Haut de Gamme is since November 2017 working with James Close and the Raby Hunt:

James Close, the chef patron of the 2 Michelin starred restaurant Raby Hunt in Darlington, United Kingdom, sees the contemporary Britain as a country strongly influenced by multiculturalism rooted in the colonial past as well as influenced by the migrations of today that made exotic ingredients easily available and as such an unmissable part of the British culture. British love for exotic lands and flavours created a very fertile ground for a wealth of world cuisines that became the main source of inspiration for the young chef who is cooking without any limits of locality or trends. The ingredients and techniques from all over the world are his playground, feeding his vivid mind and giving to his geeky nature limitless possibilities for exploration and learning. James is an obsessive chef who in his constant search for perfection rarely leaves the kitchen. Cooking makes him happy.

James Close was a professional golf player when he fell in love with food, and thus changed his career at the age of 29, when his parents bought a pub called Raby Hunt in Darlington. The self taught chef quickly understood that his ambitions point higher, so the pub became a restaurant which already after two years from its opening won the first and five years later also the second Michelin star, putting the Raby Hunt between the best restaurants in the United Kingdom.

For press and collaboration inquiries please contact: andreja.lajh@hautdegamme.net