Michelin-starred chef Matthew Tomkinson is leaving the Goose in Oxfordshire to join The Montagu Arms Hotel in Beaulieu.

Tomkinson, who won the Roux scholarship in 2005, will move to become head chef at the Montagu hotel on 9 June, where he will be responsible for two restaurants.

The Terrace is the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, about the same size as the Goose and Monty’s a less formal restaurant of about 60 covers.

The move comes six months after Tomkinson won his first Michelin star for The Goose.

Speaking of his decision to leave The Goose, Tomkinson said he’d had a “fantastic year and a half” at the Goose, but wanted a “new challenge”.

The chef hopes to build on The Montagu Arms’ reputation for using seasonal ingredients, which are locally sourced when possible as well as free-range and organic.

He added “I have always worked hard to develop relationships with local producers so I can ensure the ingredients I use are of the highest quality. It’s great to know the Montagu Arms has the same philosophy.”

Daniel Cox from Compass Group’s fine-dining division Restaurant Associates was named as the 2008 Roux Scholar last month.

Menuwatch: The Goose >>

2007 Roux Scholar Armand Sablon moves on from Galvin at Windows >>

By Gemma Sharkey

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