Simon Rogan parts ways with The French three years into five-year contract
Rogan ‒ who is proprietor of the Umbel restaurant group including Cumbrian flagship L’Enclume, Fera at Claridge’s, and Rogan & Co ‒ was previously agreed as chef patron at the Manchester hotel’s two restaurants, The French by Simon Rogan, and Mr Cooper’s House & Garden.
The split has been described as amicable. Rogan first began operating at the hotel in 2013, beginning with a revamp of The French, and later opening the more relaxed Mr Cooper’s House & Garden.
Adam Reid will remain as head chef at The French, and Robert Taylor will remain as head chef at Mr Cooper’s, having recently joined the site from Aiden Byrne’s nearby Manchester House.
The French will be re-named ‘Adam Reid at The French’ from 1 November 2016, and will offer a new menu and vision from Reid from January 2017.
Reid – who recently appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu contest TV show ‒ said: “This is a huge opportunity for me to showcase my own cooking style, which has been developing over the past decade. I want to make Manchester proud and ensure that The French will continue to evolve and impress its local and national customers.”
Mike Magrane, general manager at The Midland, said: “It’s been a pleasure to have worked with Simon. With his inventive style, we have produced something truly wonderful here and we’re now looking forward to embracing the next chapter in the growth of the restaurants.
“Adam is an incredibly strong head chef who has developed further under Rogan’s guidance and it’s now time for him to stand on his own. It is also a terrific opportunity for Taylor to present his own culinary style in Mr Cooper’s.”
On his continuing work away from The French, Rogan said: “Our work with The Midland has been a great opportunity and we’ve built something very special with The French and Mr Cooper’s. It’s now time to concentrate our efforts on developing and growing our businesses in Cartmel with L’Enclume and Rogan & Co. as well as ensuring that Fera at Claridge’s continues to be operated to our high standards.”
The Midland Hotel, which has four AA stars, is owned by QHotels, and has operated The French since 1903.
The restaurant was featured alongside Manchester House in the BBC’s Restaurant Wars programme, charting both site’s (as-yet-unfulfilled) attempts to win a Michelin star.
