Steve Darou appointed executive head chef at Swinton Estate

Swinton Estate, near Ripon, has announced the appointment of Steve Darou as Executive Head Chef, joining the estate on June 8.

Darou joins from St. John restaurants in London, where he served as Group Head Chef.

The estate says he brings with him a deep respect for ingredient-led cooking, seasonality and the resourceful nose-to-tail philosophy that has made St. John one of the UK’s most influential culinary institutions.

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That experience will strengthen Swinton’s estate-to-plate ethos still further, and focus on the connection between land and kitchen, championing whole-animal butchery, and ensuring the estate’s produce is used with imagination, integrity and minimal waste.

A key part of his role will be to develop the wider team of chefs so that they build a deeper understanding of how to handle and use ingredients from across the county, creating a more authentic expression of Swinton’s land, people and provenance.

 Steve Darou said: “I am delighted to be joining Swinton and leading the food offering across the estate. Having grown up in Canada with a strong connection to foraging and fishing, I have always held a deep respect for produce and provenance.

 “After 12 years with St. John in London, I am excited to work with the team to realise the full potential of one of the country’s great estates, from its exceptional walled kitchen garden to the wider landscape that shapes its identity. It is a rare opportunity to create food that is not only delicious, but truly rooted in place.”

 Alongside these wider developments, Josh Barnes will conclude his time at the Chef’s Table at Swinton on July 5, bringing to a close an important chapter in the evolution of the estate’s culinary offering.

During his tenure, the Chef’s Table was awarded 3 AA Rosettes and received Michelin recognition. Further details of the next chapter for the experience will be announced in due course.

General Manager Ramune Aleks added: “This is an exciting moment for Swinton, and we are delighted to welcome Steve to the estate.

“His appointment reflects our ambition to build a kitchen culture that combines exceptional cooking with a deeper understanding of provenance, seasonality and regenerative hospitality, while making the very most of the extraordinary produce and farming heritage around us.”