Four-star Northumberland castle hotel, Langley Castle, has made a bold statement of intent
in its 40 th 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 40 th 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.”
