The owners of Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa in Wirral have appointed Michelin starred chef Matt Worswick to reinvigorate its fine dining offer.

Awarded an impressive three AA Rosettes for fine dining and listed in the Michelin Guide 2015 twice (the restaurant and the hotel) Thornton Hall has already earned an enviable reputation as a food destination with a focus on international cuisine.

The family-run hotel is now pushing to raise the creativity and quality of its food further.

Appointed as executive chef, Liverpool-born Matt (27) will work across the fine dining restaurant The Lawns, the brasserie, private dining, bar/lounge and banqueting. He leads a 21-strong kitchen brigade.

With a strong pedigree in fine dining, Matt has worked in some of the country’s best kitchens since he was 18.

He became the youngest chef in Scotland to achieve a Michelin star while at the luxury Glenapp Castle Hotel in Ayrshire in 2013 and has previously worked with David Everitt-Mattias at Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham and Simon Hulstone at The Elephant in Torquay.

Geoff Dale, general manager of Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa said:

“It’s Matt’s experience, energy and clarity of vision about The Lawns’ future that make him such an exciting and pivotal addition to the team.”

“The Lawns has really earned its reputation as one of the North West’s best fine dining restaurants and we’re very much working towards Michelin standard food. Matt is leading that charge and helping to make Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa a real destination for food-lovers.”

Matt describes his style of food as bold, masculine and with modern European influences. He said:

“Thornton Hall is something really quite special. It attracts food lovers from across the region on one hand and has a very local and frequent customer base on the other, so it’s important we take all those customers with us as we update the menu and improve the quality of the food further.

“It’s no secret that we’re pushing for more accolades over the next few years and it’s certainly a lifelong ambition to achieve a star here in the North West, but that’s not something we’ll achieve over-night. I’m really committed to delivering culinary excellence and a memorable fine dining experience.”

“I’m privileged to be joining such a passionate and experienced team and am keen to build on the hotel’s success locally, regionally and indeed nationally.”