Independent country house hotel group, Hand Picked Hotels, has appointed Graeme Nesbitt as Director of Food & Beverage in a newly-created role within the senior management team.
Graeme will provide strategic leadership and oversee all food and beverage operations across the group, which includes 20 restaurants, many of which have either 2 or 3 AA Rosettes. Working closely with Operations Director, Douglas Waddell and Group Executive Chef Matt Ashton, Graeme also takes responsibility for the group’s lounge dining, in-room dining and banqueting for wedding guests and conference delegates.
Graeme comments on his new position, “I am delighted to join Hand Picked Hotels as they elevate their focus on food and local engagement, and look to implement a new strategy for its food and beverage operations. The opportunity here is phenomenal; with hugely talented chefs and remarkable dining rooms across the group, Hand Picked has all the right ingredients to build upon its stellar reputation for exceptional food and drink, and I look forward to driving forward some exciting changes to create new dining experiences for in-house guests and the local community.”
Graeme joins Hand Picked from his most recent position of two years as General Manager at the Lygon Arms in Worcestershire. With almost 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Graeme began his career as a chef at Gleneagles in Perthshire in 1994 before moving on to the kitchens of The Dorchester, The Savoy and Claridges in London. Graeme first joined the Lygon Arms in 1998 as Executive Head Chef before moving to the St Andrews Bay Golf Resort and Spa in Scotland where he spent five years as Executive Chef, then Director of F&B and finally Resident Manager in his first General Manager position. Graeme then took the helm at Malmaison in Edinburgh and Birmingham in 2006, followed by Cameron House in Scotland two years later, The Mere in Cheshire three years after that and then The Welcombe Golf & Spa Hotel in Stratford-Upon Avon where he left in 2016.
Douglas Waddell, Operations Director added, “With his extensive experience in operations, management and leadership, we’re thrilled to welcome Graeme on board. His vision for where he wants to take the food and beverage offering at Hand Picked exactly mirrors our own, and we’re looking forward to him introducing new menus, working with our local suppliers and driving our quality, service and training programmes within the F&B environment to deliver an authentic, first class dining experience for our guests that both aligns with our brand values and fits the local destination.”
Hand Picked Hotels is an independent, privately owned hotel group with 20 hotels in locations including Edinburgh, Worcester, Bath, the New Forest and the Channel Islands. Many of the hotels are Grade I or Grade II listed buildings of historical significance with original features and extensive grounds and each offers stylish bedrooms, elegant lounges and award-winning restaurants serving a range of seasonal dishes for lunch, dinner and afternoon tea in beautiful settings.
For media information, please contact:
Julia Gosling
Hand Picked Hotels
01732 471036
[email protected]
Notes to editors
Hand Picked Hotels, created by former lawyer turned hotelier Julia Hands, is the leading collection of architecturally stunning country house hotels - built for pleasure and continuing a centuries-old tradition of offering guests an indulgent yet attainable country house experience, with a contemporary twist.
The award-winning collection is renowned for exquisite food, fine wines and bespoke service by Hand Picked people in stylish, relaxing surroundings. There are a total of 17 classically British hotels in beautiful settings across England and Scotland and 3 Channel Island resorts, with locations ranging from the New Forest and Jersey to Yorkshire and Edinburgh.
Hand Picked Hotels has won an impressive number of awards, with 15 hotels awarded two AA rosette status and Grand Jersey holding three rosettes. Ten hotels have achieved red star status which means they stand out as the very best in the British Isles. There are also ten hotels with spas offering the latest therapies and treatments to promote wellbeing and relaxation.
