Award-winning chef Dion Jones – the first ever Briton to win the prestigious French International Escoffier Challenge Grand Final – is joining Cheshire-based Nelson Hotels as Sous Chef of the group’s new gastro pub The Fishpool Inn in Delamere, which is set to open this autumn. Dion joins Nelson Hotels from Carden Park Country Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, where he spent six years working his way through the ranks to become Senior Chef de Partie.
With a raft of culinary achievements under his belt including winning the British Escoffier challenge in London in October 2011 which enabled Dion to represent the UK at the French International Escoffier Challenge Grand Final, cooking for the Royal Welsh Assembly for the Royal Family and the Queen with the Welsh National Culinary Team in 2011, winning the Battle for the Dragon Llandudno with the Welsh National Culinary Team in 2011, silver award for the La Parade des Chefs at the Hospitality Show in Birmingham with the Welsh National Culinary Team in 2010, runner up CATS awards North West Chef of the Year in 2010, Chester Young Chef at the Chester Food and Drink Festival in 2010 and Cheshire’s Talented Chef in 2009, Dion is clearly a rising star of the culinary world.
Cooking for less than a decade, 24-year old Dion from Valley on Anglesey, developed his passion for cooking at his mother’s North Wales café before going on to college and undertaking various part-time kitchen jobs prior to joining Carden Park in 2006.
Dion takes up his new position with Nelson Hotels on 30 May, where he will initially work at The Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa under the guidance of Company Executive Chef Leigh Myers. Dion will move to The Fishpool Inn when it opens in the autumn.
Speaking of his new appointment Dion Jones says: “I decided to join Nelson Hotels group because I’m very excited about contributing to a dynamic, successful business. Being involved in a new venture, The Fishpool Inn, and working under Leigh Myers will be a great experience for me. Becoming a Sous Chef will help me realise my ambition of running a kitchen too and I’m looking forward to progressing with Nelson Hotels over the coming years.”
Nelson Hotels Company Executive Chef Leigh Myers comments: “We’re delighted to welcome such a talented young chef to our team. Appointing Dion as Sous Chef is a real coup for Nelson Hotels and testament to the importance we place on hiring the best people the industry has to offer so we can in turn provide the best possible customer experience. We’re aiming high with our new Delamere property and with Head Chef Mark Brooks and Sous Chef Dion Jones there’s no doubt that The Fishpool Inn will be another resounding success for Nelson Hotels.”
Dion is currently in training for The Culinary Olympics which will take place in Erfurt, Germany in October where he forms part of a group of five talented young chefs from Wales. Dion was selected as Team Captain for the Junior Welsh National Culinary Team earlier this year.
The Fishpool Inn opens this autumn. For more information, visit www.thefishpoolinn.co.uk.
