The Tawny Hotel appoints new head chef

The new luxury hotel in Staffordshire, The Tawny, has announced the appointment of Andrew Watts as the head chef of its flagship restaurant, The Plumicorn. 

Watts takes up the role with 19 years of experience, as prior to joining The Tawny, he was group executive chef at Hawkstone Hall and Gardens in Shropshire. At that venue he was responsible for setting up the kitchen from scratch during the property’s £5m refurbishment.  

In his new role, Watts plans to use local ingredients sourced from the hotel’s kitchen garden and neighbouring area “that speak of Staffordshire and the Peak District”. 

Alongside The Plumicorn, The Tawny hotel also offers a casual dining venue, The Feather Lounge, which is located inside the main restaurant building, as well as The Perch, sitting above the main dining room of the main restaurant. 

The Perch is said to be an intimate dining space and will be used for private dining and afternoon tea in the new year.

Watts’ appointment comes as the hotel has opened six new Hillside Treehouses and eight new Retreat rooms earlier this year. The hotel’s manager Josh Chadwick, was also promoted to general manager in October 2022, following his success in the 2022 Acorn Awards.

Watts said: “I am excited and inspired to join the team at The Plumicorn. The restaurant’s 2023 agenda remains in keeping with the hotel’s long-standing emphasis on sustainable, local produce, but guests can expect a wider variety of food to choose from next year, with some unexpected twists. 

“You couldn’t ask for a better location to be inspired by nature than The Tawny’s 70-acre estate, and by carefully selecting ingredients that celebrate each season, we hope that all menus at the hotel, from breakfast to lunch, dinner and afternoon tea, will reflect this.’’