Ricki Weston

Coming Up

Ricki Weston trained at Steyning Grammar School before beginning the kind of steady kitchen progression that builds real command. From 2010, Weston worked as Commis Chef at Whites Kitchen in Steyning, where the basics of service, timing, and consistency were learned in full view of the pass. A move to Demi Chef de Partie at Whites Kitchen followed, then chef at Wabi and Chef de Partie at Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham. Each step added another layer of responsibility and another chance to tighten technique. Since 2022, Ricki Weston has been Executive Chef of Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa / The Dining Room. In that position, Weston is responsible for the daily shape of the kitchen: pace, standards, and the consistency that holds a service together.

Where They Are Now

Since 2022, Weston has led Whatley Manor in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England as Executive Chef of The Dining Room. The role places Weston at the center of the restaurant's working day, directing the kitchen, managing service, and maintaining the level of precision expected at this stage of the craft. The setting brings its own formality, and Weston's job is to keep the food aligned with it without losing clarity or control. Weston describes the cooking plainly: "It’s modern British at heart – rooted in classical techniques but with creative freedom. I try to honour the ingredient by using every part of it, combining traditional methods with thoughtful innovation." The craft here rests on structure first: classical technique as a base, then room for movement within it. The other point is economy of use. Using every part of an ingredient is not decoration; it is an approach to kitchen discipline, where each element is expected to earn its place. That balance between technique and restraint suits the kitchen Weston runs now. The work reads as composed rather than loud, with enough openness to allow invention, but enough control to keep the cooking grounded. Weston has also framed the tasting menu as an experience, saying, "Tasting menus are so much more than just putting a menu on a piece of paper. These days, guests are looking for that immersive experience, something that is different to what other people do." The point is sequence as craft: how one course leads to the next, how pace creates anticipation, and how a menu is built as a whole rather than as a list of separate plates.

Signature

Ricki's signature dishes include The plum dish. The name points to a direct approach: a dish built around a single ingredient and presented without excess.

In Their Words “It’s modern British at heart – rooted in classical techniques but with creative freedom. I try to honour the ingredient by using every part of it, combining traditional methods with thoughtful innovation.”

Honors

Ricki's honors include Michelin Star. It sits alongside Weston's step-by-step progression from Steyning Grammar School through Whites Kitchen in Steyning, Wabi, and Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham, to Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa / The Dining Room (since 2022).