Beechfield House appoints new GM and head chef

Beechfield House in Wiltshire, a secluded retreat inspired by 16th century Italian Renaissance, in Beanacre, has welcomed a new general manager and head chef to its team.  

The hotel’s new GM, Peter Rusu, joins the team with 20 years of experience in the industry, from family-run hotels to household names such as Marriott Group. 

With a passion for customer service and the variety of responsibilities presented every day, Rusu is looking forward to making an impact at Beechfield. 

He said: “We are obviously blessed with beautiful surroundings and a brilliant team. I can’t wait to work on more events and experiences to ensure guests have the best possible stay and continue supporting the team to grow and develop.” 

Alongside him, Dan Smith has also been appointed as the new head chef, set to bring a “modern British culinary style” and working with the team to launch a new menu in September. 

Smith has worked in some top London kitchens and alongside names such as Marco Pierre White, Richard Corrigan and Graham Garrett. After relocating to the South West to work with top quality ingredients 15 years ago, he is set to bring his “love of local” to Beechfield House’s two rosette restaurant.

Speaking on his new role, he said: “I love the location of the hotel, not just for the beautiful surroundings but because we get to work with some incredible local suppliers, which really plays into my passion for using quality local ingredients. It’s a small team in the kitchen so I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and working together to deliver an exceptional dining experience for our guests.” 

Amid the new appointments, the team has also been celebrating its longest serving member of staff, head housekeeper, Livia Szirovicza. After joining the hotel 10 years ago, she has seen the country house go through many changes and has fond memories of the last decade, including the hotel’s warm welcome on her very first day.

Meanwhile, Becca Ford has been appointed as head of reservations and sales after nearly three years at the hotel. 

Built in 1878 for a local farmer named Richard Keevil, Beechfield House remained a family home for ninety years, until it was converted into a hotel in the late 1960s. The 24-room hotel, each named after a type of tree in the hotel grounds, has recently added a 2-bedroom apartment to its offering. 

Beechfield House owner, Chris Whyte, said: “This year has been incredible for the hotel so far, from a record-breaking six months for bookings to retaining our 4 AA Red Stars putting us in the top 200 hotels in the country. We wouldn’t have achieved any of this without our amazing team, and with Peter and Dan joining us, I’m excited to see what we can do with the rest of the year and the festive season – which is always magical at Beechfield House.”