Wolverhampton Racecourse diners on to a winner thanks to new chefs

THE newly-appointed head chef of Wolverhampton Racecourse is backing local producers to be key in helping the venue’s restaurants rival the best in the region.

Solihull-born Chris Gordon, aged 38, has a great deal of experience catering for spectators at large sporting venues, having worked at the British Grand Prix, Wembley Stadium and various prestigious horse racing events, and is looking forward to putting his own stamp on the menus at the racecourse and conference centre.

Having started his career at the Park Lane Hilton, Chris then went on to work at the Michelin- starred Brussels Hilton Hotel, and has more than 20 years experience in the industry.

The Birmingham-trained chef says that being born and bred in the Midlands, he is well aware of the wealth of local producers and quality ingredients he now has easy access to.

“Getting the role as head chef is a great opportunityfor me to bring in some local recipes with local produce for the new season, and we hope to concentrate on more home-produced foods, pates, chutneys and desserts,” said Chris, who is in charge of all restaurants at the course, including the flagship panoramic Horizons restaurant.

“I am planning to visit all our suppliers one by one, to help me make the most of my menu planning and get a real feel for what’s available locally, and seasonally.”

The Racecourse has also appointed a new senior sous chef, Mark Baker, to work alongside Chris, who also brings a wealth of experience with him.

The 35-year-old is a qualified pastry chef, who began his career at the Dorchester Hotel in London, before working on luxury cruise liners, catering for up to 2,000 passengers, and then spending four years at the 4* Belton Woods Hotel in Grantham.

“I have already talked to Chris, our new head chef, about how we can incorporate more local produce into our menus, and with my background as a Pastry Chef, my aim is to produce a great variety of homemade desserts, along with specialist breads for specific menus.”

The pair will be working on menus for the forthcoming season, which is the busiest on the racecourse’s calendar, including Saturday night meetings, which include live entertainment for diners after racing, and a packed Christmas schedule.

“As well as some of the country’s best racing, we want to offer our guests some of the best dining too, and we believe we can achieve this with the help of Chris and Mark,” said Nathan Corden, head of commercial development at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

“We have always been supporters of local produce and suppliers, and their ideas have been outstanding so far. We are really pleased to have their expertise on-board for what promises to be a really busy autumn and Christmas period for us.”

For full details about the Racecourse's Christmas party packages, click here.