Retirement village operator Rangeford is celebrating a culinary coup for its forthcoming restaurant within Cirencester's Siddington Park.

Heading up the new Orangery restaurant as part of the complex's social hub, Italian-born Danijel Furjan's previous Cotswolds experience includes Barnsley House and Lords of the Manor.

Will Ryan, general manager at Siddington, said: "Danijel was born and raised in Northern Italy, and moved to Cirencester 14 years ago at just 20 years old to pursue his career in the culinary arts. From a very young age he has had a passion for food and cooking, growing up in a culinary country surrounded by the freshest ingredients, inspired by generations of his family's home cooking."

Danijel, who trained at I.P.S.S.A.R. Alfredo Beltrame in Italy, cites his favourite off-duty dining destination as The Old Butchers, in Stow-on-the-Wold. Since moving to the UK, he has worked his way up in the culinary industry starting as just a waiter to now being a head chef with experience in Michelin Star restaurants.

He will start his new role at Siddington Park on the 12th April 2024, the first job being to hire a whole new team for his kitchen ahead of the opening date, fixed for May 13. The Orangery will be open to the public from that date for lunch every day and dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Danijel will also be planting up a dedicated kitchen garden along with Chris Liversidge, Rangeford's award-winning Head of Landscaping and Gardening.

Situated close to the town's Dobbie's garden centre, the £50m "later living" complex, featuring 125 luxury retirement homes in a mix of cottages and apartments was signed off for development in 2018. Work was reported to have begun two years later, with Bristol constructors Rydon assigned to the job . The site sits on former parkland and covers 12 acres.

● Rangeford has five UK retirement villages and two more are reported to be in the pipeline in Cambridge and Dorking.