The Blog

Open the online edition of Folio magazine and scroll to page 50 to read our fabulous review click here.

In this business, rest is not an option, but change is: we’re delighted to announce the new Head Chef for The Olive Tree, Chris Cleghorn.

Chris has honed his exceptional cooking skills as the protégé of a trio of world renowned Michelin Star chefs: Heston Blumenthal (Fat Duck at Bray), Michael Caines (Gidleigh Park) and Adam Simmonds (Danesfield House). Chris has drawn influence from these culinary masters to create his own exciting style.

Along with the recently-announced introduction of new restaurant manager, Joss Roussanne, Chris’s arrival will take The Olive Tree’s quality of food and dining experience to a new and exciting level and Chris is impatient to start the climb.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” he says “The Olive Tree is a beautiful restaurant in an amazing hotel and  city. The Olive Tree serves excellent food, everyone knows that; the challenge is to take it to the next level. I know we can and I know we will establish the restaurant as Bath’s finest;  I just can’t wait to get started.”

Our new restaurant manager, Joss Roussanne, has begun work at The Olive Tree and we’re thrilled he’s here. He comes to us with an impressive array of experience acquired from a range of places such as Bovey Castle, The Manor House at Castle Combe as well as plenty of Parisian restaurants. We’re happy to welcome him to Bath and are excited to have him on the team.

But if you’ve lovely things in mind, well … 

The Arbuturian is a daily online magazine providing “intelligent content for a cultured readership”. Calculate our thrilledness, then, to read that our menu is “tantalising to read and even more pleasing to taste”, that “attention to detail and friendly, helpful staff are big selling points  …  one feels looked after at every point of the stay” and that we’re a rare hotel “ … friendly on the wallet without lacking the refinement, service or quality of a hotel three times the price”.

More (lots more) here.

And crikey, Crumbs aren’t half keen …

Top Bristol and Bath food-fanciers, Crumbs magazine, sent the editor along to take notes and peep beneath our pie-crusts with forensic intent. And they loved it! They say “Brodie is a great technician but he keeps things simple, letting the produce do the real work.” And: “When the food and drink offering is this good, The Olive Tree makes … restraint incredibly difficult.” They say plenty, actually, you and red the full review by clicking here

I am really pleased that Bath has dedicated an entire month to the celebration of food in our city. The Great Bath Feast has proven that Bath has an enormous amount to offer food lovers, from some of the best independent cafés in the South West to the ultimate in fine dining restaurants.

There have been some fantastic events going on throughout the festival and I was delighted to be invited to cook at the Chef’s Theatre on Friday, my only problem was deciding which dishes to cook!

After some debate amongst the brigade, we decided to go with some great seasonal dishes such as Spiced Squash Soup and a lovely fine Apple Tart. In contrast to these dishes, I also cooked Salt Baked Sea Bass and Jumbo Prawns – I chose these two dishes to give the audience the chance to learn a new cooking technique to try at home.

Live demonstrations are always daunting but with Dan, my Chef de Partie at my side, everything went according to plan and the audience seemed to enjoy tasting the dishes.

You can download and enjoy going through our Great Bath Feast Recipes here