Exciting New Culinary Team for Millbrook Resort

Media Release from Millbrook Resort
April 24 2007

Exciting New Culinary Team for Millbrook Resort

Queenstown’s five-star Millbrook resort has welcomed two exciting new young talents to its award-winning 30-strong culinary team.

New Executive Chef Rob Hope joined Millbrook this week (April 16) from Queenstown’s Heritage Hotel where he was Executive Chef for three years. Before the Heritage, he was head chef and part-owner of Wakefields of Sumner, Christchurch, for five years, and previously worked in Queenstown in the late1990s.

Millhouse Restaurant Head Chef Mark Glover, 27, moved to New Zealand from London last year to work at Wellington’s Boulot Restaurant, where he managed a team of five chefs. Previously, English-born Glover worked for top London hotels over eight years, most recently the five-star Landmark Hotel, voted best hotel in 2001 and 2003 by London’s Tourist Board.

30-year-old Hope, born and brought up in Kenya and South Africa, is married with two young children. He has lived and worked in New Zealand since 1995 and describes his culinary style as “Kiwi with Pacific Rim influences”.

“I’m really into my seafood, especially green lip mussels, and I love working with New Zealand meats. I’m looking forward to working at Millbrook with its three very different food outlets ranging from café-style to premium dining,” he said.

“I’ve always admired Millbrook, it’s such a fantastic setting. I particularly love the Millhouse with its warm, earthy, intimate feel, as a premium dining venue by candlelight.”

Mr Hope said Millbrook was now able to offer a wider variety of cuisine to local diners.

“We have some great chefs here who are mixing it up a little in terms of different styles of food, so people should come and check it out.”

Mark Glover, who came to New Zealand with Kiwi fiancé Andrea Marett, said he was “very happy” to be working at Millbrook –where Andrea had also found a position as Sous Chef in the Clubhouse.

“We came here a couple of years ago on holiday and both really liked Queenstown,” he said. A classically-trained chef, influenced in the early stages of his career by the simple, ‘clean’food of Marco Pierre White, he said he was driven to use the very best ingredients.

“The new menu in the Millhouse is 90% European, very much rooted in classical French cuisine but a little bit eclectic,” he said. “The seasonality of the produce is quite new to me, but it encourages the use of locally-grown produce, which is good.”

Millbrook General Manager Jan Hunt welcomed the addition of Rob and Mark to the team.

“They have great passion and enthusiasm for Millbrook and the exciting range of culinary possibilities here for members, guests and locals,” she said. “I’m sure they will be valuable additions to the team.”

Millbrook was recently named as one of the highest ranking hotels for value within New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific by prestigious Travel and Leisure magazine. It has also celebrated major achievements within the past 12 months including the launch of a $5 million refurbishment programme, and awards for being named among the world’s best overseas golf resorts and New Zealand’s top luxury properties.

ENDS

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