Hill to quit Box Tree after seven months

Toby Hill is leaving the Michelin-starred Box Tree restaurant in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, after only seven months as its head chef.

He is joining the Lords of the Manor hotel in Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire, in January.

Iain Shelton, general manager of the 31-bedroom hotel, which has a Michelin-starred restaurant, welcomed his forthcoming arrival. He said: "We are delighted to have found a chef who will provide consistency as well as individuality. We look forward to Toby Hill joining us."

But Helena Avis, owner of the Box Tree, denied Hill was leaving. "As far as I am concerned he is not leaving. We are discussing things but nothing is settled," she said.

Hill, who joined the Box Tree in April, was unavailable for comment.

A month after he joined the Box Tree he denied rumours that he was leaving and refuted industry gossip that Avis planned to sell the 45-seat restaurant.

Asked if she was now planning to sell the restaurant, Avis said: "That is a lot of rubbish."

Hill quit last year as executive chef of London's Halcyon hotel. He is replacing John Campbell, who is leaving the Lords of the Manor to become head chef of the Vineyard at Stockcross in Berkshire (Caterer, 11 October, page 48).

by Louise Bozec

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 8-14 November 2001