1 Michelin Star Chefs: Tom Parker, Head Chef, The White Swan at Fence

The Staff Canteen

Tom Parker is the head chef of The White Swan, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Fence, Lancashire.

Hailing from Burnley, Tom Parker got his first job aged 16 at the Michelin-starred Northcote after writing to Nigel Haworth. He worked alongside Lisa Allen, executive head chef at the Langho venue citing that: ‘Lisa was a massive influence on me. Working alongside her and Nigel had a huge impact on what I learned, and I was lucky I was able to do it.’

The White Swan at Fence

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300 Wheatley Ln Rd, Fence, Burnley BB12 9QA

Phone:  01282 611773

Website: www.whiteswanatfence.co.uk

Email:  [email protected]

Head Chef: Tom Parker 

Twitter: @whiteswan_fence

Instagram: @whiteswanatfence

Biography

In 2011, at the age of 21, he was awarded Young Chef of the Year and went on to become the youngest ever sous chef at Northcote. After a stint cooking in Mexico, he moved back to Burnley and became Head Chef at The White Swan in Fence.

In 2017 Tom took part in the BBC Great British Menu, alongside fellow NW chefs Ellis Barrie and Paul Askew,  with Tom’s dishes inspired by memories of summer holidays and picking berries in the Lancashire hedgerows close to his home. 

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Tom Parker

Accolades

And his talents have earned him many accolades including being named Dining Pub of the Year at last year’s Lancashire Life Food & Drink Awards as well as being named in Estrella Dam’s Top 50 UK Gastropubs.

The White Swan at Fence awarded a Michelin Star in October 2018, joining Northcote and Moor Hall in Aughton as the only Michelin starred establishments in Lancashire in the Michelin Guide UK 2019.

Other awards include 2 AA rosettes whilst The Good Pub Guide and Casque Mark also recognise the quality of real ale that is being served.   

What the guides say 

Michelin Guide 

 Michelin star

AA Restaurant Guide 

 AA 2 Rosettes

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Cumbrian venison, liquorice, spice

carrots and fennel pollen

The menu at The White Swan at Fence 

Tom’s ever-changing menu is inspired by his memories of summer, from holidays in France and by some of Lancashire’s old food traditions on his menu, including those from his great-grandmother’s treasured handwritten recipe book. Regular theme nights are held that are inspired by the local community.

Ingredients come as locally as possible and Tom is proud of the relationship he has with local producers which include Gazegill Organics, Pugh Piglets and Wellocks. Some of the fruit and vegetables also come from the village, utilising growing space loaned to them by local residents and Tom’s gran and grandad do all of the gardens.

As the only Timothy Taylors pub in Lancashire, a brewery founded on the principle of never accepting second best, the focus is on flavour.

Videos with Tom Parker:

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 28th November 2018

1 Michelin Star Chefs: Tom Parker, Head Chef, The White Swan at Fence