Farncombe Estate appoints two new head chefs
14/08/2017
Following the appointment of Martin Burge as culinary director in April, Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds has announced two new head chefs at Dormy House and Foxhill Manor.
Martin, who brings more than 27 years of experience to his new role, will now be joined by Sam Bowser and Matt Weedon.
Martin, who brings more than 27 years of experience to his new role, will now be joined by Sam Bowser and Matt Weedon.

Originally from Lincolnshire, Sam has worked in some of the finest kitchens in the UK including the 2 Michelin Starred Whately Manor with Martin, as well as Le Manoir aux Quait Saisons with Raymond Blanc; Le Gavroche with Michel Roux Jnr and The Square in Mayfair with Philip Howard.
Sam’s first focus is developing a new menu at The Garden Room in conjunction with Martin, which will launch on September 6.

Matt will sit down individually with all the guests to find out their preferences and recommend a selection of options. Guest can either choose from Matt’s recommended menu or opt for a bespoke creation.

Matt was appointed as head chef of Glenapp Castle in south-west Scotland, where he won his first Michelin star and was awarded three AA rosettes. Following this, his next position was at Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter which gained its first Michelin star in 2009, only one year after Matt Weedon took over as head chef.
Andrew Grahame, CEO of Farncombe Estate commented: “I am delighted to welcome both Sam Bowser and Matt Weedon to the team along with our new culinary director, Martin Burge. This is a very exciting time for Farncombe Estate and I believe that with these new appointments and culinary developments across the hotels, we will put Farncombe Estate on the food map and ensure our food offering is a standalone reason to visit for our guests.”
Following these developments, the next stage for Martin Burge and Farncombe Estate’s executive head chef John Ingram will be working on the development of a new restaurant at the estate's other hotel – The Fish – which is currently being conceptualised.