Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor has retained a Michelin star for the 28th consecutive year, as well as its status as the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Cheshire.
The Michelin Guide has returned again for 2018, this week unveiling the latest group of Michelin star restaurants in the UK and Ireland. Still considered as the most important guide in the world to eating out, Michelin inspectors have spent the last twelve months dining in restaurants throughout the UK and Ireland. The acquisition or loss of a star can have dramatic effects on the success of a restaurant, which is why the news is music to the ears of The Chester Grosvenor, Simon Radley and his team.
Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor has retained a prestigious Michelin star since 1990, an achievement matched by only a handful of UK restaurants. Given the level of Simon Radley’s personal responsibilities throughout the hotel as Executive Chef and Director of Catering, overseeing La Brasserie and extensive meetings and event space for up to 300 people, this is a credit to his passion and determination.
Simon joined the team at The Chester Grosvenor in 1986 and apart from a few years gaining experience in London, has been at the helm of the operation for over 20 years. His food stems from a classical French training but has a firm stamp of the North West. He championed regional produce a long time before it became en vogue, preferring a personal relationship with producers and a control on the quality of his ingredients.The restaurant prides itself on offering contemporary dining, a versatile menu and one of the most extensive wine cellars in the country. A choice of seasonal la carte or tasting menu is offered to diners, featuring dishes such as: Choucroute – smoked bacon butter, sweet clams and Obsiblue prawn, Cannelloni – caramelised veal sweetbreads, mushrooms, Chilled Burrata – Carpaccio fig and biscotti and En coque – crisp chocolate shell, apple dacquoise and Calvados toffee.
With the Simon Radley restaurant having such comprehensive food and beverage menus, as well as additional features, including the renowned bread trolley, with 9 different breads baked on site everyday a cheese trolley (hosting around 30 cheeses at one time), there is a huge ‘repertoire de cuisine’ for staff to familiarise themselves with. Restaurant Manager, Jaime McCormack, works tirelessly to ensure all staff are impeccably rehearsed on every dish and Head Sommelier, Derek Scaife, is famed for his immaculate knowledge and access to hundreds of wines from around the world, stored in a cellar that stretches underneath the city centre.
Simon Radley comments: “It is fair to say that we have retained the Michelin star for a length of time more than most within the UK, however, every time, I am humbled by the incredible quality and talent that we share this honour with. As ever, this is a team effort and I am exceptionally proud of everyone involved, working tirelessly to maintain the high standards that we set to achieve. With the high calibre of dining available in the county today, to continue to be the only Michelin starred restaurant in Cheshire and one of only a handful in the North West is also a huge achievement for us.”
A firm advocate of growing talent from within, Simon launched the ‘Simon Radley Kitchen Academy’ in 2013 to cultivate a new generation of innovative chefs. Now in its fifth year, the Academy accepts 10 candidates each year, allowing them a unique opportunity to earn while they learn under the guidance of Michelin star chefs with considerable opportunities for education, training and personal development.
The restaurant has catered for high profile guests over the years, including senior members of the Royal Family, most recently during the period of the memorial event for the late Duke of Westminster in November 2016.
For more information on ‘Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor’, visit https://chestergrosvenor.com.
