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Chef Profiles

Michael Weston-Cole

Michael was born in Barrow in Furness in 1980 and studied at Ulverston Victoria High School. Upon leaving school in 1997 Michael began his career in catering at Burlington's Restaurant at Preston, under the guidance of executive chef John Benson-Smith.

Over the next eighteen months Michael achieved his catering qualifications, and took the next step in his career with his promotion to chef de partie. In November of 1998 Michael was transferred to the company flagship restaurant at Wray Green, Preston where he was part of the team that gained two Rosettes for the first time.

In the summer of 1999 Michael made the first significant move of his career in gaining the position of chef de partie at Auberge du Lac at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire, working under Jean Christophe Novelli.

Over the following two years Michael worked at the four Rosettes awarded Old Rectory under Peter Fairclough, and then moved to Nuffield Priory (three Rosettes) as junior sous chef.

In 2002 Michael made the move back to the North after accepting the position of sous chef at Lancaster House Hotel, and in September 2005 Michael was appointed head chef at the tender age of 24.

In 2005 Lancaster House Hotel won the 2005 Large Hotel of the Year, and was also runner up for Restaurant of the Year at the annual LETS awards.

The following year's awards, Michael was awarded the tile of Lancashire Chef of the Year.

Michael has also continued to be one of the only chefs in the area with Rosette accreditation, and looks forward to the challenges of his new restaurant and food concept 'The Foodworks', at Lancaster House.

Michael's food has been described as traditional English with a modern edge, and during an interview this year Michael commented that "cooking like lovemaking should be done with passion"!

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