Gary Jones bids Le Manoir adieu

Jones has been running the kitchen at Raymond Blanc’s luxury Oxfordshire hotel since the late 90s and was arguably the UK’s most high profile chef to run an establishment with another chef’s name above the door. 

As well as retaining the Great Milton venue’s two Michelin-star rating and working with the Frenchman to develop its culinary offering, he built a reputation as one of the UK restaurant industry’s greatest teachers.

Under his direction, Le Manoir has acted as an incubator for up-and-coming chefs, who move through every section of its kitchen as they complete a carefully-structured development programme. 

Jones is among the industry’s most respected chefs and has been closely involved with a number of key initiatives and competitions, including the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year, which he chaired in 2018 and 2019. 

In a statement, Jones told BigHospitality: “Le Manoir has been an extraordinary environment in which to work providing me with a platform to develop my skills but more importantly, to develop some fantastically talented chefs over so many years, who have gone on to shape the wider industry.

“I have enjoyed Raymond Blanc’s mentorship, support and guidance throughout. This iconic and inspirational place will continue to go from strength to strength in the future.”

Originally from Merseyside, Jones cooked at the Mountbatten Hotel in Covent Garden and The Waterside Inn in Bray before taking a job at Le Manoir in 1990.

He impressed Blanc and then head chef Clive Fretwell and rose quickly through the ranks but left to work for Richard Branson, Le Manoir’s owner at the time, on his private island. 

After working for Branson, he had his name above the door at a number of restaurants including Waldo’s at Cliveden House in Berkshire and Homewood Park in Bath, which won a Michelin star under his tenure in 1998. 

In 1999, he returned to Le Manoir - which has held two stars since 1984 - as executive chef having been headhunted by Blanc.