Mark McCabe named head chef at Simon Rogan's Henrock

Mark McCabe has been appointed head chef at Simon Rogan’s Henrock restaurant in the Lake District.

McCabe spent the last four years as chef-owner at Bristol’s Ethicurean restaurant, which closed in October two years after winning a Michelin Green star.

He trained in kitchens in Paris and Lancashire before working as part of the team at Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s River Cottage in Dorset.

In 2023, McCabe reached the finals of National Chef of the Year and also competed in Great British Menu on behalf of the Scotland region.

At Henrock, which opened in 2019 and is located within the Linthwaite House Hotel overlooking Lake Windermere, he will serve a menu inspired by Rogan’s travels worldwide, including to his restaurants in Hong Kong, Malta, and Thailand.

McCabe will take up the head chef role in March, replacing Cillian Hennessy, who will move into the role of Aulis development chef and be responsible for researching and refining new dishes.

“As a chef I have always been compelled and inspired by nature, seasonality and sustainability and so the Simon Rogan way of sourcing and cooking aligns so closely with my own personal ethos, it feels like the perfect continuation of the work I have dedicated my career to so far,” said McCabe.

McCabe will work with John Rowland, the manager of Rogan’s Our Farm, and the farm’s head chef Liam Fitzpatrick to grow and preserve a selection of tropical plants and exotic species.

Rogan said: “Mark is not only a highly-skilled chef but following his experience in kitchens which also harness such a strong connection to where its food is grown, means he has developed a true understanding of growing and an appreciation for nature and sustainability that is rare to find.”

Linthwaite House Hotel’s breakfast and all-day food offer, including the more informal bar and conservatory menu, will be overseen separately by the hotel’s head chef Gerald Van Der Walt.

The property is part of the Leeu Collection of hotels.