The newly refurbished Kyte Hotel – Chestnut House - which opened its doors to the public on 20 November for the first time, has announced that Damien O’Neill will be its new head chef. Damien, 34 and originally from Hull is returning to Yorkshire, the county where many of his family still live.
Damien has 16 years’ hotel and restaurant industry experience and has worked his way up through the ranks; his last role saw him reach the position head chef at Pomme D’Or, a prestigious 4 star hotel on Jersey with 150 rooms and 22 chefs in total.
Damien’s passion for cooking began at the age of 11 when his family ran a hotel and he found himself drawn to the kitchen. "I have been cooking for as long as I can remember and it’s really exciting to be back in Yorkshire and heading up the kitchen team at the Kyte Hotel. It is essentially a new hotel with a completely new staff, and the timing is great – opening just in time for Christmas. We have now completed the new bar menu, tea room menu, and Christmas Day lunch offering - as well as our a la carte menu, which we will be introduced to diners after Christmas. We have also created some exciting Christmas Party night menus which are available with immediate effect."
Damien’s experience and passion is focused on excellent quality, freshly prepared food, sourced locally where possible. "Chefs have a real responsibility to support local business and suppliers by using as much local produce as possible," he says. "I am really pleased that we have managed to achieve this at the Kyte Hotel, whilst creating a menu to satisfy all tastes and to suit all pockets."
The bar menu will see some old favorites such as beer battered fish served with home made chunky chips and mushy peas, and Cumberland sausage served with mash and onion gravy, as well as Mediterranean style pastas and a home made special, ‘Gourmet Kyte Burger’. Those wishing for a lighter lunch can choose from warm pittas with Moroccan lamb or Cajun chicken, toasted triple deckers with a choice of fillings such as Parma ham and brie, or egg mayonnaise with crispy bacon - all served with home made crisps. The Kyte’s salads and ‘light bites’ are varied and flavorsome: smoked duck salad with beetroot, green beans and sesame soy dressing, or salmon and wasabi fishcakes served on a bed of warm noodles with sweet chilli sauce.
The Kyte Hotel is delighted to be able to dedicate some of its recently refurbished space to a new tea room, where visitors can order a traditional afternoon tea with a selection of finger sandwiches, scones, preserves and clotted cream. By popular request the sunday carvery returns with the new hotel, and diners can once again enjoy an excellent quality sunday roast without breaking the bank.
Jessica Barnes, one of the new owners of the Kyte Hotel says: "We are delighted to have Damien on board, he comes highly recommended and his experience and approach means he absolutely understands what we want to achieve here at Kyte Hotel. It’s great that Yorkshire has such a great local talent back in the region, where we hope he will now stay for many years."
Kyte Hotel – Chestnut House is now taking bookings - For further information on the Kyte Hotel and for all booking enquiries please call 01977 600661 or contact Jessica Barnes on 07795 818735.
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Ref: KH0002 – Kyte Hotel menus
