Chef Ben Brooks Celebrating 10 Years at Balmer Lawn Hotel

BASINGSTOKE, U.K. - July 3, 2025 - PRLog -- At the tender age of 32, Ben Brooks, the Head Chef at the family-owned and run Balmer Lawn Hotel and Spa in the New Forest, is celebrating 10 years at the stove.

Brooks joined the four-star hotel straight from Brockenhurst College in 2009, which happens to be just a couple of hundred yards from the hotel!

He started working his way up through the ranks, but left after two years to pursue ventures new, spending a year at a Thai restaurant (thus adding a new string to his bow), and a year at a family-owned-and-run restaurant in Lymington.

He returned to Balmer Lawn in 2015 as a commis chef, and within three months had been promoted to chef de partie.  He was promoted to Head Chef in June 2021, and now oversees a team of 14 chefs, covering the hotel's entire Food & Beverage operation.

Comments Alison Wilson, Co-owner of Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, with husband Chris, "Ben is one of the most naturally talented chefs that we have come across in the 25 plus years that we have owned the hotel – and are lucky to have him.

"At just 32 years of age, he has a wealth of experience and is very creative, regularly coming up with new ideas for dishes for our resident guests, and visiting diners.

"He oversees both our fine-dining restaurant – Beresfords – and the more casual Lodge, Kitchen & Bar, but without compromising on ingredients or quality.  Wherever people choose to dine, they are guaranteed a fabulous meal, with exemplary service from our servers."

Ben has just launched the hotel's new summer menu, with dishes in Beresford's restaurant including Grilled Chalk Stream Trout (with lemon crème fraiche and dill pickled cucumber), and Pan-Fried Cod (with saffron mash, green beans and warm tartar sauce).

Desserts include Mille-Feuille (with vanilla and salted caramel, honeycomb, and passion fruit sorbet), and Textures of Rhubarb (with poached rhubarb, rhubarb gel, and shortbread).

Offerings in the Lodge, Kitchen and Bar include Tomato and Red Pepper Soup,  Moules Mariniere, and the Balmer Lawn Salad.  Desserts include Bread & Butter Pudding, and Chocolate & Orange Mousse Cake. There is also a wide choice of small plates.

All dishes are subject to availability and use locally sourced produce where practical.

For further information on dining at Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, visit www.balmerlawnhotel.com.