Mark Hartstone

Chef proprietor Mark Hartstone initially trained as a Geologist (no rock cake puns) and Petroleum Engineer. On the first day of the millennium he had an epiphany & decided to follow his dream and passion of cooking. Working in the brigades of Europe's top chefs. Stéphane Carrade at Chez Ruffet, Raymond Blancs' Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Shaun Hill at the Montagu Arms, Alan Murchison from L'Ortolan, Luke Mathews and not least Pierre Chevillard at Chewton Glen. Mark was Pierres' sous chef at Pebble Beach helping him to win the Remy Martin South East restaurant of the year 2007 and other critical acclaim. Mark reached the final in 4 national chef competitions. Winning regional competitions such as Chef of the Year in the Dorset Magazine Food, Drink & Farming Awards 2015 and the 2006 prestigious National Seafood Recipe Challenge. The competition is one of the best regarded chef competitions in the country. A gastronomic tour of Norway, working alongside Swedish chef Anders Blomkvist of the famous Store Norske Fiskekompani in the largest town of the Arctic circle was part of the prize. In 2008 Mark and his wife Emmanuelle started their own business La Fosse at Cranborne. Since then he has been three times Finalist in “Best Dorset Restaurant”, won Best Dorset Recipe, twice won Best Dorset Cheeseboard, Highly Recommended by the World Cheese Association for several years, and appears in the Good Food Guide.