James Chatfield appointed new head chef at The Small Holding, Kent

James Chatfield has beeb appointed new head chef at The Small Holding, Kent

New Head Chef appointed at The Small Holding

James Chatfield, 28, from Hailsham, East Sussex has been appointed as the new Head Chef at The Small Holding, the Michelin green star restaurant in Kent, owned and operated by brothers Will and Matt Devlin, and part of the Acre group including Birchwood.

James started his new role at the farm to table restaurant with one-acre of productive land growing vegetables, fruit, herbs, plus beehives, ducks and chickens, in early December. Having grown up and worked in East Sussex in restaurants including Gravetye Manor, Restaurant Tristram, 64 Degrees and Murmur, James’ most recent role was Senior Chef de Partie at Tommy Banks’ Michelin star restaurant The Black Swan at Oldstead in North Yorkshire; James and his wife, Gabby Chatfield who worked in Front of House, were in position there for just under a year, with Gabby now joining James at The Small Holding as a supervisor.

Coming from a family farming background, with his uncle and grandfather owning the award-winning Hook & Son dairy and beef farm, James has had hands-on experience of good produce and close relationships with suppliers since a young age. He brings with him to The Small Holding a shared ethos to Chef Owner Will Devlin of sourcing, growing, and foraging the best quality ingredients, combining time-old preservation techniques with modern innovations.

James’ appointment sees the departure of previous Head Chef Duncan Moran who was at The Small Holding for five years and has been a pivotal member of the team. Duncan has joined The Black Swan Oldstead as Chef de Partie.

Will Devlin comments, “Duncan leaving us is bittersweet as he’s been an amazing part of The Small Holding and the wider Acre team. He’s been with Matt and I since the early pop-up days, through lockdowns, catching escaped sheep and cooking some incredible food together. He is on to great things and we’re all really happy and proud of him. We’re excited to welcome James to the team, we share the same passion and values, and he has some fantastic experience and skills; I can’t wait to get behind the stoves with him.”

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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 the Acre Group which also includes Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex. 

The Small Holding is open Wednesday to Sunday with an eight-course Full Acre menu costing £85 per person and a five-course Half Acre menu costing £65 per person, with the option of a wine flight. The drinks list also includes house made soft drinks, kombucha and non-alcoholic wine, beer, and spirits.

The 36-cover restaurant and farm are 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.

The Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy recognises restaurants with a focus on environmental practices; it encompasses everything about The Small Holding and the teams’ drive for sustainability.

“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 

Notes to editors
The Small Holding| Ranters Lane | Kilndown | Kent | TN17 2SG
www.smallholdingrestaurant.com | @the.small.holding

Green Michelin Star 2021/22/23
Number 25, Harden’s Top 100 Restaurants
Number 10, Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Good Food Guide 2023

Christmas at Water Lane

Festive feasting at Water Lane

Christmas at Water Lane

‘Tis soon the season and there’s much to sparkle at Water Lane in the coming months.

Christmas at Water Lane in Hawkhurst, Kent, sees the three-acre walled garden bedecked with boughs of foraged evergreens and berries, and festoon lights twinkling prettily between the Victorian glasshouses. Visit for festive feasting in the Carnation House, private dining in the Pelargonium House, a festive workshop, and the Water Lane Christmas Market, taking place over the whole first weekend in December.

Water Lane shop
Festive gifts and products in the shop have been curated by Water Lane custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, and shop manager, Pia Carpenter. Their combined intent is to champion the local, the artisan and the small-scale.

Festive gifts and products in the shop have been curated by Water Lane custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, and shop manager, Pia Carpenter. Their combined intent is to champion the local, the artisan and the small-scale.

Festive feasting
From 1st- 24th December parties of eight plus guests can indulge in Water Lane’s festive menus, to be shared by the table. Plates include Venison Carpaccio, Sprouts & Capers; Roast Scallop, Pepper Dulce & Lardo or Roast Duck, Carrots & Brandied Prunes. Vegan options include Tempura Sprouts and Christmas Ketchup to start, followed by Chestnut & Cep Stuffed Squash, all served with traditional festive trimmings and optional supplements. And for dessert, Clementine Crème Brulee, a Local Cheese board, and of course Water Lane’s Christmas Pudding.

Christmas Market
1st and 2nd December
10-4pm
£7.50 per car or free entry on bike or foot

On the first weekend of December, make a date for Water Lane’s Christmas Market. All around the site and in the glasshouses will be festive stalls from craftspeople, makers, and artisan food producers. Come to shop from small and independent stalls run by creative and talented people and enjoy festive food and hot mulled drinks.

Christmas Trees and Wreaths | Gifts | Crafts | Cambridge Imprint cards and stationery
Cheese, Charcuterie, Preserves | Mince Pies and Puddings

New for 2023 is the Christmas Market Feast, a communal dining table on both days of the market. Sit down for 12.30pm for a festive vegetarian family style feast celebrating the roots and brassicas which are so special, sweet, and full of flavour after the hard frosts of Winter. Priced at £37.50 per person, this wonderful menu from Jed Wrobel and his team includes Winter chanterelle and pearl barley arancini with quince ketchup; Beetroot carpaccio, sprouts, and nasturtium pods; Jerusalem artichoke and pepper dulce temptation and for pudding, a poached pear and chocolate pavlova.

Festive Workshops
Create something beautiful at one of Water Lane’s festive workshops. Floral stylist Graeme Corbett from Bloom & Burn with teach various sessions to create stunning, naturalistic Christmas Wreaths, made using dried flowers, seedheads and other fresh and foraged materials harvested from around the Water Lane Garden, perfectly complemented with a luxury velvet ribbon. While in the Alternative Willow Christmas Tree Weaving workshop, Dominic Parrette will teach how to weave a robust, beautiful conical plant support that can double up as a Christmas decoration this winter. Using sustainable materials, the resulting support will be both elegant and robust and will last two or three growing seasons.

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About Water Lane

Water Lane is a walled garden on what was once the Tongswood Estate in Hawkhurst, in the High Weald of Kent. A long-term restoration project, led by custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, there is a restaurant, a large and productive garden growing vegetables, fruits, herbs and cut flowers, a small shop of useful and beautiful pieces for the home and garden, select garden plants for sale and event spaces.

Water Lane Walled Garden | Hawkhurst | Kent | TN18 5DH
www.waterlane.net | @water.lane

The Cloudberry, Cranbrook

Set custard, plum and lemon madeleines at The Cloudberry (credit Saltwick Media)

THE CLOUDBERRY

Set in a Georgian townhouse with high ceilings, original wooden floors and tall sash windows, The Cloudberry sits at the end of a stretch of small independent shops, pubs, and cafes in the historic High Weald town of Cranbrook, Kent. Outside and to the right of its handsome façade pokes a windmill from weather boarded houses, and to the left, the line of shops disappears towards the church.  

Run by husband-and-wife team Toby and Beverley Welfare, who run the kitchen and front of house respectively, The Cloudberry is a tiny 16-seat restaurant, inspired by the bistros of Provence and the osterias of Tuscany. Drawing on a varied and informed palette, flavours on the menu also come from Spain, Scandinavia and Asia, and is a homage to a lifetime’s love affair with food, cooking and eating. The pair are well-travelled, well-fed and well-read, with inspiration coming by way of Simon Hopkinson, Richard Olney, Le Manoir and The Silver Spoon.

Toby and Beverley Welfare at The Cloudberry (credit Saltwick Media)

The Cloudberry has taken shape over 14 years, from being just a dream to becoming a reality. Both Toby and Beverley walked away from well-paid careers in London television jobs, with Toby working in restaurants to gain experience. The couple finally left the city for the south coast where Toby’s passion for cooking was persistent enough to take on roles in kitchens, including St Clements in St Leonards on Sea,  before becoming Head Chef at Alistair Hendy’s eponymous Homeware Store’s seafood restaurant, in Hastings.

Toby cooks The Cloudberry’s short, focussed menu solo, while Beverley runs front of house, giving a warm and personal service. The four-course menu is £45 per person, with a choice of four starters and main courses, which change regularly and seasonally. Dinner starts with an amuse bouche, such as potato soup with Jerusalem Artichoke crostini, followed by starters such as mackerel, beetroot & apple puree, horseradish, pickled cucumber & kohlrabi or wood pigeon, chicken liver parfait on toast with spiced pears. Main courses might include sea bass with mussels, potatoes and fennel in a crab bisque or roast pork belly, baked apple, raisin & cider sauce and braised lentils. Vegetarian options might include chive gnocchi, goats’ cheese and leek, roast beetroot, kale & salsa verde. A choice of one pudding or cheese is offered such as set custard, plum compote, ginger crumb & lemon madeleine or a plate of Kentish and Sussex cheeses, crackers, and chutney, alongside a small and considered wine list of mainly English, Italian and French wines.

Head chef and owner Toby Welfare, comments, “The seed of The Cloudberry was first sown when, as a five-year-old, I sat at a restaurant table and wondered how I could possibly recreate the food I’d just eaten. A question that nagged then resulted in years of hot kitchens and long days honing my skills as a chef. A persistent hunger for cooking that has remained since and led to opening this restaurant.”

The Cloudberry is named after the Nordic plant which has small and tart yellow-orange berries, that grows in harsh conditions, but still manages to bear fruit. “What the plucky little Cloudberry has taught me” says Toby, ‘is that small can be beautiful.”

Guinea fowl, fondant potato and black pudding at The Cloudberry (credit Saltwick Media)

Customer reviews

‘Exceptional food in a cosy, relaxed atmosphere with an engaging host who was friendly. The perfect spot for a special occasion - my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our evening at The Cloudberry and will tell anyone who will listen about this gem of a restaurant.’ TripAdvisor 5 stars

‘Really enjoyable dinner at the Cloudberry. Everything we had was delicious - can’t wait to return!  A gem of a restaurant to have in Cranbrook.’ TripAdvisor 5 stars

‘This is a charming, intimate restaurant with lovely service and very good competitively priced food. It’s well worth a visit and we will return for sure.’ TripAdvisor 5 stars

‘My absolute favourite restaurant! Every dish is special and tastes fabulous. Lovely little touch with their amuse-bouche. Outstanding value for money.’ TripAdvisor 5 stars

‘Book a table now... It is a most welcome different offering to the local food scene... This is a chef that understands food and clearly loves what he does. We will be back soon.’ TripAdvisor 5 Stars

‘The food is wonderful, the room atmospheric and it made for a really memorable evening. Highly recommended.’ TripAdvisor 5 stars

For more information about The Cloudberry, interviews, images or press visits, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

The Cloudberry, Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3HE
Tel: 01580 712 336
www.thecloudberryrestaurant.com

October at The Small Holding

October at The Small Holding

October is a month we instinctively start to retreat, and crave warmth and comfort. The smell of woodsmoke is in the air and toffee-coloured leaves crunch underfoot, while root vegetables, wild mushrooms, new season mutton, plump scallops and milky cobnuts, arrive on the menu.

The October Full Acre and Half Acre tasting menus at The Small Holding welcomes the new seasons’ ingredients, and starts to look inward to the larder and pantry for preserved oils, vinegars and pickled ingredients, providing points of light and shade on the menu. Scallop, Apple, Gooseberry features a raw Orkney scallop dressed in reduced apple and fennel vinegar with Bramley apple butter, preserved gooseberry and nasturtium oil; while Blackcurrant Leaf, Buckwheat, Elderberry is a sorbet made from preserved blackcurrant leaves, with toasted buckwheat crumble and finished with elderberry balsamic vinegar.

Each month on the menu there is a special focus on one meat, using different cuts in different dishes. This is to showcase excellent meat, but also to reduce any waste across the carcass. Romney Marsh mutton, from nearby Paley Farm, is at its prime in October, after two summers on open grass and pasture, ensuring a rich, full-flavoured sweet and tender meat. On the menu is Mutton ribs, Onion, Wild garlic of slow cooked ribs, wild garlic mayonnaise and pickled onions, before Mutton Loin, Kohlrabi, Tomato with barbecued loin, pickled and fermented tomatoes, black garlic ketchup and creamed savoy cabbage.

October Menu at The Small Holding

Snacks, Sourdough & Hinxden Dairy Butter
Cep, Walnut, Thyme
Potato, Leek, Cheese
Scallop, Apple, Gooseberry
Halibut, Celeriac, Cobnut
Mutton ribs, Onion, Wild Garlic
Mutton Loin, Kohlrabi, Tomato
Blackcurrant Leaf, Buckwheat, Elderberry
Beetroot, Chocolate, Cream Cheese

The Small Holding is open Wednesday to Sunday with an eight-course Full Acre menu costing £85 per person and a five-course Half Acre menu costing £65 per person, with the option of a wine flight. The drinks list also includes housemade soft drinks, kombucha and non-alcoholic wine, beer and spirits.

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 the Acre Group which also includes Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex. 

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

Autumn events at Birchwood

Autumn events at Birchwood, Flimwell.

Autumn events at Birchwood

Autumn is here and so is the new season of events at Birchwood, Will and Matt Devlin’s restaurant in Flimwell, East Sussex. The drinks list at Birchwood is curated as carefully as the food menus and the team always work with producers who celebrate flavour, simplicity, and quality of ingredients.

Brewer’s Spotlight
Lakedown Brewing Co.
Thursday, 19th October 2023
6pm arrival for a 6.30pm start
£35 per person

Brewer’s Spotlight is an evening of specially selected craft beers, charcuterie and cheese plates and a chance to meet the brewer. In this new series, beer maker Jamie Daltrey from Lakedown Brewing Co, a family-run, independent microbrewery, and taproom in nearby Burwash, who make grain-to glass beers, will join the team at Birchwood for a tasting of six Lakedown beers.

On the night, there will be tastings of Silverlake Pilsner, Off the Hook American Pale Ale, Zoot Suit New England IPA, Sussex Pale English Pale Ale and Kicking Donkey Best Better. Included in the ticket price is a half pint of each of the six Lakedown beers and platters of local cheese, charcuterie, nuts, and crisps.

Chapel Down | Wine Dinner
Friday 17th November
7pm arrival for a 7.30pm start
£85 per person

The East Sussex estate of Chapel Down is one of the biggest and best producers of English wine with a multi-award-winning collection of still and sparkling wine. This exclusive wine dinner event at Birchwood offers the chance to try wines that are usually only available to the trade, including the rich and complex Grand Reserve Brut 2018 with notes of ripe apple, fresh red berries, and toasted brioche, to the fresh and elegant Rosé Reserve 2020 with notes of strawberry, cherry, and redcurrant.

The evening will be hosted by Chapel Down’s James McClean with a tasting of four Chapel Down wines, served with a three-course paired menu by chefs Will Devlin and Nick Ryan. Individual bottle and cases of the wines sampled on the night will be available to buy to take home.

About Birchwood

Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex is owned and run by chef Will Devlin and is part of the Acre Group, alongside The Small Holding, which was awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2021.

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.

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. 

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

Grow the Seasons at The Small Holding - new course dates for 2024

Will Devlin at The Small Holding, Kent

Grow the Seasons

Learn to ‘Grow the Seasons’ in 2024 with new dates announced for chef and grower Will Devlin’s horticultural courses at his Michelin green-starred restaurant and farm, The Small Holding. 

Led by Head Gardener Sara Cushing and Assistant 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. 

The 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’ in February looking at no-dig beds and planning for the growing year ahead; ‘Planting Out’ in May looking at sowing, planting, support structures, companion and succession planting; ‘Harvest Time’ in August is about reaping the rewards, composting and organic feeds and finally, ‘Winter Planning’ in November, which will cover the end of the growing season, mulching, lifting and dividing and overwintering crops.

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.

Find out more and book for February, May, August and November 2024 www.growtheseasons.com.

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“The menu reads like a list of all that is good in a British Larder. Self-sufficiency, careful sourcing, purity of intent and an absolute focus on flavour. It’s easy to fall in love with The Small Holding for the warmth of the staff, its good intent and deft execution.” Tony Turnbull, The Times

Forge, Fire & Food at The Small Holding

Alex Pole at the forge (credit Tim Booth)

FORGE, FIRE & FOOD

Alex Pole Blacksmith x The Small Holding
Sunday 3rd September, 12.30-15.30
£70 pp including knife making demonstration, cocktail and lunch
Reservation link here.

Blacksmith Alex Pole will join executive chef Will Devlin and guests at The Small Holding for an exclusive ‘Forge, Fire & Food’ event on Sunday 3rd September.

Alex Pole has worked as a blacksmith for over 30 years and founded Forge Kitchenware in 2015, making traditionally hand-forged kitchenware and cooking utensils, made in the fires of his Dorset workshop. Forging is the ancient art of shaping metal by heating it by fire and hammering. It is a highly skilled art full of tradition and folklore, and with infinite modern applications.

Alex makes pieces for home kitchens, outdoor cooking and bespoke pieces for chefs and restaurants including The Small Holding, L’enclume and Ikoyi. One of Alex’s primary aims is to promote blacksmithing and traditional crafts to show their importance in the 21st century.

This one-off event at The Small Holding will begin with a knife making demonstration from Alex and his senior assistant Jack Pardoe. Each piece of Forge Kitchenware, be it a knife, skillet or coffee scoop, starts as a simple bar of steel, which is heated and repeatedly hit on the blacksmiths’ anvil, until it is the correct size, shape and style. Some pieces can take hundreds of strikes before it is right. Alex will offer insight into the ancient traditions and techniques of European knife making and the creation of pieces that are beautiful and tactile, yet wholly functional.  

Throughout the demonstration Will and Alex will be talking about his craft and how he became involved in the food world, along with serving snacks and negronis, created with The Small Holding’s own house made Campari-style liqueur, made with foraged bitter botanicals. This will be followed by a fire-cooked family style feast of Paley Farm mutton and produce from The Small Holding’s farm, using Alex Pole’s cast iron skillets.

Will Devlin says, “Alex is a true craftsman and artist and it’s a joy to use his hand-forged pieces in both the kitchen and as part of our tableware service. His pieces combine beauty and function and will last a life-time if treated well and looked after. These values of craft, design and sustainability are fundamental to us at The Small Holding, and combined with food and fire is irresistible.”

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About The Small Holding

The Small Holding is a 36-cover restaurant and farm set in one acre of land, on a country lane in the village of Kilndown, on the Kent and East Sussex borders. The farm is less than 10 ft from the kitchen, growing nearly 200 varieties of vegetables, fruit and herbs, permitting a unique connection between the land and table. Native breed Large Black pigs, chickens and ducks roam the farm and sheep for hogget and mutton graze less than half a mile away. The Small Holding was awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2021, and was one of the first seven restaurants in the country to be recognised for its commitment to sustainability in gastronomy and low-impact environmental practices. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with monthly changing ‘Full Acre’ and ‘Half Acre’ tasting menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm and foraged in the nearby hedgerows and woodland.

Run by brothers Will And Matt Devlin, as Executive Chef and Head of Operations, respectively, The Small Holding is part of the Acre Group which also includes Birchwood in nearby Flimwell, East Sussex.

Summer events at Birchwood

Summer events at Birchwood

Summer events on the terrace at Birchwood, Flimwell, East Sussex

Two new late Summer events will take place at Birchwood, Will and Matt Devlin’s restaurant and event space at Flimwell Park, East Sussex.

Supper club 

The next edition of the Birchwood Super Club series is on Friday 25th August and, weather permitting, will be on the terrace overlooking the Flimwell Park woods. Seated on communal dining tables, the evening will be a glorious way to celebrate summer, starting with drinks from Birchwood’s extensive list of cocktails, wines, beers and soft drinks, before sitting down to a four-course dinner, made from the finest Kent and Sussex produce, cooked by Will Devlin, alongside head chef Nick Ryan and the team.

The late summer menu will include Sungold tomatoes, lovage salt; Rye sourdough, marigold flower butter; Barbecued Sussex beef rib, dill brined baby gem, fermented mushroom, triple cooked potatoes & Chop House butter sauce and for dessert, Brioche summer pudding and sweet woodruff cream.

Arrival from 7pm for drinks, to be seated at 7.30pm.
Priced £55 per person. Reservations are now live and seats are strictly limited

Wellness Day Retreat

The inaugural Day Retreat from Birchwood Studio will take place on Saturday 23rd September, from 10am-3.30pm, costing £165 per person. This unique and intimate day retreat will bring together movement, conscious connected breathwork and ice therapy, alongside a nutritious ginger shot drink, lunch, tea and snack. Led by breathwork practitioner Nicky Carter, the day will appeal to people of all ages who are looking to reset, rebalance and restore. Total beginners through to more experienced are all welcome.

Book here. 

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 The Small Holding, Will and Matt Devlin’s Michelin Green Starred restaurant, Birchwood is guided by the landscape, 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. 

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

Water Lane Harvest Festival Autumn Fair

​​Water Lane Harvest Festival

Celebrate the harvest at Water Lane over the weekend of 16th and 17th September with market stalls selling crafts, vintage, ceramics, candles, and jewellery from independent lifestyle stores for homes and gardens.

Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th September
10am - 4pm
Free entry on foot or bike
£5 per car to park

Water Lane Walled Garden | Hawkhurst | Kent | TN18 5DH

The Water Lane Harvest Festival Autumn Fair will be held over the weekend of Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th September. The fair will bring together independent shops, producers and craftspeople, to sell their wares and will be set out across the site including the Carnation House and under the stretch awning on the terrace. Attending the fair will be The Natural Dyeworks, Raffman & Huckster, Flavell Trading, Norse Vintage, Bloom & Burn and many more. There will be hot food from the Water Lane kitchen team, and food to buy and take home from Water Lane Food Market regulars including Halstead Bakery, LAM and Zak's Kombucha. Bunches and buckets of cut flowers will be for sale, including dahlias and chrysanthemums, in the deep marmalade, russet and raspberry tones of early autumn.

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About Water Lane

Water Lane is a walled garden with a vinery and Victorian glasshouses on the Kent/Sussex borders, on what was once the Tongswood Estate. A long-term project over many years to come, led by custodians Ian James and Nick Selby, the site is being sympathetically transformed into a productive kitchen garden with vegetable beds, cut flowers, restored vinery, outside spaces and a pavilion for dining and events. The restaurant at Water Lane opened in early July 2021, alongside select garden plants for sale and a small shop. There is a weekly food market on Saturdays, workshops and events and seasonal fairs in Spring, Autumn and Christmas.

July at The Small Holding, Kent

Will Devlin ont the farm at The Small Holding (credit, Key & Quill)

JULY AT THE SMALL HOLDING

Green Michelin Star 2021/22/23
Number 25, Harden’s Top 100 Restaurants
Number 10, Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Good Food Guide 2023

July is upon us, and with the new month comes a new menu at the Michelin green starred The Small Holding, in Kilndown, Kent. Right now, the farm is at its most productive and the menu celebrates the farm in full bloom. The four parts of the menu covers vegetables, fish, meat and dessert, as the kitchen and gardening teams harvest, forage and preserve through the height of summer. 

The restaurant is open Wednesday to Sunday with an eight-course Full Acre menu costing £85 per person and a five-course Half Acre menu costing £65 per person, with the option of a wine flight and non-alcoholic pairings. 

July menu at The Small Holding

Snacks, Bread & Butter
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Courgette, Yogurt, Herbs
Pea, Girolle, Elderflower
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Red Mullet, Tomato, Coriander
Hake, Artichoke, Garlic
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Goat Kebab, Sumac, Chilli
Goat Saddle, Lettuce, Turnip
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Blackberry, Buttermilk, Marigold
Cherry, Chocolate, Sweet Cicely

“Will Devlin’s restaurant shows no sign of slowing down, ‘a truly sensational experience’ is one fan’s heartfelt comment. The level of ingenuity generated by a kitchen on turbo drive, fuelled by its own small holding, hen coop and piggery is prodigious.” The Good Food Guide

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

June at Water Lane

Elderflower custard, strawberries and madeleines at Water Lane

June in the garden of England at Water Lane, Kent

Sit under the tented awning on the Water Lane terrace overlooking the walled garden with rows and rows of vegetables, roses, delphiniums, cosmos, orchard fruit trees grown espalier against the walls, and scented sweet pea tunnel. Head chef Jed Wrobel’s new June menu captures the beauty of the season with fennel, strawberries, elderflower, tomatoes, hogget, and mackerel.

12.00 pm - 3.00 pm (weekdays)
12.30 - 3.00 (weekends)

Reservations via www.waterlane.net

June menu

Whilst you’re waiting

Water Lane garden pickles
Marcona Almonds
Gordal olives
Ricotta, chilli, almond and shaved asparagus flatbread
A glass of gazpacho

To start

Padron peppers, mangetout, rocket and romesco
Seabass ceviche, fennel, green strawberry, nasturtium 
A little chicken Caesar

Followed by

Asparagus, crushed butter beans and dukkah
Butterflied mackerel, tomatoes, lovage and spring garlic aioli
Spiced hogget skewer, coleslaw, broad bean tapenade  

With

Punched pink fir with hard herbs
Garden leaves with soft herbs  

To finish

Chocolate soft serve with hazelnut crumb
Elderflower custard with madeleines and strawberries
Ragstone, beetroot chutney and polenta crackers

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About Water Lane

Water Lane is a walled garden on what was once the Tongswood Estate in Hawkhurst, in the High Weald of Kent. A long-term restoration project, led by custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, there is a restaurant, a small shop of useful and beautiful pieces for the home and garden, select garden plants for sale, a calendar of workshops, talks and events, bi-monthly food markets, seasonal fairs in the Spring, Summer and at Christmas, and a large and productive garden growing vegetables, fruits, herbs and cut flowers.

For more news of Water Lane’s calendar of workshops, talks, and events this season, visit www.waterlane.net or sign up to the newsletter to be kept up to date.

Water Lane Walled Garden | Water Lane | Hawkhurst | Kent | TN18 5DH
@water.lane

Gourmet getaway to Whitstable

Oysters at Samphire, Whitstable

Gourmet Getaway to Whitstable

Whitstable, known for its incredible seafood, expansive sea views and colourful beach huts, is one of the prettiest towns on the North Kent coastline. Full of independent shops and some of the best restaurants in the county, it’s a one-stop destination for a summer gourmet getaway.

George Begg, owner of Samphire on the High Street, just metres from the sea, shares some of his favourite restaurants, suppliers and producers that make Whitstable so special.

David Brown’s Deli, The Old Coal Yard   
This deli has a bit of a cult following with great, simple food. Dave is a local legend and catered The Sportsman's 20th birthday bash. www.davidbrowndeli.com

Blueprint coffee, Oxford Street
Independent espresso, coffee roaster, bookseller and stationers who import and roast their own beans on site, they always have a great selection of interesting books for adults and children.  www.blueprintcoffee.co.uk

Grain and Hearth, Oxford Street
Amazing bakery and courtyard café making artisan sourdough and viennoiserie. It’s east London busy and you’ll need to love queuing, but it’s worth it. www.grainandhearth.co.uk

The Cheese box, Harbour Street
A truly great English cheese emporium, that can also be hired for parties. www.thecheesebox.co.uk

Wheelers Oyster Bar, High Street
A Whitstable institution since 1856 and run by the Doyen of Whitstable herself, Delia Fitt, and head chef Mark Stubbs. Go for local lobster, crab, sea bass, cockles, whelks and native oysters. www.wheelersoysterbar.com

Porto Wine Bar, Harbour Street
A cosy-chic wine bar with courtyard garden, Porto has over 60 wines available, heavy on the Portuguese, plus 40 ports, offered by the glass. Helio, the owner, has come from 5-star London hotels, but owning his own wine bar was always the dream. www.portowinebar.com

Harbour St Tapas, Harbour Street
A Whitstable favourite, this busy restaurant, sat on a scenic corner of Harbour Street, is perfect for a plate of jamon and a glass of sherry to watch the world go by or stay for a full meal; make sure you save room for their brilliant Basque cheesecake. www.harbourstreettapas.com

Amedea, Oxford Street
A wonderfully kitsch bar and cafe, again with a bit of a cult following, serving half Croatian and half Mediterranean food and drinks. On the Croatian side there’s cheese, meat, wine, beer, olive oil and Ajvar, a red pepper and aubergine dip, from all regions in Croatia, including Paski Sir (sheep’s cheese), Kulen (cured meat) and Burek (hot and savoury Balkan pastries). www.amedea.co.uk

The Twelve Taps
Excellent bar serving twelve lines of keg craft beers, all the gins (and they make their own Whitstable Gin, which is exclusive to The Twelve Taps) , great cocktails and a dedicated Negroni menu. www.thetwelvetaps.co.uk

About Samphire
Samphire is an unfussy, rustic bistro in the heart of Whitstable, with a chalkboard menu dedicated to local fish, meat and seasonal vegetables, served in a relaxed dining room. Being just metres from the sea, there is a strong emphasis on oysters, crustaceans and seafood, plus nose to tail whole animal butchery and creative vegetarian options. Focaccia, chutneys and preserves are made in house and all prepared with produce sourced from well-respected local farms, fishermen, gamekeeper and foragers in Kent and the South-East.

Samphire’s owner, George Begg, trained as a chef in Australia in the 90s. Following a stint in London as an Executive Chef, George moved to Whitstable in 2004 and took on the lease of an empty shop just a short walk from the beach. Samphire was born and became Whitstable’s first bistro to be open all day, every day using the best Kentish produce. Suppliers include The Wonky Parsnip in Chatham for unusual organic vegetables, Sevenscore Asparagus near Sandwich, slow-grown, free-range chickens from LAM on the North Kent Downs; fish from PH in Hastings, British cold-water farmed prawns from Valhalla, Stour Valley game, lamb, pork and goat meat from Oink and Udder and vegetables from Mallards Farm.

Head chef Mark O’Brien, originally from Dublin, is particularly passionate about live fire cookery and whole fish and animal butchery. Previously at The Dairy and Zebra Riding Club in London, with restaurateur Robin Gill, Mark regularly cooks live fire demonstrations at barbecue festivals Meatopia and The Big Grill. These influences make their mark on the Samphire menu with rubs, smoking and low and slow barbecuing techniques, where Mark fires up the Portico Grill with lumpwood from Kent Charcoal, made with wood only from local sustainable woodlands.

June at The Small Holding, Kent

June menu at The Small Holding (credit Key & Quill)

JUNE AT THE SMALL HOLDING

Green Michelin Star 2021/22/23
Number 25, Harden’s Top 100 Restaurant
Number 10, Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Good Food Guide 2023

“Will Devlin’s restaurant shows no sign of slowing down, ‘a truly sensational experience’ is one fan’s heartfelt comment. The level of ingenuity generated by a kitchen on turbo drive, fuelled by its own small holding, hen coop and piggery is prodigious.” The Good Food Guide

June Menu
Snacks, Bread & Butter
Farm Salad, Goats Cheese, Preserves
Asparagus, Scallop Roe, Dukkah
Oyster, Chive Flower - Full Acre
John Dory, White Crab, Broad Beans
Duck Leg, Tortilla, Green Sauce - Full Acre
Duck Breast, Cabbage, Cherry
Lemon Balm, Linseed - Full Acre
Strawberry, Elderflower, Woodruff
Cheese - 15pp supplement

Half Acre Menu 65
Full Acre Menu 85

The 36-cover restaurant and farm are 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.

Vegetables and fruits from the farm, harvested within hours of guests arriving; charcuterie, sourdough and cultured butter and zero waste animal cookery from the farm’s own livestock are key. Will also works directly with growers, farmers and fishermen who share the same core values, and the kitchen team forage in the nearby hedgerows and woodland.

The restaurant is open Wednesday to Sunday with an eight-course Full Acre menu costing £85 per person and a five-course Half Acre menu costing £65 per person, with the option of a wine flight and non-alcoholic pairings. 

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Summer terrace restaurant opens at Water Lane

Clams with fregola, peas and coriander on the May menu at Water Lane

May menu on Water Lane’s restaurant terrace

The opening of the terrace restaurant heralds the start of summer at Water Lane. Opening the season on Wednesday 24th May, the terrace restaurant has a new menu from Head Chef Jed Wrobel, bringing sunshine and Mediterranean warmth to this corner of Kent.

On the menu is Sussex asparagus with ajo blanco and nasturtium capers; squeaky fresh radishes and their leaves and lovage butter; flatbreads cooked in the wood oven with peas, goats curd and mint; summery crab and sorrel salad; clams served over Sardinian pasta in a spiced light broth with peas; bavette with creamed chard and onion rings; punched potatoes with rosemary, thyme and garlic. While the soft berries and stone fruit from the walled garden are a little way off, there is Jed’s legendary tiramisu, plugging the seasonal gap, and a tart and fruity rhubarb and toasted almond fool.

The full menu:

- Asparagus, ajo blanco and nasturtium capers
- Pea, goats curd and mint flat bread
- Radish and lovage butter
- Chicken livers, rhubarb ketchup and thyme crumbs
- Crab and sorrel salad
- Clams, fregola, peas and coriander
- Farinata, golden beetroots, feta and chickpeas
- Bavette, creamed chard and onion rings
- Rhubarb fool
- Tiramisu

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May at The Small Holding

Turbot, white asparagus, nasturtium (credit Key & Quill)

May at The Small Holding

Green Michelin Star 2021/22/23
Number 25, Harden’s Top 100 Restaurants
Number 10, Square Meal’s Top 100 Restaurants
Good Food Guide 2023

“Will Devlin’s restaurant shows no sign of slowing down, ‘a truly sensational experience’ is one fan’s heartfelt comment. The level of ingenuity generated by a kitchen on turbo drive, fuelled by its own small holding, hen coop and piggery is prodigious.” The Good Food Guide

Named ‘Chef to Watch’ in The Good Food Guide 2020 and awarded a Green Michelin Star in 2021/22/23, Will Devlin, is chef owner of The Small Holding, a kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. The Small Holding is part of the Acre Group which also includes Birchwood in Flimwell, East Sussex. Will opened The Small Holding, in April 2018, alongside his brother Matt, as Head of Operations. As a former pub, the site was run down and neglected, before being transformed into an open kitchen and bar with a large, decked terrace looking out over the farm and views of the Weald of Kent.

The 36-cover restaurant and farm are 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.

Over 180 varieties of vegetables and fruits are grown including Broccoli ‘Red Blaze’, Cauliflower ‘Graffiti’, Cucumber ‘Passandra’, Radish ‘Viola’, Runner Beans ‘Scarlet Emperor’ and Courgette ‘Midnight’. Native breed Large Black pigs, chickens and ducks roam the farm and sheep for hogget and mutton graze less than half a mile away.

The menu is defined by hyper-seasonal ingredients with a focus on the farm’s own produce, but undefined by the number of courses or choice. There is no traditional menu; instead, guests are offered a multi-taste dining experience featuring the best ingredients on that day from the farm and local suppliers. Vegetables and fruits from the farm, harvested within hours of guests arriving, charcuterie, sourdough, and cultured butter and zero waste animal cookery from the farm’s own livestock are key. Will also works directly with growers, farmers and fishermen who share the same core values, and the kitchen team forage in the nearby hedgerows and woodland.

The Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy recognises restaurants with a focus on environmental practices; it encompasses everything about The Small Holding and the teams’ drive for sustainability.

The restaurant is open Wednesday to Sunday with an eight-course Full Acre menu costing £85 per person and a five-course Half Acre menu costing £65 per person, with the option of a wine flight and non-alcoholic pairings. 

“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 

May Menu
Snacks, Bread & Butter
Asparagus, Mushroom, Cured Egg
Wild Garlic & Potato
Scallop, Apple, Lovage  -  Full Acre
Turbot, White Asparagus, Nasturtium
Pork Cheek, Plum, Yarrow  -  Full Acre
Pork Loin, Apple, Cabbage
Milk, Honey, Bee Pollen  -  Full Acre
Chocolate & Mushroom
Cheese  -  15pp Supplement

Half Acre Menu 65
Full Acre Menu 85

“A group of folk growing amazing things, then pulling them out of the ground, sometimes knobbly and lumpy, then cooking and serving them. It’s perfectly imperfect and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Grace Dent, The Guardian

Wild About Scented Geraniums at Water Lane

Cath Kidtson at Water Lane

Wild About Scented Geraniums with Cath Kidston Padgham MBE and Jo Fairley

Thursday 8th June
11am - 12.30pm
£25 per person including coffee and cake, or £55 to include a two-course lunch and either a glass of wine or cordial

Buy tickets HERE

Join designer Cath Kidston Padgham MBE, in conversation with fellow entrepreneur and fragrance lover, Jo Fairley in the Carnation Glasshouse at Water Lane, where they'll chat about Cath's passion for pelargoniums, fragrance and the garden, which led to C.Atherley, her new bath and beauty brand. 

C.Atherley is a body care brand which expertly captures the magic and soothing fragrance of scented geraniums. Dreamt up by Cath, the name Atherley, which once belonged to her maternal grandmother, now comes prefixed with a C for Cath and is an homage to their love of gardening and flowers.

Jo Fairley is one of the UK's leading female entrepreneurs. After becoming the UK’s youngest-ever magazine editor, she set out on her entrepreneurial journey in 1991, founded Green & Black’s, The Perfume Society and now edits the Beauty Bible.

The ticket can also include a light lunch and drink in the Water Lane restaurant after the talk at a combined price of £55. This will include two courses and either a glass of wine or a homemade cordial.

Following the talk there will also be the opportunity to take a short, guided tour of the Water Lane Cutting Garden.

For more news of Water Lane’s calendar of workshops, talks, and events this season, visit www.waterlane.net or sign up to the newsletter to be kept up to date.

About Water Lane

Water Lane is a walled garden on what was once the Tongswood Estate in Hawkhurst, in the High Weald of Kent. A long-term restoration project, led by custodians Nick Selby and Ian James, there is a restaurant, a small shop of useful and beautiful pieces for the home and garden, select garden plants for sale, a calendar of workshops, talks and events, bi-monthly food markets, seasonal fairs in the Spring, Summer and at Christmas, and a large and productive garden growing vegetables, fruits, herbs and cut flowers.

Water Lane Walled Garden | Water Lane | Hawkhurst | Kent | TN18 5DH
@water.lane

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.

Menu inspired by Joyce Molyneux at Water Lane

A menu inspired by the writings and recipes of Joyce MolynEUX

A menu inspired by the writings and recipes of Joyce Molyneux is the third instalment of the Menu Series at Water Lane. The third, and final chapter, in the series draws inspiration from British chef Joyce Molyneux, who was born in 1932, and was the first woman to receive a Michelin star at her restaurant The Carved Angel in Dartmouth, Devon, which she ran until her retirement in 1999. In her obituary The Good Food Guide described her as a legendary chef who led the way for women in restaurants; long before it became the norm, she championed local producers, fisherman and farmers. Writing in The Telegraph in 2003, Jan Moir wrote, “Joyce Molyneux was at the forefront of growth in modern British cooking.”

The Menu Series launched in January with recipes inspired by the works of Claudia Roden, followed by Simon Hopkinson.  

The Summer terrace at Water Lane will reopen on 3rd May, weather permitting.

The Joyce Molyneux Menu

Two Courses £27 (starter & main or main & pudding)

Three courses £32 (starter, main & pudding)

Lunch

12.30 pm - 3.00 pm

Nibbles

Garlic and parsley flatbread (VE) £5

Water Lane Garden Pickles (VE) £4

Gordal Olives (VE) £3

Salsify straws and aioli £6 

To start

Violette Artichokes & hazelnut vinaigrette

Mussel, spinach and crispy shallots

Chicken, citrus, salad cream and crumbs 

Followed by

Wild garlic gnocchi, pine nuts and golden raisin

Rolled pork belly, purple sprouting broccoli and tapenade

Mackerel with fennel, mint and chilli salad 

Sides

Pink fir, caramelised onions and Winnie’s Wheel

Garden leaves dressed with garden herb dressing (VE) 

To finish

Saffron and honey creme brûlée

Chocolate mousse with brick wafer

Baked goats’ cheese with Water Lane chutney & polenta crackers

About Water Lane
Water Lane is a walled garden with a vinery and Victorian glasshouses on the Kent and Sussex borders. A long-term project, the site is being sympathetically transformed into a working kitchen garden with vegetable beds, cut flowers, restored vinery, outside spaces and a pavilion for dining and events.

During the Winter months the restaurant is in the heated Carnation glasshouse. In the summer, it moves to the outside terrace, overlooking the vegetable and flower beds. The menu at Water Lane reflects its sense of place in the English countryside with a short and often-changing seasonal menu by head chef Jed Wrobel. Much of the restaurant produce is grown in Water Lane’s vegetable beds or sourced from organic and biodynamic farms. Meat is from pasture raised herds and day boat fish is from nearby Hastings and Rye. 

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