Guy Owen to depart the Idle Rocks

Guy Owen has announced he is departing as head chef at the Idle Rocks and St Mawes hotels in Cornwall after four and a half years in the role.

The hotel confirmed Owen’s departure after he revealed on Twitter that he is to move on from the 19-bedroom waterfront Idle Rocks in St Mawes and its sister property.

Nikki Broom, hotel director, said: “I can confirm that after four and a half glorious years at the helm of the Idle Rocks and St Mawes Hotel kitchens Guy Owen has decided it is time for a new challenge. Whilst we are sad to see him go, we now have a great a great opportunity as we commence our search for his successor.”

Owen's number two Tim Kendall is to also leave the business. He wrote on Twitter that Owen had been an "incredible mentor" to him and his team and that he had "thoroughly enjoyed the past three years".

An advertisement for a new head chef on the Idle Rocks’ website is seeking a candidate to reposition the cuisine “to further reflect a sense of place” when the hotel reopens in February following a winter closure.

A member of Relais & Chateaux, Idle Rocks is owned by David and Karen Richards, who bought the hotel in 2010 before reopening it in 2013 following an extensive refurbishment. The 65-seat restaurant headed by Owen won the Seafood Restaurant of the Year competition, run by The Caterer and Seafish, last year.