The couple, who joined the Whinlatter Forest restaurant’s team back in January this year as head chef and general manager/sommelier respectively, have purchased the property from its former owners, Liam and Kath Berney, who are retiring after 22 years at the helm.
In a statement, Jack and Beth said: “We are hugely excited to be taking over ownership of The Cottage in the Wood.
“It’s been a pleasure to work alongside Liam and Kath over the last few months as they’ve helped us settle in and gain invaluable insight into the business that they established in 2002.”
Originally from Southport, Jack's CV includes stints at high-profile restaurants including Daniel Humm’s Eleven Madison Park in New York, and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London.
Beth graduated from Imperial College with a physics degree before joining Chantelle Nicholson’s Tredwell’s Restaurant in London in 2015. She worked alongside Nicholson for several years and helped launch the chef’s Mayfair restaurant Apricity in 2022.
Originally a 17th-century coaching inn, The Cottage in the Wood was transformed by the Berneys into a restaurant with rooms in 2002.
The restaurant was recognised with a Michelin star in 2019 while under the leadership of chef Ben Wilkinson. It has successfully retained the accolade ever since under different chefs, including Bond earlier this year.
“There’s no doubt that Liam and Kath have played a significant part in helping to put this corner of the Lake District on the map and that’s something that we will both continue to do,” Jack and Beth add.
“Like them, we both care deeply about how the business operates, and are fully committed to continuing to build on and evolve many of the sustainability initiatives already in place, as well as introducing several new ones. All of which will further strengthen the overall ethos of the business as we take it forward.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming guests as we embark on this new chapter in The Cottage in the Wood’s future.”