Paul Welburn, the chef patron of Cygnet at the Swan Inn in Islip, Oxfordshire, has announced plans to leave the restaurant
He has officially handed in his notice and will be leaving Cygnet at the Swan Inn in Islip in February 2025. He is set to pursue new challenges in Cornwall, marking the next step in his career.
Posting the news on Instagram, he said: “What a three years at the Cygnet. Achieved so much. Four months left cooking at the Swan then Cornwall bound... and I look forward to finding the next venture.”
Paul Welburn, alongside Nina Gray and Nicole Patrick, launched Cygnet at the Swan Inn in Islip in December 2022, with the restaurant quickly gaining recognition. It has since been awarded three AA rosettes.
He said before the launch: “Cygnet is me on a plate. Modern flavours, but popular ones, not too out there. The format and price make it less of a destination place, more approachable, unpretentious.”
Before founding Cygnet, Paul Welburn had an impressive career in the culinary world. He was executive chef at the Oxford Kitchen in Summertown, Oxford, and head chef at the renowned Rhodes W1 at the Cumberland Hotel in London, where he successfully retained a Michelin star for five years.
The Oxford Kitchen, under Paul Welburn's leadership, earned a Michelin star in 2018, a significant achievement that helped solidify its reputation in the culinary world. However, the restaurant rebranded as 215 Kitchen & Drinks during the pandemic, and the star was not retained under the new concept.
