Hywel Jones to be head chef at Lucknam Park…

Former London chef Hywel Jones is set to take over the kitchen at Wiltshire country house hotel Lucknam Park when its current head chef, Robin Zabu, leaves.

The hotel's owner and managing director, Harry Murray, told Caterer that Jones would begin his tenure on 26 January. He said: "We've just completed a £3m refurbishment at the hotel and Hywel's appointment will complement that."

Jones joins the hotel after a two-month career break, following the closure of London restaurant Pharmacy, where he was head chef, in November. He had been at the restaurant for a year and before that had headed the kitchen at Lola's in the capital's Islington area, between May and September 2002. However, he made his name as head chef at Foliage, the fine-dining restaurant at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel, for which he gained a Michelin star in January 2002.

Commenting on Jones's Michelin pedigree, Murray said that although he was hoping Lucknam would achieve Michelin recognition under the chef's leadership, he was keen not to box Jones in. He said: "We don't operate on an ‘or else' basis. Hywel has all the capabilities and we're delighted that he's joining us."

Jones said: "My long-term plan was to move out of London anyway, and this has given me the opportunity. Mr Murray wants to make Lucknam the best country house hotel in the country and the aim is to put out the style of food I was cooking at Foliage."