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Matthew Foxon Joins Saxon Hotel as Executive Chef


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The Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa is proud to announce that Chef Matthew Foxon joins the team as Executive Chef from 1 May 2021.

He will be overseeing the complete culinary journey at the hotel, bringing his passion for sustainability and his brand of classic cuisine with contemporary influences to bear across all the hotel’s offerings.

His desire to become a chef stems from a very young age – as a second-generation chef he grew up in the kitchen. He has a great passion for sustainable dining, placing significant importance on fresh produce and respecting the ingredients.

His strong culinary background started off at the International Hotel School in Johannesburg in 2003, where he completed a 2-year advanced diploma in professional cookery. Following this training, he earned his stripes in luxury hotels across South Africa, including the Michelangelo and the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel. As a young chef, he proved his cooking prowess in a number of competitions, including being awarded ‘Young Chef of the Year’ for two consecutive years in 2003 and 2004 as well as being runner up in the ‘Salon Culinaire South Africa’ competition in 2004.

Chef Matthew relocated to London in 2005 where he ran the kitchens of the award-winning Greyhound at Battersea restaurant, receiving a coveted Restaurant Magazine Best Dish award in 2006. From here he moved on to The Rosendale in South London as head chef – awarded by Time Out Award as best gastropub of 2007, before joining the Criterion Restaurant in 2009 as Executive Chef. During his time at this legendary restaurant, Criterion won renewed critical acclaim, reclaiming their space in the forefront of the London restaurant scene. While at Criterion, Chef Matthew also appeared in the hit BBC series MasterChef UK – guest-starring in two seasons of the show as well as in Celebrity MasterChef in 2014. Furthermore, he also featured in ‘Hotel GB’ with Chef Gordon Ramsey in 2012.

From Criterion, Chef Matthew moved on to the New Street Grill as Head Chef in 2014. The New Street Grill is a re-invented traditional British Grill restaurant with a dedication to local produce – playing into Chef Matthew’s passion for the finest ingredients.

In 2017 Chef Matthew returned to South Africa, being appointed the Executive Chef at 54 on Bath in Johannesburg. With him at the helm, the hotel’s Level Four Restaurant became a popular destination in Johannesburg, with the menu featuring chef’s bold signature style and distinctive flair.

Says Chef Matthew: “I am excited to bring my ethos of sustainability and respect for the produce to the Saxon Hotel, working with the kitchen brigade to ensure that the renowned Saxon dining journey continues to offer guests the dining experience they have come to expect.”

Saxon Managing Director George Cohen noted: “Chef Matthew joins us as we embark on a new journey at the Saxon. He is a multi-talented chef with experience in hotels and restaurants both locally and internationally. The team and I are looking forward to the greater heights the Saxon culinary journey will achieve under his guidance.”

Chef Matthew joins the Saxon team just before the hotel’s re-opening. The inimitable Saxon Journey will be somewhat different with the new safety initiatives introduced, but the Saxon will continue to offer the warm South African hospitality that guests have come to expect.

More details on the measures put in place to ensure the safety of guests can be found on the Saxon website at www.saxon.co.za

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