Jesmond Dene House appoints new executive head chef
Saint will be taking over from Danny Parker and will oversee all events at the house as well as the Fern Dining Room and Bar
Jesmond Dene House, a restaurant with rooms in Newcastle upon Tyne, has promoted chef Eddie Saint from senior sous chef to the role of executive head chef with immediate effect.
Saint will be taking over from Danny Parker and will oversee all events at the house as well as the Fern Dining Room and Bar.
Saint, 33, from Tynemouth, has worked in various hotels throughout the North East, starting with 2AA Rosette’s
Hotel du Vin in 2009 as a commis chef and sous chef before joining Close House and then Eslington Villa.
He then went on to work as a lecturer at Newcastle College, where he taught kitchen larder and patisserie to levels 1 and 3.
Following his stint at Newcastle College, Saint moved on to work at Riley’s Fish Shack as head chef and stayed in the position until the Covid pandemic hit.
From joining Jesmond Dene House in 2021 as senior sous chef, Saint has played an “integral” part of the operation and has for the past two years been running the Fern restaurant side of the business operation.
Using his vast experience in the industry, Saint has trained numerous junior chefs during his time at Jesmond Dene House and has become involved in the development of Fern restaurants’ offerings by helping to devise the menus, organising their special events as well as the financial aspects of running a busy, high-profile kitchen.
The appointment of Saint also coincides with the launch of their brand-new summer seasonal menu at Fern restaurant, which Saint and his team created.
Saint said: “I am thoroughly delighted with the position of executive head chef and am looking forward to using my experience to create some exciting dishes for the guests of Jesmond Dene House and Fern Dining Room and Bar. I am fortunate to have worked alongside Danny Parker, who has moved onto pastures new, and I wish him all the very best, but I really look forward to the challenges ahead in my new position.”
Christina Stephenson, events and marketing manager, added: “We’re pleased to be able to promote one of our very own chefs into the position of Executive Head Chef at Jesmond Dene House and Fern restaurant.
“Eddie beat off stiff competition to gain the position and his determination to succeed to the top in such a tough industry is to be applauded. We are delighted he has taken the position and are excited for the future plans he has for our very special venue.”