Back in 2008 I interviewed chef Steve Smith, on his appointment as executive chef at the swanky Burlington Restaurant at the Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey. The restaurant had just lost its Michelin star when the previous chef Michael Wignall moved on.
Michelin stars are awarded to chefs not to restaurants, so when a chef leaves, the star goes with him. Within months, Smith had earned back the star for the Burlington and made his bosses very happy.
Now Smith is off, to the very rarified Bohemia in Jersey. The Burlington have yet to announce his replacement. There was nothing on their website nor at yesterday’s Yorkshire Evening Post’s Oliver Awards when the Burlington won Best Hotel Restaurant. When we hear, we’ll let you know, so watch this space.