Two celebrity chefs open English winery restaurants
What with the economic turndown and the weather this summer the timing couldn’t be worse but it’s a sign of the growing maturity of the English wine industry that two glitzy new winery restaurants have just opened featuring two celebrity chefs.
TV chef Richard Phillips, who already owns two Kent restaurants, Thackeray's in Tunbridge Wells and The Hengis in Aylesford has opened a restaurant under his own name at Chapel Down in Tenterden (right) with its own chef’s table. All the dishes on the menu are paired by winemaker Owen Elias with a ‘first choice’ and an ‘adventurous choice’, interestingly drawn not only from their own wines but those from wineries outside the UK.
For example a Salmon and Crab Fish Cake with Pickled Cucumber and Tartare Sauce is paired with Chapel Down Bacchus at £6.75 a glass and Friendly Gruner-Veltliner from Laurenz V at £5.25 while Grilled 35 day hung Sussex Breed Beef and Colston Basset Stilton ‘Dauphinoise’ has no home-grown wine pairings at all, the recommended matches being Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz at £10.50 and Rosso di Toscana at £6.00 per glass. (These by the glass prices seem pricey to me but being in the country I guess many customers won’t want to drink more than a glass). Wine is also used in the dishes as in the delicious sounding Summer Fruits in Chapel Down ‘English Rose’ Jelly with Basil Syrup.
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I’ve never tried Phillips' food but I'm a big fan of Atul Kochar of Benares who has appeared on Great British Menu. However I would never have expected him to turn up in the heart of the Hampshire countryside where he’s opened an equally cutting edge restaurant at Wickham Vineyard just outside Southampton called Vatika (above)
The menu, which is based on local produce, includes such Modern Indian dishes as Tamarind Poached Monk Cheeks with Steamed Raita and Iced Cucumber, Goan Spiced Lobster Tail with Granny Smith Confit and Lentil Sweet ‘n’ Sour and Charred Basil Chicken with Stewed Corn and Pickled Avocado. Desserts include Warm Carrot Pudding with Pistachio Ice cream and Flame Grilled Sultanas and Chilled Mango Soup with Warm Sago Risotto and Cacao Wafers.
Like the Chapel Down restaurant the wine list includes a wide range of bottles not just the winery's own including a Fine & Rare List. You can also book an overnight package with the nearby Marriott Meon Valley Hotel from £189 per person including a 3 course meal with matching wines at Vatika. For details contact bernine@benaresrestaurant.co.uk
Richard Phillips @ Chapel Down +44 01580 761616
Vatika +44 1329 830 405
