<div class="page side-photo"> <article> <div class="image" style=" background-color:#ffffff; background-image:url(/uploads/5a5f464ed7bf1.jpg); background-position: 31% 39%; "></div> <div class="container" style="background-color: #ffffff;"> <header style="font-family: ; color: #000;"> <h1>Desmond takes charge at the Everglades Hotel</h1> </header> <!-- /header --> <div class="main"> <p class="summary" style="color: #000;">Birmingham born Desmond Morris was recently announced as the new executive head chef at the Everglades Hotel</p> <p>With more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality trade. Desmond has been employed at the north-west hotel since 2012 when he arrived as sous chef. His roles includes overseeing the running of the Everglades' kitchens, ordering produce and designing all the menus.</p><p>Desmond completed his catering training at college in his native Birmingham and go his 'first proper cheffing job' at Rusties, a Caribbean silver service restaurant in the city that was owned by chef and television personality Rustie Lee. Desmond, who was 17 at the time, began as a commis chef and stayed there for just over a year. </p><p>After that, he spent nearly five years working on Jersey, most notably at Central Park restaurant on St. Helier, where he stayed for three years.&nbsp;'I knew what I wanted to do, I was still enjoying catering very much and excited about what I was going to do next', recalls Desmond.</p><p>Desmond had met his wife, Noreen from Derry-Londonderry during his time in Jersey and the pair were married in 1994, leading eventually to a return to the north-west.&nbsp;</p><p>Talking about his new role at the Everglades Hotel Desmond said:</p><p>"We are looking at changing some things" he confirmed. "We want to develop further our very successful afternoon-tea format, we're going to improve the pastry selection and introduce more local products."</p><p>The focus will also be on extending the Everglades' already significant wedding trade to take advantage of the newly extended facilities. A £1.5m refurbishment and expansion scheme at the venue early this year means that the grand ballroom can now accommodation up to 650 guests.</p><p>Desmond's priorities at the moment including changing and improving all the menus in the hotel to make them more innovative and representative of the quality local food that is available.</p> </div> </div> </article> </div><!-- /page-->