Kitchen dream team reunites at Ellingham Hall
David Munro
For the past 23 years, David Munro has been creating amazing dishes in many famous restaurants across Northumberland.
Over that time, David has honed his skills using local, seasonal produce to deliver delicious dishes.
It’s why we’re delighted to welcome David to Ellingham Hall as our new Head Chef. And in doing so, we’re also reuniting David with his very first boss, our Executive Head Chef, John Blackmore, creating a dream team in our kitchen.
David started working with John at the Tankerville Arms in Eglingham when John was Chef Patron there. David remembers, “I trained with John for seven years at the Tankerville from the age of 13 right until I was 20 years old.
“I was an apprentice and was on a modern apprenticeship course with Northumberland College and spent the rest of my time working with John in the kitchens. He gave me my opportunity to get into this industry.”
David says the way he now works is thanks to what he learned from John, so working together again feels natural.
Dream team
“It’s lovely to be back working with John again,” he explains. “We have the same work ethic because it was instilled in me from him from a young age. We’re very similar in the way we work and the way we drive forward.
“Some people at Ellingham Hall say it’s like the dream team is back together. I suppose it is!”
Over the past 15 years since last working with John, David has forged a career in providing high quality food at restaurants across Northumberland including the Castle Hotel in Bamburgh and the White Swan Inn at Warenford. David has continued to get a deep understanding about the produce on our doorstep during that time.