Damon Connolly, the recently-appointed Head Chef at Solberge Hall, has added a number of junior chefs to the kitchen team that he believes will give the hotel a fresh approach. Solberge Hall is the classic Lodges-owned Georgian Mansion located near Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
Damon rose up through the ranks from Commis Chef to Chef du Partie at the George Hotel, Bamford, before joining the Maynard Arms Hotel in Grindleford as Junior Sous Chef. He moved on to the Swinton Park Hotel as Demi Chef de Partie where he became Chef de Partie Tournant and spent some time as Head Pastry Chef. Before joining Solberge Hall he spent two years at the Pheasant Hotel in Harome as Sous Chef.
After appointing his new team, Damon managed a busy wedding period and has now launched the hotel’s new Spring menu. Highlights of the menu include a lovage risotto with edible flowers from the hotel’s garden, which joins firm favourites with diners – a North Sea Lobster bisque with nasturtiums, a Whitby Crab risotto, and braised Yorkshire Ox Cheek with Spring radishes. A kitchen garden Rhubarb crumble has also been added to the menu.
“We want to focus on using as many local ingredients as possible including herbs and vegetables from the garden,” Damon says. “Later in the season we hope to be able to use more of our garden produce, including cucumbers, tomatoes and apples to the menu.”
The appointment of a younger team is a different approach to that of similar hotels. “By bringing in a young team we are able to train them in our preferred way of working and harness their enthusiasm to get the most of their potential.
“We have great hopes for this team – the hotel is set in a wonderful location and we want to enhance its growing reputation locally and beyond,” Damon concludes.
The launch of the Spring menu at Solberge Hall coincides with the refurbishment of the bar and restaurant which was carried out following a steady increase in diners. Classic Lodges acquired the hotel in July 2015.