An Introduction
Nearly a century has passed since Harry and Mabel Challis opened the Ardington Hotel, and with great-grandsons Simon and Richard taking over the reins in 1988, the Ardington Hotel has proudly passed through four generations. Renowned for its warm, intimate atmosphere and personalised service, its award winning Indigo Restaurant was awarded an AA Rosette for culinary excellence for a tenth time in 2019.
Over the years, we’ve been trying to come up with the best way to say, “Hello, we’re Indigo, and this is who we are.” While the food is a huge part of who we are, ‘the why’ and ‘the how’ almost matter as much as ‘the what.’ It’s easy to explain what we do, it’s harder to explain why. That’s where our philosophy comes in. Gathering together sums up our entire reason for being.
to gather together
Family celebrations, a get-together of friends, a company night out, weddings. We love nothing more than bringing people together to have a few drinks, share food, have a good laugh and to create memories.
JOINT MANAGING Director - Simon MARGAROLI
Simon is as much as an institution as the restaurant itself. He trained at the Savoy in London on their management programme, and worked in the kitchens and restaurants at Claridges and the Berkeley. He went on to work at the legendary five-star Mandarin Oriental and Sheraton hotels in Hong Kong for three years before returning home to Worthing thirty years ago to run the family business with his brother, Richard.
Simon believes in going above and beyond to ensure that Worthing diners have the most memorable experience possible. Inspiration for the menus comes from Simon’s travels to the Highlands, France, Italy and beyond.
Head Chef - Luca MASON
Luca is one of the South of England’s most respected chefs, starting his career in the kitchens of Indigo Restaurant under the tutelage of his dad and Head Chef, Burt. Inspired by his Italian heritage, his great love of food was born from meals shared around the family table.
Luca served his apprenticeship at The Grand in Brighton. He went on to work under the highly regarded Dave Miller, former Head Chef at the Ritz, at Tottington Manor on the edge of the South Downs National Park. This consolidated his mastery of classical culinary techniques.
Restaurant Manager - Wioleta
Step through Indigo’s doors and you’ll be greeted with a warm welcome from Wioleta, our restaurant manager. Wioleta worked in the corporate advertising world before moving into the hospitality industry. Her background in the corporate world has given her excellent interpersonal and management skills, which she uses to ensure the restaurant is runs smoothly, whether this be on a normal weeknight evening or a private dining event.
Renowned for her calm, unflappable nature, Wioleta ensures each and every one of our guests is being given all the attention they need.