Top chef joins crew at Boat Inn
Top chef Richard Sim is now onboard at a top north east attraction to ensure the food and drink offer for visitors is ship-shape.
The Boat Inn Restaurant and Bar at Leaplish Waterside Park has fresh new locally sourced menus thanks to popular north east chef, Richard Sim, director of Fresh Element (Six at The BALTIC).
As the new executive chef, Richard will be transforming the Boat Inn at Kielder Water & Forest Park into a gastro pub, delighting foodies from across the region.
The celebrated regional chef who has 25 years experience and trained in two Michelin starred restaurants, The Berkeley and Le Meridien Piccadilly, is originally from the north east.
He said: “I love the north east and the passion that people from here have about their region and about fine, locally sourced produce.
“Kielder is a spectacular destination, the landscape is so inspiring. I’m joining a great team who are very focussed on giving a great visitor experience. As well as delicious meals, locals and tourists alike will be able to enjoy home made bar snacks such as pork scratching and scotch eggs, desserts made freshly onsite, Wylam beers and fine Sunday dinners set against the stunning backdrop of Kielder Water, northern Europe’s biggest man-made lake.”
Richard’s new lunchtime menu includes fish platters and twice baked local cheese soufflé with nettle pesto. Evening meals include good traditional dishes such as a fish and chips as well as locally inspired fare such as sautéed forest and field mushrooms with garlic butter on brioche, terrine of venison with pickled carrots and warm toast and roast trout with almonds and fennel and smoked bacon salad.
David Hall, head of leisure, strategy and transformation at Northumbrian Water which owns the two visitor centres overlooking Kielder Water said: “We’re delighted to welcome Richard onboard. As recent gold award winners at the North East Tourism Awards and being shortlisted as finalists in the Visit England Awards for Excellence, we are committed to providing the best possible tourism experience and eating out plays a big part of that experience.”
Richard will be working in the Park for The Boat Inn and also Café on the Water at Tower Knowe Visitor Centre on a consulting basis two to three days a week over the course of the next year.
Kielder Water & Forest Park, which spans 250 square miles, is home to the largest forest in England and the largest man-made lake in northern Europe. It was voted the most tranquil place in England by the Campaign to Protect Rural England. For more information go to www.visitkielder.com.
‘Like’ Kielder Water & Forest Park on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kielder
Follow @visitkielder on Twitter
ENDS
For more information contact Philippa Clark, communications advisor (Kielder Water & Forest Park), on 0191 301 5538, 07970 897 756 or philippa.clark@nwl.co.uk.
Notes to editor:
Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust is a registered charity working at Kielder to promote sustainable development, provide recreational facilities, improve knowledge of the natural environment and encourage the arts. The Trust works with the range of communities to benefit from these activities.
Members, who have appointed directors/trustees to serve on the board, are Northumbrian Water, Forestry Commission, Calvert Trust Kielder and Northumberland County Council. Affiliate organisations that are not members but have a close working relationship with KWFPDT include Arts Council England, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency, The Scout Association and local decision making bodies such as the parish councils.
