The new chef at Lake District Michelin-Star restaurant The Cottage in the Wood will bring his experience working in some of Europe’s most influential restaurants to the fore in his new role at the unique dining venue near Keswick.
Sam Miller spent four years as executive sous chef at the world-famous Noma in Copenhagen, as right-hand man in the kitchen to legendary chef-owner Rene Redzepi. During this time, Noma was named the World’s Best Restaurant four times.
The 40-year-old Yorkshireman took up his new role at the restaurant with rooms 1,000ft up in Whinlatter Forest this month, replacing Ben Wilkinson, who has moved on to a new head chef role at a country house hotel and spa in Sussex, along with his partner and front of house manager Monika Zurawska.
Liam paid tribute to the couple. He said: “Ben and Monika joined us in 2017 and during that time we have achieved so much – a first Michelin star in 2019, the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants list and Top 50 Boutique Hotels in 2021, Restaurant of the Year at the Cumbria Food Awards, and the Taste Cumbria award at the Cumbria Tourism Awards. They have our gratitude for all they have achieved with us, and all our best wishes for the future.”
Of Ben’s replacement, Liam added: “To have recruited such a talented chef as Sam Miller has created an enormous buzz around The Cottage and we are looking forward to the exciting changes he will bring.
“Sam will bring a creative, contemporary and perhaps more informal approach to our dining experience and we hope his experience and techniques developed right at the heart of the formation of the ‘New Nordic’ food movement at Noma will help him define a new Northern English cuisine for us and also develop the sense of place that is central to what we offer.
“Sam is also very much in tune with our concern at The Cottage for environmental issues.”
Sam said: “It’s good to be joining such an established restaurant with a strong reputation and in such a beautiful location.
“I share Kath and Liam’s passion for Cumbria and the north of England, and undertaking our work in a way that shows consideration for the environment and our surroundings. This will be expressed in my cooking, along with a focus on seasonality and quality of ingredients.”
Sam has already established a valuable link with Riverview Cottage Farm near Carlisle, who practice organic farming, and will be growing crops directly for The Cottage in the Wood.
Regular diners at The Cottage will notice some changes straight away, said Liam, as Sam brings his own style to the current menu’s regular ingredients, before launching a brand new menu in September. Sam will also be bringing in more direct interaction between the kitchen and restaurant, said Liam.
Sam began cooking in England at restaurants in York and Leeds. In 2009 he made the life-changing move to a chef de partie role at Noma in Copenhagen, famous for promoting Scandinavian techniques of fermenting, pickling and salting to European diners.
After six months he was promoted to executive sous chef, becoming a protégé of chef-owner Rene Redzepi, who said of Sam in 2011: “He truly is a rare talent, he is the full package. Some people are great at running a team but not so good creatively, he gives both.”
In 2012, Sam moved to the far north of Sweden to be head chef at the influential Faviken, also on the World’s Best Restaurant list, before returning to Noma in early 2013 to resume his position as executive sous chef.
In July 2014 he moved to Australia, where he headed up Silvereye, an informal fine dining restaurant in Sydney until September 2016. Sam has also been guest resident chef at Fulgurances L’address in Paris and more recently Head Chef at The Terrace at Swinton Estate in North Yorkshire.
Outgoing chef Ben said: “We have had a lovely five years at The Cottage and would like to thank all the team, all of our fantastic guests, and our wonderful suppliers and producers for making it so special. We wish Kath and Liam all the best for the future and look forward to seeing the continuing successes of The Cottage.”
