Hrishikesh Desai leaves the Gilpin

Hrishikesh Desai is moving on from his role as executive chef at the Gilpin Hotel and Lake House in Windermere after eight years, The Caterer can reveal.

Desai oversaw the Gilpin’s three restaurants HRiSHi, Gilpin Spice and Gilpin Grill. His last day at the hotel was 26 December and he plans to take a short break before announcing his new role in February 2023.

He said: “My journey at the incredible Gilpin Hotel and Lake House has come to an end after almost eight years as their executive chef. All good things come to an end and so has this chapter of my career at the Gilpin. I have decided to take a small break before revealing plans of my next venture, so please watch this space for an exciting announcement in February 2023.

“As I say goodbye, I think fondly of each and every employee (past and present) of the Gilpin with whom I got a chance to carve some wonderful memories and express my deep appreciation of the roles every employee played in making the Gilpin team successful,” he added.

“I would also like to thank the Cunliffe family for their support throughout which has contributed towards my success as well as the team whom I will dearly miss. I am so grateful to all the Gilpin guests, my social media followers, and suppliers who have seen me evolve. Until then, thank you for all the love, affection, support, confidence and trust you have given me, and I look forward to announcing my new venture in 2023.”

During his time at the Gilpin, Desai achieved four rosettes for HRiSHi and secured a Michelin Star within 16 months which he described as an “incredible moment”.

“At the same time, promoting the restaurant to four rosettes and winning The Caterer’s Hotel Cateys Chef of the Year in 2021 and cooking for 900 people at The Cateys awards earlier this year – I will never forget that, it was one of the highlights of my career.”

The Gilpin is replacing Desai with three chefs. Ollie Bridgwater, formerly sous chef at Heston Blumenthal's the Fat Duck in Bray, will be joining the Gilpin on 10 January to run the soon-to-be re-named HRiSHi restaurant.

The recently opened Grill at Gilpin Lake House will be headed up by award-winning Welsh chef Tom ‘Westy’ Westerland, formerly of Lucknam Park and Ember at Crockers in Henley-on-Thames. Former sous chef at HRiSHi, Aakash Ohol, is taking the helm at the third restaurant, Gilpin Spice.

Read The Caterer’s article on the new incoming chefs at the Glipin here.