Steven Lamb named head chef at the Orangery at Rockliffe Hall

Steven Lamb has been promoted to head chef at the three-AA-rosette Orangery restaurant at Rockliffe Hall in County Durham.

He joined the kitchen as chef de partie in 2016 and has worked his way up the ranks to lead the team.

In his new role Lamb will develop Rockliffe Hall’s kitchen garden, working alongside the head gardener, and will continue to forage in the estate around the restaurant for produce. Last autumn he created a ‘bonfire toffee apple’ dessert after extracting birch sap from the trees.

Dishes currently on the Orangery dinner menu include cured duck liver with preserved Yorkshire rhubarb, almond and gingerbread; Chalk Stream Trout with sea vegetables, yoghurt and Oscietra caviar; and Yorkshire Spring Lamb with turnips, ewes curd and mustard.

Lamb said he hopes to eventually win a Michelin star for his cooking. He added: “I am inspired by creative, innovative culinary techniques brought by today’s new generation of chefs such as Gareth Ward, Tommy Banks and Paul Leonard – the ethos of farm to fork dining, sustainable food choices and experimenting with the illusion of food and sensory cooking techniques.

“I like simple food, done well – not overly complex or fussy – yet showcasing modern, creative culinary techniques”.

In his new role Lamb will work alongside resort executive chef Martin Horsley, who replaced Ian Matfin last year.

Rockliffe Hall opened in 2009 and is set within 375 acres of grounds on the banks of the River Tees, featuring an 18-hole golf course and 50,000 sq ft spa.

The five-red-AA-starred property has 61 bedrooms and is a member of Pride of Britain Hotels and Small Luxury Hotels of the World.