the very best ingredients at the heart of each dish, with striking colours and clarity throughout the menu.

What new aspects will you be bringing to the food at Gidleigh - and what will you maintain?
I hope to bring a progressive and exciting new era to the kitchen of Gidleigh Park. Focusing on local produce, my menus bring something new and different to the hotel's dining experience, through a deep-rooted classical cooking style, combined with a modern interpretation. Throughout my dishes I look to take advantage of the local flavours with a refined, yet simple, honest approach, offering freshness and seasonality of ingredients.

Gidleigh Park has a fabulous reputation in terms of offering the absolute best in food and hospitality? Is taking on the role of exec chef at Gidleigh a daunting prospect?
It’s a privilege to have been offered the opportunity to take up the reins at Gidleigh Park -somewhere I’ve admired since I very first started cooking. I’m delighted to be staying in the south west, and to be able to continue to work with all the great local produce and suppliers in our region.

What's your plan in terms of maintaining Gidleigh Park's 2 Michelin Stars?
To be awarded Michelin stars is a huge honour and I’ve enjoyed celebrations with Nathan when we were awarded our first, and then second, Michelin star.

But you can’t focus all your energies on awards - the most important thing is to work hard every single day to produce dishes that your diners enjoy and that showcase fantastic ingredients to their very best. Anything else is a bonus!

How are you incorporating Devon produce into your dishes?
Having worked in a fish restaurant for the last seven years, I love cooking with fish and shellfish in particular. I’m also enjoying the opportunity to work more with meat at Gidleigh Park, and creating new dishes that incorporate the likes of beef and duck. I love working with seasonal ingredients, so this definitely influences my menu choices, particularly in the spring and summertime when more vegetables come into season.

Are you glad to be working and living in Devon?
The local produce is one of my favourite things about the area and I’m delighted to be staying in the south west to be able to continue to work with the great local suppliers in our region, and serve the ‘very best of South West’ to our guests at Gidleigh Park.

The most important element to my cooking is taking advantage of the area’s best produce and seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about exploring new ways to maximise these local flavours and bring out the best in them, building flavour combinations and often focusing on just one ingredient as the inspiration for an entire dish.