Castle Hotel Ignites ‘Field to Fortress’ Vision With Stunning Culinary Appointment

Four-star Northumberland castle hotel, Langley Castle, has made a bold statement of intent in its 40th anniversary year, as it strives to become one of the UK’s premier ‘foodie’ destination hotels.

The fortified medieval castle hotel, housed within seven-foot-thick walls, which have proudly stood within a 10-acre estate near Hexham since 1350, has lit the blue touchpaper under what it describes as a ‘from field to fortress’ strategy. It has announced the stunning culinary appointment of its first-ever Culinary Director and put Scottish food hero Mark Greenaway, in the driving seat of its new vision. 

Rather than following a centuries-old practice of repelling the Scots and sending them back over the border, the former English knight’s home has warmly welcomed this renowned champion of Scottish culinary art into its kitchen.  Mark will now be instrumental during a period in the castle’s history that will put food close to the top of excuses to stay at Langley Castle, if not making it the number one reason. 

The Scottish chef and cookbook author has lived up to his name and truly made his mark during his career.  Highlights have included appearances on The Great British Menu in 2012 and 2013, Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch.  He opened his first restaurant, Mark Greenaway at Picardy Place, Edinburgh, in 2011, before moving the eatery to North Castle Street.  The three-rosette restaurant was closed in 2018, to enable Mark to implement a new more relaxed dining concept at the former Waldorf Astoria property, the Caledonian Hotel.  Here, ‘Grazing by Mark Greenaway’ quickly acquired a reputation for food excellence. 

Five years ago, he made the move into the London scene by opening Plant, based in Covent Garden, offering diners both British classics and a taste of his childhood.  In addition, two Mark Greenaway cookbooks – Perception and Progression - now grace the bookshelves of food lovers nationwide.

With these credentials, and a passion for cooking with the seasons and showcasing the very best of local and regional produce, Mark will be creating menus built upon the ethos of using flavours and first-class, yet sometimes simple ingredients, in exciting ways, to turn them into wow-factor dishes.  On top of this, the local focus underpinning his fine dining menus will also offer the staying guest at Langley Castle, or pre-booked local or passing diner, true sense of place.

His culinary vision will infuse all food served at Langley Castle, whether in the current 2AA Rosette ‘Josephine’s’ restaurant, the contemporary Pavilion or the chandelier-lit and spine-tingling Drawing Room.  Menus will be in constant evolution as seasons and weeks pass by, with this constant ‘menu evolution’ philosophy covering fine-dining tasting and a la carte menus, as well as relaxed dining choices.

Other remarkable food experiences – seemingly simple but devilishly detailed - will span special occasions, afternoon teas, Sunday lunches and weddings.

Surprises, extraordinary creations and highly Instagrammable dishes lay ahead for those dining at Langley Castle, as Mark pours decades of culinary experience and food-love into each and every menu choice.

Langley Castle’s general manager, Mohamed Serag, says, “The castle has never had a culinary director at the helm, which demonstrates our intention to make Langley Castle one of the key places to head for an experience that intertwines 676 years of history with extraordinarily delightful, fresh and seasonal food.  Under Mark’s direction, food will become a more integral part of our offering to the visiting guest and local diner than ever before, providing every reason for our customers to unwind in a setting like no other, with centuries of history surrounding them.  Attracting Mark Greenaway to Langley Castle has been a real coup in what is our 40th anniversary year as a hotel and restaurant.”

Mark Greenaway adds, “This is an exciting and brand-new challenge, with an opportunity for me to take a blank page and create a vision that brings Northumberland produce to the fore and puts seasonal fine dining centre stage.  I have big ambitions for Langley Castle and want to take my entire culinary team on an exciting journey that will be challenging but extraordinarily rewarding.

“The message is for food-lovers to make a bee line for Northumberland and understand the role that food can play in enriching a stay at a venue that is truly like no other.  Our intention is to create memories on a plate and make our food the catalyst for conversations about dishes that will still be being held in many years to come.”

To discover more about Langley Castle, head to www.langleycastle.co.uk

Ends

Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.