Queens Head Inn, near Peterborough appoints two new chefs
Before working at the Garden House Hotel in Stamford, Buckingham gained experience at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons over a year where he rose from commis to demi chef, and also won a competition to work at the Fat Duck in Bray for a month.
"Erran joins the Queens Head Inn at an exciting time and with the aim of gaining the restaurant a second AA rosette," said general manager, Agata Pawlak. "His knowledge and past experience will help to give the menu a real refresh and hopefully attract new customers looking to enjoy good and interesting food that is unavailable elsewhere locally."
Alongside the signature wagyu and USDA steaks on offer at the Queens Head, Buckingham has introduced a number of dishes as part of his seasonal revamp of the menu that includes dishes such as: king scallops, soy and honey belly pork, pickled carrot rings, smoked bacon sherbet and a salad called the Autumn Garden that is served in a plant pot and includes a quail's egg rolled in burnt onion powder that looks like a pebble.
"I want to bring something to the area that others may not have tried anywhere else without the food being too pompous. It isn't about reinventing the food as such, more giving traditional flavour combinations a modern twist," Buckingham said. "Wherever possible the ingredients are sourced locally and everything is cooked on site. Long term our ambition is to achieve the second AA rosette and then hopefully a Michelin guide recommendation."
The Queens Head Inn is a Classic Lodges partner property. The hotel marketing consortium has 15 hotels in its portfolio.