Who is John?

Our great friend John, head chef at Manor House, Lindley, has been part of the team from day one!

From a young age, he loved to be in the kitchen, which influenced the development of his chef career; although it can be a difficult environment at times, John has a strong drive, passion and love of food, which fits beautifully with the environment at the Manor House.

“Early on in my career I worked for a corporate group of hotels before wanting to really push on and better myself as a chef. I have quite a lot of family in the Lake District, and the food scene there was starting to explode with the likes of L’Enclume leading the way. I moved to The Samling Hotel Windermere as a commis before being promoted to chef de partie. We were awarded 1 Michelin star and three rosettes from the AA before moving home to the Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey, again to further my skills under Steve Smith at Konjokitchen.

“After 12 months we were again awarded one star and four rosettes. There, I worked under several head chefs, each with their own individual style, from the quite traditional but exemplary Adam Smith to current head chef Paul’s more natural, modern approach, utilising the kitchen gardens to their full potential. Constantly pushing to produce some truly excellent food is something I’ve brought with me and was fundamental from day one at Manor House." (Wine and Dine, Yorkshire, 2019)

He is a great ambassador for all things local produce, planning the seasons carefully and working out the best and most creative ways to showcase the season's best product.

John was a great addition to our 2023 Young Chef of the Year judging panel for our Yorkshire heat, we would recommend a trip down to Manor House, Lindley if you're ever in the area or looking for somewhere new to try!

www.manorhouselindley.co.uk