MasterChef finalist Tom Rennolds joins Skelwith Group

Former MasterChef finalist Tom Rennolds has joined hospitality property company the Skelwith Group as food consultant, providing advice on a range of projects.

Rennolds will manage all food and beverage offers at the group's sites, and will also be managing chef at its new pub, the Curious Plum, when it opens in Husthwaite, North Yorkshire, at the end of the year.

Based on the site of the former Orchard Inn, the pub is being extended to include a refurbished bar and restaurant area, a new courtyard, and eight bedrooms.

The York-based groups' establishments also include the Raithwaite Estate in North Yorkshire and the Flaxby Country Resort between York and Harrogate.

Paul Ellis, managing director of Skelwith said: "It is a real coup to bring on board someone of Tom's calibre. He will add a tremendous amount to our new and future interests, which include a lot of hospitality outlets. He has a great breadth of experience and we are very excited for him to put his stamp on the Curious Plum project."

A former plasterer, Yorkshire-based Rennolds was a finalist in the 2012 show MasterChef, for which his final menu included a starter of langoustines, a quail main, and rhubarb pudding for dessert.

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