Martin Hadden

Martin Hadden is a British chef, who won a Michelin star at both Ockenden Manor and The Priory House. He was the winner of the Roux Scholarship in 1989, and after leaving the kitchen at the Priory House in 2003 he went on to become Executive Chef for the Historic Sussex Hotels group.

Career In 1989, at the age of 19, Hadden won the Roux Scholarship, a prize awarded by Michel and Albert Roux to allow chefs to travel to three Michelin star restaurants to gain experience. Hadden chose to travel to France to work at Maison Pic under Jacques Pic. Further appointments followed, first at Gidleigh Park, and then at Chez Nico under Nico Ladenis. In 2001, he purchased The Priory House in Somerset, with the intention of renovating it into the first restaurant he would personally own and run. The contracts were exchanged two days prior to the release of the new Michelin Guide which gave Hadden a Michelin Star for his work at Ockenden Manor. He left Ockenden Manor shortly afterwards, to work full-time at the Priory House. He served his last meal in the restaurant on 7 June 2003, with the restaurant being sold for nearly £275,000. Hadden moved on to become Executive Head Chef for Historic Sussex Hotels, overseeing Ockenden Manor, the Spread Eagle hotel and Bailiffscourt hotel.