The Grand York appoints new executive chef aiming for Michelin recognition
The Grand York has announced the appointment of Nicolas De Visch as executive chef, joining from the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE where he spent the last three years overseeing the luxury resort's eight F&B outlets as executive chef.
A Belgium native, De Visch will oversee the 207-bedroom hotel's outlets including the Rise restaurant, terrace and bar for all-day dining; the White Rose lounge; and Hudsons fine dining restaurant, where the hotel said, "he aims for Michelin recognition", as well as premium in-room dining options and the alfresco courtyard.
As part of his role, he will also work alongside head tutor Andrew Dixon to oversee the hotel's cookery school. The hotel said it would be "bringing on a host of new talent across all levels of the kitchen team" through a recruitment process.
The Grand has "significantly invested" to further improve its dining choices and said the appointment marks a further bid to cement its position as one of the premium wedding venues in the country.
De Visch said: "I am thrilled to arrive in the UK and look forward to recruiting and building a kitchen brigade that is dedicated to driving gastronomic excellence. Recruiting new talent is a primary focus of mine and I am looking forward to receiving applications from gifted and driven chefs across the region. The reopening of our hotel and other venues marks an exciting chapter for the hospitality industry and gives us an opportunity to relaunch our established outlets to the Grand's guests, both old and new, over the coming months."
He began his career training at Ecole Hotelière de Namur in Belgium and has held executive chef roles at the St Regis Mauritius Resort, the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, the W Taipei, InterContinental Doha - the City and the InterContinental Seoul COEX in Korea. He replaces former executive chef Raja Senthill at the Grand.
The hotel building was originally constructed in 1906 as a ‘palace of business' for one of the most powerful railway companies in Edwardian England. Open as a hotel since 2010, the building underwent a £15m refurbishment and expansion in 2018.
