Swinton Estate appoints new executive chef

Swinton Park Hotel, located on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, has appointed Ruth Hansom as executive chef of its restaurant, Samuel’s.

With the appointment of Hansom, the restaurant has updated its menu which features a modern British cuisine prepared with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.

According to Swinton Estate, Hansom brings with her a wealth of culinary experience which will “enhance the dining experience for guests at Swinton Estate, building on its ‘estate-to-plate’ ethos”.

Hansom has worked in some of the UK’s most “prestigious” kitchens, including the Ritz London, The Ledbury, and L’Enclume, where she developed her skills in modern British cuisine.

She also secured three AA rosettes for the Princess on Shoreditch, and “hopes to build on this success at Swinton Estate, which has ambitions of achieving five star status in the next 12 to 18 months”.

In her new role, Hansom’s focus is on creating an ethical fine dining experience, following Swinton Estate’s sustainable ethos.

Creating the new menus has involved meeting with estate tenant farm businesses to understand what is special about the breeds of pig and cattle that they are raising, and then planning how to use the whole animal, from nose to tail.

Additionally, Hansom has already started work on a number of initiatives, including a redesign of the restaurant kitchens, and the creation of their own charcuterie on-site, with longer-term plans including a smoker on site.

Between 50% and 80% of the food served in the restaurant is sourced from the estate itself, with the rest locally sourced. Gardener, Dame Susan Cunliffe-Lister, oversees the kitchen gardens and mushroom cellars, cultivating everything from fruit to fresh herbs.

Hansom said: “I am thrilled to be joining the team at Swinton Estate as executive chef. I am excited to showcase the best of Yorkshire’s produce, from the estate’s own walled garden to the surrounding farms and producers. I am not interested in following the most recent fads in dining; I want to drive the narrative, not follow the trends, and I’m excited to see how this develops over the coming months and years.

“Too often, chefs demand specific cuts from farmers, which hugely increases wastage. Well-reared, free-range produce has such a wonderful taste and texture, and I believe that it is our job to deliver superb food that showcases these amazing flavours. Having such an array of produce on the doorstep, and close communication with farmers rather than third-party food distributors, offers so many more opportunities for me as a chef, and for our diners.”

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, owner of Swinton Estate, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ruth to Swinton Estate as our new executive chef. Her vision and enthusiasm for both the food and the process of delivering it – from kitchen design to creating a happy and fulfilled catering team, really stand out. We are sure she’ll be a huge asset to all of the dining experiences we offer at the Swinton Estate.”