Beechfield House Appoints New GM and Head Chef

APPOINTMENTS

Beechfield House, a secluded retreat inspired by the 16th-century Italian Renaissance in Beanacre, near Melksham, has welcomed a new general manager and head chef to its team.

The hotel’s new GM, Peter Rusu, joins the team with 20 years of experience in the industry, from family-run hotels to household names such as Mariott Group. With a passion for customer service and various daily responsibilities, Peter looks forward to impacting Beechfield.

“We are blessed with beautiful surroundings and a brilliant team,” said Peter. “I can’t wait to work on more events and experiences to ensure guests have the best possible stay and continue supporting the team to grow and develop.”

Peter will be joined by a new head chef who will introduce a modern British culinary style to the kitchen and collaborate with the team to launch a new menu in September. Dan Smith, who has previously worked in renowned London kitchens alongside chefs such as Marco Pierre White, Richard Corrigan, and Graham Garrett, relocated to the South West 15 years ago to work with high-quality local ingredients. He is now bringing his expertise and passion for local produce to the two-rosette restaurant at Beechfield House.

“I love the hotel's location, not just for the beautiful surroundings but because we get to work with some incredible local suppliers, which really plays into my passion for using quality local ingredients,” said Dan.

“It’s a small team in the kitchen, so I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and working together to deliver an exceptional dining experience for our guests.”

Beechfield House owner Chris Whyte has marked the hotel’s recent successes as a direct reflection of his team.

“This year has been incredible for the hotel so far, from a record-breaking six months for bookings to retaining our 4 AA Red Stars putting us in the top 200 hotels in the country,” said Chris.

“We wouldn’t have achieved any of this without our amazing team, and with Peter and Dan joining us, I’m excited to see what we can do with the rest of the year and the festive season – which is always magical at Beechfield House.”

Beechfield House is an independently owned luxury hotel that offers guests an environment to enjoy dining, swimming, sleeping, and celebrating. The house was initially built in 1878 for a local farmer named Richard Keevil and served as a family home for ninety years before being transformed into a hotel in the late 1960s. The hotel offers 24 rooms, each named after a type of tree found on the hotel grounds, and has recently expanded its accommodation options to include a two-bedroom apartment.