Meet The Quicken Tree Team
Ever wondered who the team are that serve you whenever you visit The Quicken Tree? Here we plan to highlight our staff so you can find out just a little bit about them. We will be adding to this page as we go.
Meet our new Restaurant Manager Mario
After starting out as a Holiday entertainer in Cyprus, Mario found his love for travel, guest satisfaction and going the extra mile.
After coming back to the UK in 2007, he quickly found a job in Hospitality, and the rest as they say, is history.
Starting as a Bartender, his drive and passion for food and drink soon had him on track to progression.
During his career he has opened a restaurant, overseen the refurbishment of a bar & lounge, updated and implemented new menus, till systems, overseen large scale weddings and launch events, as well as more intimate private dining settings, creating speciality and themed cocktails for events and much more.
His strong focus on his team is fundamental to his success. He has trained, developed and progressed many of his team members over the years.
Of course it goes without saying, his main focus is Customer Service and creating those unexpected Moments of Delight. With a passion for delivering an outstanding guest experience, he likes to make every guest feel like a VIP.
Welcome to the team Mario
Welcome to our new Head Chef Stefan Elliot
We’re delighted to welcome Stefan Elliot as Head Chef at The Quicken Tree, at The Heart of England Conference & Events Centre in Coventry.
Stefan brings a wealth of experience from some exceptional kitchens across the UK and Spain. His culinary journey began on a Lancashire cheese farm, where he learned to make the famous Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese, before a chance encounter at a food festival led to his first professional kitchen role.
After working alongside respected chefs including Warrick Dodds and Marc Guilbert, Stefan spread his wings and headed to Spain, spending time in Madrid and working in the kitchen of acclaimed chef Sergi Arola. The experience had a huge influence on his cooking, introducing him to new ingredients, flavours and techniques.
Today, Stefan’s style combines that experience with a refreshingly straightforward philosophy: great ingredients, familiar dishes and plenty of flavour, always with his own twist.
With a Spanish wife, Mediterranean food remains a big influence both at home and in his cooking, while chefs including Gordon Ramsay and Tom Kerridge have also inspired him throughout his career.
At The Quicken Tree, Stefan wants to create food that feels special without being overly complicated or formal – whether you’re joining us for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, Sunday lunch or dinner.
His best advice for any cook?
“Keep things simple, taste and season as you go.”
Now Stefan is bringing everything he has learned throughout his career to The Quicken Tree, with exciting plans for the menus and plenty of delicious things to come.