For South African born head chef Gerald van der Walt, joining Linthwaite House feels like moving to familiar surroundings. For him, working with the Leeu Collection is a meeting of minds and cultural harmony.
“Being here is like being transported back home,” he says, looking around at the art collection and décor of the hotel Bar & Conservatory where his all-day dining menu is served.
“I knew Mr Singh and I knew the company and when I came here it felt very nostalgic.”
Gerald was previously head chef at Le Quartier Français, in the Franschhoek Valley. When he first came to Cumbria he applied to work at Linthwaite House.
“Mr Singh has been very kind and supportive. I have a world of respect for him; he has such an aura that I always feel better when I have had a conversation with him. He is a very busy man but when you sit down with him he gives you his full attention.
“I’ve also had lots of good conversations with the CEO about what we are going to do here and what direction to take it in and they listened to what I had to say.”
It included the owners responding favourably to his need for work-life balance as the father of a young son, which has seen Gerald focus his career in recent years on daytime dining.
He previously ran the café and Gaddum restaurant at Brockhole, the Lake District National Park visitor centre. He moved from there to Harry’s café bar at Yew Tree Barn, at Low Newton, which was mostly breakfasts and lunch with occasional supper evenings.
“I enjoyed my time there. We were going in the right direction, doing really well and it still is as my colleague Chloe has stepped up and she is a great chef and will be able to do more. But then I was approached to come here and it feels like I have come full circle. I’m not one to believe in fate, but it did feel right.”
Although there are plans to recruit a breakfast chef, for the time being Gerald has been back cooking eggs and bacon at Linthwaite House. He has been known to produce 80 breakfasts in one day.
“I hope the menu offers everything anyone would want for breakfast and we’ve had very positive feedback,” he says. “When guests stay here for a few nights at a time they sometimes just want toast, but we try to make sure it is the nicest toast possible.”
Once breakfast is over, attention turns to the all-day dining menu in the Bar & Conservatory.
“The brief was familiar flavours, approachable food in order to provide a contrast with fine dining of Henrock. Mark and I have a very symbiotic relationship. When I've been busy Mark has helped peel potatoes and I help him by feeding his koji on a Monday.
“I've got so much respect for what the Rogan group does; the food is amazing and the aim is that we all do well together.”
The daytime menu combines classics like fish and chips and beef burger for under £20 with slightly more sophisticated options always with top quality ingredients.
Starters include Ham hock and truffle cauliflower cheese and a giant shrimp salad on toasted brioche. Among the main courses are a butter roasted cod with chicken gravy, greens and preserved lemon or roasted butternut squash barley risotto with soy toasted pumpkin seeds.
“I have been given free rein and I wanted to make it really, nice simple food and something that people would enjoy,” says Gerald.
His knowledge of local suppliers gained during the years he has been in Cumbria means he sources meat from Daniella Gorton at Meadow View, just seven miles from the hotel, where beef is reared on grass and nutrient rich hay.
It results in the beef brisket pan-toasted sandwich and tomahawk steak on the menu on Friday and Saturday nights, a 1kg piece of meat to share and served with creamed spinach and a hunter sauce.
Sausages and bacon come from Carmel Valley Game and Gerald forages wild garlic, wood sorrel and more himself.
As well as serving hotel guests, the all-day dining menu is designed to appeal to non-residents.
Gerald adds: “We have a good balance between residents and locals. I very much wanted to bring local people here and make it a place to come for lunch or afternoon tea in these beautiful surroundings.”
