Ernst van Zyl

Ernst van Zyl is the owner and chef of The Lord Clyde in Kerridge – the only pub in Cheshire to hold three AA Rosettes and one of only four North West pubs to appear in the Top 50 UK Gastropub’s list 2016.

Ernst has a pedigree culinary background having worked in some of the UK and Ireland’s best hotel kitchens.  Before opening The Lord Clyde, Ernst worked at Etrop Grange in Manchester as well as the Radisson Manchester and London’s Park Lane Hotel.

Ernst opened The Lord Clyde with his business partner Sarah in 2014 and has more recently acquired two more properties – The Hanging Gate in Higher Sutton, Macclesfield and The Knott Inn in Rushton Spencer.

Known for his confident and creative flavour combinations, Ernst has a modernistic approach, injecting playfulness and seasonality into every dish. The Lord Clyde has earned itself an enviable reputation as a restaurant in a pub, offering accessible fine dining in cosy surroundings in the foothills of the Peak District.

Unrelenting in his commitment to creativity and learning new techniques and skills, Ernst regularly uses his spare time to complete placements at world renowned restaurants such as Noma in Copenhagen, Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Bray and Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saison in Oxfordshire.

Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, Ernst has lived in the UK since he was 21.

Ernst van Zyl - owner and chef of The Lord Clyde

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Chester Food & Drink Festival Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales.
Registered number: 05364122.
Registered office: West Wing, Chester Railway Station, Station Rd, Chester, CH1 3NT*
*Mail should be served at Churchill House, Queen's Park Campus, Queen's Park Road, Chester CH4 7AD.