Sauce Loves… Top Foodie Getaways
With summer fast approaching, we’re counting down the days until we can start indulging in the sun. Food and drink can make or break a holiday, so we’ve pulled together our clients top foodie getaways for this summer – from fishing with a Michelin-starred chef in remotest Canada, to gelato making in Italy, to a selection of British staycations featuring some of our country’s finest seasonal produce and chefs.
A luxury culinary fishing experience at The West Coast Fishing Club, Canada
For a foodie getaway to remember, Chef Gary Foulkes of London’s Michelin-starred seafood restaurant, Angler, will be the special guest chef for The West Coast Fishing Club’s International Culinary Series fishing trip this 10th-14th June, taking place on the remote islands of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. The West Coast Fishing Club is the operator of one of Canada’s most luxurious ocean fishing resorts, with the all-inclusive trip taking place at club’s flagship lodge, The Clubhouse, which is accessible only by helicopter and located at one of Canada’s most remote fishing locations.
As part of the intimate five-day, four-night trip, guests will enjoy an interactive cooking demonstration and full-course dinner prepared by the brilliant Gary Foulkes – selected to host the trip due to his international reputation and his focus on sustainable seafood. When not in the kitchen, Foulkes will join guests on the water as they experience the incredible nature and wildlife in Haida Gwaii and enjoy a fully-guided ocean fishing experience in the world’s best location for salmon fishing.
Guests new to fishing are encouraged, as fully guided trips are available. More information about the trip is available online here, and spots can be booked while available through The West Coast Fishing Club by emailing info@westcoastfishingclub.com or calling 1-888-432-6666.
The Samling, Lake Windermere
Set in its own sixty-seven-acre estate, The Samling perches a few hundred feet above one of the most beautiful lakes in Britain. Last summer the hotel was updated with fresh, stylish and completely new interiors in all public areas, guest rooms and suites. In addition to this, The Samling also has a bold new glass restaurant, elegant new bar, new “development kitchen” and new outdoor terrace, making it perfect for a foodie getaway this summer. Guests will be treated to delicious and spectacular food that showcases the best of British, thanks to Head Chef Peter Howarth. The Samling uses progressive growing techniques to create fresh daily produce, supplying the core ingredients from the development kitchen for the restaurant’s dish development. Great importance is placed upon adding to this with local suppliers and seasonal produce, and the hotel also has plans to create a nuttery, perfect for a foodie themed trip to Lake Windermere.
The Samling offers nightly rates from £310 based on two sharing a Double Room in low season, on a bed and breakfast basis. www.thesamling.co.uk
The Compasses Inn, Lower Chicksgrove, Wiltshire
Tucked away in Wiltshire, The Compasses Inn is the ideal, traditional British pub that’s perfect for a foodie weekend away in the UK. Ideal for couples or families, it’s a great place to enjoy traditional pub food, with delicious produce at the heart of the experience. Chef Paddy Davy’s cooking draws inspiration from classic British recipes with dishes to suit a range of tastes and changing seasonally. Based on the best of local produce, the menu offers dishes including traditional pub favourites such as fish and chips, Ox-tail and cheek pie, gingerbread pudding and more. Breads, jams, marmalades, chutneys and ice-creams are all made in house. Plus, overnight guests in one of the Inn’s bedrooms will be treated to freshly baked cookies on arrival and will start the next morning with the perfect English breakfast.
A stay at the Compasses Inn for 2 adults costs from £90 per night. To book, please visit: http://thecompassesinn.com or call 01722 714318.
Eating like a local in Rome with Villa Spalletti Trivelli
What better way to indulge in fine Italian cuisine than by booking a foodie themed trip to the delightfully boutique Villa Spalletti, the family-owned hotel in the heart of Rome, a mere stone’s throw away from the Trevi Fountain. Guests will feel like they have the run of their own private aristocratic home combined with a wide variety of delectable traditional Italian foods, including freshly made breads accompanied by olive oil from Pomario organic farm and winery, owned by the Villa Spalletti family, and a sumptuous spread each morning for breakfast, featuring homemade cakes, fresh baked bread, organic honey, freshly squeezed juices and much more.
For an extra special foodie getaway, guests even have the opportunity to visit Gelateria De Angelis’ Laboratori de Cucina for a delightful two-hour hands-on experience from a local gelato connoisseur on the art of making the much-loved Italian dessert. Or, there’s the opportunity to visit Pomario in nearby Umbria, the family’s vineyard and farm where they produce their own wine and olive oil, perfect for lazy lunches and wine tastings.
The Gelato Experience with Villa Spalletti Trivelli is priced from €350 for up to four people (residents only). Stays at Villa Spalletti start from €450 per room per night based on two people sharing a double room including breakfast. www.villaspalletti.it
A taste of the island at Longueville Manor, Jersey
With 18 acres of woodland and estate on this beautiful boutique hotel’s doorstep and the coast just a short drive away, Longueville Manor has been beautifully restored from a traditional country house to a charming, 30-bedroom boutique hotel. A proud member of Relais & Chateaux, the manor is perfect for enjoying delicious Jersey produced foods as it is famed for its delectable, seasonal cuisine crafted by executive chef Andrew Baird, using ingredients sourced from local producers as well as from the hotel’s fully restored Victorian kitchen garden. The hotel’s impressive breakfast spread presents the best that Jersey has to offer, including pastries filled with thick Jersey cream, fresh kippers and sustainable honey from Longueville Manor’s very own hives. With its proximity to the ocean, Longueville Manor’s spring menu offers an excellent array of fresh seafood dishes such as hand dived north coast scallop and deep water local crab with warm crab slaw, watermelon, lime and avocado.
Longueville Manor recently launched their foodie foraging programme in partnership with Wild Adventures, perfect for getting immersed in the Jersey seaside. Kids and adults alike can enjoy the thrills of foraging on Jersey’s picturesque coastlines in search of flatfish, lobster, crabs, scallops, limpets and more. For the more adventurous explorers, foraged finds can be cooked up and tasted on a roaring beach fire using rich Jersey butter.
Nightly rates at Longueville Manor start from £195, based on two sharing on a bed & breakfast basis. (www.longuevillemanor.com / 01534 725501)
Mallorca delights and lobster fishing at Son Brull Hotel, Mallorca
With a focus on local and homegrown ingredients, Son Brull is the perfect getaway destination for foodies, in the heart of breath-taking Mallorca. The farmland surrounding Son Brull produces a delicious variety of organic crops including oranges, lemons, figs, almonds, artichokes, and tomatoes, all used by the chef, as well as olives for the house made oil, and one hectare of vines produces the hotel’s own wine, Negre Son Brull. The hotel’s restaurant 3/65 is one of the best places to dine on the island and Head Chef Rafael Perelló is reawakening authentic Mallorcan cuisine with dishes such as suckling pig with apricot and Tokaji, or butifarrón and squid during dinner and freshly baked ensaïmada for breakfast. Son Brull’s stunning bar sits inside the old monastery’s former olive press from the 19th century. Contemporary furnishings are juxtaposed with the ancient “technology” the monks used to press olive oil to create a magical setting for the best cocktails, wine and tapas.
Foodie experiences are in abundance at Son Brull, who can organise activities such as lobster fishing. Departing from the Port of Pollensa, guests will learn techniques and skills needed before tucking into an onboard brunch of “Pa amb Oli” (Majorcan bread with Majorcan cheese and sausage) and “Trampó”, a very typical Majorcan summer salad made by the captain. Once guests are back on dry land they can bring their freshly caught lobsters back to Son Brull where it will be prepared for dinner that night.
Nightly rates at Son Brull Hotel & Spa start from £215 including breakfast, based on two adults sharing. Lobster fishing trips are available from Monday to Saturday www.sonbrull.com
Enjoy an indulgent Welsh break at Palé Hall
The re-imagined Grade II listed Palé Hall is one of the finest country house hotels in Wales. It’s been lovingly restored to create a luxurious, peaceful retreat on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, and with great food at the centre of the guest experience, it’s the ideal destination for a delicious foodie themed weekend away. Palé Hall’s Head chef Gareth Stevenson crafts seasonal dishes that allow guests a coveted taste of fine-dining in the heart of the natural beauty of Wales. The hotel’s strong relationship with local farmers, growers, fishermen, food producers and suppliers means that the menus at Palé Hall allow guests to discover some of the finest food from the region, with dishes including Pan fried Loch Duart salmon with braised fennel and Welsh black beef fillet with wild mushrooms and Madeira jus.
Nightly rates at Palé Hall (www.palehall.co.uk / 01678 530285) begin at £190 per night, based on two people sharing on a bed and breakfast basis.
A sumptuous Devon getaway at Lympstone Manor
Devon is a destination internationally renowned for its food offering, from traditional Devonshire cream teas to delicious ice cream and fresh seafood. It’s home to the luxurious Lympstone Manor, which has been restored and renovated by Michael Caines MBE, one of Britain’s most celebrated chefs and now visionary hotelier, so it’s no surprise that exceptional cuisine and wine lie at the heart of the experience, perfect for a decadent foodie trip away.
The hotel’s delightful restaurant received its first Michelin star only six months after opening, a testament to the dedication and quality of the cuisine on offer. Guests at Lympstone Manor will be treated to some incredible dishes from Michael and his team, with a special Sunday Lunch that won’t disappoint. Pick from freshly made dishes including Darts Farm chicken terrine and Quails egg tartlet, Fillet of Brixham sea bream and Darts Farm pork tenderloin with boulangère potato, butternut purée, paprika and kale.
Overnight stays at Lympstone Manor are available from £315 per night including breakfast. www.lympstonemanor.co.uk
A Cornish staycation at Padstow Townhouse
For any foodie looking for a special kind of gastronomic staycation, a visit to the Padstow Townhouse in Cornwall is a must. Owned by Michelin-starred Chef Paul Ainsworth and his wife, Emma, the six-suite Padstow Townhouse is set in the Old Town. Each room has an individual style and is playfully named after a classic British sweet; from the rich green fabrics in Toffee Apple, inspired by the gardens of local landmark Prideaux Place, to the sumptuously patterned Rhubarb & Custard in deep orange and reds. Guests can take advantage of the Kitchen Pantry, a fully-stocked kitchen offering indulgent treats, savoury snacks and light bites, alongside wines and spirits and cocktail recipes – all available via an honesty box system.
For lunch and dinner, guests can choose to dine in either of Ainsworth’s restaurants situated in the town, with Michelin-starred dining at Paul Ainsworth at No.6 offering signature dishes such as oysters from nearby Porthilly, and aged soy glazed duck; whilst Rojano’s in the Square, a Mediterranean restaurant serving a traditional, Italian-leaning menu seven days a week.
A culinary melting pot in Singapore
The small country of Singapore is one of the most diversified food scenes in the world, ranging from fine white-tablecloth dining to the famous hawker centres full of food stalls. When it comes to the breadth and quality of choice, Singapore is one of the best places for food. Nestled in Singapore’s old town, trailblazing restaurant and bar Nouri seeks to transcend our geographic boundaries by harnessing the flavours, textures and cooking techniques which unite seemingly disparate cuisines. On a mission to highlight the cultural similarities which underpin the human experience, chef-owner Brehm coined the term ‘crossroads cooking’ to describe the blurring of food borders that Nouri is known for.
Culinary modernity in Moscow
Ten years ago, it would have been shocking to hear someone declare Moscow’s food culture as the city’s main draw, but in a short period of time, Moscow has transformed into a curious food lovers hot spot. Thanks to identical twin brothers Sergey and Ivan Berezutskiy’s exceptional yet distinct training, the culmination of their skills has made TWINS GARDEN a restaurant at the forefront of culinary modernity in Russia. At the core of the brothers’ offering is a focus on Russian flavours, achieved through a commitment to sourcing seasonal ingredients locally. The brothers aim to create a sense of nostalgia and familiarity in their food which they achieve through innovative techniques.
The brothers have an additional establishment in the heart of Moscow, Wine & Crab, serving nine variations of crab and over 900 options of wine. They also run TWINS Wine Space at the St. Regis.
http://twinsmoscow.ru; http://en.winecrab.ru
Nordic flavours in Stockholm
Stockholm’s food scene is an invigorating blend of culinary influences from Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants preserving Nordic cuisine to Asian and Mexican fusion bistros, Middle Eastern kebab joints and street food trucks.
A spearhead in the progression of the city’s exploding gastronomic landscape, Swedish chef/restauranteur Niklas Ekstedt had a bold, primal and radical return to ancient cooking, with the opening of his Michelin-starred restaurant, Ekstedt. Niklas doesn’t use electricity nor gas but instead harnesses the power of fire to heat ingredients. His innovative recipes and techniques have had a profound impact on the culinary scene in Sweden and worldwide.
Only a few short steps from Ekstedt you can find Niklas and his sommelier Maximilian Mellfors’ wine café, Tyge & Sessil, and he has recently become the new restaurateur at Hillenberg.
http://ekstedt.nu; http://tygesessil.se; http://hillenberg.se/
Italy’s most exciting food in Modena
Modena, home of balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese, is full of surprises: a quiet city that has given us Italy’s finest sports cars, its most famous tenor and now, the nation’s most exciting food. Having opened in 1995, the reputation of Osteria Francescana by chef-patron Massimo Bottura has continued to grow. Since 2013, it has been ranked in the top three positions by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and is currently at no. 2. Famous for its modern twist on traditional Italian cuisine, Osteria Francescana has received glowing reviews from some of the world’s most famous food critics.
Franceschetta58 is Osteria Francescana’s little cousin. Inspired by the contemporary Italian pantry with influences from culinary traditions around the peninsula as well as souvenirs from our travels, Franceschetta58 is an unexpected deviation from a traditional Osteria. Franceschetta58 offers an a la carte, tasting and smart lunch menu with a generous selection of hand chosen wines.
http://www.osteriafrancescana.it; http://franceschetta58.it
Wilderness-to-table in Mumbai
Mumbai is a gastronomic adventure through a melting-pot of cultures. From Parsi cafés serving Mumbai’s best brun maska (toasted buns), to breezy Portuguese-Goan eateries, and outfits offering blisteringly hot North Indian curries, the city is not for the fainter foodie.
At wilderness-to-table restaurant Masque, ingredients take centre stage. Head Chef Prateek Sadhu and co-owner Aditi Dugar have travelled the length and breadth of the country exploring a different rural India to bring to focus the lost ingredients of the Himalayan belt. Inspired by the agricultural abundance India has to offer, Masque uses the highest quality ingredients and produce sourced entirely within the region – some of which are grown on Masque’s own organic farm – to create seasonal menus. Diverse and unusual ingredients, including fiddlehead ferns, hisalu berries, kafal and ghingaroo fruit, challenge the misguided notion that India cannot grow exotic fruits and vegetables.