Opened at Dorchester Collection’s luxury country house hotel, the new restaurant Woven by chef Adam Smith is introducing a menu filled with a tapestry of familiar flavours reimagined in unexpected ways, combining the classics with modern touches and layers of personal experience.
Hailing from a Birmingham estate and having started out as a pot washer at his local pub at the age of 13, Adam Smith is now considered one of the UK’s most talented chefs with an ethos of ‘taste is king’ and a reputation for accomplished, classically based cooking with a modern presentation. Adam worked at The Ritz and The Devonshire Arms before joining Coworth Park as executive chef in 2016. During his career, he has gained an impressive string of culinary awards. In 2012, he was named Observer Food Monthly Young Chef of the Year and also won the prestigious Roux Scholarship. In 2017, Adam was announced as a Master of Culinary Arts by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, the UK’s highest culinary and hospitality honour, awarded only every four years. In 2018, under his guidance, Coworth Park was awarded its first Michelin star, an accolade that it has retained ever since.
A worthy setting
The interior of the new restaurant, Woven by Adam Smith, was crafted by Martin Hulbert Design. The theatrical and contemporary space blends seamlessly into the Georgian manor house setting, whilst complementing and elevating the dining experience.
An eye-catching set of sculptures inspired by the Coworth Park gardens sits at the entrance. Past these, guests will be welcomed into an impressive new wine room and pantry with two floor-to-ceiling wine cellars that hold a unique curation of bottles. The culinary journey will begin with a selection of snacks served from the pantry including devilled egg; caviar, smoked roe, and pine; Coronation chicken; and cured seabass, XO sauce, kalamansi, and seaweed. Welcome drinks will pair seamlessly with Adam’s menu and introduce guests to a list that celebrates British wines alongside library vintages from some of the best producers around the world and cocktails that use storied, sustainable British spirits from Sapling.
A light-filled conservatory with expansive views over the Berkshire countryside sits to one side of the pantry, offering an extension of the main restaurant space or an exclusive private dining setting for up to 12 guests. The main dining room seats 44, with interiors that champion quality, craft and natural materials at every turn. As a centrepiece of the restaurant, a striking plaster relief set with root vegetables sits on the back wall, made by artisans Locker & Riley. The eye is also drawn to a contemporary light installation that mimics a woodland canopy, with delicate rays of light pouring over the restaurant below. The design of the space sets the scene for a wonderfully storied dining experience.
A culinary tour de force
With surprising twists and turns, Adam’s food challenges expectations of the classics, with recipes, ingredients and dishes reinterpreted through the lens of personal experience. The new restaurant exhibits the culmination of Adam’s great career to date, taking his years of experience combined with a creative and hugely passionate approach to cooking and fully expressing his unique style. The menu champions British produce in dishes such as brown crab, radish, apple, basil and yuzu; Hen of the Woods, Old Winchester, turnip and truffle; and Hereford beef, potato, onion, tendon and tongue. In celebration of Coworth Park’s beehives, desserts include black fig, estate honey, walnut and bee pollen. Alternatively, guests can indulge in Adam’s signature chocolate, sea salt, coco nib and crème fraîche or choose from a wide selection of British cheeses served from the pantry.
The menu is priced at £80pp for lunch and £130pp for dinner. The experience starts with a selection of snacks ‘From the Pantry’ followed by a choice ‘From the Larder’, ‘From the Stove’ and ‘From the Pastry’ before concluding with a selection of sweet treats. Wine pairing will be offered at £80pp.
Address: Coworth Park, Blacknest Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7SE
Website/Reservations: www.dorchestercollection.com/en/ascot/coworth-park/restaurants-bars/woven-byadam-smith
Social media: @coworthpark | @chefadamsmith
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