Our Senior Team

Restaurant Manager – Damien Bastiat

Born in south west France in 1980, Damien always wanted to work in the hotel and restaurant industry. He studied at Cap breton’s catering school but it was during his first work placement that he discovered the excitement of working in a two Michelin Star property. After obtaining his diploma at the age of 17, there was no doubt in his mind that he eventually wanted to work at a two Michelin star level.  

Damien then started work as Chef de Rang at “Le Relais de la Poste”, one of France’s longest maintained two Michelin Star restaurants (38 years) and a Relais and Chateaux property. He was there for over seven years, working his way up the ladder. In order to understand the detail and complexity of a larger operation, Damien’s next move was to the “Hotel du Palais”. This property holds one Michelin star, and is part of the “Leading Hotels of the World” group. Damien took the position of Head Waiter, and after fifteen months fine tuning his skills, he chose to move abroad and moved to the UK.

In early 2006 he started his new role at “Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons” as a Head Waiter and worked alongside some of the best professionals in the industry. Having enjoyed two years there he then joined the team at Gidleigh Park as Deputy Restaurant Manager before being promoted in the summer of 2009 to the role of Restaurant Manager.

“Everyone in the team at Gidleigh Park is working towards the same goal, making our guests’ experience so special and that they feel that they are the only guests in the house”