New executive chef for Tudor Marriott Hotel & Country Club near Maidstone

The appointment of Susanto Bhattacharya as executive chef of Tudor Marriott Hotel & Country Club in Bearsted, Kent, marks a return to the UK for the Indian chef.

He has joined the 120-bedroom hotel, Maidstone, in what is his first executive chef role from the JW Marriott in Cairo, Egypt. Originally from the Indian city of Kolkata, Bhattacharya has also worked for Ritz-Carlton in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and Oberoi Udaivilas in Rajasthan.

He previously worked in the UK as sous chef for five years until 2011 at London's Berkeley hotel.

In his new role, Bhattacharya will head up a brigade of 13 chefs, overseeing the hotel's new Cast Iron Grill restaurant and Brew Bar Lounge, as well as catering for up to 250 people across 11 function spaces.

Classically trained under a French chef, he has also worked under "an Indian master chef".

Bhattacharya said: "I now love to infuse flavours and spices to create the magic but have to admit, if I was only allowed one, it would be lemongrass - I absolutely love it as it brings out the best in other ingredients."

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