Other
Martin Burge
Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Martin Burge is now Culinary Director at Farncombe Estate in Broadway, a role built on the old craft of working upward through serious kitchens. The through-line is classical discipline: pace, section control, and the sort of refinement that gets learned by repetition rather than by reputation.
The Climb
Chef work experience at Brunel College gave Burge his first exposure to professional kitchen rhythm, the basic habits that shape timing, service, and standards before a name is ever known beyond the pass. The first job under Michael Croft at The Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath followed, placing him in a hotel kitchen where expectation was part of the daily brief. He then moved on as chef at The Mirabelle in London, adding the pressure of a London dining room to the discipline already taking hold. Pastry section work at Pied a Terre asked for a different set of controls: precision, restraint, and a touch more delicacy in execution. First commis at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons then added another layer of technical grounding, with the lower ranks doing the quiet work that later supports command. That shift from support to leadership is where the trade changes shape, and where consistency becomes as important as speed. At Whatley Manor until 2016, the work settled into a major period of recognition, with the standard there becoming part of the record attached to his name. Today, Martin Burge’s remit at Farncombe Estate is broader than a single section or service. As Culinary Director, he brings the weight of pastry, commis work, and head-chef responsibility into an estate role that asks for overview as much as execution.
Today
He is Culinary Director at Farncombe Estate in Broadway. In that post, Burge’s background across pastry, commis work, and head-chef leadership reads less as a list of stops than as a set of tools, each one useful in shaping an operation beyond one dining room.
Signature
Martin's signature dishes include snails cooked individually with a garlic cassonad, Porthilly rock oysters, poached blue chip salmon, whole baked sea bass, and lobster thermidor. Taken together, they point to a kitchen language shaped by classic dishes and careful handling: ingredients kept intact, familiar references kept legible, and luxury expressed through control rather than noise.
Recognition
Martin's honors include Michelin two stars for Whatley Manor. For a chef moving from early work experience through hotel kitchens, pastry, and head-chef posts, that result sits as a clear measure of the standard reached at that point in the career.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Martin
What is Martin Burge's current role?
As of 2026, Martin Burge is Culinary Director.
Where did Martin Burge work before?
Martin Burge's earlier career included Brunel College, The Royal Crescent Hotel, and The Mirabelle.
What recognition has Martin Burge received?
Michelin two stars for Whatley Manor (2009).
