The Forest Side in Grasmere has appointed a new head chef. The acclaimed Lake District restaurant, where food is “similar to L’Enclume” and “worth every penny”, sees Paul Leonard take charge following Kevin Tickle’s departure.

Leonard has cooked under giants of the trade such as Marcus Wareing and Andrew Fairlie, and retained a Michelin star at The Isle of Eriska on the west coast of Scotland.

He joins The Forest Side from The Devonshire Arms in Bolton Abbey, where he has held the position of head chef since 2017.

Introducing his own take on Forest Side’s signature 6-course ‘Lal ‘Un’ and 10-course ‘Grand ‘Un’ tasting menus, Paul’s dishes will include cured sea bass, apple, turnip; tartare of deer, English caviar, cured yolk; Forest Side garden carrots, preserved green walnuts, young sheep’s cheese; Aged duck, beets, berries.

Leonard will aim to champion local producers, utilise the restaurant’s vast gardens, and take heed of ingredients found around Cumbria’s rich countryside.

Leonard said: “I’m incredibly excited to finally be joining The Forest Side – it’s any chef’s dream property, with so much produce at our fingertips both onsite and from Cumbria’s extensive larder.

“I can’t wait to show our customers the menus myself and the team have been working on for the past couple of months, and to reveal more about the exciting projects we have lined up for 2020 and beyond.”