A young chef who has worked in some of the country’s leading restaurants says he’s excited to be taking over as head chef of The Swan at Hay Hotel in the book capital of Hay-on-Wye.
Jerry Adam, 26, joined the 18-bedroomed hotel at the start of the month and is now recruiting his own team, including a sous chef, chef de partie and commis chef.
The Swan at Hay Hotel, which was purchased by the owners of multi-award winning Llangoed Hall at Llyswen last September, remains open for business whilst undergoing a £1 million refurbishment. Following re-roofing, work will begin inside the hotel in the coming months.
Jerry is no stranger to the area, having worked at Llangoed Hall under head chef Nick Brodie for nearly three years. He takes up his new post having worked at the Michelin starred Ynyshir Hall, near Machynlleth for five months.
Earlier in his career, he worked at The Olive Branch, Clipsham and The Bath Priory, Bath, both Michelin starred restaurants and The Queensberry, Bath, where he first met Nick Brodie.
When Brodie was appointed head chef at Llangoed Hall, Jerry turned down another exciting job offer to move with him and has not regretted relocating to rural Wales.
“It was a wise move on my part to turn down the other job because I love Wales,” he said. “It’s great to be back working in this area because I missed everybody and my girlfriend, Hannah Powell, is from Erwood.
“This area of Wales is just so beautiful, the people here are friendly and ingredients I can source locally are really good. I would like to have my own garden to source fresh ingredients.
“It’s an exciting challenge to become head chef and I am looking forward to cooking for local people and visitors. They can look forward to homely as well as exciting and innovative food and I plan to expand the menu with my own dishes in the coming months.”
When he’s not working, Jerry plays pool for Powys and also enjoys playing snooker and riding his Triumph Daytona 675 motorbike.
Calum Milne, managing director of Llangoed Limited and The Swan at Hay Ltd, said: “Jerry spent nearly three years at Llangoed Hall and I am delighted that Nick has nurtured his talent. He is the youngest head chef in the group and will reinvigorate the food offer at The Swan.
“His appointment is an indication of the quality rather than the style of food that customers can expect at The Swan. It will offer another price point for our customers and an alternative dining experience.
“Work on the refurbishment is progressing well and I am pleased with the support we have received from Brecon and Radnor MP Chris Davies, the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Powys County Council.
“We want to be in the heart of the community and are using local tradesmen to support the local economy. We currently have 12 staff but plan to increase the workforce by growing the business with the support of local people.
“Our aim is to make The Swan one of the most comfortable inns in Wales and a beacon for the local community which attracts tourists throughout the year, not just for the festivals. I appreciate the support I have had from Peter Florence, director of Hay Festival.”