voco Oxford Spires hotel, based on Abingdon Road in south Oxford, has appointed Claudio Costea as its new Executive Chef.
Former MasterChef: The Professionals contestant Claudio Costea joins voco Oxford Spires, having previously led food and beverage at its sister hotel, voco Oxford Thames, for the ten years, up until the pandemic.
During his time at the Sandford-On-Thames hotel, he achieved two AA rosettes, a nationwide scheme for assessing the quality of food served by restaurants and hotels. He also secured the hotel a place in the industry-renowned Michelin Guide.
Claudio, who was born in Romania, returns to Oxford to oversee all food and beverage management at the hotel, including the venue’s Deacons Restaurant, which offers modern British food with a French influence.
With over 22 years of experience and a career history that includes being a contestant on BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals (a spin-off of the main MasterChef series for professional working chefs), Claudio brings a wealth of knowledge and accolade to the voco table.
His industry achievements also include winning the IACC Europe Copper Skillet culinary competition, which tests the quality of conference and meetings food.
Claudio also regularly features on Romanian cooking shows, having been a judge in one of the country’s biggest cooking competitions for three years.
Wendy Procter, General Manager of the hotel, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Claudio back to our voco team. His career achievements and accolades speak for themselves and demonstrate what an asset he is to our team.
“We’re excited for our guests and diners to experience Claudio’s delicious food. As we head into a new season, Claudio is helping us prepare our spring summer menu, which will include small plates, salads, grills and comfort food.”
voco Oxford Spires and voco Oxford Thames are part of the IHG group, with voco Oxford Thames, based in Sandford-on-Thames, recently opening its Napiers restaurant.
Speaking of his appointment, Claudio said: “My cooking style is modern British with a French twist; I love to create dishes using local produce. I spent 10 amazing years at voco Oxford Thames, achieving some fantastic industry recognition which I hope to replicate here at voco Oxford Spires.”
Food is served from 06.30am to 9.30pm on weekdays and from 07.30am to 10.00pm at weekends in both hotels.
