Christmas at St Leonard's, West Malling

Christmas at St Leonard’s, West Malling (image credit Key & Quill)

Christmas at St Leonard’s, West Malling

Images HERE (Credited to Key & Quill)

Eat, drink, and be merry this Christmas at St Leonard’s. When it’s time to gather with family, friends, and colleagues over the festive season, look no further than St. Leonard’s in the beautiful market town of West Malling. The restaurant and private dining rooms are dressed with plenty of sparkle and perfect for passing around the bubbly and feasting in style on deliciously local, seasonal produce and vibrant flavours. Be it small plates for two in the Bar, a festive set menu in the Restaurant or lunch, dinner, and drinks in the Turner or Barton private dining rooms, the St Leonard’s team will design a celebration fit for three kings. And why not make a day of it as West Malling, a quaint and historic market town, transforms into a winter wonderland during Christmas. The streets, adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations is the perfect backdrop for festive dining and a great place to shop for presents, with many independent shops, boutiques, florists, jewellers, and more.

From à la carte meals and tasting menus to weekend brunch, roasts on Sundays, and festive set menus, there’s truly something for everyone to enjoy, while the bar is ideal for casual small plates, steak, day-boat catch, and a selection of accompanying cocktails, wines, and Champagnes.

In the restaurant, choose from starters such as celeriac velouté, ashmore gougere, beer pickled onions, walnut ketchup or venison tartare, smoked beetroot, gherkin, linseed cracker, truffle emulsion. Main courses are full of seasonal ingredients and celebratory festive touches such as grilled tunworth, roast cauliflower, grapes, truffle gnocchi, charred brassicas or brined turkey, pancetta, stuffing, fondant potato, brussel tops, Roscoff onion, parsnip purée. Treat yourself to dessert such as winter fruit tart, crème fraiche, cranberry gel or opt for the cheese course of Oxford Blue, pickled pear, treacle tart. The festive set menu costs £35 for two courses and £39 for three courses and is available throughout December alongside the a la carte and tasting menus, excluding Sundays, when a classic roast is served.

Private Dining at St Leonard’s

Celebrate Yuletide in St Leonard’s stunning private dining rooms named Turner and Barton. Seating between eight and 12 guests, these intimate rooms are perfect for enchanting celebrations, whether it’s a sharing Sunday roast or to enjoy a festive private dining menu experience with the ones you love.

On New Year’s Eve, celebrate in style with a la carte, tasting, bar, and private dining menus available, with all the unmissable food and sparkling wine you could ask for to get the party started on Wednesday 31st December.

Early reservations are recommended and can be booked here www.stleonardskent.co.uk/christmas-west-malling

About St Leonard’s

In the kitchen is 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. His menus offer 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.

Open days and hours:
Tuesday to Friday: Lunch Midday – 11pm
Saturday: 9am – 11pm
Sunday 9am – 8pm

01732 600128
restaurant@stleonardskent.co.uk

For more information about St Leonard’s please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room
07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Hiraeth, a creative and aspirational restaurant in Cardiff

Hiraeth, opposite leafy Victoria Park in central Cardiff

hiræth

[here-eyeth] noun
a longing for one’s homeland, more than just homesickness; a deep bond which connects you to a place you may never get to revisit

www.hiraethkitchen.com

Images by Courtenay Pipkin Photography HERE

Hiræth is a small independently owned and run restaurant in Cardiff, focused on creative and ambitious cooking, seasonal produce and a warm welcome. Having started as a pop-up in early 2020, hiræth has been a journey and has now found its home opposite the leafy Victoria Park, in the city centre.

Co-owned and run by Head Chefs Lewis Dwyer and Andy Aston, hiræth has two AA rosettes and is listed in the Good Food Guide and the Michelin Guide, while Lewis has twice cooked for Wales on BBC One’s Great British Menu (2024 & 2025); his competition menus showcasing a diverse celebration of Welsh history. Andy has spent years in the industry honing his craft and skills, including being the Executive Chef at Llanerch Vineyard, when it was awarded the AA Hotel of the Year Wales in 2022 and 2023.

The Welsh word ‘hiræth’ has no direct translation. A blend of pride, nostalgia and longing the Welsh feel for their homeland, hiræth is a pull on the heart and is a uniquely Welsh feeling. This heart is found in the ethos that comes through in every element at hiræth from the proud use of regional produce, foraged ingredients and the pride, commitment and enthusiasm of the young team.

Dishes are made with the very best produce the seasons have to offer, with many of the vegetables and herbs from the hiræth’s own smallholding, under three miles from the restaurant. The team’s goal is to make the most of the land, utilizing as much as possible, with an in-house greengrocer planned for Spring 2026 to sell surplus produce.

Japanese flavours and techniques have always been a big influence in Lewis’s cooking, and even more so since he visited the country in 2019. Japanese cooking with quality Welsh ingredients is at the core of hiræth’s restaurant menus with dishes such as Prawn Toast, Togarashi, Tobiko and Smoked Cod Roe; Kombujime Mackerel, Tomato Ponzu and Isle of Wight Tomatoes; Mushroom Porridge, Soy, Seasme, Pickled Shimeji and Furikake and Salt Marsh Lamb, Glazed Lamb Bao, Cockles and Samphire.

Hiræth offers either an eight or ten-course tasting menu, available for lunch and dinner on Wednesday to Saturday, costing £70 and £90, respectively.​ A three-course set lunch menu for £35 per person is also available. Menus change at hiræth as quickly as the Welsh weather, and no two meals are alike. The one constant on the menu is the Chicken Tea. A four-part symphony: crystal clear consommé poured steaming from a teapot, fried chicken karaage, buttery soft shokupan (Japanese milk bread) and a pat of chicken skin butter.

What hiræth’s diners say:

“hiræth is truly an excellent culinary experience - the lunch set menu was delicious - the food, produce, drink selection, excellent staff and all-round vibe make for an exceptionally enjoyable dining experience - can’t wait to return”

“hiræth delivered a great evening: an excellent meal, beautiful wines, a relaxed atmosphere, great service.”

“The food and the service was excellent! Second time here and will most certainly be back again. I am sure this place will be achieving Michelin star status soon.”

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For more information, images, interview with Lewis Dwyer and Andy Aston, or to arrange a press visit to hiræth, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroomor.co.uk

Opening Hours
Lunch: Thursday – Saturday 12 – 3pm
Dinner: Wednesday - Saturday 5.30 – 9pm

Address: 587 Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, CF5 1BE
Email: hellohiraethkitchen@gmail.com
Instagram: @hiraethkitchen

Dan Merriman at St Leonard's Kent

Dan Merriman at St Leonard’s Kent

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

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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

The Woolpack Inn in Hampshire reopens

The Woolpack Inn in Hampshire (credit Jake Eastham)

The Woolpack Inn in Hampshire relaunches on 8th September following a £3 million restoration and expansion

The Woolpack Inn, set in the Candover Valley of rural Hampshire, will re-open on 8th September 2025, following a £3 million restoration and expansion. Part of the Heineken family estate amidst grazing fields, forests and farms, the pub is launching after a four-month renovation project designed in collaboration with London interiors studio, Nina Campbell OBE, with eight new bedrooms, a private dining room and the creation of a quarter-acre productive Kitchen Garden, created by Worthy Earth.

Set in Totford, thought to be the smallest hamlet in the UK, The Woolpack Inn will offer a seasonally inspired menu sourced from local suppliers in a 50-mile radius, cooked by Head Chef Luke Stradling. From The Woolpack’s own organic Kitchen Garden, just steps away from the pub and producing 95% of the vegetables on the menu, to the wild game from the sky, fields and woods, Luke is committed to field-to-plate dining and showcasing the incredible produce from Hampshire’s natural larder and is always inspired by the land and seasons. In the spirit of community, 20% of the market garden harvest is donated to charity and homeless shelters each month, helping to give to those in need whilst supporting local growers.

Come for lunch or dinner or a private event and start with snacks such as Venison Sausage Roll and Black Garlic Ketchup followed by Hampshire Pork Chop, Garden Chimichurri and Glazed Garden Carrots or Garden Beetroot, Rosary Goats Curd and Apple. The Woolpack Inn also has a private dining room, The Orangery seating 24, ideal for family celebrations and parties and offers an afternoon tea created by pastry chef Leah Vicary.

General Manager and Landlord, James Waterhouse, comments, “The Woolpack Inn is at the heart of local community; a place for friends and family to meet for good food and good times. We are so proud of the work we have done with our partners, Nina Campbell and Worthy Earth, to restore and revitalise this beautiful 18th century building and we look forward to serving our community, and new customers from further afield, for many more years to come.”

Rooms
The Woolpack Inn will open with eight bedrooms, including a suite with roll-top bath each named after game birds, including Partridge, Quail, Grouse and Golden Pheasant. Designed by Nina Campbell OBE with comfort and ease in mind, each room is elegantly decorated in rich, earthy tones from natural paint companies, Edward Bulmer and Little Green, in colours such as woodland green and ochre-yellow, with classic and contemporary prints including wallpapers from Osborne & Little and fabrics from Colefax & Fowler. Each room is layered with natural materials, wool, leather, warm wood and antique bronze and antique furniture and decorative pieces.

Nina Campbell OBE comments, “It has been an enormous privilege working on The Woolpack, an iconic local favourite. I have very much enjoyed bringing it back to life with new additions but being mindful of keeping its charm.”

The Location
Located in the rolling Candover Valley, The Woolpack is less than 10 miles to the historic cathedral city of Winchester and five miles to the beautiful and thriving market town of Alresford, known for its independent shops and the Watercress line and festival. Other nearby attractions include Jane Austen’s house and museum in Chawton, the Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery in Whitchurch, plus several vineyards of note including Hambledon Wine Estate, offering tours and tastings of exceptional English wine. Close to the banks of the crystal-clear River Test, the area is popular with anglers of all abilities and is teeming with trout and pike.  

www.thewoolpackinn.co.uk

For more information, images, interviews or to arrange a press visit please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room PR on 07730 039381 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Notes to editors

Imagery for The Woolpack Inn, credit to Jake Eastham Photography can be found here.

Rooms from £100 per night, including breakfast. Open seven days a week and dog friendly.

A: The Woolpack Inn, Totford, Nr Northington, Alresford, Hampshire, SO24 9TJ
T: 01962 734 184
E info@thewoolpackinn.co.uk
IG: @thewoolpackinn

About Nina Campbell
Founded by Nina Campbell OBE and celebrating its 53rd anniversary this year, the eponymously named award-winning Nina Campbell brand comprises an Interior Design arm, dedicated textile and product design studio and a retail shop and furniture space.

Nina is one of the world’s most respected and influential interior designers, renowned for her contagious wit, unparalleled design expertise and brilliant sense of style. As well as her global interior design work, Nina designs her own signature products across accessories, wallpaper, fabrics and furniture and is the author of eight books on design.

A proud family run business, Nina Campbell works alongside her son Max Konig, who joined the company in 1999 as Managing Director and daughter, Alice Deen, who joined in 2009 as Director of Retail and Communications.  ninacampbell.com

About Worthy Earth
Worthy Earth is an ever-growing collection of regenerative market gardens in Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey. Using the no-dig approach, the team build long term soil fertility and plant abundance on disused or under-used farmland, usually less than an acre in size. Inspired by the vision to create a network of thriving vegetable gardens that feed the local area, Worthy Earth is on a combined mission to contribute to local food security and healthy diets and create meaningful livelihoods in organic horticulture and outdoor learning opportunities for children and young people.

Worthy Earth is contracted to run the kitchen gardens at Blenheim Palace’s historic walled garden, the Rotherfield Estate, The Woolpack, and more. Here they grow year-round salads, vegetables and herbs for the various on-site catering outlets, offer volunteering and educational opportunities to local schools, neighbours and charities. Worthy Earth believes that the skills carried in the practice of growing healthy food are fundamental to leading a happy, communal life. worthy-earth.co.uk

The Counter x Hepple Spirits

Eachcourse will be paired with a drink using Hepple Spirits

The Counter by Robin Read partners with Hepple Spirits for exclusive dinner

www.thecountertw.com | @the_counter_tw | @robin__read
The Counter | 77 Calverley Road | Tunbridge Wells | Kent | TN1 2UY

Chef Robin Read is partnering with Hepple Spirits for an exclusive one-off dinner at The Counter, Tunbridge Wells, on Thursday 25th September.

The seven-course specially paired menu will highlight the botanicals used in Hepple’s artisan Gin and Vodka including douglas fir, bog myrtle, ​lovage and blackcurrant leaves, sourced from the Northumbrian landscape.

Hepple Spirits have been on The Counter’s menu since the restaurant’s launch to local and national acclaim in April 2024 and the continuing partnership is testament to a shared commitment of values seeking quality and sustainability. Hepple’s innovative approach to distillation and commitment to preserving the natural beauty of Northumberland sits well with Robin’s love of classic technique with elegant and unique flavours.

On the night, Robin will be joined by Luke Comer from Hepple Spirits to talk through and offer tastings of the individual botanical distillates. Beginning with First Bites and an aperitif of either a Hepple Gin & Tonic or a Hepple Douglas Fir Martini, the menu showcases key botanicals in the Hepple gin used in dishes and drinks, including Lemon Peel, Fennel Seeds, Douglas Fir, Lovage, Juniper and Blackcurrant Leaf. Diners will enjoy Orkney hand-dived scallop with artichoke, celeriac ragu and douglas fir oil paired with a Hepple Douglas Fir Sour, a refreshing short cocktail made with Hepple Douglas Fir Vodka, dry vermouth, Somerset cider brandy, elderflower cordial and lemon juice; and for dessert a caramelised apple tart with sweet-pickled blackcurrants and blackcurrant leaf ice cream, paired with Curlew Calling, a herbaceous cocktail with notes of sweetness from blackcurrant jam made with Hepple Gin and Lillet Rose, garnished with a sprig of lemon thyme.

Reservations are open from 1st September and cost £135 per person including drinks pairing.

The Counter x Hepple Spirits Menu

First Bites

Douglas Fir Martini

Hepple Gin & Tonic

Bread, Butter & Broth

Lemon Peel & Fennel Seeds

Kohlrabi Rosette, Seaweed, Fennel Seed & Herb Dressing

Classic French 75

Douglas Fir 

Orkney Hand dived Scallop, Artichoke, Celeriac Ragu, Douglas Fir Oil

Douglas Fir Sour

Lovage

North Sea Cod, Toasted Pearl Barley & Lovage Orzotto

Pouilly Fume, Domaine les Ormousseaux

Juniper

Eridge Estate Venison Loin, Juniper Braised Beets, Foraged Cep & Kale

Barbera d’Alba ‘Trevigne’, Viette

Blackcurrant Leaf

Caramelised Apple Tart, Sweet Pickled Blackcurrants, Blackcurrant Leaf Ice Cream

Curlew Calling

The Sweet Treat Tower

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About The Counter

The Counter is the debut restaurant of Chef Robin Read in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, which launched in April 2024 with menus created from a love of classical cookery and a curious mind for new techniques. Together with his wife Greta Boccia, The Counter is in a 200-year-old Georgian building in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, which includes the main restaurant, private dining room, small wine bar and courtyard garden, with raised beds and pots growing herbs, salads, and brassicas. Offering a choice of tasting menus, Robin’s vision of a modern-day restaurant is that of a responsible and sustainable one with seasonal cooking, few food miles and using every part of an ingredient. He seeks out and nurtures a strong network of small, independent farmers, growers, and producers from farm to sea.

The wine programme is headed up by Greta Boccia and is a curated edit of English and European wines alongside several English spirits, such as Hepple gin and vodka and Vault vermouth and botanical spirits, on the list.

www.thecountertw.com | @the_counter_tw | @robin__read
The Counter | 77 Calverley Road | Tunbridge Wells | Kent | TN1 2UY
No 69 Harden’s Top 100 Restaurants
No 97 Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Michelin Guide 2025

Open days and hours:

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Lunch 12:00 – 14:30, Dinner 18:00 – 23:00
Saturday: 12:00 - 23:00 

About Hepple Spirits
Hepple Spirits distillery sits at the foot of the wild moors on the Hepple estate in Northumberland, making gin differently from all other distilleries using cutting edge technology that combines the use of copper pot and vacuum distillation with supercritical extraction.  This equipment allows Hepple to capture the full breadth and depth of flavour of botanicals, specifically focusing on their own green juniper. 

Hepple’s ethos is to restore nature to its original and powerful best. Wetlands have been created to aid and encourage wildlife. Fences have been removed to allow ponies and native cattle to roam free. Rare birds call Hepple home and rear their young, while juniper trees have been planted in their hundreds next to their ancient relatives. hepplespirits.com

English Wine Week at Artelium, East Sussx

Artelium Wine Estate in East Sussex

English Wine Week at Artelium Wine Estate

English Wine Week (21st - 29th June) is a celebration of this small but mighty region, offering internationally recognised, award-winning wines, championing innovation and excellency.

Enjoy English Wine Week at Artelium, a contemporary wine estate which celebrates English wine and art. Deep in rural East Sussex, but just 20 minutes from Brighton and an hour from London, explore Artelium on a guided vineyard tour, admire original art and sculpture commissioned from Sussex artists, enjoy a tutored wine tasting and finish with an alfresco lunch overlooking the vines created and cooked by resident chef, and fresh from MasterChef: The Professionals, Michael Notman-Watt.

Book a tour

To celebrate English Wine Week, Artelium has curated a special case of three signature sparkling wines, including the estate’s Blanc de Blancs 2018, which won Gold at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards. The Sparkling Trio case is available to order online with free UK delivery throughout the whole of June, and is a perfect introduction to Artelium’s winemaking philosophy, or a thoughtful gift for any sparkling wine lover.

Buy The Sparkling Trio

Events during English Wine Week

From London to Lewes, Artelium is ‘out and about’ during English Wine Week with a host of exclusive partner dinners and tastings taking place at Tate Modern, The Goring Hotel which is hosted by wine expert and author Tom Surgey, and Mallow. Closer to home are dinners and events at Dill and No.34 in Lewes, and the Artelium team will be pouring at Charleston Lewes, as part of the Sussex Winelands event on 28 June.

About English Wine

Over the past two decades, English wine has quietly transformed from a niche curiosity into one of the most exciting stories in the global wine industry. With a combination of climate shifts, technological advancements and daring ambition, English winemakers are turning heads and winning awards showcasing that innovation is thriving in the vineyards. 

The sparkling wine scene is where English producers have made a bold mark. Thanks to the chalky soils of southern England - geologically similar to those in Champagne - along with a warming climate, English sparkling wines now rival some of the best from France. Artelium’s Blancs de Blancs 2018 and Curators Cuvee 2018 are two traditional method English wines which have garnered international acclaim, winning gold at the Decanter International Wine Awards in 2024.

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For more information about Artelium, images or to arrange a visit to the estate please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk or 07730 039361

Notes to editors:

Artelium Wine Estate
Streat Lane
Streat
Hassocks
East Sussex, BN6 8SA

Open Thursday to Sunday, 12-5pm, for vineyard tours, wine tastings, restaurant and art exhibitions.
Monday to Wednesday – closed.

Telephone: 01273 569155
Instagram: @arteliumwine
www.artelium.com

About Artelium
Artelium is a contemporary wine estate celebrating English wine and art. Based in the small village of Streat, deep in the East Sussex countryside, Artelium is rooted in art, nature and people and is a destination for culture, conversation and connection.  

Founded by Julie Bretland and Mark Collins, the estate is the realisation of a shared dream: a place where exceptional English wine meets the wider world of ideas and contemporary arts and crafts and celebrates the people and stories behind them. From the beginning, Artelium was about more than winemaking; Julie and Mark set out to build a place where creativity, craftsmanship and collaboration come together, with the brand name blending art and ium - Latin for ‘a place to congregate’ - reflecting the philosophy of crafting a space for people to come together and enjoy wine and art in a beautiful natural setting.

Farming across two vineyard sites, the combined 65-acre estate is home to 125,000 vines growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris and hybrids focusing on fungus-resistant varietals as part of Artelium’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.

Madehurst Vineyard - Chalk Soils in the South Downs
Artelium’s largest site is the Madehurst Vineyard, located within the South Downs National Park. This 90-acre chalk-rich site is home to more than 85,000 vines, planted in 2019 and 2020. It is also where Artelium’s winery is located, producing its first vintage in 2022. The chalk terroir is ideal for crafting premium sparkling wines.

Streat Vineyard – Clay Soils and Cellar Door Experience
Located between Ditchling and Plumpton, the Streat Vineyards spans 25 acres of clay soil across a 45-acre site and hosts around 40,000 vines. This site mirrors the varietal and clonal diversity of Madehurst, offering contrast in growing conditions. Streat is also home to Artelium’s Cellar Door, open Thursday to Sunday year-round. Visitors can enjoy vineyard tours, wine tastings, and the Artelium Kitchen offering exceptional hospitality overlooking the panoramic views of the South Downs.

Artelium Kitchen
Open Thursday to Sunday, Artelium Kitchen’s menu showcases vibrant, seasonal plates – all rooted in the best of Sussex produce. The menu features shareable dishes such as grilled meats, fresh seafood and vegetables grown in Artelium’s kitchen garden. Taking helm at the is Sussex chef Michael Notman-Watt cooking food that is full of bold, natural flavour and made for communal dining and lively conversation, perfectly paired with a glass of Artelium.

Art amongst the vines
Throughout the year, there is a diverse programme of art exhibitions, expert-led wine talks, craft workshops and creative events that bring together the local and wider community. From guided tastings with winemakers and seasonal feasts featuring local producers, to collaborations with Sussex based artists, each experience is designed to spark curiosity and celebrate craftsmanship in all its forms.

Awards
Artelium won numerous awards for both the Sparkling and Still wines, including Supreme Champion and Best Newcomer at the 2022 Wine GB Awards, and were also the first-ever English still wine served on all public bars at the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Artelium’s wines regularly win medals in prestigious wine competitions such as Decanter and IWSC. 

June at The Counter by Robin Read

Robin Read at The Counter, Tunbridge Wells

June at The Counter

www.thecountertw.com | @the_counter_tw | @robin__read
The Counter | 77 Calverley Road | Tunbridge Wells | Kent | TN1 2UY

No 69 Harden’s Top 100 Restaurants
No 97 Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Michelin Guide 2025

“The Counter is delicious and charming… treating the inner Veruca Salt in all of us with pure imagination.”
Grace Dent reviewing The Counter for The Guardian

“This new venture… is the best news for Tunbridge Wells. It has the makings of a destination – a relaxing neighbourhood restaurant with a big-city attitude” Good Food Guide

The new menu for June at The Counter is a kaleidoscope of colours, textures and flavours all with the promise of the long summer days ahead. Reading like a best in show of the ingredients that we source from the British Isles we have Jersey Royals, Garlic Scapes, Orkney hand-dived scallops, Cornish John Dory, Scottish beef fillet, Lancashire cheese and back down to Kent for new season cherries, plus fig leaves, nasturtiums and herbs from our own little kitchen garden. It’s a delicious month and menu at The Counter.

June’s ten-course menu

First Bites
Bread, Butter & Broth
Jersey royals, Parsley sauce, Garlic Scapes
Orkney hand-dived Scallops, Artichoke Barigoule
Cornish Lobster, Our Garden Nasturtium, Kohlrabi & Mint
Cornish John Dory, Pea & Guanciale
Scottish Beef Fillet, Kentish Beef Tea & Tarragon
Cornish Saddle of Lamb, Courgette, Feta & Oregano
Lancashire Bomb Crumpet, Tare glaze & Chives (optional £12 supplement)
Fig Leaf & Blackberry Ripple Ice Cream 
Rhubarb & Cherry Pavlova
The Sweet Treat Tower

Kappo nights
Kappo nights are back and reservations for The Counter’s next Japanese inspired small plates dinner, on Wednesday 16th July, are now open. If you’ve not been before these evenings are a little different to our usual dining experiences at The Counter. ‘Kappo’ nights, as they’ve quickly been nicknamed, are served with the same passion, craft and expertise and are the chefs’ chance for a little midweek experimentation and fun with small plates such as ‘seaweed and potato rosti, wasabi & shiso leaf’, ‘soy & ginger roast pork belly’, ‘Cornish squid ragu’ or ‘chalk stream trout belly, tare glaze, sansho pepper’. Follow @under_thecounter_tw for more information and menu teasers. Book soon if you fancy it, these kappo night tables don’t hang around long.

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Open days and hours:

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Lunch 12:00 – 14:30, Dinner 18:00 – 23:00
Saturday: 12:00 - 23:00 

A Timeless Spectacle: The White Wisteria at Gravetye Manor in Bloom

The white Shiro Nodo wisteria in bloom at Gravetye Manor, West Sussex

A Timeless Spectacle: The White Wisteria AT Gravetye Manor in Bloom

As the golden days of late spring stretch towards summer, a most enchanting transformation takes place at Gravetye Manor, the four-star historic country house hotel in East Grinstead, Sussex.

In a scene reminiscent of an English pastoral painting, the white wisteria Shiro Noda that adorns the manor’s pergola at the back of the flower garden, burst into bloom in a breathtaking display of cascading clusters that can reach up to 20 inches long, offering an immersive experience under the pergola to eagerly awaiting hotel guests and garden enthusiasts alike. These ethereal floral chandeliers, release a sweet, intoxicating scent reminiscent of jasmine and honey, opening gradually from the top of each raceme downwards. As the season progresses, the green foliage deepens, creating a vibrant canopy before slowly fading and dropping away in late autumn, preparing the plant for its winter dormancy.

Native to Japan, this variety of wisteria is known not only for its striking beauty but also for its longevity, with some specimens having lived for over a century. Its twining vines, capable of growing over 30 feet long, symbolising endurance and elegance, making Shiro Noda a cherished feature in traditional and modern gardens alike. Gravetye’s Shiro Noda, was originally planted in 1900 by the estate’s former owner, renowned Victorian horticulturist William Robinson, whose pioneering work shaped the landscape of Gravetye. The pergola was restored in 2012, when more plants were also added.

This wisteria has grown into a living testament to Robinson’s devotion to pioneering naturalistic planting which is as popular as ever with gardeners today.

Hotel residents or lunch guests of Gravetye’s Michelin star restaurant, The Dining Room, that recently saw Roux Scholar Martin Carabott’s appointment as executive chef, can stroll the gardens at their own leisure enjoying a succession of mixed flowers and shrubs on display up to the first frosts. Or experience the gardens via a guided tour by a member of the gardening team, that takes place at 11am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from April to October.

The estate also has a celebrated elliptical kitchen garden that grows fruit and vegetables for the restaurant kitchen as well as meadows and orchards.

Shwen Shwen by Maria Bradford: A New Culinary Destination Opening in Sevenoaks

Maria Bradford (credit Dave Saunders)

Shwen Shwen by Maria Bradford: A New Culinary Destination Opening in Sevenoaks

The highly anticipated independent, female-owned restaurant, Shwen Shwen by Maria Bradford opens its doors on 6th June 2025. 

The debut restaurant from award-winning chef and author Maria Bradford brings the bold and vibrant flavours of Sierra Leone to the historic market town of Sevenoaks, Kent. Maria, known for her cookbook Sweet Salone: Recipes from the Heart of Sierra Leone and her role as a judge for the prestigious Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards, is redefining fine dining with her distinctive take on Afro-fusion cuisine.

Blending authentic Sierra Leonean tradition with contemporary influences, Shwen Shwen offers a truly unique dining experience. The name, derived from the Krio language, means ‘fancy’ - but for Maria, it represents much more than just her food. It embodies a way of life, and an invitation to share in something special.

Tucked away down a charming, cobbled alleyway, Shwen Shwen opens into Maria’s re-branded Cotton Tree Yard – an exclusive outdoor terrace - before welcoming guests into an evocative space designed to feel both elegant and intimate. Inside, rich hues of burnt terracotta and smoky aubergine create a warm, cocooning atmosphere, enhanced by tactile surfaces, bespoke hand-painted fabrics, and wallpaper inspired by vintage West African and Sierra Leonean textiles. Every detail has been carefully chosen to create an inviting atmosphere that encourages guests to relax and feel at home.

A Culinary Journey to Sierra Leone

Maria’s passion for food began in her childhood home in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where she learned to cook alongside her mother and grandmother. Drawing inspiration from the streets of Freetown, rural villages, and the Sierra Leone River, her menu reflects the diverse and rich culinary traditions of her homeland.

Using signature ingredients such as moringa, fonio, tamarind, sesame, egusi, baobab and hibiscus, Maria creates bold, layered flavours that transport diners with every bite.

The launch menu, designed for discovery and sharing, features:

• Lamb Belly, Palm Oil, African Five Spice

• Mackerel, Mango, Cassava Flat Bread

• King Prawns, Salone Fire, Lemongrass Gel

• Beef Short-rib, Groundnut, Coconut

• Hibiscus, Caramelised White Chocolate, Fig Leaf, Pepper

• Moringa Mille-Feuille, Benne Cake, Sheep’s Yoghurt Ice-Cream

• Cheese Board featuring Tamarind Jelly & Jellied Hibiscus Flower

Shwen Shwen is more than a restaurant, it is a celebration of heritage, culture, and storytelling through food.

“Shwen Shwen is the realisation of a long-held dream. I want my food to take guests on a journey to experience the vibrant culinary landscape of Sierra Leone. Though my restaurant is in Sevenoaks, every dish is a love letter to my homeland.” – Maria Bradford

Notes to Editors

Shwen Shwen by Maria Bradford
1-2 Well Court
Bank Street
Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1UN
Website & Reservations: www.shwenshwen.com
Instagram: @shwenshwenbymaria

About Maria Bradford

Maria Bradford is an award-winning chef, author, and influencer. Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, she developed her love for cooking at the age of nine, learning from her mother and grandmother. After moving to Kent as a teenager, Maria trained at Leith’s School of Food and Wine before launching her own catering business, Maria Bradford Kitchen, in 2017, now known as Shwen Shwen.

Maria’s work has been widely recognised for its innovative approach to Sierra Leonean cuisine, and she has become a key advocate for West African culinary heritage. Shwen Shwen by Maria is her debut restaurant, opening in June 2025.

William Robinson Festival at Gravetye Manor

The gardens at Gravetye Manor

William Robinson Festival at Gravetye Manor
Sunday 20th July, 10am - 4.30pm

• £25 per person, for morning or afternoon entry, including tea, coffee and cake

• All ticket proceeds go to Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice

• Gardening talk from RHS award-winning landscape design practice Harris Bugg

• Tickets can be booked at www.gravetyemanor.co.uk/whats-on

Gravetye Manor, the Elizabethan Manor Hotel, Restaurant and Gardens on the West Sussex borders is thrilled to officially announce the date of its annual William Robinson Festival on Sunday 20th July.

Celebrating the pioneering Victorian gardener William Robinson, known as ‘the father of the English Flower Garden’, guests are invited to enjoy a full day of celebrations, garden talks and demonstrations, while enjoying the gardens at Gravetye Manor in spectacular high summer bloom. There will also be plant sales from Pelham Plants and No Name Nursery, plus a local cheese showcase, Nyetimber Vineyard wine tasting, Morris Dancing, and much more.

Alongside the celebrations, the festival is excited to welcome Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg, co-founders of Harris Bugg Studio, a values-driven and award-winning landscape design practice. Together they have won six gold medals, two silver gilts and two best in shows at RHS shows. In their talk, the duo will discuss their design inspirations and how they approach the diverse range of projects they work on including the Kitchen Garden at RHS Bridgewater; as well as a series of experimental garden rooms they designed for a private, rural estate in Oxfordshire. Their talk begins at 11am, followed by a three-course lunch by Gravetye Manor’s new Executive Chef Martin Carabott, in the restaurant’s glass fronted dining room at 12 noon. Tickets are £155 per person and includes the talk, lunch and drinks.

Itinerary on the day

• 10.00am – Festival opens

• 10.30am – Flower Demonstration with Head Florist, Sharon Coote in the Pavilion

• 11.15am – Talk in the Kitchen Garden with Assistant Head Gardener, Helena Lawson

• 12 noon – Garden Talk on the Long Border with Gravetye Head Gardener, Tom Coward

• 12.30pm – Morris Dancing and music in the Flower Garden

• 1.00pm – Join William Robinson’s biographer, Richard Bisgrove, for a fascinating look at ‘the Father of the English Flower Garden’, in the Little Garden

• 2.15pm – Morris Dancing and music in the Flower Garden

• 2.15pm – Talk in the Kitchen Garden with Assistant Head Gardener, Helena Lawson

• 3pm – Garden Talk on the Long Border with Gravetye Head Gardener, Tom Coward

• 3.45pm – Flower Demonstration with Head Florist, Sharon Coote in the Pavilion

• 4.30pm – Festival concludes

Further festivities will be taking place on the Pavilion throughout the day including:

• ·Sussex wine tasting with Nyetimber

• Local cheese showcase with High Weald Dairy

• Plant sale with Pelham Plants & The No Name Nursery

• William Robinson exhibition

• Gravetye gifts and flower bouquets for sale

About William Robinson
Robinson started life in Ireland in the poverty of the potato famine, where at an early age he trained as a garden boy. By the 1860s he had moved to London to work on the new botanic gardens in Regent’s Park, where he started his career as a garden writer. He produced huge amounts of work and set about re-shaping the way we think about gardens. Continuing Robinson’s legacy is Gravetye Manor’s Head Gardener, Tom Coward, ensuring every tree, shrub and flower is lovingly cared for while retaining the spirit of Robinson’s original plan and thinking for the space.

After a humble start in life, Robinson became very wealthy from his writing and in 1884 he bought Gravetye Manor. Over time he bought over 1000 acres of the surrounding landscape and used the estate to put his ideas into practice. Much of the land was used for experimental forestry, and the results of his work continue to be managed today by the William Robinson Gravetye Charity.

About Gravetye Manor
Gravetye Manor, an Elizabethan manor house hotel and Michelin starred restaurant in West Sussex looks out over 35 acres of stunning world-renowned gardens, walled kitchen garden, orchard, glasshouses and Peach House set within a further 1000 acres of woodland. Originally created by visionary gardener William Robinson in 1885, Gravetye Manor’s gardens are considered amongst the most influential in horticultural history and one of the most important historic gardens in England. Robinson’s preference for the ‘wild garden’, mixed herbaceous borders and hardy perennial planting broke with the formal Victorian style of the day, and his radical approach remains as popular as ever with gardeners today.

Grow the Seasons at The Small Holding

Grow the Seasons at The Small Holding, Kilndown, Kent

Grow the Seasons

Learn to ‘Grow the Seasons’ in 2025 with new dates announced for chef and farmer Will Devlin’s horticultural courses at his Michelin green-starred restaurant and farm in Kilndown, Kent, The Small Holding.

Led by Head Gardener Alex Cairns, Grow the Seasons is for people of all skills and ages who are interested in gardening, growing and how our food goes from plot to plate, as well as giving a behind-the-scenes experience of the day-to-day running of a Michelin green-starred restaurant.

Each full-day course starts with coffee and pastries on The Small Holding’s one-acre farm, and is a balanced mix of hands-on practical and theory learning, as guests discover and share in the team’s knowledge on seasonal vegetable and fruit growing, ‘No Dig’ principles, soil health and composting, and how to take sustainable practices home to their own gardens, plots and allotments.

Each quarterly course is in tune with the growing season, including ‘Fresh Start’ on 12th and 26th February looking at no-dig beds and planning for the growing year ahead; ‘Planting Out’ on 14th and 28th May looking at sowing, planting, support structures, companion and succession planting; ‘Summer Abundance’ on 9th and 23rd July is about to successionally sow and plant to ensure continual harvest and also how best to manage pest control, while ‘Harvest Time’ on 10th and 24th September is about reaping the rewards of a successful growing season and looking at the best and easiest ways to harvest crops and what to sow in the Autumn for for Winter and Spring harvests. Each full-day course costs £195 per person and includes coffee and pastries, lunch at The Small Holding, learning sheets and a practical gift bag to take home.

Shorter courses include ‘Farm Mornings’ which are a focussed two-hour deep dive into a specific seasonal aspect of gardening, such as ‘no dig’ or ‘orchard pruning’.

Find out more and book for February, May, August and November 2025

www.growtheseasons.com

November at The Small Holding

Brasscias coming in from the farm at The Small Holding, Kentthe

November at The Small Holding

In some ways November offers a little respite before the busy festive season at The Small Holding, Kent begins in earnest. The wet, warm weather with bursts of sunlight filtering down through the woodland canopy, is a winning combination for the winter chanterelles and trompette wild mushrooms the kitchen team forages for the new month’s menus. While on the one-acre kitchen garden, where the days grow shorter and the air chills, the farm’s team thoughts turn to repair and restore, adding layers of nutrient rich mulch and organic matter all over the farm’s no dig beds. This black gold will feed the soil and rebuild its health and biodiversity after the impact of a full-on growing season. The farm team will be covering all this and more in the ‘Winter Planning’ Grow the Seasons course on 13th November, led by Head Gardener Alex with a few spaces left available. Soil health is crucial to a successful growing year, so this hands-on course is essential to understanding more about biodiversity and the microorganisms which feed the ground.

In the fields and woods, game season is in full swing with local shoots every weekend, keeping the restaurant larder stocked with wild duck, pheasant, and partridge. Wild game birds are one of the only truly sustainable meats and having had only a wild and natural diet, it’s a true taste of the season and the land. On the November Full Acre menu there are two game dishes starting with a Game Faggot glazed with preserved berries and served with a game broth finished with fermented elderberry balsamic, madeira and herb infused rapeseed oil, before a larger plate of Partridge, Parsnip and Mushroom, an earthy and deeply satisfying taste of Autumn.

Book a Table at The Small Holding

About The Small Holding

The Small Holding is a Michelin green-starred kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. Run by brothers Will and Matt Devlin, as Chef and Head of Operations, respectively, The Small Holding is part of Acre, which also includes Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex. 

The 36-cover restaurant and farm is set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between the land and table. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with monthly changing tasting menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10 feet from the kitchen.

The menu is defined by the farm’s own produce. Vegetables and fruits are harvested within hours of guests arriving; while charcuterie, sourdough and cultured butter and zero waste animal cookery from the farm’s own livestock, are made on site. The kitchen team works directly with growers, farmers and fishermen who share the same core values, and the team forage in the nearby hedgerows and woodland.

“Growing our own produce on the farm brings an understanding and honesty back to the kitchen, and vital freshness. Making the most of our harvests when the ingredients are at their prime - whilst also preserving and conserving them to use throughout the year, keeps us concentrated on the natural cycle of the land and helps us to create full flavoured and imaginative dishes.” Will Devlin 

For more information and images for The Small Holding, Will Devlin and Acre, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room 07730 039361 | hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

A Damm Good Dinner at The Sun Inn with Estrella

A Damm Good Dinner at The Sun Inn with Estrella

On Wednesday 6th November, The Sun Inn is hosting a special dinner event in collaboration with the masters of beer from The Damm Brewery, for a five-course Spanish feast paired with Estrella’s outstanding Catalonian beers.

Costing £60 per person the dinner will introduce diners to a range of Estrella Damm beers from the light-bodied Rosa Blanca with its characteristic stone fruit and citrus aromas to be paired with Head Chef Pete Pestell’s Grilled Cheltenham Beetroot with Ajo Blanco to the hoppy bitterness of Complot Session IPA paired with Bedfordshire Quail with Celeriac Purée, Prunes and Sherry. Pudding is the intriguing combination of the classic Crème Catalana paired with Estrella’s Damm Lemon, full of Mediterranean lemon and lime.

Reservations are essential and can be booked by emailing bookings@thesunfelmersham.com

The menu

Estrella Damm
Anchovy Toast and Jamón Croquettes
Estrella Damm with its notes of fresh spices accentuates the savoury umami flavours in the anchovy. Its subtle carbonation cuts through the richness of the jamón, while its cereal aromas complement the toast and croquettes. Estrella has a dry, slightly bitter finish and acidity which provide balance to the salt in both dishes.

Rosa Blanca
Grilled Cheltenham Beetroot with Ajo Blanco Sauce
Rosa Blanca has a characteristic stone fruit and citrus aroma and flavour which adds brightness to the earthy grilled beetroot and amplifies its harmony with the garlic and vinegar notes in the ajo blanco sauce. The beer is light-bodied, with a refreshing lively carbonation that refreshes the palate, making this pairing reminiscent of dining al fresco at the seaside during the height of summer.

Inedit Damm
Fideuà Negra with Cornish razor clams
Inedit Damm is a blend of wheat beer and pilsner – the cereal notes and mild bitterness of the pilsner complement the fideuà pasta, while the fruity esters of the wheat beer provide a contrast with the mild brininess of the razor clams. The addition of orange peel, coriander, and liquorice in the beer amplifies the symmetry of the dish, highlighting the seafood flavours.

Complot Session IPA
Bedfordshire Quail with Celeriac Purée, Prunes and Sherry
The hops take centre stage with Complot Session IPA, including the Nugget variety grown in Prades not far from the brewery. The hop bitterness is a great match with the richness of the quail, while the pine and floral notes provide balance to the creamy peppery celeriac purée, and the tart sweetness of prunes and sherry.

Damm Lemon
Crema Catalana
Damm Lemon adds a whole new flavour element to this classic dessert, by adding an invigorating citrus kick of tart Mediterranean lemon and Caribbean lime. The sweetness of the lemon dances on the taste buds with the caramelised sugar while the rich custard is complemented by the beer’s effervescent bubbles, leaving you ready for another bite

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About The Sun Inn

The Sun Inn is a quintessentially British Free House in the village of Felmersham, deep in the Bedfordshire countryside, but less than an hour from London Kings Cross. Built in the 17th century and refurbished for the twentieth century traveller with two ensuite bedrooms on the upper floors.  The Sun Inn is an historic rural pub and offers the warmth of traditional hospitality and great food that is home-reared and locally produced.

The Pub is part of Wild Berry Farm, a 350- acre estate and traditional mixed livestock farm, producing native and rare-breed, grass-fed Hereford beef, pork, Boer goats and poultry including Bronze turkeys and duck. The land boasts lush river meadows, species-rich grassland, woodlands and lakes and is a haven for birds and wildlife. The pub also supports many local businesses, including other farmers and estates, sourcing produce and game such as venison, pheasant and partridge, locally.

The pub was purchased by JJ and Laura Ibbet in 2019 as part of a shared vision between themselves and childhood and village friends, Peter and Conny, a couple of couples sharing a passion for quality produce, warm hospitality and creating memorable experiences. Restoration work began in 2022, and once the structural work was complete, the team embarked on a full refurbishment, with a focus on using natural and sustainable materials, to provide guests with accommodation and dining fitting for the 21st century traveller, fully reopening the restaurant and rooms in April 2023.

The bar is open Tuesday to Sunday, with bar food served from the hatch Wednesday to Sunday, while the Dining Room for the Farmer’s Table tasting menu is open Thursday to Saturday for dinner and for Sunday lunch.

For more information, images, interviews or to arrange a press visit to The Sun Inn, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room​ on 07730 039361 or Hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Address: The Sun Inn, Grange Road, Felmersham, Bedfordshire, MK43 7EU
Instagram: @thesunfelmersham Website: www.thesunfelmersham.com

The Sun Inn, Felmersham

The team at The Sun Inn -JJ and Laura, Pete and Conny.

Country pub for Autumn and Winter breaks

The Sun Inn is a 17th century thatched roof pub with rooms, in the chocolate box pretty village of Felmersham, deep in the Bedfordshire countryside. An historic rural pub, The Sun offers the warmth of traditional hospitality and great food that is home-reared and locally produced. Less than an hour from London Kings Cross, The Sun is a quintessentially British Free House and an ideal base for long country walks, summer afternoons in the cottage garden and evenings by the fire on winter nights. 

Built in the 1600s, the pub, with two ensuite bedrooms on the upper floors, is part of Wild Berry Farm, a 350- acre estate and traditional mixed livestock farm, producing native and rare-breed, grass-fed Hereford beef, pork, Boer goats and poultry including Bronze turkeys and duck. The land boasts lush river meadows, species-rich grassland, woodlands and lakes and is a haven for birds and wildlife. The pub also supports many local businesses, including other farmers and estates, sourcing produce and game such as venison, pheasant and partridge, locally.

The pub was purchased by JJ and Laura Ibbet in 2019 as part of a shared vision between themselves and childhood and village friends, Peter and Conny, a couple of couples sharing a passion for quality produce, warm hospitality and creating memorable experiences. Restoration work began in 2022, and once the structural work was complete, the team embarked on a full refurbishment, with a focus on using natural and sustainable materials, to provide guests with accommodation and dining fitting for the 21st century traveller, fully reopening the restaurant and rooms in April 2023.

The farm and the pub

Childhood friends JJ Ibbett and Pete Pestell grew up knowing one day they wanted to work together. Their families and careers took them in separate directions – JJ worked widely in the farming sector and on the family farm, while Pete worked in kitchens notably under Chef and Restaurateur, Rowley Leigh, who remains a mentor and friend, and as the personal chef to the Duke of Bedford. Together with their wives, Laura and Conny, the foursome have brought new energy to the pub and to the riverside community of Felmersham.

The Food

Two monthly changing menus are offered in the Dining Room, showcasing the best each season has to offer.  ‘The Farmer’s Table’ is a five-course tasting menu offering a genuine farm to fork dining experience with the majority of the meat coming from the pub’s own farm; while ‘Greengrocer’s Table’ is a vegan menu, where the vegetables are grown exclusively for the pub in the village. Meat, notably native breed beef and pork and from a herd of free-to-roam Boer goats, reared by JJ and Laura, comes from Wild Berry Farm less than 10 minutes from the pub and is finished and aged on site. Slaughter is at a local abattoir before the whole carcass is brought back to the pub’s own butchery to hang in house. Local growers in the village supply seasonal vegetables, herbs and soft fruit to the restaurant, while Pete and his team regularly forage for ingredients such as wild garlic and mushrooms.

Start with a generous portion of sourdough bread, house churned butter and chicken salt before choosing from plates such as Longhorn Beef Mince, Onions and Hash Brown; Savoy Cabbage, Curried Goat and Pickled Damson; Middle White Pork Belly, Butter Beans and Confit Duck Stuffed Shallot; Roast Darne of Hake with Partridge Sauce, Cavolo Nero and Beurre Blanc and Kouign Amann with Custard and Soy Sauce Ice Cream. As you’d expect in a proper pub, Sunday Lunch is a full-on affair with Roast Rib of Hereford Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Potatoes, Vegetables and Horseradish Cream or Slow Roast Mutton with Roast Potatoes, Vegetables and Mint Gravy.

The bar is open Tuesday to Sunday, with bar food served from the hatch Wednesday to Sunday, while the Dining Room for the Farmers Table tasting menu is open Thursday to Saturday for dinner and for Sunday lunch.

Laura Ibbett, co-owner and Director of The Sun Inn, says, “Our two families are so closely intertwined – our children are all friends together at the village school – and our relationship goes far beyond the pub and the farm. As fourth generation farmers, the pub is a brilliant opportunity to be at the centre of the community while also having a direct to market outpost for the meat we produce and creating the opportunity to constantly evolve our family farm. The fact we get to work alongside our friends, Pete and Conny, to achieve our vision of a thriving rural pub that is genuine, honest and down to earth, makes a good thing even better.”

The Bedrooms

The upper floors of The Sun have undergone extensive restoration to convert the living spaces into two newly refurbished bedrooms. Honouring the pastorale beauty of the surrounding farmland the rooms have been carefully designed combining luxurious comfort while championing natural and sustainable materials, tactility and craftsmanship. 

Dawn is a large suite split over two floors with a super king Hypnos bed, free-standing copper bath, separate bathroom with walk in shower, living room and dining area with Samsung Artframe TV, Nespresso machine and Hypnos double sofa bed and kitchenette with mini bar and fridge. Conveying a strong sense of the building's architectural history, traditional fittings combine with modern elegance and British eclecticism. The original stone walls exude character and history, while tongue and groove panelling, antique brass, sisal, honey toned wooden floors and cork complement the earthy palette of shell pink, soft cream and mustard from sustainable paint company, Graphenstone. Sleep soundly in the eves after a deep bath in the freestanding copper tub using Bramley products, before a restful night’s sleep, cocooned by the paired back and natural interiors.

Modest in scale but mighty in comfort, the smaller suite, Dusk showcases that magical palette of restful dusky hues enjoyed at twilight. Recline and rest in this pretty dual aspect room decorated top to toe in the most serene green for a cosy and restorative night’s sleep.

For more information, images, interviews or to arrange a press visit to The Sun Inn, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room 07730 039361 or Hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Address: The Sun Inn, Grange Road, Felmersham, Bedfordshire, MK43 7EU
Instagram: @thesunfelmersham Website: www.thesunfelmersham.com

George Blogg leaves Gravetye Manor

Executive Head Chef George Blogg steps down from Gravetye Manor

George Blogg, Executive Head Chef at Gravetye Manor, West Sussex is stepping down after more than ten years at the hotel and restaurant. Since joining Gravetye in 2014, George has been recognised with numerous awards including winning and retaining a Michelin Star for nine years, 4 AA Rosettes, a Master of Culinary Arts from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, the Cateys Hotel Chef of the Year in 2022 and the highest UK entry for the We’re Smart Green Guide for his relationship and efforts using Gravetye’s garden produce.

George will be leaving Gravetye Manor in December. Recruitment for this special and rare opportunity is ongoing; applicants interested to apply for the role are encouraged to contact General Manager Paul Skinner on paul@gravetyemanor.co.uk to discuss the role in more detail.

George Blogg comments, “Gravetye is a magical place that will forever be a part of who I am. The last 10 years have been an incredible journey and an utter privilege to work alongside some truly amazing people, whose passion and hard work have grown Gravetye to be a standout property. I am excited for the future but will miss Gravetye immensely. I am proud of the countless guest experiences we have created, and I know that Gravetye will continue to thrive. I would like to thank the owners, Elizabeth and Jeremy Hosking, and Andrew Thomason (General Manager from 2012-2022) for the faith and mentorship that they provided me.”

Owners of Gravetye Manor, Jeremy and Elizabeth Hosking, comment, “George has been an influential and key member of the Gravetye team for over ten years and we have much to thank and congratulate him for. It’s bittersweet to see him go but we are hugely grateful for everything he has achieved and the dedication he has given to both his colleagues and to our guests at Gravetye. George will be a hard act to follow, and we wish him all the best.”

About Gravetye Manor

Gravetye Manor is a hotel and restaurant with four Red Stars, four Rosettes and one Michelin star, in West Sussex on the Kent/Surrey/Sussex borders. The Elizabethan manor house looks over 35 acres of stunning world-renowned gardens, walled kitchen garden, orchard, glasshouses and Peach House set within a further 1000 acres of woodland. The gardens are considered amongst the most influential in English horticultural history, made famous by previous owner and influential gardener William Robinson, whose preference for the ‘wild garden’, mixed herbaceous borders and hardy perennial planting broke with the formal Victorian style of the day, and his radical approach remains as popular as ever with gardeners today.

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

Notes to editors

Address:  Gravetye Manor, Vowels Lane, West Hoathly, Sussex, RH19 4LJ
Tel:  01342 810567
Website:  www.gravetyemanor.co.uk
Instagram:  @gravetyemanor

New dinner service at Water Lane

Dinner is served at Water Lane on Friday and Saturday evenings (credit Becca Fawn)

Dinner is served at Water Lane

Water Lane, the walled garden, restaurant and events space near Hawkhurst in Kent will be serving dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings, starting from 2nd August. Come for a dusk walk and see Water Lane in the golden hour before supper in the Carnation House. Reservations are open now. Dishes from the a la carte menu include flatbread and sorrel gremolata, beetroot borani and paprika crisps, gazpacho, courgette straws and aioli while you wait, before starters of crab, chilli and cucumber salad, sardines in saor, or crispy polenta, burrata, confit garlic and tapenade before main courses of grilled aubergine, houmous and crispy carrots, lamb cutlets, tabbouleh and chermoula or butterflied mackerel, courgettes and broad beans. Puddings are summer in full swing with gooseberry fool, cherry and almond galette and Water Lane soft serve.

Tables can be reserved between 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

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About Water Lane

Water Lane is an idyllic walled garden with a restaurant, vinery and Victorian glasshouses on the Kent and Sussex borders. A long-term project over many years to come, the site is being sympathetically transformed into a productive walled garden, by custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, with the help of Garden and Landscape designer, Jo Thompson, with vegetable beds, cut flowers, restored vinery, outside spaces and a pavilion for dining and events. The Grade II Victorian glasshouses date back to the 1800s, including a Melon House, Cucumber House, Pelargonium House and Peach Case and a Vinery, on what was once the Tongswood Estate. There is a monthly food market on Saturdays, workshops and events and seasonal fairs in Spring, Autumn, and at Christmas.

For more information, please contact Hannah Blake on hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk or 07730 039361

www.waterlane.net
Water Lane
Walled Garden, Water Lane
Hawkhurst 
Kent, TN18 5DH

July at The Counter by Robin Read

July at The Counter by Robin Read, Tunbridge Wells

“This new venture… is the best news for Tunbridge Wells. It has the makings of a destination – a relaxing neighbourhood restaurant with a big-city attitude” Good Food Guide

July at The Counter, the debut restaurant of ex-Firmdale Hotels Executive Chef Robin Read in Tunbridge Wells, sees a beautiful new seasonal tasting menu full of summer produce from Kent and Sussex, including tomatoes, courgettes, peas, artichokes, cucumber, mint, basil and strawberries. Cooking is classic and clean with elevated technique to let the natural flavours shine. Robin seeks out independent suppliers and family businesses to work with including Kentish fruit and vegetables from T H Brown & Son and Myatts of Mockbeggar, fish from Chapmans in Sevenoaks, meat from Fullers Butchers in Eridge and charcuterie from Beal’s.

The new July menu offers a choice of three-, five-, eight- and ten-course tasting menus, costing £40, £60, £95, and £125 respectively. Three or five-glass wine pairing is £36 or £60 per guest, or a three-glass non-alcoholic pairing is £32. The ten-course tasting menu is reserved exclusively for guests sitting at the pass overlooking the kitchen and gives diners an interactive experience watching Robin and his team of chefs cook and plate up at the pass; the menu is more experimental, taste-testing dishes that are in development for the next month’s menu.

July’s eight-course menu at The Counter

Ricotta Rosti Tare, herb salad

Malted sourdough served with ‘waste’ vegetable broth
Chiddingstone Dairy butter

Summer salad Baby leaves & shoots, truffled balsamic, crispy onions and ‘Old Winchester’ wafer

Tomato & Artichokes
Oregano, white wine & olive oil

Steamed wild line caught sea bass
Courgette & basil purée, Hoffman & Rathbone velouté

Roast Sussex chicken
Roast thigh, pea, mint and pancetta

Tunworth
Pain Perdu, beetroot ketchup & watercress
(optional £12 supplement)

Cucumber sorbet

Strawberries & Cream
Compressed strawberries, crème diplomate, frangipane

The Sweet Treat Tower

About Robin Read

After years of planning, whilst building up a strong customer base through pop ups and private dining, The Counter is the fruition of the long-held dream of Robin Read to have his own restaurant. Born from a long family history of serving the best produce over a counter, Robin’s maternal grandfather was a Master Butcher in Rugeley, Staffordshire, while on his paternal side, his great-grandfather was a Greengrocer in Lewisham, South London. Together with his wife Greta Boccia, they have taken on a 200-year-old Georgian building in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, which includes the main restaurant with table and counter dining, private dining room, small wine bar and courtyard garden, with raised beds and pots growing herbs, salads, and brassicas.

Prior to opening his own restaurant, Robin was Executive Chef of the Firmdale Hotel Group for 16 years, overseeing six new Firmdale openings, including four hotels, a bakery and training academy, all with great success. He worked with head chefs in eight sites (UK & internationally) with over 200 kitchen staff, to maintain the highest of standards. Robin began his cooking career at the age of 16 with work experience at the Roux Brothers’ London patisserie, where he trained in 1990. His love and passion of the industry continued to grow, working and training with some of the best chefs this country has produced. He spent two years at Chez Nico under Nico Ladenis as sous chef, which held three Michelin stars, before working with Marco Pierre White at Mirabelle, becoming Head Chef, and retaining their one Michelin star. Robin also spent time in the kitchens at Le Gavroche, The Square and Restaurant Paul Heathcote.

Open days and hours:
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Lunch 12:00 – 14:30, Dinner 18:00 – 23:00
Saturday: 12:00 - 23:00

For more information about The Counter by Robin Read please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Farm Table at The Small Holding

Picking peas at The Small Holding (credit Saltwick Media)

Farm Table at The Small Holding

New for the Summer at The Small Holding, Kent is Farm Table, a series of intimate, alfresco suppers hosted amongst the wild flower meadow and vegetable beds on the one-ace farm. Exclusively for eight guests with just one sitting each month for July, August and September, this magical dining experience will start as the sun starts to set with a glass of Sussex sparkling from Artelium Wine Estate and a walk around the farm, watching the bees and butterflies and seeing what produce is in perfect condition to harvest. Much of the six-course menu will be harvested straight from the farm, where chef Will Devlin will cook elements of the menu over fire in front of guests. Showcasing a rainbow of summer vegetables, fruit, herbs and edible flowers, expect to see freshly harvested farm crudités, tomatoes straight from the vine and still warm from the sun, barbecued kales, greens and peas and garnet-coloured berries picked from the bush served with garden herbs and warm chocolate sauce.

Reservations for July, August and September are open now and cost £120 per person.

Green Michelin Star 2021/22/23
360 Guide Three Green Circles 2024
Number 69, Harden’s Top 100 Restaurants
Number 89, Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Good Food Guide 2024 and shortlisted for best Farm to Table restaurant

About The Small Holding

The Small Holding is a Michelin green-starred kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. Run by brothers Will and Matt Devlin, as Chef and Head of Operations, respectively, The Small Holding is part of Acre, which also includes Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex. 

The 36-cover restaurant and farm is set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between the land and table. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with monthly changing tasting menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10 feet from the kitchen.

The menu is defined by the farm’s own produce. Vegetables and fruits are harvested within hours of guests arriving; while charcuterie, sourdough and cultured butter and zero waste animal cookery from the farm’s own livestock, are made on site. The kitchen team works directly with growers, farmers and fishermen who share the same core values, and the team forage in the nearby hedgerows and woodland.

“Growing our own produce on the farm brings an understanding and honesty back to the kitchen, and vital freshness. Making the most of our harvests when the ingredients are at their prime - whilst also preserving and conserving them to use throughout the year, keeps us concentrated on the natural cycle of the land and helps us to create full flavoured and imaginative dishes.” Will Devlin

For more information and images for The Small Holding, Will Delvin and Acre please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

June at The Small Holding

Nasturiums on the farm at The Small Holding (credit Claire Winfield)

June at The Small Holding

Green Michelin Star 2021/22/23
60 Guide Three Green Circles 2024
Number 69, Harden’s Top 100 Restaurants
Number 89, Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Good Food Guide 2024 and shortlisted for best Farm to Table restaurant

June is a busy and exciting month at acre. Just like the poly tunnel at The Small Holding, which is fit to bursting with seedlings ready to be planted out now or still putting on growth to sow later in the season for a steady succession of produce to harvest, there are exciting new menus to share, the launch of a new three-course lunch menu at The Small Holding on Thursday and Friday lunch (£55pp), events to book including the June supper club at Birchwood, Father’s Day and wellness and holistic therapies from Birchwood Studio, and the launch of acre’s beer collaboration with Lakedown Brewing Co. 

The Small Holding

June is such a glorious month. Every shade of green is available in the fields, forests, and hedgerows and on the farm as the teams harvest new season broad beans, peas, gooseberries, lettuces, herbs and edible flowers, and forage for creamy-white umbels of elderflower. Guests arriving for lunch, or the early dinner sitting, are enjoying a drink on the terrace when the sun is low and golden. There is a stunning new tasting menu this month starting with snacks including a crab tart with herbs and allium flowers and a smoked venison heart croustade; Jersey Royals with elderflower, dill and lardo; barbecued scallop with peas and gooseberries; duck with beetroot, fig leaf and parsley velouté and cherry blossom vinegar, and a beautiful blackcurrant leaf and chocolate dessert where ice cream, sponge, honey, mousse and tuille are infused with the floral herbaceous flavour of the blackcurrant leaves. An unusual and stunning dessert to finish a meal at The Small Holding this June.

The June Full Acre menu at The Small Holding

Snacks, Sourdough and Hinxden Butter

Tomato, radish, broad bean
Jersey Royal, elderflower, lardo

Scallop, peas, gooseberry
John Dory, lettuce, nasturtium

Chicken, onion, Lord of the Hundreds
Duck, beetroot, fig leaf

Strawberry, garden herbs meringue
Blackcurrant leaf, dark chocolate, honey

The Small Holding is open Wednesday to Sunday with an eight-course Full Acre menu costing £95 per person and a five-course Half Acre menu costing £75 per person, with the option of a wine flight. A three-course set menu (from the full acre menu) is available on Thursday and Friday lunch time, priced £55 per person. The drinks list also includes housemade soft drinks, kombucha and non-alcoholic wine, beer and spirits.

Book a table at The Small Holding

Full Loop with Lakedown Brewing Co
For Matt & Will Devlin, brewing their own beer had always been on the agenda so the opportunity was welcome to work with Jamie Daltrey and his team at Lakedown Brewing Co, who share the same holistic and sustainable approach to food and drink production. The result is Full Loop,a full-flavoured and approachable pale ale that is a perfect partner for food, without overwhelming or fighting with the food. Available by the can, Full Loop is perfect to enjoy on the terraces at Birchwood and The Small Holding.

About The Small Holding

The Small Holding is a Michelin green-starred kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. Run by brothers Will and Matt Devlin, as Chef and Head of Operations, respectively, The Small Holding is part of Acre, which also includes Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex.

The 36-cover restaurant and farm is set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between the land and table. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with monthly changing tasting menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10 feet from the kitchen.

The menu is defined by the farm’s own produce. Vegetables and fruits are harvested within hours of guests arriving; while charcuterie, sourdough and cultured butter and zero waste animal cookery from the farm’s own livestock, are made on site. The kitchen team works directly with growers, farmers and fishermen who share the same core values, and the team forage in the nearby hedgerows and woodland.

“Growing our own produce on the farm brings an understanding and honesty back to the kitchen, and vital freshness. Making the most of our harvests when the ingredients are at their prime - whilst also preserving and conserving them to use throughout the year, keeps us concentrated on the natural cycle of the land and helps us to create full flavoured and imaginative dishes.” Will Devlin 

For more information and images for The Small Holding, Will Devlin and Acre,
please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 | hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

June at The Counter by Robin Read

June at The Counter
New menu and new opening hours due to demand ​

The Counter is the debut restaurant of ex-Firmdale Hotels Executive Chef Robin Read in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. After a hugely successful first month of trading Robin is releasing more tables and opening on Wednesday evenings. The new June menu launches on Wednesday 5th June and offers a choice of five-, eight- and ten-course tasting menus, costing £60, £95, and £125 respectively. Three or five-glass wine pairing is £36 or £60 per guest, or a three-glass non-alcoholic pairing is £32.

The June menu at The Counter
Cured chalk stream trout tart, beetroot & bronze fennel Malted sourdough served with ‘waste’ vegetable broth, Chiddingstone Dairy butter
Ricotta, broad beans and peas, kohlrabi & nocellara olives
Jersey Royals, watercress velouté & smoked eel
Seaweed baked John Dory, Spring vegetable ‘Pot au Feu’, Beal’s Farm guanciale & lovage
Roast saddle of Sussex lamb, courgette, aubergine & oregano jus gras
Lancashire Bomb, sourdough crumpet, tare (optional £12 supplement)
Blackberry sorbet, fig leaf oil
Crème fraiche parfait, gooseberry compote, linseed biscuit, elderflower gel
The Sweet Treat Tower

Robin has years of experience sourcing the best seasonal and local produce, predominantly from Kent and Sussex, but also within the British Isles. His menus are created from a love of classical cookery and a curious mind for new techniques. The ten-course menu is offered at the counter and gives diners an interactive experience watching Robin and his team of chefs cook and plate up at the pass; the menu is more experimental, taste-testing dishes that are in development for the next month’s menus.

Vision and suppliers

Robin’s vision of a modern-day restaurant is that of a responsible and sustainable one with seasonal cooking, few food miles and using every part of an ingredient. He seeks out and nurtures a strong network of small, independent farmers, growers, and producers from farm to sea and takes great care and pride to meet all his suppliers, visiting their farm, forest, river, warehouse, or barn across the country. This ensures he has first-hand knowledge of the produce, and relationships with the people whose hands create, grow, or farm them.

Suppliers at The Counter include Kentish fruit and vegetables from T H Brown & Son, fish from Chapmans in Sevenoaks, meat from Fullers Butchers in Eridge and charcuterie from Beal’s. The wine programme is headed up by Greta Boccia and is a curated edit of English and European wines alongside several English spirits, such as Hepple gin and vodka and Vault vermouth and botanical spirits, on the list.

The restaurant features original artwork on display, and for sale, by Venezuelan artist RAA, a close friend of Robin and his former sous chef. The multi-media works combine acrylics, oil pastels, colour pencils and spray paint in bold and graphic shapes.

About Robin Read

After years of planning, whilst building up a strong customer base through pop ups and private dining, The Counter is the fruition of the long-held dream of Robin Read to have his own restaurant. Born from a long family history of serving the best produce over a counter, Robin’s maternal grandfather was a Master Butcher in Rugeley, Staffordshire, while on his paternal side, his great-grandfather was a Greengrocer in Lewisham, South London. Together with his wife Greta Boccia, they have taken on a 200-year-old Georgian building in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, which includes the main restaurant with table and counter dining, private dining room, small wine bar and courtyard garden, with raised beds and pots growing herbs, salads, and brassicas.

Prior to opening his own restaurant, Robin was Executive Chef of the Firmdale Hotel Group for 16 years, overseeing six new Firmdale openings, including four hotels, a bakery and training academy, all with great success. He worked with head chefs in eight sites (UK & internationally) with over 200 kitchen staff, to maintain the highest of standards.

Robin began his cooking career at the age of 16 with work experience at the Roux Brothers’ London patisserie, where he trained in 1990. His love and passion of the industry continued to grow, working and training with some of the best chefs this country has produced. He spent two years at Chez Nico under Nico Ladenis as sous chef, which held three Michelin stars, before working with Marco Pierre White at Mirabelle, becoming Head Chef, and retaining their one Michelin star. Robin also spent time in the kitchens at Le Gavroche, The Square and Restaurant Paul Heathcote.

-ends-

Open days and hours:

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Lunch 12:00 – 14:30, Dinner 18:00 – 23:00
Saturday: 12:00 - 23:00 

Images available to download credited to Stuart Mack HERE

For more information about The Counter by Robin Read please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk