Staff

John has been with the company for a good few years helping to run the Pant-yr-Ochain in Gresford - one of our busiest pubs. He’s a bit of a fitness fiend and loves nothing better than long walks with his two dogs, Fidget and Saffy. John is very upbeat and cheerful by nature, and has put together a happy crew.

Lucy was a real find for us - she'd been deputy general manager at Hawkstone Park Hotel for some thirteen years and was really happy there, but felt that nevertheless it was time for a change. One of her passions is writing lists and ticking things off when they are done. If she's done something before it got onto the list, she'll write it onto the list, then tick it off. Obvious potential.

Chris joined us in the summer of 2005 with a view to the opening of the Hand, which is close to his house. He is a real character who has been in the catering world for several years, some of them unhappily – so we hope he has found a happy home here at B & P. Chris works like a Trojan.

Victoria, a hospitality management graduate, has been at the Hand and Trumpet since September 06, and is now proper northern. In a nut shell she has a cat called 'Peanut' and a boyfriend called Pat, a young doctor who also pulls pints on a Saturday. Victoria plays the drums, and likes nothing more than a pint of Theakstons and a pie, like all proper Northern lasses.

You can tell just by looking at him that Dave is a real character, and we’re very pleased to have him in the company. Dave came to us from heading up the kitchens at Crewe Hall, so he knows his oats. Quite apart from his cooking, he's guaranteed to cheer you up.

Tony comes to the Hand with a wealth of experience, including Harvey's in Bristol (Michelin Star), Crewe Hall, and two seperate stints at Rookery Hall, which is some CV. The Hand and Trumpet, of course, knocks all that lot into a cocked hat. He is friends with Dave from their time together in the kitchens at Crewe Hall, so when he heard we were recruiting he threw his hat into the ring.

Lee is a talented chef, gaining culinary experience at the Hilton in Manchester and Crewe Hall, but has come home to roost with his old cheffing pals at the Hand and Trumpet. Amongst other things, Lee has spent a few weeks at sea on a trawler so he really knows his fish.

Jamie realised his future was in cooking when at the tender age of eight he'd bake an assortment of cakes at home and sell them to neighbours from his garage. He is a Crewe man born and bred, and someone who we just had to take on board before he was snapped up. He bears his cheffy name with commendable forbearance.

Tom started life with us as a pot washer inbetween studying Law, English and Film Studies but has since discovered that food is his true passion and is now training to be a great chef. He's a Stoke City fan and is a great player within our team.

Paul is one of those guys every pub must have: he never stops working, is always looking for things to do and always has a smile on his face. He is a mad footy follower and talks a good game. When Paul is not keeping the kitchen spic and span he looks after the pub neighbour's award winning garden.

Roger lives just over the road from the pub so can watch his garden grow from his front window. He's got a big project on his hands here and it always requires patience watching your garden grow, but the potential at the Hand is enormous.

Gill is a local girl from Betley and lives in a lovely house with husband Roger (not our gardener) and son little Harry, at the top of a hill which overlooks the whole of Cheshire. Gill's cleaning expertise is known far and wide so we had a job on our hands to steal her away from the dubious environs of the local men's sports club...she was unaccountably reluctant to leave.