New executive chef at Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa

Wednesday 11 March 2015

Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa has a new executive head chef - who has just been cooking with one of the world's best-known chefs.

Nicolas Valmagna, who joined Grand Jersey in January, spent two weeks in the kitchen with Raymond Blanc in February at his revered restaurant in Oxfordshire, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quatre Saison, in order to further develop his culinary skills.

Mr Valmagna studied and began his career in his home city of Nice, a city with a fine culinary tradition. He subsequently held positions at prestigious restaurants across the world, including the Michelin starred Chez Bruno, Lorgues, France, preparing traditional cuisine based on truffles; Chefs de France, Restaurant Grastronomique de Monsieur Paul Bocuse in Orlando, Florida; the five star Movenpick Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland and the Rice Restaurant in Auckland, New Zealand where he worked alongside head chef Amanda Morris, who was named the most innovative New Zealand Chef in 2004.

In 2007 Mr Valmagna joined the four star, two Rosette, L'Horizon Beach Hotel & Spa as Sous Chef before being promoted to executive head chef in 2011. During his time at L'Horizon, Mr Valmagna maintained two Rosettes in the Grill Room while expanding the banqueting business and the seasonal terrace. Mr Valmagna went on to establish his own restaurant, Les Saveurs de Provence Traiteur Cargueiranne in the south of France in 2011, before returning to Jersey to take up the role of executive head chef at Grand Jersey.

"I am delighted that Nicolas is joining the Grand Jersey team," said Martin Kelly, general manager, Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa. "I have had the pleasure of working with Nicolas for many years and know he will be a great addition to our team. He is an extremely talented chef who will deliver high standards of cuisine in our Michelin starred Tassili, as well as through our other food and beverage outlets at the hotel."

Mr Valmagna’s style is a mix of traditional British and French cuisine with a modern twist, focusing on local produce of the Channel Islands. He is inspired by Michel Bras, the three Michelin starred chef from Aveyron, France; Jean-François Piège, the two Michelin starred chef from Paris and the famous Raymond Blanc.