A luxury hotel in Herefordshire is celebrating the appointment of its new head chef.
Steve Rimmer has joined Colwall Park Hotel, in Colwall near Ledbury, and says he wants to put it on the foodie map with his new menu.
The chef, who enjoys cooking everything from Thai to French cuisines, can often be found in the kitchen specialising in Modern British, something that is reflected in the new seven-course tasting menu he has developed for the hotel.
Steve said: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at Colwall Park and can’t wait to get stuck in, building upon and growing the hotel’s reputation for service and hospitality.
“My aim now is to help make the hotel known for its food, not just in Colwall but across Malvern too.
“What I love most about this job is that every day is different. It’s so easy to find inspiration, I get it from the seasons, particularly autumn, watching TV shows and Instagram.
“There are some brilliant people on social media sharing lots of ideas, so it’s always a fun challenge to either replicate or put my own spin on what I see on there.”
Steve may get inspired by watching TV but you won’t find him doing a Gordon Ramsey impression in the kitchen.
“There are quite a lot of misconceptions about the restaurant and hospitality industry,” he said. “As a result of what they see on TV, a lot of people can think you shout a lot as a head chef, but that’s not me.
“I’ve had some great achievements too - one that sticks out was stepping up back in the day and going from sous chef to head chef in my first job and maintaining three rosettes. I’m very proud of that.”
The hospitality sector was hit hard by the Covid pandemic but Steve believes it reshaped the industry.
He said: “There is a real lack of chefs currently and I would love for that to change. I’d encourage anyone thinking of making the move into hospitality to just do it - there are companies out there that will train you, build you up and make you a great chef.
“All you have to do is be keen, listen, learn and think on your feet.”
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