Luxury manor house hotel, Whatley Manor in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, will undertake a full refurbishment of its kitchens between 6 January and 13 February 2019. The hotel will be closed during this period; however the spa will remain open.
In addition, a light refresh of the 23 bedrooms and suites will take place, including new solid wood floors in each and re-upholstered and/or new furnishings.
The kitchen is being designed by Executive Chef Niall Keating to ensure a more efficient and effective working environment. A bespoke Athanor stove will consist of four induction hobs, two plancha cook plates, an integrated water boiler, and a ‘quick therm’ salamander grill, which uses infra-red technology. Gas appliances will no longer feature in the kitchen, making a huge saving on energy bills as well as reducing the hotel’s carbon footprint.
The Athanor firm will host Niall and Sue Williams (General Manager of the hotel) in France on 9 January, where the stove is being manufactured by Grand Cuisine to make final adjustments. The stove and other features of the kitchen will be finished in white enamel. There will also be a Rational ‘Vario Cooking Centre’ to maximise the overall kitchen space and produce higher quality stocks and sauces.
The kitchen layout is being designed to be flexible to the hotel’s changing needs. Modular units will be able to move, recognising that each food and beverage outlet, whether The Dining Room, Grey’s Brasserie or event outlet has its own special requirements met on any given day.
Keating said, “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the past two years since I joined Whatley Manor. Refitting the kitchen is a crucial part of developing our food outlets, increasing efficiency and creating a more memorable guest experience.'
Sue Williams stated, “It is timely that we have this opportunity to completely renew Whatley Manor’s kitchens, as they are the hard-working hub of the house.
“The owners recognise that Niall and his team have great skills and passion, and feel that it is imperative to support and motivate them with the latest equipment to develop the hotel’s food offering. Since this work on the kitchens requires the hotel to close for a period of time, it is the perfect opportunity to carry out light refurbishments on the bedrooms.”