People on the move: January 2022

The Northumberland Arms​
North east hotel The Northumberland Arms at Felton has welcomed two new team members, with Adam Westgarth stepping into the role of head chef and Clair Potts joining as general manager. Westgarth has worked at hotels including Wynyard Hall, Otterburn Castle and Matfen Hall, and Northcote near Blackburn. “I’ve worked in a corporate environment in a hotel group for the last five years and while I gained some fantastic experience, I missed being hands on with the food and couldn’t wait to get back in the kitchen,” he says. Potts has more than 25 years of experience, having started her career in hospitality when she was just 16 and working with the north east-based pub company Sir John Fitzgerald Group for almost her whole career.

The Beaumont​
Mayfair hotel The Beaumont has appointed Samantha Rieu as its hotel manager and Antonio Dandrea as restaurant director of The Colony Grill Room. Rieu, who joins The Beaumont from Dukes London, has more than 15 years in the hospitality industry having begun her career at The Fairmont Boston. Other roles include working at The Savoy Hotel, Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park, Harvey Nichols Group, and Michelin-starred Roussillon restaurant. Dandrea joins the hotel from the Fairmount Windsor, where he held the role of food and beverage manager. Before that he worked for the Savoy Hotel in Florence, Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, Le Richemond in Geneva, The Lanesborough in London and The Arts Club in Mayfair.

Nathaniel Farrell​
Nathaniel Farrell has been appointed executive head chef at Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre. Farrell, who was born in Warrington and who has worked for several Manchester hotels as well as having spent four years in Denmark, oversees the food at the hotel’s newly opened restaurant No. 55. “This was an exciting new opportunity to work for a great company and an offer I literally couldn’t refuse. The chance to build a team and culture from day one is the dream for any chef, and I am really looking forward to getting started,” he says.

George Hersey​
George Hersey has been appointed restaurant director for Adam Handling Restaurant Group. The former group GM will take on the new role from 1 February. Heresy began working with chef owner Adam Handling as GM of The Frog in Hoxton before becoming group general manager. He played an important part in the rollout of Handling’s Hame food delivery business and was part of the opening team for Handling’s Old Windsor-based gastropub The Loch & Tyne. “George is one of the key reasons why we opened Ugly Butterfly in St. Ives Cornwall and has created and led an incredible team down there,” says Handling. “This man really is the group - he lives and breathes it, creating and shaping the incredible guest experience we have today.”

Kevin Brooke​
Kevin Brooke has been named as the new general manager at Heckfield Place in Hampshire. Brooke joins the hotel and 438-acre estate having worked previously at venues including Cliveden House and Aman Resorts. He takes over from Olivia Richli, who spent four years at Heckfield. "I am delighted and honoured to be taking over from Olivia Richli as General Manager of Heckfield Place. The values that Heckfield Place stands for and the vision for the hotel and the estate are truly inspiring. I am very excited to be involved in the next stage of its evolution,” he says.

Scott Dineen​
Former BaxterStorey executive chef Scott Dineen has been named as the new chef at Rocksalt restaurant in Folkestone. Dineen has spent the past 14 years at the corporate catering company where he held roles including head chef at Cisco Bedfont Lakes and head chef for executive fine dining and events. His previous experience includes time at luxury five-star hotels, including The Ritz and Pennyhill Park. Dineen takes over from Mark Sargeant who left the restaurant after 12 years citing “unresolvable differences of opinion” between him and business partner Josh De Haan.

Josie Adams​
Incipio Group, the London -based operator of venues including Pergola, The Prince and Lost in Brixton has promoted Josie Adams to the position of people director. Adams joined the group as head of people in August 2020 from pub operator Young’s, where as head of learning and development she was responsible for its training, development and company culture. “Since joining Incipio Josie has rapidly progressed and developed the framework within which our team operates whilst engraining a robust training and development plan. A plan that is worthy of the great people who work at Incipio to help ensure that internal progression underpins our growth and ambitions as a group,” says Incipio group chief executive Ed Devenport.