Robert Thompson joins boutique hotel North House as chef patron

Robert Thompson has been appointed chef patron at North House, a boutique hotel that is due to reopen this spring in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

The chef, a 2006 Acorn Award winner, revealed the news on his personal Instagram in a post which has since received over 400 likes.

North House is a collaboration between Thompson and Sara and Peter Curran, the owners of the 14-bedroom, 18th century farmhouse located in the island’s historic seaport town. Over the past two weeks, the venue has received over 530 emails from potential customers ahead of its reopening.

Thompson told The Caterer: “It’s one of those situations where you feel everything has come together at exactly the right time. It’s a fantastic opportunity and platform and being able to team up with Peter and Sara who I’ve known for a long time, and really spearhead North House on every angle – that’s something very exciting.”

Sara said that she first came across Thompson’s cooking in 2008 at his Michelin-starred restaurant at the Hambrough hotel in Ventor on the Isle of Wight. She fell in love with his “absolutely exquisite” food and was a regular at his Thompson’s restaurant in Newport, which the chef operated for six years before closing the venue during the pandemic.

She said: “We were unbelievably shocked that Robert should come to North House. It was a match made in heaven from day one.”

Thompson’s North House venture will see him return to face-to-face hospitality for the first time since he launched the premium at-home restaurant meal-kit service You Be Chef in September 2020, which he will continue to run alongside his full-time chef patron role.

He said: “I think like a lot of chefs you miss the customer interaction when you are locked away in the kitchen.”

Thompson said he valued direct feedback and being able to chat to his guests, which is why he introduced an open kitchen to North House – reminiscent of the one at Thompson’s – by physically taking down one of the walls.

The chef spoke fondly of his “fantastic journey” at his Newport restaurant and said members of his Thompson’s team, including the sous chef, will be joining him at North House.

Curran added: “We’re actually bringing all of the beautiful bespoke tables from Thompson’s, which were hand-crafted by [Thompson’s] father. What’s really unique about them is that they have cutlery drawers, so I think that’s going to be a really nice flavour of Thompson’s.”

The menu, which is yet to be revealed, will place an emphasis on seasonal food. When it comes to typical dishes, Thompson said: “The most important thing to me is that the guests can recognise and talk about what they’ve eaten.

“It’s going to be quite a moment to open the doors and see them all again.”