Springtime events at Gravetye Manor

Garden Designer Jo Thompson will discuss her new book at Gravetye Manor

Floral and creative workshops at Gravetye Manor, West Sussex

Tulip Block Printing Cushion Cover Workshop with Molly Mahon
Tuesday 25th March 2025

Join printmaker Molly Mahon at Gravetye Manor for a one-day workshop.

Use Molly’s newly carved wooden tulip blocks and palette of eco-friendly paints, to experience the joy of block printing, designing and creating a 40 x 30cm cushion cover to take home and cherish. Embellish cushions with Molly’s fabulous array of cotton threads. Adding simple French knots or back stitch, monogramming over the top of designs to add depth, texture and an even more personalised touch. Places are £180.00 per person, that includes tea/coffee and pastries on arrival, a two-course lunch with wine, the workshop and all materials required. The workshop is suitable for all levels with no experience necessary. For more information and to book, please click here.

Jo Thompson, The New Romantic Garden
Thursday 24th April 2025

Gravetye Manor is thrilled to welcome one of the UK’s leading garden designers, Jo Thompson, to talk about her latest book, The New Romantic Garden (Rizzoli, £40). Known for her exquisite, timeless planting, well-proportioned English-style gardens and a deep commitment to biodiversity, Jo will share her love of romantic gardens and provide inspiration to all gardeners who want their garden to feel not merely well planted, but truly alive and atmospheric.

Tickets are £165.00 per person, that includes tea or coffee on arrival, a three-course lunch with drinks, the talk and a signed copy of the book. For more information and to book, please click here.

Bex Partridge, Living Spring Wreath Workshop
Wednesday 7th & Thursday 8th May 2025

To celebrate the launch of her new book Crafting with Flowers, Bex Partridge will be highlighting some of the beautiful projects that fill its pages. During the workshop, Bex will guide you through the art of creating a living wreath full of spring bulbs and pretty living flowers. Spring foliage and dried seedheads will be used to compliment the living plants. The wreaths created will last for four to six weeks. Once the bulb plants begin to fade, they can be planted into the garden.

Places are £170.00 per person, which includes the workshop, tea or coffee and pastries on arrival and a two-course lunch with wine. For more information and to book, please click here.

Flower workshops with Gravetye Manor’s Head Florist
Join Head Florist, Sharon Coote, for Gravetye’s spring and summer flower workshops. Each workshop will use sustainable techniques and repurposed vases guests can take home to reuse for years to come. Places are £160.00 per person, which includes the workshop, pastries and refreshments on arrival and a two-course lunch with wine. Group sizes will be kept small to ensure maximum attention from Sharon.

Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th April - Easter Tulips
Sharon will expertly demonstrate how to create a stunning vase arrangement using Gravetye Manor’s famous homegrown tulips from the garden.

Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th June - Summer Entertaining
Sharon will demonstrate how to create a variety of beautiful table arrangements for summer entertaining.

Wednesday 9th & Thursday 10th July – Meadow Box
Sharon will teach how to create a beautiful garden meadow style arrangement using a mixture of seasonal flowers gathered from our gardens.

For more information and to book, please click here.

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About Gravetye Manor

Gravetye Manor is a hotel and restaurant with four Red Stars, four Rosettes and one Michelin star and two Michelin Keys, 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 on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk
Sarah Jones on 07775 582497 or sarah@wildernesspr.co.uk

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

Forestside launches at Flimwell Park

Will and Matt Devlin at Forestside (credit Saltwick Media)

 Forestside 

A new eco and multi-use events space at Flimwell Park, East Sussex
Launched by the Acre Group, the same team behind The Small Holding and Birchwood

Forestside, set with 46 acres of ancient birch and chestnut woodland, is the new multi-use events space from the Acre group, which also includes the award-winning and green Michelin starred restaurant, The Small Holding, Birchwood and Birchwood Studio.

Run by brothers Matt and Will Devlin, Forestside is adjacent to Birchwood on the Flimwell Park Estate in rural East Sussex, a pioneering mixed use woodland development, designed by The Architecture Ensemble and a core team of foresters, ecologists and permaculturists. The site has been transformed into an inspiring new model for a sustainable woodland community that blends living, working, recreation and learning.

Sitting under three pillars, Forestside is an events space for Community, Celebrations and Corporate, with hire costs starting from £500. An extraordinary and inspiring space, both visually and architecturally, Forestside welcomes guests with an immediate sense of calm and the natural world, with an open expanse of space, wooden beams, smooth concrete floors and to-the-ceiling windows overlooking the woods.

As a hub for the community, Forestside brings together a programme of seasonal events to enrich the local calendar, while also available for private hire and celebrations. As an eco-friendly venue with capacity for 140 seated or 200 standing and fully licensed for weddings - events at Forestside are kinder to the planet, without compromising on style and quality. With exclusive use, unique photo opportunities in the woodland surrounding Forestside and in-house catering from Acre’s award-winning restaurant team, the team of experienced events coordinators will deliver a day to remember.

Corporate

Forestside is changing the landscape of corporate events. The natural environment of Flimwell Park, just over an hour from London and with good transport links, combined with a flexible range of event spaces, recreation, wellness and accommodation provides the perfect setting for a more sustainable and mindful approach to any event. Environmental, social, and economic sustainability has been at the heart of the construction of Forestside, using sustainably sourced timber, weathering steel, solar power panels and a green roof. The car park SUDS system is made from local stone, geo-textile filtering layers and recycled plastic and has six Tesla charging points.

Forestside has a range of indoor and outdoor spaces available and catering options, from bowl food and canapés to a feast cooked over fire in the woods to a formal sit-down affair to suit every occasion – from conferences, car and product launches, corporate retreats and AGMs, to company awards, celebrations and team building. 

Will Devlin comments: “Events are a wonderful way to bring together friends, family and work colleagues, but they can be wasteful and leave a heavy environmental impact. At Forestside we are purpose-driven to achieve the highest standards of social and environmental practice. This reflects our unrelenting belief that as a society we must tread more lightly on the planet and to operate more sustainable business practices, while also recognising that we still have so much we can do. At Forestside we are committed more than ever to doing our bit to drive change.”

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Forestside
Flimwell Park
Hawkhurst Road
East Sussex
TN5 7FJ

www.forestside-events.com
For more information and images for Forestside, Will Devlin and Acre, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 | hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Maz Cogo joins The Union Rye as Head Chef

Maz Cogo at The Union Rye (credit Sam Harris)

Maz Cogo joins The Union Rye as Head Chef

Maz Cogo has joined The Union Rye as new Head Chef. Maz has recently moved from London to the South coast, having had head chef and senior kitchen positions at Brat, Legare and Padella. Originally from Brazil, Maz brings with her whole animal butchery skills, live fire cooking and a passion for produce and hospitality.

Bringing her Brazilian heritage to the fore, Maz introduces beef cuts such as Picanha to the menu, salsas and condiments and sea bass ceviche. Other new dishes include Maldon Rock oyster topped with tomato, trout roe and bronze fennel; grilled chicken heart skewers covered in an oregano and sourdough crumb; Violet artichokes with butter beans, green sauce and oyster mushrooms and Cornish mussels in a spicy Sobrasada and heritage tomato sauce. For pudding there’s Basque cheesecake and raspberries and Baron Bigod, grape chutney, cherries and home-made linseed crackers.

Owner and Director of The Union Rye, Rajh Siva, comments, “Maz has cooked at some of my favourite restaurants in London. It’s a joy to have her level of talent and skill in the kitchen and we are looking forward to seeing how she continues to build on the great reputation The Union has in Rye and beyond.”

About The Union

The Union is a restaurant and bar in a beautiful 15th century building in the heart of Rye, East Sussex, with a menu made from seasonal produce that is primarily British and local to Rye and the East Sussex region. The small menu changes daily depending on what ingredients are best and what is available each day.

Taking pride in making as much as possible in house, such as ricotta, black pudding, crackers and ice creams, the team always source the very best ingredients they can, creating unpretentious, simple, and restrained plates of food.

The Union’s sister restaurant, The Plough, is less than five miles away on the Udimore Road with views over the fields down to the sea. The Plough is a countryside destination pub with a menu of small and large plates and a selection of pub classics.

The Union, 8 East Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JY
Tel: 01797 2229289 | www.theunionrye.co.uk | Instagram @theunionrye

Lunch by the tulips at The Bell in Ticehurst

Spring tulips at The Bell in Ticehurst (credit Saltwick Media)

The Bell in Ticehurst, East Sussex, has arguably one of the finest pub gardens in the land. Designed by RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medal garden designer Jo Thompson, who lives in the village, there is year-round interest, which is particularly splendid right now with the Spring bulbs.  Before or after lunch, why not take a walk around the Bell’s garden to admire the tulips. A riot of colour, texture and form, the garden sings with jewel-bright colours from magenta and violet to buttery yellows and acid greens with Tulip Menton, Tulip Merlot, Fritillaria Imperialis, Narcissi, Anenome and Allium Miami.

The longer and increasingly warmer days bring a new, lighter menu to The Bell in Ticehurst. The seasonal menus created by Head Chef Mark Charker have been designed to celebrate the start of British Summer time with new season English Asparagus, Jersey Royals, young cheeses, and soft herbs. The rich and varied produce from Sussex suppliers include Burwash Rose cheese, Spurs Farm free-range eggs, Fletchers Flock lamb and Maynard’s berries.

Launching on 26th May is The Bell’s Garden Kitchen BBQ. Come for alfresco delights on the grill every Friday and Saturday throughout the summer, until 28th August.

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For further press information please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room PR on hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk | 07730 039361

About The Bell

For centuries, The Bell has been at the very heart of Ticehurst village, geographically and emotionally. After closing in 2008, The Bell underwent painstaking renovation, opening in November 2011 welcoming locals and visitors from further afield.

The Bell’s design is eclectic in the truest sense of the word - the building looks as if an eccentric nobleman has travelled the world and filled his house full of curiosities from his travels. The result is quirky and utterly charming. The eleven guest rooms offer a highly individual design, with features, including silver birch branches (a nod to the derivation of Ticehurst’s name, which is “the wooded hill where goats graze”), huge copper bathtubs, upside-down tiles and randomly placed light features. Eschewing room numbers, each of The Bell’s guest rooms has its own distinctive name, from “The Benefit of the Doubt” to “Smiles of Memories.”

Quirky touches continue in the public areas, from bowler hat lights and a floor-to-ceiling book pile in the main pub area, to mismatched vintage-style wallpaper and Wagner Tubas for urinals in the gents. Each room offers the curious visitor a feast of visual surprises, not least a fine collection of art by Tracey Emin, Henry Moore, Banksy, Graham Sutherland, and Picasso. The neon sign in the aptly named Stable with a Table, a dining room with a unique sunken oak table for groups of up to 18 feasting friends or family, fondly observes “I will always love you my friend”, summing up the sense of constancy yet originality awaiting visitors to The Bell.

Rosettes and Stars at The Bell in Ticehurst

Service at the table in The Stables by Mark Charker (picture Saltwick Media)

The Bell in Ticehurst has been upgraded with AA Hospitality Rosettes and Stars

The Bell in Ticehurst and its fine-dining restaurant, The Stables by Mark Charker is delighted to announce it has been awarded 5 Stars and 2 AA Rosettes, respectively, from AA Hospitality.

Being awarded 5 stars is the best possible rating from the AA and given only to establishments offering the highest standard of accommodation and hospitality, with luxurious rooms, excellent service, and high-quality dining. The Stables by Mark Charker has been awarded 2 Rosettes for gastronomy, attention to detail and high-quality ingredients. Everyone at The Bell is delighted to be recognised with this prestigious hospitality badge.

Daniel Courtney, General Manager at The Bell, comments, “We’re over the moon with this recognition from AA Hospitality. It is a fabulous team effort, and I couldn’t be prouder of the whole team, from housekeeping to front of house, reception, operations, the garden, and the kitchen teams. Everything we do at The Bell is inspired by people and passion and these two pillars stand strong today within our business, with these two new accolades.”

Jonathan Boyer, Assistant General Manager, comments, “Being able to showcase local produce from passionate suppliers and being supported by the team to deliver the "art de la table" is most rewarding. 2 AA Rosettes will mark a new chapter at The Bell and will give the strong base we need to push even further.”

Head Chef Mark Charker, comments, “I’m very happy and proud of our team, it’s a great achievement to get 2 AA rosettes within a year of The Stables launching. This is just the beginning, and we will keep working to get 3 in 6 months’ time.”

“The flavours were amazing, the presentation of the food was beautiful, incredibly warm welcome from the team and service impeccable. Wonderful evening and experience.” Guest

Dine in The Stables and stay over in one of The Bell’s 5-star rooms for the ultimate star-rated luxury experience.

Reservations to: 01580 200 300 | reservations@thebellinticehurst.com

About The Bell

For centuries, The Bell has been at the very heart of Ticehurst village, geographically and emotionally. The Bell’s design is eclectic in the truest sense of the word - the building looks as if an eccentric nobleman has travelled the world and filled his house full of curiosities from his travels. The eleven guest rooms offer a highly individual design, with features including silver birch branches (a nod to the derivation of Ticehurst’s name, which is “the wooded hill where goats graze”), huge copper bathtubs, vintage chairs, and record players. Eschewing room numbers, each of The Bell’s guest rooms has its own distinctive name, from “The Benefit of the Doubt” to “Smiles of Memories.”

About The Stables

This special occasion menu takes guests on a journey from the sea to the best lands in Sussex and the garden of England, including locally sourced meat, fantastic day boat fish, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and cheeses. It’s a surprise menu on the night but to whet the appetite, sample dishes might include Lamb with Jerusalem Artichoke and Hen of the Woods and Caramelised Milk Chocolate, Toffee and Fig Leaf Milk Sorbet. Suppliers include local crab, scallops and halibut from Chapmans, Wagyu Sussex beef from Trenchmore Farm, goat meat from Cabrito, free-range eggs from Spurs Farm and a bespoke chocolate made from scratch, using fresh cocoa beans, from J.Cocoa in West Sussex.

The Stables tasting menu costs £65 for five courses and £35 for the wine flight pairing, per person.

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Notes to editors

Room rates from £165 - £325, including breakfast

01580 200300 or www.thebellinticehurst.com @thebellinticehurst

The Bell in Ticehurst, High Street, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 7AS

The Stables by Mark Charker launches at The Bell in Ticehurst

Head Chef Mark Charker at The Bell in Ticehurst at the launch of The Stables

The Stables by Mark Charker launches at The Bell in Ticehurst

“The Stables tasting menu deserves a Michelin star or two - superb.” Guest, Autumn 2022

“The flavours were amazing, the presentation of the food was beautiful, an incredibly warm welcome from the team and service impeccable. Wonderful evening and experience, thank you.” Guest, Autumn 2022

The Stables by Mark Charker at The Bell in Ticehurst has been transformed into a fine-dining experience. Having launched for the first time in Autumn 2022, the menu has been created by Head Chef Mark Charker. Launching on Wednesday 8th February, and available on Wednesday - Saturday, the five-course tasting menu is offered alongside paired wines and bespoke cocktails.

This special occasion menu will take guests on a journey from the sea to the best lands in Sussex and the garden of England, including locally sourced meat, fantastic day boat fish, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and cheeses. It’s a surprise menu on the night but to whet the appetite, sample dishes might include Lamb with Jerusalem Artichoke and Hen of the Woods and Caramelised Milk Chocolate, Toffee and Fig Leaf Milk Sorbet. 

Suppliers include local crab, scallops and halibut from Chapmans, Wagyu Sussex beef from Trenchmore Farm, goat meat from Cabrito, free-range eggs from Spurs Farm and a bespoke chocolate made from scratch, using fresh cocoa beans, from J.Cocoa in West Sussex.

Hanging alongside The Stables is a limited edition signed print by Francis Bacon. A triptych in a riot of reds and oranges, the magnificent work is a guaranteed conversation starter.

The Stables tasting menu costs £65 for five courses and £35 for the wine flight pairing, per person. Reservations can be made via thebellinticehurst.com or by calling 01580 200300.

About The Bell
For centuries, The Bell has been at the very heart of Ticehurst village, geographically and emotionally. After closing in 2008, The Bell underwent painstaking renovation, opening in November 2011 welcoming locals and visitors from further afield.

The Bell’s design is eclectic in the truest sense of the word - the building looks as if an eccentric nobleman has travelled the world and filled his house full of curiosities from his travels. The result is quirky and utterly charming. The eleven guest rooms offer a highly individual design, with features including silver birch branches (a nod to the derivation of Ticehurst’s name, which is “the wooded hill where goats graze”), huge copper bathtubs, upside-down tiles and randomly placed light features. Eschewing room numbers, each of The Bell’s guest rooms has its own distinctive name, from “The Benefit of the Doubt” to “Smiles of Memories.”

Quirky touches continue in the public areas, from bowler hat lights and a floor-to-ceiling book pile in the main pub area, to mismatched vintage-style wallpaper and Wagner Tubas for urinals in the gents. Each room offers the curious visitor a feast of visual surprises, not least a fine collection of art by Tracey Emin, Henry Moore, Banksy, Graham Sutherland, and Picasso. The neon sign in the aptly named Stable with a Table, a dining room with a unique sunken oak table for groups of up to 18 feasting friends or family, fondly observes “I will always love you my friend”, summing up the sense of constancy yet originality awaiting visitors to The Bell.

Food
Head Chef, Mark Charker, cut his culinary teeth at Ockenden Manor Hotel, working under their Michelin Star chef. At just 23, he was the youngest successful candidate for the Roux Scholarship. Mark believes in cooking for the guest, not the chef, and promises a creative menu of essentially British cuisine with French influences at The Bell.

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Notes to editors

Room rates from £165 - £325, including breakfast

01580 200300 or www.thebellinticehurst.com @thebellinticehurst

The Bell in Ticehurst, High Street, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 7AS
Instagram: @thebellinticehurst

The Union Rye

Sharing feast at The Union, Rye

The Union, Rye

The Union is a restaurant and bar set in a beautiful 15th century building at the heart of Rye, with a menu made from seasonal produce that is primarily British and local to Rye and the East Sussex region. The small menu changes daily depending on what ingredients are best and what is available each day.

Taking pride in hand making as much as possible in house, such as ricotta, black pudding, crackers and ice creams, the team always source the very best ingredients they can. 

Head Chef Ben Dafforn’s career has taken him from London institutions J Sheekey and Simpsons on the Stand before honing his cooking style at The Union of unpretentious, simple and restrained food, believing the ingredients should speak for themselves.

Start with Colchester oysters and jalapeño relish and a glass of Westwell Pelegrim and scoop up house-made ricotta and Jerusalem artichoke, rosemary and Kentish honey with caraway crackers. Dishes that are ideal for sharing might include roast celeriac with oyster and shiitake mushrooms, tarragon and hazelnuts or crispy duck egg with smoked bacon and brussels sprouts. Main courses are still perfect to share, or just keep to yourself, such as whole partridge and house black pudding; wild venison, lardo and myrtle berry and for a real treat, a tranche of stunningly fresh wild halibut with brown crab bisque. For pudding try the apple & pear tart tatin and whiskey cream for two to share.

The Union’s sister restaurant, The Plough, is less than five miles away on the Udimore Road with views over the fields down to the sea. The Plough is a countryside destination pub with a menu of small and large plates and a selection of pub classics.

Sample menu
Colchester rock oysters, jalapeño relish each 3 half doz. 15
Roast celeriac, oyster & shiitake mushrooms, tarragon, hazelnuts (ve) 13
Butterbean hummus, pumpkin seeds (ve) 6
Charred hispi, caraway, chilli, lemon, almonds (ve) 8.5
House ricotta, Jerusalem artichoke, rosemary, Kentish honey (v) 8.5
Cured chalk stream trout, horseradish cream, capers 15
Crispy duck egg, smoked bacon, shallots, brussels sprouts 8.5
Mackerel, grain mustard & honey 14
Whole partridge, house black pudding 16 Wild venison, lardo, myrtle berry 23
Castle Farm bavette steak, smoked garlic & bone marrow butter 24
Wild halibut tranche, brown crab bisque for two to share 39.5

Sourdough, caramelised onion butter (v) 4
Sautéed potatoes, garlic, rosemary, thyme (ve) 6
Ratte potatoes, sorrel, walnut oil (ve) 5
Rainbow chard, roasted cobnuts (v) 7
Dressed autumnal leaves (ve) 6
Heritage beetroot, sweet wine reduction (ve) 6

Chocolate parfait, hazelnut, blackcurrant sorbet (ve) 8
Apple & pear tart tatin, whiskey cream for two to share (v) 14
Spiced parsnip cake, white chocolate ice cream, pistachio (v) 7.5
Buttermilk pudding, Medjool date, cinnamon crumb 7
Olde Sussex cheese, Eccles cake (v)

Kitchen opening times (bar open 12pm – 10pm daily)
Monday - Wednesday 12pm - 3pm / 530pm - 9pm
Thursday closed for lunch / 530pm - 9pm
Friday - Sunday 12pm - 3pm / 530pm - 9pm

8 East Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JY
Tel: 01797 2229289 | www.theunionrye.co.uk | Instagram @theunionrye

Birchwood Supper Club series

Will Devlin on the Birchwood terrace at Flimwell Park (photography credit Key & Quill)

New supper club series launches at Birchwood, Flimwell Park, East Sussex

A new series of Birchwood Super Clubs is starting on 21 July. Seated on communal dining tables, the evening will be a glorious way to celebrate summer, starting with drinks on the terrace, overlooking the woods of Flimwell Park, before sitting down to dinner, made from the finest Kent and Sussex produce.

Join chef patron Will Devlin and head chef Nick Ryan for a five-course seasonal dinner of sourdough and miso butter, kimchi cured trout, rib of beef from Paley Farm and for pudding, Lower Ladysden Farm strawberries and white chocolate mousse. It wouldn’t be a feast without a cheese course, with Kingcott Dairy’s Kingcott Blue with truffle honey.

The next Birchwood Supper Club dates are on 16 September and 17 November, starting at 7pm.

Reservations are now live and strictly limited, £45 per person.

Birchwood Supper Club on 21 July, 7pm
Table Snacks
Sourdough Bread, Miso butter
Kimchi Cured Trout, Pickled Sea Herbs, Ponzu Sauce
Paley Farm Beef Rib Eye, Tomatoes, Pink Fir Potato
Ladysden Strawberries & White Chocolate Mousse
Kingcott Blue Cheese with Truffle Honey

About Birchwood

Sitting on the edge of 46-acres of birch and chestnut trees in rural East Sussex, Birchwood is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Part of Flimwell Park, a pioneering mixed-use centre of coppiced woodland, Birchwood offers an all-day menu for breakfast and lunch, and is open seven days a week, from 8am-4pm.

Much like Devlin’s first two restaurants The Small Holding and The Curlew, Birchwood is guided by the landscape and self-sufficiency and focused on flavour found in the natural world. Ingredients are local, seasonal, home-grown, and wild. Championing the artisan suppliers of Kent and Sussex, the menu plays host to local cheeses, dairy, wines, spirits, and beer, while many ingredients, such as mushrooms, brambles, elderberries, wood sorrel and birch sap come from the woods, on the steps of the restaurant.

Many of the vegetables, fruit and herbs used at Birchwood comes from the one-acre farm at The Small Holding, less than five miles away in Kilndown, along with eggs, pork, lamb, hogget and mutton from free-range chickens, Berkshire pigs and Romney sheep, who live on site and at a nearby farm.

Environmental, social, and economic sustainability has been at the heart of the construction of Birchwood, with all timber sustainably sourced and weathering steel used for the window bay cladding. Onsite solar power is generated from 300 photo-voltaic cells located on building roofs, cladding, and canopies, with a grid of solar thermal units heating water directly from the sun. The car park SUDS system is made from local stone, geo-textile filtering layers and recycled plastic open-grid surfacing making up the Truck Pav system. Six Tesla charging points have been installed, with two more charging points available for other electric car brands. 

Inside Birchwood, guests have the feeling of the outdoors with a large silver birch tree installation, natural wood beams, smooth concrete floors and large black crittall windows looking out onto the woods, while the warm earth-coloured walls are painted in ‘Red Squirrel’ from Fenwick & Tilbrook. The day’s menu is projected onto the wall to avoid printing paper waste.

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Notes to editors

Birchwood | Flimwell Park | Hawkhurst Road | Filmwell | East Sussex | TN5 7FJ

About Filmwell Park

Flimwell Park, a £6 million pioneering mixed use woodland development, is nearing completion after a decade of consultation, planning and construction. A collaboration between property developer Regalmain and architect Steve Johnson of The Architecture Ensemble and a core team of foresters, ecologists and permaculturists to re-purpose the land, the site has been transformed into an inspiring new model for a sustainable woodland community that blends living, working, recreation and learning. www.flimwellpark.com

Lunch by the Lakes

Jamie Daltrey and Will Devlin by the lake at Lakedown Brewing Co (credit Key & Quill)

LUNCH BY THE LAKES

Lakedown Brewing Co beers paired with tasting menu cooked by chef Will Devlin 

Saturday 13 August
Lakedown Brewing Co, Burwash, East Sussex

Reservation link: OpenTable - Choose a time for your experience

@the_curlew | @lakedownbrewingco

Will Devlin, chef and owner of The Curlew and Jamie Daltrey, co-founder of Lakedown Brewing Co. frequently enjoy each other’s cooking and brews, leading to the idea of a one-off collaboration being hashed out over a beer, celebrating local Sussex ingredients and enjoyed in the beautiful setting at Lakedown. 

Lakedown is the scenic, spring-fed lakes that Roger Daltrey of The Who built in the 1970s as a peaceful oasis to escape the mania of touring. It is the location that inspired the family-run, independent microbrewery Lakedown Brewing Co., and home to their taproom bar.

The lunchtime event will take place on the banks of the lakes on Saturday 13th August, with two sittings at 1pm and 5pm.

Chef Will Devlin from The Curlew has created a six-course menu of home-grown and local Sussex ingredients which will be paired with beers from Lakedown Brewing Co. The cost is £85 per person and can be booked via OpenTable - Choose a time for your experience

Dishes shall be based on seasonal produce, but example dishes could include:
Pork Belly Miso Skewers, paired with Lakedown’s tropical, sessionable Vermont Pale
Goudhurst Asparagus, Confit Egg Yolk, paired with Lakedown’s classic and beautifully refreshing Pilsner 
Lakedown Trout, Pickles & Sour Cream, paired with Lakedown’s aromatic Pale Ale
BBQ Monkfish, Fermented Chilli & Red Peppers, paired with Lakedown’s hazy and hoppy full-bodied NEIPA
Mutton, Wild Garlic, New Season Potato, paired with Lakedown’s rich, malty American Red 

Address:
Lakedown Brewing Co.
Swife Lane
Burwash
East Sussex
TN21 8UX

Nearest station: Stonegate

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About The Curlew

Set in picture-postcard Sussex countryside, The Curlew is a Grade II listed former coaching inn with white clapboard façade and views across the fields. The 46-cover restaurant is is part of The Acre Group, led by chef owner Will Devlin, including The Small Holding and Birchwood. Inspired by The Curlew’s countryside location, while only 10 miles to the South Coast, the menu offers seasonal small and sharing plates from land and sea with a Sunday Family Lunch and the entire wine list available by the glass. Ingredients are sourced hyper-locally from the best producers and fishermen or are grown or foraged at The Small Holding, just 8 miles away. www.thecurlew.restaurant

About Lakedown Brewing Co

Lakedown Brewing Co. is a family-run, independent microbrewery and taproom in rural East Sussex, creating modern and traditional beers in can, bottle, keg and cask.

Named after the scenic, spring-fed lakes that Roger Daltrey of The Who built in the 1970s as a peaceful oasis to escape the mania of touring, this rural family farm and fishery is at the heart of the brewery’s story, as the location that inspired Lakedown Brewing Co., and home to their taproom bar. In the ever-evolving world of craft beer, Lakedown Brewing Co. aims to create delicious, honest brews to go back to time and again. The range includes nine refreshing grain-to-glass beers that celebrate flavour, simplicity and quality of ingredients. The team brews with passion, and they brew for everyone.

www.lakedownbrewing.com

All the truffles at Due South

Coal roasted wild turbot, Perigord Truffle scales, cep mushroom, salsify, parsley buttermilk by Mark Wadsworth at Due South (credit Xavier Buendia)

Truffle Dinner on Thursday 9th December at Due South, Brighton

Dine at Due South, Brighton in the heart of the winter truffle season for a five-course dinner of fresh truffles from England, France and Italy. This very special, one-time-only dinner is a chance to enjoy one of head chef Mark Wadsworth’s favourite ingredients.

The evening will start with wood fired sourdough and white truffle from Alba in Piedmont, Italy with smoked egg yolk and crispy onions; lobster thermidor crumpet with truffles from Périgord, France; coal roasted wild turbot with Périgord truffle scales and ceps and parsley buttermilk; before the star of the menu, whole truffle stuffed chicken with English truffle breast, Alba truffle stuffed wing and Périgord truffle poached leg. Even pudding is full of truffle with dark chocolate mousse, smoked salt, Périgord black truffle and truffle ice cream.

The five-course menu is £105 per person and £55 for a paired wine flight, with one sitting at 7pm. Book a table via the website www.duesouthrestaurant.co.uk.

About Due South

Due South, led by chef Mark Wadsworth, is under the arches on Brighton beach. Cooking over an open fire grill, ceramic barbecue and hearth, the menu is British and seasonal with fanatical sourcing of local, wild and seasonal produce from ethical farms and suppliers, such as Shrub Provisions and NamaYasai, to showcase its creative dishes. 80% of the menu is sourced within 35 miles of the restaurant from independent and small suppliers from Sussex farms and along the South coast.

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Due South
The Arch 139, Brighton beach, BN1 2FN
www.duesouthrestaurant.co.uk
01273 719831 @duesouthrestaurant

Birchwood, Will Devlin's third restaurant, launches on 6 October

Will Devlin on the terrace at Birchwood, Flimwell, East Sussex

Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex launches on 6 October.

Owned and run by chef Will Devlin, Birchwood is his third restaurant, alongside The Small Holding, which was awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2021, and The Curlew.

Instagram @birchwood_sussex | Website www.birchwoodrestaurant.com 
Open seven days a week from 8am - 4pm for breakfast and lunch only

Sitting on the edge of 46-acres of birch and chestnut trees in rural East Sussex, Birchwood is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Part of Filmwell Park, a pioneering mixed-use centre of coppiced woodland, Birchwood offers an all-day menu for breakfast and lunch, and is open seven days a week, from 8am-4pm. Reservations open on 3 September.

Much like Devlin’s first two restaurants The Small Holding and The Curlew, Birchwood is guided by the landscape and self-sufficiency and focused on flavour found in the natural world. Ingredients are local, seasonal, home-grown, and wild. Championing the artisan suppliers of Kent and Sussex, the menu plays host to local cheeses, dairy, wines, spirits, and beer, while many ingredients, such as mushrooms, brambles, elderberries, wood sorrel and birch sap come from the woods, on the steps of the restaurant. b

Many of the vegetables, fruit and herbs used at Birchwood comes from the one-acre farm at The Small Holding, less than five miles away in Kilndown, along with eggs, pork, lamb, hogget and mutton from free-range chickens, Berkshire pigs and Romney sheep, who live on site and at a nearby farm.

Environmental, social, and economic sustainability has been at the heart of the construction of Birchwood, with all timber sustainably sourced and weathering steel used for the window bay cladding. Onsite solar power is generated from 300 photo-voltaic cells located on building roofs, cladding, and canopies, with a grid of solar thermal units heating water directly from the sun. The car park SUDS system is made from local stone, geo-textile filtering layers and recycled plastic open-grid surfacing making up the Truck Pav system. Six Tesla charging points have been installed, with two more charging points available for other electric car brands. 

Inside Birchwood, guests have the feeling of the outdoors with a large silver birch tree installation, natural wood beams, smooth concrete floors and large black crittall windows looking out on to the woods, while the warm earth-coloured walls are painted in ‘Red Squirrel’ from Fenwick & Tilbrook. The day’s menu is projected on to the wall to avoid printing paper waste.

EAT & DRINK

Opening at 8am for breakfast, there is home-smoked trout, duck egg and sourdough crumpet; waffles with fruit compote and woodruff cream or set goat yogurt with local Goudhurst honey and summer berries. Stay for lunch after a walk in the woods for Paley Farm lamb chops and parsley dressing; skate on the bone with new season potatoes and perry vinegar dressing or farm salad with pickles and preserves. The predominantly natural wine list from nearby vineyards complements the Kent and Sussex cheese and home-cured charcuterie boards. 

Launch sample menu

Breakfast 8am-12pm

Smoked trout, duck egg, sourdough crumpet 
Set goat yogurt, Goudhurst honey, summer berries 
Berkshire pig bacon, sausage, black pudding with egg, mushrooms, potato hash and beans 
Waffles with fruit compote and woodruff cream 
Smoked kippers, brown bread and eggs 

Lunch 12-3pm

Bread & butter 
Marinated anchovies 
Crispy sweetbreads, wild garlic mayonnaise
Home-cured fennel salami, coppa and 24-month aged ham 
Summer farm Salad with pickles and preserves 
Skate on the bone, new season potatoes, Perry vinegar dressing 
Paley Farm lamb chops, parsley dressing

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Notes to editors

For more information about birchwood, high-res images, site visit or interview with Will Devlin please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

For more information about Flimwell Park please contact Sarah Jones at Wilderness PR sarah@wildernesspr.co.uk

Birchwood | Flimwell Park | Hawkhurst Road | Filmwell | East Sussex | TN5 7FJ

The Small Holding is an award-winning kitchen and farm in Kilndown, Kent with an ever-changing seasonal tasting menu and has a Michelin Green Star. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with daily changing menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10ft from the kitchen.

The Curlew, set in picture-postcard Sussex countryside, is a Grade II listed former coaching inn with white clapboard façade and views across the fields. Inspired by The Curlew’s countryside location, while only 10 miles to the South Coast, the menu offers simple and seasonal small and sharing plates from land and sea. Ingredients are sourced hyper-locally from the best producers and fishermen or are grown or foraged at The Small Holding, just 8 miles away.

About Filmwell Park

Flimwell Park, a £6 million pioneering mixed use woodland development, is nearing completion after a decade of consultation, planning and construction. A collaboration between property developer Regalmain and architect Steve Johnson of The Architecture Ensemble and a core team of foresters, ecologists and permaculturists to re-purpose the land, the site has been transformed into an inspiring new model for a sustainable woodland community that blends living, working, recreation and learning. www.flimwellpark.com

BBQ and fire cooking tools by Alex Pole Ironwork

BBQ Tools Kit by Alex Pole Ironwork

Get ready for outdoor cooking this summer with British handmade BBQ tools forged by Somerset blacksmith

www.alexpoleironwork.com

Barbecue season will start early this year with the slight easing of restrictions meaning up to six people can meet outdoors. As lockdown restrictions lift and outdoor socialising is permitted, the great British barbecue season will begin in earnest.

At Alex Pole Ironwork there is everything a keen barbecue or fire cook needs to cook over flames, including spun iron pans and skillets that can be used on open flame, skewers, spatulas and tongs.

There is a strong and growing movement towards using more sustainable cooking utensils and cookware. That movement also goes hand in hand with the increase in desire to not import goods from the other side of the world.

Alex Pole comments, “The pans we cook in, the utensils we serve with, and the cutlery we use, are as important to any meal as the ingredients, it’s all part of the flavour, and the pleasure of cooking. Why cook an organically reared, 48-day salt-aged steak that cost £40 in a £6 aluminium, chemically coated frying pan? That is about as insulting to both the cow and the farmer as you can get, not to mention the use of the chemicals to make mainstream pans ‘non-stick’.”

The tools we use in the kitchen are probably the most used items in our houses, other than our phones and devices, and as such will start to play a big role in the global push towards more environmentally conscious living - spun steel and cast-iron pans will last a life time (several in fact if well looked after). Make it properly, buy it once, and it can be passed on down the generations.

Buying properly made, British made kitchenware adds to the drive towards a cleaner world. It also adds to the flavour of the food and experience of cooking it.

Cook with Alex Pole Ironwork tools this summer.

BBQ Tools Set

The ultimate tool set for any keen fire chef or BBQ maestro, including six skewers, tongs, spatula and a meat fork, all wrapped up in a beautiful canvas roll made by Francli Craftwear in Cornwall. (£225 alexpoleironwork.com)

11-inch frying pan

Beautiful hand sun carbon steel, which is smooth and naturally non-stick, with forged handles and copper rivets. This beautiful pan will last a lifetime if cared for properly. (£135 alexpoleironwork.com)

Four-piece drinks set

Set up a bar in the garden with a corkscrew, traditional bottle opener, ring bottle opener and three cocktail spoons. The corkscrew and spoons are hand forged in ‘black’ stainless stell and the bottle opener in steel with a leather lanyard. (£135 alexpoleironwork.com)

The Forge Kitchen Cookbook

The Forge Kitchen is full of inspiration and outdoor cooking ideas and recipes. A collaboration between Alex Pole and co-author Pooch Horsburgh and 21 chefs including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Gill Meller, Anja Dunk, Valentine Warner and Olia Hercules, each of The Forge Kitchen chefs has taken their inspiration from cookware made in the fires of Alex Pole’s Somerset forge.

The Forge Kitchen fuses traditionally made kitchenware with contemporary chefs and the very best ingredients to create a unique set of ingredients. Recipes include scallops with brown shrimp and sorrel butter by Olia Hercules; hogget with salsa verde by Gill Meller; chilli squid with ginger, basil yoghurt and sweetcorn chutney by Nathan Outlaw; beetroot tatin with roasted garlic, thyme and goat’s cheese; and piperade with baked eggs and crispy pancetta by Thomasina Miers.

“The Forge Kitchen celebrates the vital energy between great kitchen tools, great ingredients and great cooking - and the results are beautiful, satisfying and delicious.” Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cottage

The Forge Kitchen is £25 and available to buy at www.alexpoleironwork.com

About The Forge Kitchenware

Alex Pole is a British blacksmith making traditionally hand-forged kitchenware and cooking utensils, made in the fires of his Somerset workshop. Forging is the ancient art of shaping metal by heating it in a fire and hammering. It is an art that is full of tradition and folklore but with many modern applications.

Alex has been working as a blacksmith for over 25 years and founded The Forge Kitchenware in 2015. He makes pieces for home kitchens, outdoor cooking and bespoke pieces for cooks, chefs and restaurants including Nathan Outlaw, Christian Stevenson aka DJ BBQ, Gill Meller, Mark Hix and Thomasina Miers. Each piece is individually forged, using local materials, wherever possible, by a small team of skilled craftsmen dedicated to producing the highest quality work. One of Alex’s primary aims is to promote blacksmithing, and the makers movement, across the UK and to show its relevance in the 21st century.

Every piece of Forge Kitchenware be it a skillet, knife, coffee scoop or an axe, starts as a simple bar of steel, which is heated and repeatedly hit on the anvil until it is the correct size, shape and style. Heat, strike, repeat! The Forge Kitchenware takes the everyday and redefines it to create beautiful and tactical, yet wholly functional, pieces of work. Each piece is designed with simple form, clean lines and functionality and are made to last a lifetime.

Notes to editors

Alex Pole Ironwork
The Forge, South Harp Farm Yard, Over Stratton, Somerset, TA13 5LB

www.alexpoleironwork.com | @alexpoleironwork

Blacksmith courses and Forge and Feast events will resume later in 2021.

For more information, interview or a site visit to The Forge, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039 361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

The New Meat Project launches

Sushila Moles from The New Meat Project

The New Meat Project is a new online butchery launched by Cabrito Goat Meat co-founder and ex-River Cottage events director, Sushila Moles.

From field to fork, ordering fresh meat online from independent farmers reared in the traditional way, has never been simpler. The New Meat Project is an online butchery service delivering native breed, free-range and grass-fed meat from small farms in the Malvern Hills which have been slow-grown to the highest welfare standard. Delivery is convenient and environmentally conscious from farm to doorstep and is fairly priced for both the customer and the farmer.

Founder Sushilia Moles says, “Our mission is to encourage people to change the way they buy meat, to no longer accept the disappointing industrialised food from supermarkets and instead make the choice to support small-scale, family-run farms. Buying meat online, which is farmed using traditional and high welfare, sustainable practices is often too expensive, which is why we focus on offering a fair price to our customers and the farmers we work with, without ever compromising on the provenance of the meat or our environmental policy. I believe good food should be for everyone and we promise the best quality meat at fair prices for both the customer and farmer, which is better for the health of your family and the health of the planet.”

The New Meat Project only works with small farms in the Malvern Hills which are within 75 miles of each other, and with farmers who rear their native breed animals outdoors and to the highest possible welfare standards. The stretch of land between the Wye Valley and the Cotswolds, taking in the River Severn and the Malvern Hills, provides some of the best farmland in the UK, rich in space and fertile soil and grass. All animals travel no more than an hour from the farm to a local, small and family-run slaughter house.

Pigs
The New Meat Project pigs are traditional native breeds including Hampshire, Large Black and a few Welsh sows that lead a properly free-range life on the farm. The sows and boars all live together, mainly living in wooded and scrub areas where their favourite natural behaviour is to root and forage, which in turn gives life to new grasses and wildflowers the following year. They have a happy life and slowly reach maturity for a superior, deep flavour with excellent texture and covering of fat.  

Cows
The New Meat Project heritage breed beef is 100% grass-fed. The calves are born in the field and live outside with their mothers, all year round, only coming in if the weather is so wet that they can't find enough grazing. The Hereford and Aberdeen Angus are two of the best native breeds in Britain, both with rich, beefy flavour, good marbling and layer of fat. All beef is dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days to develop an extra layer of  flavour.

Lamb
The New Meat Project lamb comes from one farmer who grazes his sheep on pasture at the foot of the Malvern Hills. It has won best in show at the Three Counties Show many times over the years. The lamb is 100% grass-fed and hormone and antibiotic-free and the animals spend their entire lives outside. The meat is hung for 10 days to develop flavour and texture.

Chickens
The New Meat Project chickens are fully free-range and slowly grown to the high standards of the Soil Association. The birds are free to roam from dawn to dusk, scratching, pecking and spreading their wings, while at night they come inside to bed in their sheds. With over 50 years of farming experience, the high-welfare calm lifestyle of these chickens is evident in the taste of the meat. 

Founder
The New Meat Project is founded by Sushila Moles. Having gained a Masters in Food Anthropology and worked in food related businesses all of her life, Sushila has first-hand experience that farming is a force for good in society. Her working life has taken her from Michelin-starred restaurant, Rhodes 24 as head waiter to La Fromagerie in Marylebone, where she could indulge her love of cheese and to River Cottage, where she played a lead role in promoting one of the country’s best known sustainable and ethics driven businesses. Sushila is also co-owner of Cabrito, the multi award-winning goat meat business, run by her partner James Whetlor, that has been at the forefront of changing the UK goat dairy practice of euthanizing unwanted male kids and rearing them for meat instead. These experiences combined have convinced her of the importance of high welfare, low impact meat in our food system, both for our own health, the health of our communities and for the health of the planet.

For more information about The New Meat Project or founder Sushila Moles, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Autumnal comfort and Sunday lunch at Wild Flor, Hove

Rare roast beef, horseradish and Yorkshire puddings at Wild Flor, Hove (Roarke Pearce)

Autumnal comfort and Sunday lunch at Wild Flor, Hove

It is the most sudden and contrasting change of the entire year. Falling asleep at the end of the August bank holiday, full of rosé wine and summer salads and waking up on the first of September fiercely craving game, pies, red wine, roast potatoes and rice pudding. Most dishes on the menu at Wild Flor are beginning to turn away from the vibrancy of summer colour to crimson and brown, a most welcome change, as the leaves start to turn.

The first grouse of the season has been served with celeriac and pickled elderberries. Rice pudding, served cold, but with the warmth and spice of fig or blackberry nudging through the creamy comfort. Crushed celeriac and hazelnut butter as a side dish, a gratin of Cornish mussels, farfalle pasta and girolle mushrooms, the menu is a feast of Autumnal delights.

Thoughts also turn to a proper Sunday lunch. Rare roast beef with horseradish and Yorkshire puddings calls for savoury class and a classic claret. Something like Chateau des Annereaux 2007, from the underdog Lalande-De-Pomerol. Just enough fruit wrapped up in the graphite and cigar box, properly decanted and showing its silky nature.

For roast chicken stuffed with pistachio and brioche a bottle of good white Burgundy is gospel. Head for the Macconais for a bottle of Viré-Clessé from Les Heritiers Du Comtes Lafon or the spectacular Macon-Fuisse from Jules Desjourneys, both open, showy and potent wines with good structure and ideal for quaffing.

The last of the late summer glut of courgettes and green tomatoes are partnered with roast saddle of lamb and is delicious paired with Dalamara Estate’s Xinomavro ’Naoussa’ from the mountainous north of Greece. A spectacular and self-assured wine with the aroma and palate of black olive, tomato stalks, wild mint and thyme. It echoes the elegance of Burgundy, the attitude of Barolo with an intense and beguiling fruit that is perfect with Autumn lamb.

A fitting finale to Sunday lunch is a proper pudding such as a fruity Bakewell tart and custard and a glass of Vin Doux Naturel, a Rasteau from Domaine Des Trapadis. Gently fortified, not so much as a port, there’s a lively crunch. Teenage port for the excitable diner to round things off nicely.

Reservations can be made for the ground floor restaurant on tables tucked into banquettes or in the airy, light filled first floor dining room, which is ideal for families and larger groups.

About Wild Flor

Wild Flor is a neighbourhood restaurant on Hove’s Church Road, serving classic British and European cooking alongside world-class wines. The menu has a strong focus on locally sourced and hyper-seasonal ingredients while a fantastic wine list mirrors the menu in balancing quality and value. The beautifully pared back interior evokes the ambiance of rustic French elegance.

New head chef Chris Trundle boasts an incredible CV, having held head chef positions at the Michelin-starred Manfred’s in Copenhagen and Lyle’s in Shoreditch, London. His style of food favours honest and uncomplicated dishes using hyper-seasonal ingredients that makes people happy, using classic cookery techniques.

Robert Maynard, Faye Hudson and James Thomson run front of house operations as co-owners with many years’ experience at some of Brighton’s best restaurants. All three have known each other for years and share an immense enthusiasm and commitment to delivering a first-class dining experience and bringing all that they love about food and wine to Hove. In Wild Flor they have created a relaxed comfortable setting for diners to enjoy some of the best food and drink the city has to offer.

A bustling and residential area, Church Road is lined with artisan shops, wine bars and restaurants, where Regency houses back on to the seafront, only a few minutes’ from Wild Flor and fifteen minutes’ walk from the centre of Brighton.

-ends-

Opening Hours

The times are for first and last reservations, but the restaurant stays open until midnight or until the last table is ready to leave.

Monday to Wednesday - Closed
Thursday to Saturday - Midday-3pm and 6pm-9pm

Sunday – Midday-4pm

Wild Flor
42 Church Road | Hove | BN3 2FN
Book a table online for either the ground floor or first floor dining room

www.wildflor.com
info@wildflor.com

Telephone: 01273 329111
Instagram: @wildflorhove

Chris Trundle's late summer menu at Wild Flor

A full table at Wild Flor, Hove (picture Roarke Pearce)

New head chef Chris Trundle has joined the original Wild Flor team. Chris boasts an incredible CV, having held head chef positions at the Michelin-starred Manfred’s in Copenhagen and Lyle’s in London. His style of food favours honest and uncomplicated dishes using hyper-seasonal ingredients that makes people happy, using classic cookery techniques.

Late August dishes on Chris’ new menu include sweetcorn soup and nduja focaccia; Rebel Jambon Noix, pink peppercorn and peach; salt cod brandade, marjoram and tomato; hake, braised courgette, aioli and chorizo; roast chicken, braised runner beans and salad cream; pommes anna with lemon and black pepper aioli and for pudding, gooseberry and rose fool; Bakewell tart and crème fraiche; apricot jellies; chocolate and sherry truffles or a plate of fine British cheeses.

The wine list is short with intelligent and interesting choices with lesser known varieties sitting alongside the finest examples of grapes and blends from around the world. Where the list stands out is providing elegance and diversity and aged wines at good value such as Pinot Noir 'Dundee Hills’ from the Willamette Valley; Savagnin ‘Sous Voile’ by Daniel Dugois in the Arbois; Olga Raffault ‘Les Picasses’ 2009 or Bereche & Fils Brut Reserve.

On Sunday there is rare roast beef, horseradish and Yorkshire puddings; pistachio and brioche stuffed chicken; courgette and green tomato stuffed lamb saddle with a variety of sides to share including carrot purée, NamaYasai leaves, tomato salad, braised courgettes, greens and roast potatoes.

Wild Flor is a neighbourhood restaurant on Hove’s Church Road, serving classic British and European cooking alongside world-class wines. The menu has a strong focus on locally sourced and hyper-seasonal ingredients while a fantastic wine list mirrors the menu in balancing quality and value. With a beautifully pared back interior evoking the ambience of rustic French elegance, diners are as welcome to stop by for a plate of Ortiz anchovies, olives and almonds and a glass of Fino on the way home, as they are for three courses with paired wines and to stay past midnight.

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

Wild Flor, Hove

Wild Flor on Church Street, Hove (credit Roarke Pearce)

“Well priced, excellent modern European cooking with the most generous of hearts. Lucky, lucky Hove.” Tom Parker Bowles, Mail on Sunday

Wild Flor is a neighbourhood restaurant on Hove’s Church Road, serving classic British and European cooking alongside world-class wines. The menu has a strong focus on locally sourced and hyper-seasonal ingredients while a fantastic wine list mirrors the menu in balancing quality and value. With a beautifully pared back interior evoking the ambience of rustic French elegance, diners are as welcome to stop by for a plate of Ortiz anchovies, olives and almonds and a glass of Fino on the way home, as they are for three courses with paired wines and to stay past midnight.

A bustling and residential area, Church Road is lined with artisan shops, wine bars and restaurants, where Regency houses back on to the seafront, only a few minutes from Wild Flor and fifteen minutes from the centre of Brighton.

The restaurant offers an à la carte menu from which guests can order familiar plates of comfort food alongside more luxury items. Dishes might include roast courgette, romesco and goat cheese; Iberico ham; veal sweetbreads, almonds, peas and sherry sauce; lamb rump with chard and salsa verde and for pudding, pistachio éclair, black cherry and marjoram; apple and thyme jellies and a plate of fine British cheeses.

Inside, teal leather banquettes and bistro wooden tables are laid simply with glassware, exposed red brick walls are lined with bottles and hung with wine prints. A large blackboard is chalked with that day’s lunch and dinner menus. The wine list is short with intelligent and interesting choices with lesser known varieties sitting alongside the finest examples of grapes and blends from around the world. Where the list stands out is providing elegance and diversity and aged wines at good value such as Pinot Noir 'Dundee Hills’ from the Willamette Valley or Savagnin ‘Sous Voile’ by Daniel Dugois in the Arbois.

Robert Maynard, Faye Hudson and James Thomson run front of house operations as co-owners with many years’ experience at some of Brighton’s best restaurants. All three have known each other for years and share an immense enthusiasm and commitment to delivering a first-class dining experience and bringing all that they love about food and wine to Hove. In Wild Flor they have created a relaxed comfortable setting for diners to enjoy some of the best food and drink the city has to offer.

New head chef Chris Trundle joins the original team at a really exciting time, as Wild Flor continues to evolve and adapt. Chris boasts an incredible CV, having held head chef positions at the Michelin-starred Manfred’s in Copenhagen and Lyle’s in Shoreditch, London which was ranked 33 in The World's Best Restaurants in 2019. His style of food favours honest and uncomplicated dishes using hyper-seasonal ingredients that makes people happy, using classic cookery techniques.

Chris heads up the kitchen team with sous chef Laurence Kinghorn-East who began his career at acclaimed Gingerman Group in Brighton, before taking positions at the Michelin-starred kitchens of Matt Gillan at The Pass and with Merlin Labron-Johnson at Portland in London and latterly at Osip in Bruton, Somerset.

The Team

Faye Hudson, Director
Faye spent 8 years at The Gingerman in Brighton, the majority of which as assistant manager, before opening Wild Flor. She specifically looks after front of house and all aspects of customer service at Wild Flor and loves nothing more than working the floor. She and James met while working for the Gingerman group and are now husband and wife.

Robert Maynard, Director

Rob has seen all sides of the wine and restaurant trade with his two most prominent positions being his time as Gingerman Group Bar Manager and a year working with Butler’s Wine Cellar in Brighton. After spells working in various bars across Brighton, James and Rob started working together again at Hove’s Ginger Pig in 2014.

James Thomson, Director

James has worked in hospitality since he was 15, starting in pubs and bars before working in a fine dining restaurant in New Zealand, aged 19. On returning home, James had management roles before taking on the role of General Manager at the Ginger Pig in Hove. It was working for the Gingerman group that James met his now wife and business partner, Faye, as well as developing a great working relationship with Robert before joining forces to open Wild Flor together.

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

The Curlew launches in East Sussex from the team behind The Small Holding

Sharing and small plates at The Curlew (Food Story Media)

The Curlew, opening on 19 February

www.thecurlew.restaurant

The Curlew, a new restaurant by chef owner Will Devlin, will launch on 19 February. Housed in a former coaching inn, the 46-cover restaurant is in the heart of rural East Sussex. Named by The Good Food Guide 2020 as ‘Chef to Watch’, this is Will’s second restaurant, alongside The Small Holding.

Inspired by The Curlew’s countryside location, while only 10 miles to the South Coast, the menu offers simple and seasonal small and sharing plates from land and sea. Ingredients are sourced hyper-locally from the best producers and fishermen, or are grown or foraged at The Small Holding, just 8 miles away.

Set in picture-postcard Sussex countryside, The Curlew is a Grade II listed former coaching inn with white clapboard façade and views across the fields. The menu will change every few weeks as ingredients and produce from the farm and suppliers, become available. Everything is made in house and the team butcher, bake, pickle, preserve and cure on site.

The kitchen is headed up by chef Will Devlin who will be onsite for the first 6 months. He will split his time between The Curlew and The Small Holding, which opened in April 2018, and where Head chef Harry Fields is in place. Dishes at The Curlew include salt baked carrots with dill seed mayonnaise; cured trout and kimchi; home-made fennel seed salami and chorizo from our Berkshire pigs at The Small Holding; whole brined and smoked roast chicken; whole roast turbot with sea purslane butter and roast rib of Sussex beef.

The drinks menu reflects the rich history of Sussex with beers from local breweries using heritage hops and water filtered through the South Downs and English wines from some of the country’s leading wineries which are on The Curlew’s doorstep.

“This is an exciting time to be relaunching The Curlew. It’s had a great history before us, and we plan to grow and build on its reputation as one of the best restaurants in the South East.” Will Devlin

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

Address
The Curlew
Junction Road
Bodiam
East Sussex
TN32 5UY
www.thecurlew.restaurant

Enquiries: info@thecurlew.restaurant

Opening times
Wednesday to Saturday: 12-2.30pm (Lunch) and 6-9.30pm (Dinner)
Sunday: 12-3pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays