The new Head Chef at the White Swan in Alnwick has prioritised sourcing as much produce locally, and adding more flair to the hotel’s menu to grow its reputation among locals.
Paul Harwood has spent the majority of his recent career working in kitchens in the north east. He spent three and a half years at the Victoria Hotel in Bamburgh as Head Chef. Prior to that he was Sous Chef at the Village Hotel in Newcastle.
Dishes on the Winter menu included: Sea bass with a crab, spinach and shrimp risotto; braised featherblade of beef with grain mustard mash, sweet potato and spinach wellington; and Cod loin with king prawns, chorizo and sun-dried tomatoes.
Paul has continued to work with the same team as his predecessor, and he feels that he has the right people on board to achieve his vision for the Olympic restaurant and hotel’s bistro, Hardy’s.
“I’ve come to the White Swan at a really exciting time – Hardy’s Bistro is gaining a good reputation for modern English cuisine, using locally sourced produce wherever possible,” Paul says. “It’s my aim to build upon this to try and attract even more people from the surrounding areas and further afield.”
And despite only taking the job a number of months ago, he is confident that the changes are reaping rewards: “There has been a good reception to the updated menu so far…we are seeing quite a few new faces in the restaurant that have not been to visit us before.”
