Chef Tom Genty — Journal & news

St Leonard’s in West Malling, Kent, is hosting an exclusive dinner with Masterchef: The Professionals 2024 winner, Dan Merriman

Taking place on Friday 3rd October, the evening will start at 7pm, with canapés and Kentish sparkling wine from Gusbourne Wine Estate. Each dish in the eight-course tasting menu will be cooked by St Leonard’s Head Chef Marcus Clayton and Dan Merriman and paired with specially chosen wines.

Guests can expect a luxurious menu with the best local and Autumnal seasonal ingredients including mushrooms, scallops, apples, celeriac and venison. Both chefs will make homage to their grandmothers, with Marcus’ Grandma’s trifle with lemon sponge, raspberry jelly and banana mousse and Dan’s Nana’s crumble with spiced apple compote, pickled blackberry jelly, tonka bean custard and caramelised puff pastry ice cream.

Reservations are live, costing £150 per person, including wine pairings, and can be reserved at stleonardskent.co.uk

-ends-

About St Leonard’s

Located in the pretty market town of West Malling, Kent, St Leonard’s is an independent, modern British restaurant offering seasonal dining from co-owners, chef Tom Genty and general manager Terry Brouet.

The elegant and relaxed space, with a dining area, bar and table-top seating, plus two private dining rooms, which are ideal for lavish dinner parties, working lunches, parties and Sunday lunches, showcases seasonal menus that champion bold British and European flavours, made using the excellent local produce on the restaurant’s doorstep, deep in the Garden of England.

About Dan Merriman

Dan Merriman is the current MasterChef: The Professionals champion - a title that has catapulted him into the spotlight as one of the most exciting young chefs in the UK today. At just 30, his win is the culmination of years of relentless hard work, fierce determination, and a deep love of food.

Dan has honed his skills in some of the UK’s most prestigious kitchens, training under culinary legends including Chris Lovell (ex-Head Pastry Chef for John Campbell’s two-Michelin-star restaurant) and Lisa Goodwin-Allen at Northcote Manor. Hi.

The Masterchef judges were united in their praise for Dan’s cooking. Marcus Wareing hailed his food as “fine dining at its very, very best… precise, technical and incredibly creative.”

Since his MasterChef triumph, Dan has launched ‘At Home with Dan’, offering an elevated dining experience delivered directly to people’s doors, alongside an expanding calendar of chef residencies, luxury hotel collaborations, and pop-up events across the UK and abroad.

For more information, images or interview please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

St Leonard’s brings contemporary British dining to West Malling, Kent

The elegant and relaxed space, with a dining area, bar and table-top seating plus two private dining rooms, which are ideal for lavish dinner parties, working lunches, parties and Sunday lunches, showcases seasonal menus that champion bold British and European flavours, made using the excellent local produce on the restaurant’s doorstep, deep in the Garden of England.

“Having worked together in previous restaurants, Terry and I had always wanted to open a place of our own,” says Executive Chef and co-owner Tom Genty. “West Malling is an ideal setting, on the high street of an historic and thriving market town, with fantastic suppliers and producers close by.”

In the kitchen, Tom is joined by Head Chef Marcus Clayton, winner of the Young Chef Academy 2022/23, who brings years of experience working in fine-dining and Michelin-starred restaurants, including the two star, Hide and Fox in Hythe and The Small Holding in Kilndown. Together, the menu offers heartfelt cooking underpinned by the provenance and quality of the ingredients the team work with every day. Locally sourced and seasonally changing dishes span an à la carte, tasting and bar menu, including Wednesday steak nights, weekend brunch and Sunday lunch. Additionally, a love of fermenting, preserving, and reducing waste ensures a sustainable approach.

“We want to showcase what we do across a variety of experiences, while remaining consistent, and true to who we are and what we do,” Tom continues. “We don’t want to dictate what our diners can eat, providing a choice in product and price point, but also ensuring that each dish tells a story that’s quintessentially St Leonard’s.”

A spacious, stylish dining room and beautiful oak topped bar is where general manager Terry Brouet oversees service and front of house. His carefully chosen wine list features award-winning English growers, as well as European and New World wines from highly regarded wineries, cellared in perfect conditions for up to 25 years. Furthermore, a creative cocktail selection includes highlights such as the signature St Leonard’s, St Lucian Rum Punch, Barrel Aged Negroni, and Chocolate and Hazelnut Martini.

“Our drinks are just as essential to the customer journey as our food,” explains Terry. “As soon as a guest walks through the door, we want them to feel at home, and our beautifully designed interiors provide a sophisticated, comfortable backdrop against which to drink and dine.”

Open days and hours:

Tuesday to Friday: Lunch Midday – 11pm
Saturday: 9am – 11pm
Sunday 9am – 8pm

01732 600128
restaurant@stleonardskent.co.uk