Photograph: Rose Bainbridge
Food & Drink
With lockdown slowly being lifted, it’s finally time for loved up couples to start planning their big day. Lottie Bulmer chats to Dan Yardley, Head Chef at popular wedding venue Salomons Estate, about how he and his team can serve up a safe and perfect day to remember… What’s the current marriage market like for you at Salomons? People are obviously wanting to get married after waiting for so long since the first lockdown last March. And although we have hosted a number of weddings, in accordance with the current guidelines I think most are hanging on until June 21 because that’s the day when everyone can have a proper party! What have been the challenges since the limitations were put on weddings? Well shared buffets are obviously no longer possible because of Covid. And now canapes, traditionally served with drinks on arrival, have to be served in a Covid safe manner. It will be interesting to see if people still opt to have food in the evening – a time when usually more guests arrive and people are hungry. I’m guessing it will all depend on peoples’ attitudes
around Covid whether they opt for a buffet. It will be interesting to see what happens next month as lockdown measures are eased further. You have been Head Chef for 15 years and done countless weddings. How do you ensure each one is bespoke? Every couple has a meeting with the Sales & Events team here, and they choose what they’d like to try. Then they come back and have a tasting session with us. This is my first involvement in the process and gives me the chance to chat through a couple’s likes and dislikes. Unlike a lot of venues, the wedding menu here is never set in stone; it’s a guide and we try our best to fulfil what guests would like. We are also flexible too: if we have enough time to plan and can even do different cuisine styles such as Caribbean and Indian dishes.
DID YOU KNOW? The Salomons Estate in Tunbridge Wells now has over 70 weddings booked until January 2022.
Do you have a must-have dish for a wedding menu? Not really. I love cooking and trying new and different things. I have been here for 15 years so I like to keep challenging myself! I’m particularly inspired by things I’ve seen on the TV like the Great British Menu – I’m always trying to improve and better myself with my cooking.
How has the overall Covid situation impacted on weddings in general at Salomons? We’ve had much smaller ones, for obvious reasons. Last month we had one where the bride and groom opted for a five-course taster menu. They had to change their approach as they couldn’t have as many guests as usual and so decided to give more of an emphasis on the food. I guess having five courses instead of the usual three fills the gaps where you’d maybe have more speeches! What makes your kitchen team so unique? I really value their input; we’re a close and loyal team. Behind all great feedback is a great team. The unusual requests we receive gives my guys something to really get their teeth into. Over lockdown they did some research for new ideas which we hope to serve up soon and we’re also launching a new menu next year. What motivates you? Hearing encouraging feedback from our clients on what we’ve created in the kitchen is what we do it for.
Photograph: Rose Bainbridge
www.salomons-estate.com SO Magazine | May 2021 | 35
