James Carn-Pryor

Award-winning Suffolk-based hospitality company, the Chestnut Group, has recruited the 2016 East Anglian Times Suffolk chef of the year, James Carn-Pryor, as head chef at the Packhorse Inn, Moulton.

James will report to the group’s executive head chef, Dan Grigg, and will be responsible for crafting seasonal menus and overseeing the kitchen team to continue to deliver the exceptional level of service and guest experience that customers have come to expect at the Packhorse.

James’ predecessor at the pub, Phil Skinner, is taking a senior role the Chestnut Group’s soon-to-open Northgate, in Bury St Edmonds. Phil has been at the Packhorse since the 2013 opening, and has been a key driver behind the inn winning multiple awards for outstanding food.

James said: “It’s a fantastic honour to have been asked to take up the head chef role at the Packhorse. The inn has established an incredible reputation in the area for its consistently outstanding standard of food and I’m very much looking forward to the challenge of maintaining and building on that.

“What makes joining the Packhorse Inn so exciting is the Chestnut Group’s overall aim to raise the bar for hospitality experiences across the East Anglia region. It’s a great time for the region with increasing interest in the area, so to be part of a group that is at the heart of the movement is a fantastic opportunity.”

Chestnut Group chief executive, Philip Tuner, said: “We are delighted that James has chosen to join us and will be taking the helm at the Packhorse Inn. I, along with many others in the area, have long been an admirer of his work so am very much looking forward to seeing him bring all his skill, expertise and flair to the Packhorse Inn.”

The group’s expanding portfolio now includes: the Rupert Brooke in Grantchester; the White Horse, Easton; the Northgate, Bury St Edmunds; and the recently acquired Three Blackbirds, just outside of Newmarket.