[A] North West hotel group has appointed a head chef to run its new restaurant on the shores of Lake Windermere.
English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues has promoted Tyrone Blake to take the reins at the Blue Smoke on the Bay restaurant, part of the ongoing £16 million redevelopment of Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa.
The Jamaican born chef has worked his way through the ranks having joined the hotel group in 2006 as a Chef de Partie. Having trained at Kendal College, he won their Chef of the Year award in 2008. His diverse skills have also served him well in previous roles with an Italian restaurant and during a stint working for the Sands Hotel in Australia.
Blue Smoke on the Bay is the Lake District’s newest dining destination, offering open plan, interactive food preparation using a three metre long double wood fired grill, the centrepiece of the restaurant.
Tyrone grew up in the beautiful port of Ocho Rios, a fishing village on the north coast of Jamaica, so the influence of Caribbean food is very much to the fore. “Cooking over hot wood embers is a traditional method which creates fabulous flavours in aged steaks, meats, fish, and vegetables,” he explains. “It feels instinctive and very natural.”
“As soon as I got in front of the new grill, strong memories of cooking chicken with green papaya with my grandma came flooding back. We love it when our guests come across to have a chat with us and show interest in what we are cooking.
“For me, the key to transforming wood fired food and giving it great flavour is in the spices we use. This is an exciting time to be part of a great new team here.”
Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa general manager Nevil Jeffery adds: “Tyrone is heading up a talented front of house and kitchen team at Blue Smoke on the Bay and will no doubt lead by example.
“We’re delighted with the new restaurant and the chance to give our diners a different experience by openly showcasing the expertise of our chefs and offering wonderful new flavours to sample. Tyrone and his team are creating delicious dishes on the grill using sustainable British wood such as elder, birch, and oak, supplemented on special occasions with imported olive wood.”
Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa’s newly refurbished rooms re-opened after the first phase of construction in April. The addition of ‘Blue Smoke on the Bay’ and the recent re-opening of the hotel’s health club completed phase two. New outdoor spa facilities are to open in the Spring of 2018 to complete a very special resort within the World Heritage Site.
The final phase will also feature extensive indoor and outdoor thermal experiences for guests, including a variety of cabins, relaxation areas, an infinity pool above the lake, hot tubs and sauna, with stunning views across Windermere.
To book a table at Blue Smoke on the Bay, call 01539 433 338 or for further information, visit BlueSmokeontheBay.co.uk
