The Waterside Inn - 2017/18

ALAIN ROUX’S PERFECT SAUCES FOR FISH

1972 AND ALL THAT HOW THE WORLD WAS THE YEAR THE WATERSIDE OPENED

‘MY CHILDHOOD HOME’S A KEBAB SHOP!’ MICHEL ROUX’S PILGRIMAGE TO RURAL FRANCE

photographe Iris Velghe

THE ULTIMATE CUVÉE ROSÉ

PROUD TO BE CHOSEN BY THE WATERSIDE INN

‘Like the river that runs alongside us, nothing stands still as we work with new ingredients, styles and standards of comfort in the bedrooms and beyond, a constant, quiet evolution’

welcome

WELCOME TO OUR LATEST ISSUE, WHICH CELEBRATES THE EXCITEMENT OF a visit to The Waterside Inn We give you a look behind the scenes and an insight into how legacy, consistency and brilliant teamwork point to the future in this, our 45th anniversary year.

As you turn the pages, imagine I take your hand and accompany you to your seat. This year’s magazine follows the journey that you will embark upon – the movie, if you like, that is The Waterside Inn. Each section is named after a part of our menu and, as in our restaurant, these titles are firmly and correctly in French, or rather en Français! The menu begins with les hors d’oeuvres, and then there are les salades et les legumes, les poissons, les viandes, les fromages and so on. The scene was set by my wife, Robyn, when we met 35 years ago and she described the vivid similarities between our worlds, hers in theatre and mine this restaurant.

So, buoyed by the warmest of welcomes, your head giddy with Valentino’s perfect bespoke cocktail, take your seat for one of the longest-running, most successful shows on earth. The menu is the script as the characters steal the stage. We see Petru and Damian, our hardworking kitchen porters, alongside Krzysztof, our breakfast chef de rang for 13 years now, his tray piled high with Viennoiserie. Soon, we spot Alain and Diego and their supporting cast, many of whom star in this issue.

Over the past 45 years, the world has changed almost beyond recognition. We began the restaurant with barely 20 people and now we are more than 60. But the core of The Waterside Inn is what makes it timeless. Not only the remarkable talent featured here but also the simple, transformative truth of immaculate service and delicious food. Like the river that runs alongside us, nothing stands still as we work with new ingredients, styles and standards of comfort in the bedrooms and beyond, a constant, quiet evolution.

Michel Roux OBE Global ambassador

WILLIAM SITWELL

Award-winning writer and MasterChef critic

William is the editor of this magazine.

LIZZIE MAYSON

Talented photographer

Lizzie took all the pictures in this issue, unless otherwise stated.

LEE WHITLOCK

Lee is the personal assistant to the Roux family and consulted across this title.

JAMES STEEN

James is a food writer and biographer. He wrote most of the features in this issue.

OPENING IN 1972, THE WATERSIDE INN achieved its initial Michelin star in 1974, when the first Michelin Guide to Britain was published since the pre-war suspension of the publication. A second star came in 1977 and a third in 1985. Today, it is the only restaurant in the world, outside France, to have retained three coveted stars for more than 30 years. Famed for its exquisite French cuisine, The Waterside also has 11 spacious bedrooms, a number of private dining rooms and holds a licence for weddings and civil partnerships.

07

« FRONT OF HOUSE »

After 45 years, the influence of the The Waterside Inn and its staff can be felt around the world. Read about historic highlights, as well as news from the past year and details of events to come

22

« LES SOUVENIRS D´ENFANCE »

For the first time, Michel takes his son Alain to his childhood home of Charolles in Burgundy, to share the sights, sounds and scents of his childhood

27

« LES COCKTAILS »

Head bartender Valentine Baú loves being a part of people’s celebrations. Here he shares four cocktail recipes

31

« LES INTERIEURS »

And so to bed: four rooms, all beautifully designed by Robyn Roux, each with a view of the river Thames and the spectacular countryside beyond

Editor William Sitwell

Creative director Adrienne Pitts

Managing editor Karen Yates

Sub-editor Sarah Cobbold

Group account director Jeffrey Bird

Account manager Gayle Curtis

Group production Joanna Mead

Chief executive Andrew Hirsch

Cover photograph Jamie Lau

MENU »

CONTENTS

37

« LES HORS D´OEUVRES »

Start as you mean to go on, with the finest, freshest, lightest dishes

40

« LES SALADES ET LES LEGUMES »

Illustrated seasonal vegetables on The Waterside Inn menu

42

« LES POISSONS »

Alain Roux’s rainbow trout in a lavender salt crust, plus two sauces

46

« LES VIANDES »

Michel Roux explains how antique books can inspire great meat dishes

51

« LES FROMAGES »

A trip to Somerset and Hampshire to select goats’ and buffalo cheeses

58

« LES DESSERTS »

Favourite Waterside Inn desserts from the 1970s onwards

On behalf of The Waterside Inn Michel Roux OBE, Alain Roux, Diego Masciaga and Lee Whitlock. To make a reservation, please telephone 01628 620691 or email reservations@waterside-inn.co.uk. The Waterside Inn, Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AT. View the magazine online at waterside-inn.co.uk/magazine

63

« LES VINS ET LES DIGESTIFS»

Head sommelier Michael Trenga’s top 10 vintages from five decades

66

« L´HERITAGE »

Families Roux and Troisgros discuss handing on the mantle of excellence

74

« LE JARDIN »

Head chef Fabrice Uhryn loves to relax on his prolific allotment

78

« LE DEBUT »

How a rundown pub became the fine restaurant you see today

81

« LE SERVICE »

Five Waterside alumni tell us what makes a visit here so special

82

« LA FIN »

Memorable events from 1972, the year The Waterside Inn opened

When you have finished reading your magazine please share it with others

The Waterside Inn magazine 2017/18 is published on behalf of The Waterside Inn by John Brown. Please address correspondence to John Brown, 8 Baldwin St, London EC1V 9NU. Tel 020 7565 3000 johnbrownmedia.com

NEWS & EVENTS

After 45 years, The Waterside Inn’s influence can be felt around the world. Here are some historic highlights, news and views from the past year, plus details of exciting events to come

CHEESE, PLEASE

NEW BEGINNINGS

Congratulations to Jordi Albacar Fumado, who has not only become a father this year but also taken up a new challenge as restaurant manager at two Michelin star Restaurant Sat Bains (restaurantsatbains.com). Sat Bains (below left, with Jordi) is a judge for the Roux Scholarship, having won it himself in 1999.

Jordi, who was head waiter at The Waterside Inn, said: “Diego and the team are like family to me so I was reluctant to move. However, Mr Roux encouraged me to trust my instincts, saying how proud he is and thanking me for my loyalty. I have learned much from Diego, too. He has been my mentor.

“I am excited to take on this challenge. Working at The Waterside gives you the confidence to do anything!”

A TASTE OF THE WATERSIDE INN

Our inspiring new three-course dinner menu, Le Menu Saison, offers excellent value for money at £110 per person, including a welcome glass of Michel Roux champagne, coffee, mignardises, service and VAT.

As Alain Roux explained, “This is autumn plated and served! An imaginative menu to celebrate the season has been created and dishes will be tweaked intermittently throughout the month to offer the most exceptional flavours as they appear.”

This new autumn menu will be available during November only on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.

Joining his library of 12 books that have already sold 2.5 million copies worldwide, Michel Roux’s latest book, Cheese, with photography by Lisa Linder, has more than 100 recipes showcasing the unrivalled versatility of cheese in all its guises.

Michel said: “Using accessible recipes, not to mention cheeses, from every corner of the globe, I tempt the confident cook and novice alike with dishes from popular favourites to more challenging dishes. All are given the Roux twist.”

Whether it’s classic tartiflette or filo-wrapped feta and watermelon, the innovative recipes are sure to inspire and soon become firm favourites.

Signed copies of Cheese (Quadrille Publishing) are now available to buy from shop.waterside-inn.co.uk/cheese

GROWING PASSION

Alain Roux stands proud as an accomplished orchardsman at his home in Bray. His childhood dream of owning an orchard was finally realised three years ago when he planted 35 fruit trees in his garden, with the help of specialist Gerry Edwards (gerryedwardsgardenservices.org.uk). Now apples and pears grow alongside cherries, mirabelle plums, peaches, apricots, greengages, figs, walnuts and almonds. There are also five grape vines.

“As a child I didn’t have a garden,” said Alain, “but I spent a lot of time at my grandmother’s home north of Paris. She had a big garden with an orchard. I loved gardening and dreamed that one day I’d have my own orchard. I enjoy being at one with nature: if I hadn’t become a chef, I’d have been a gardener.”

RIVERSIDE RETREAT

Look out for the grand opening of Roux at Skindles, downriver from The Waterside Inn. Located in the former Skindles Hotel – which has been transformed into luxury homes with 42 acres of riverside walks and a new footbridge to Maidenhead – it is due to open in October 2018.

The bistro dining room will open onto a riverside terrace, with a club-style lounge bar and balcony upstairs.

Michel Roux explained: “Roux at Skindles will provide a more informal dining experience with a brasserie-style menu.”

Alain added: “People will be able to drop in for a drink or a bite as they choose. We will not be aiming for another Michelin star restaurant but will focus on quality and value for money.”

NAMED TONIC OF CHOICE BY THE WORLD’S TOP BARS AND RESTAURANTS*

*Named tonic of choice by majority of world’s top bars and restaurants surveyed.

Leslie Henry Research, 2016.

TM Fevertree Ltd.

GRAND AND PREMIER CRUS DINNER AT LE XIX

In February 2017, hot on the heels of La Nuit des Neiges (see below right), Michel took the opportunity to spoil some of his guests at Le XIX, Switzerland, with a special dinner. Guests (above) enjoyed a six-course meal matched with excellent wines. It was also a grand reunion for Alain and chefs Raj Holuss and Oscar Martinelli who, for one evening only, cooked alongside former Waterside colleagues Stéphane Colliet, now head chef at Le XIX, and pastry chef Stéphanie Aubriot, who also worked at La Maison 1888 in Vietnam.

MARCO SEES THE FUNNY SIDE

A keen sense of humour is essential for good service, says maître d’ Marco Pettinicchio (above). “I think the best way to relax your guests is to crack some jokes,” he said. Marco joined The Waterside in 2011, after coming from the same catering school in Stresa, Italy, where both Diego and head barman Valentino Baú also studied.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

The Waterside Inn remains one of the few venues outside London to offer the sophisticated glamour and elegance of a traditional dinner dance. For two evenings only in spring and autumn 2018, guests will enjoy a four-course dinner with wines before dancing to swing music by a live band. No wonder both events have already sold out. Watch out for future repeats of this event.

BEYOND WATERSIDE

In November 2016, Michel and Alain cooked together for the first time outside The Waterside Inn, at Les Accabailles, Château Olivier, Bordeaux. Alexandre de Bethmann, owner of Château Olivier Grand Cru Classés de Graves, invited them to cook and serve dinner for 150 guests including Michelin starred restaurant chefs and owners, and many of the grand crus producers from the Pessac Leognan appellation of Graves.

GLORIOUS GLORIANA

In July this year, The Waterside Inn enjoyed a surprise visit from HM The Queen’s magnificent rowbarge Gloriana, and lunch guests had the chance to go on board. The crew then rowed downstream to Henley to prepare for the Thames Traditional Boat Festival and a busy summer of regattas. glorianaqrb.org.uk

LA NUIT DES NEIGES

In February 2017, Michel and Alain prepared a five-course meal for 300 guests as a centrepiece at La Nuit des Neiges, Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Now in its 35th year, the grand annual gala event has raised more than €3.5 million for worldwide causes including Emmanuel SOS Adoption, which helps disabled children in India to find adoptive homes, and various children’s cancer charities.

A soul band and finalists from TV show The Voice provided entertainment.

expert cooking environments

LUKE SELBY WINS ROUX SCHOLARSHIP 2017

In April 2017, Luke Selby, of Michelin starred Dabbous, became the 34th British chef to win The Roux Scholarship. The winner claims several prizes including £6,000 cash and the chance to take a three-month stage at any three Michelin star restaurant worldwide.

Flying courtesy of Scholarship sponsor Qatar Airways, Luke chose to spend his stage in Tokyo at Nihonryori Ryugin with chef Seiji Yamamoto, making him the first scholar to go to Japan.

“This is an amazing chance for me to immerse myself in Japanese culture and learn about the style, techniques, flavours and products,” said Luke. Co-chairman of the judges Alain Roux added: “I’m fascinated by Luke’s choice, a brave and inspirational one that fully

exploits the opportunity of winning the Scholarship. Luke will work with a tiny, elite brigade serving only 20 covers, where the customers are advised not even to wear perfume in the restaurant!”

Luke, who took the Young National Chef of the Year title back in 2014, beat five other finalists in a closely fought final held at Westminster Kingsway College, London. This year’s challenge was to prepare lièvre à la royale (royal hare, inset) with chestnut pasta and broccoli in a style of their choosing. Commenting on Luke’s win at the national final, co-chairman Michel Roux Jr said: “Luke nailed this complex and demanding dish on butchery skills, his cooking of the hare, his presentation and seasoning.”

The six finalists, all under the age of 30, had three hours to cook the Antonin Carême-inspired recipe in front of judges. Chef Anne-Sophie Pic, the third person in three generations of her family to have three Michelin stars, was honorary president of the judges. “It is an interesting competition,” she said, “emphasising both tradition and innovation. Creativity is about

curiosity and open-mindedness, intuition and emotion.”

Judges and co-chairmen Alain and Michel Jr, and Anne-Sophie, were joined this year by Brian Turner, Andrew Fairlie, James Martin, David Nicholls, Sat Bains, André Garrett and Simon Hulstone.

Selby’s win was announced at an awards ceremony at The Langham, London, in front of an audience of prestigious guests. The competition was live-streamed via The Roux Scholarship website, with updates on Twitter. For more information about the competition, visit rouxscholarship.co.uk

‘This is an amazing chance for me to immerse myself in Japanese culture and learn about the style, techniques, flavours and products’

A Proud Histor y of Innovation & Excel lence

In golf, there are few names that resonate as strongly as Lynx. With a history that includes Fred Couples winning the Masters using the iconic Lynx ‘Boom Boom’ Driver and Lynx irons. Lynx were the first company to manufacture metal woods during this era. Ernie Els won the US Open using Lynx clubs and recently, Paul Eales, Neil Mitchell and Lydia Hall have continued this trend. We understand what excellence requires.

Lynx proudly designs and creates exceptional equipment for golfers at every skill level.

Above: among the many places in California visited by the Roux Scholarship group is the Copain Winery in Healdsburg

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

Arguably, the best things about winning the Roux Scholarship, alongside the prizes and acclaim, are the chance to be part of an elite club in which half the scholars have Michelin stars, and to join the Roux family and Scholarship judges on life-changing educational trips.

In 2016, a group of scholars flew to California to experience an itinerary put together with the help of chefs Corey Lee and Thomas Keller, both of whom have three Michelin stars. The group, led by Michel Roux, co-chairman Alain Roux, vice chairman Brian Turner and head scholar Andrew Fairlie, included Sat Bains, André Garrett, Steve Drake, Simon Hulstone,Tom Barnes, Matthew Tomkinson, James Carberry, Adam Smith, Jonathan Harrison and Andrew Jones.

Among the highlights were dining at ex-Fat Duck chef Kyle Connaughton’s recently opened Single Thread farm and restaurant in Healdsburg, California. The group also visited 2016 Roux

scholar Harry Guy, while working his stage at the renowned Saison, San Francisco, under Josh Skenes, who specialises in cooking with open fire.

Alain Roux said: “These trips are carefully curated to inspire and broaden the scholars’ experience, further shared upon our return with our respective teams. My father and I always return

inspired, having witnessed each scholar’s achievements and talents.” To see the interactive ebook produced by the scholars, please visit rouxscholarship.co.uk/ california-trip-2016-ebook

‘My father and I always return inspired, having witnessed each scholar’s achievements and talents’

STARSTRUCK IN SINGAPORE

A protégé of Alain and Michel Roux, chef KimKevin De Dood, has been awarded a Michelin star.

KimKevin worked as a chef at The Waterside Inn from 2011 to 2013 and is currently chef de cuisine at Saint Pierre, Singapore (saintpierre.com.sg).

Alain was not surprised to see his talents recognised with this award: “As a young chef, KimKevin worked hard and showed flair, precision and promise. He deserves this success.”

Of his two years at The Waterside Inn, KimKevin said, “I learned things that schools could never teach.”

IN REMEMBRANCE

Victor Ceserani (above) never invented a dish, nor opened a restaurant, and said he never wanted to be a celebrity chef. But he did write the bestselling Practical Cookery, which revolutionised the culinary and hospitality trade.

Victor’s death at the age of 97 in March 2017 prompted many tributes.

Michel Roux said: “Victor was simply the best, most passionate academician, an excellent cook and a great chef –a rare combination, not just in the UK but the world. He was a giant in our profession, yet so gentle, humble and generous with advice and support, in particular for the Roux Scholarship.”

A memorial service was held for Victor at St Michael’s Church in Bray on 24 October 2017, followed by a reception hosted by the Roux family and Royal Academy of Culinary Arts at The Waterside Inn, the favourite

BACK TO BRAY

Diego Masciaga may have the accolade of being The Waterside’s longest-serving restaurant manager, but his predecessor Olivier Ferretjans (above) also has a prestigious past. Olivier managed The Waterside Inn in 1985, when it was first awarded its three Michelin stars.

Now based in Melbourne, Australia, Olivier and his wife Isabelle recently returned to Bray. It was a trip down memory lane, as he recalled...

“The first time Isabelle and I came here was to eat. Afterwards, I said to her: ‘This is it! This is where I want to work.’ Well, I had to wait a while, until I was offered the role of sommelier. Later, Michel made me manager. Isabelle also worked for Michel, helping to type up the manuscript of his first book.

restaurant of Victor and his wife, Letty. Guests included protégés, students and friends who shared memories, inspirations and, of course, some of his favourite dishes and wines.

“We strived for three stars. When we got them I was only 28 years old, making me the youngest three star restaurant manager in Europe. What an incredible period! They all came – The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and the Bee Gees. And a curious young chef who wanted to see what was happening: Marco Pierre White.”

‘He was a giant in our profession yet so gentle, humble and generous with advice and support’

A

of an early Christmas Day lunch menu

ON THE MOVE

The Waterside’s global ambassador, Michel Roux tours the world’s best kitchens

LE NORMANDIE AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BANGKOK: 25-30 SEPTEMBER 2017

Its exotic waterside location, the prescient service and the beauty of the decor make this the most sought-after destination restaurant in Thailand. Michel has appeared here for over a decade and the evenings always sell out.

Thomas Kinsperger, director of food and beverage at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok (mandarinoriental.com/bangkok), said: “Michel is an industry legend and we were honoured to have him back. Michel and his team demonstrated the warmth of service and subtle attention to detail befitting ambassadors for the quintessential Waterside Inn style. It was indeed an unrivalled culinary experience.”

During his residency, Michel and his team presented a five-course lunch and seven-course dinner each day, with a spectacular wine dinner finale.

LA VERANDA AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, MILAN: 10-11 OCTOBER 2017

Two special dinners were held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Milan (fourseasons. com/milan). Guests were treated to five courses; the first evening featured white truffles in each, with dishes such as duck aspic with quail egg and a Piemontese frisée salad, while the second focused on classic dishes from The Waterside archives including roasted Challandais duck, caramelised pear and potato purée.

General manager Mauro Governato said: “We were excited to welcome Michel Roux and a select team from The Waterside Inn to La Veranda. The two stunning but contrasting menus reflected Michel’s ability to transform any ingredients into an elevated dish.”

RESTAURANT ANDREW FAIRLIE AT GLENEAGLES: 22-23 NOVEMBER 2017

After the sellout success of last year’s event at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie (andrewfairlie.co.uk), the only Scottish restaurant with two Michelin stars, Michel and Alain will join Andrew again for a two-night collaboration. Andrew and Alain have created a

six-course menu that includes signature dishes from both restaurants, paired with selected champagnes and wines.

Michel Roux said: “Andrew’s restaurant is a temple of gastronomy. I am so proud of him, my first Roux scholar. His achievement is remarkable and I can’t wait to see him again in action at the helm of his enterprise.” To book, call 01764 694267 or email reservations@andrewfairlie.co.uk

Left: Michel Roux and first scholar Andrew Fairlie. Below, one of Fairlie’s dishes

Late hotel

Guests at Milan’s Four Seasons can look out onto the courtyard garden

Late check-out gives you another af ternoon to do what you like Just one of the guaranteed benefits at over 975

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

Michel Roux returns to Charolles, for the first time with his son Alain, to share with him the sights, sounds and scents of his childhood WORDS WILLIAM SITWELL

A SUMMER’S DAY IN THE SMALL TOWN of Charolles in the French region of Burgundy. Through the quiet streets strolls Michel Roux with his son Alain. “I can’t believe I never brought you here before, Alain,” says Michel.

“Well maybe we’ve been waiting for someone to open a decent restaurant here to make the journey worthwhile,” jokes Alain.

This is a pilgrimage for father and son because on 19 April 1941 Michel was born above a charcuterie in the town that was founded by his paternal grandfather, Benoît Roux.

As the pair walk through the town in search of 3 Place de l’Eglise, the bells of L’Eglise du Sacré-Coeur toll and Michel pauses.

“You know that is exactly the sound I woke to every morning,” he says. “I would lie in bed for a few minutes after the long chimes of six o’clock

Clockwise from top left: the river Lauzon; Alain and Michel on the steps of L’Eglise du Sacré-Coeur; a 1980s Renault; the postcard book given to Michel by his mother

and use my nose to work out what day it was.”

Considered too inexperienced to run the shop, Michel’s father Henri worked instead as a woodcutter in a nearby forest. And so it was the fastidious best apprentice Francis Chevalier who took over the family business once Benoît had retired, shortly before Michel’s birth.

“From as young as I can remember, I knew the days of the week from what Francis was making,” says Michel. So that meant black pudding on Monday, chitterling sausages on a Tuesday, and so on across the week. If the smells weren’t quite strong enough Michel would climb out of bed, open the windows and take a deep sniff. “I just loved the smell of pâté, of bacon being cured, and of hams,” he adds.

Today Michel is on the hunt for his place of birth and finally he spots it just off the main square. Much

Michel and Alain stroll through Charolles, here in front L’Eglise du Sacré-Coeur. Opposite: Michel at the kebab shop that was once a charcuterie; he was born upstairs

of the building is just as it was in 1944 when Michel, his brother Albert and sister Liliane moved with their parents out to the countryside as fears about approaching German troops escalated.

But now, in place of the charcuterie, there’s a kebab shop. Michel knocks at the window to see if anyone is in to show him around, but the place is locked. “Maybe that’s a good thing as we won’t need to eat here,” chuckles Alain.

The pair repair to a restaurant named Frédéric Doucet, which holds a Michelin star and thus guarantees a measure of quality. Over dinner Michel fishes out of his pocket a little book of postcards of the town that his mother once gave him.

“The place has barely changed over all these years,” he says. “Yes,” agrees Alain, “but I hear the kebabs have improved.”

‘That is exactly the sound I woke up to every morning. I would lie in bed for a few minutes after the chimes of six o’clock and use my nose to work out what day it was’

WE KNOW ALL THE BEST PLACES

If you want a beautiful evening, it has to be The Waterside. If you want a beautiful home, it has to be Braxton. As the area’s longest established independent estate agents, we pride ourselves on delivering a highly personal, flexible and tailored service to every one of our clients. For all of our current listings please visit our website, or to speak to an agent please call our Maidenhead office. We can help with Buying, Selling, or Renting your home.

The Waterfront Villas, Taplow Riverside by Berkeley

In The Mix

« LES COCKTAILS »

Valentino Baú, our head bartender and mixologist, reflects on being part of people’s celebrations and shares four cocktail recipes RECIPES & WORDS VALENTINO BAU

Alfonso

METHOD BUILD GLASS FLUTE

GARNISH TWIST OF LEMON

A champagne cocktail named after Alfonso XIII (1886-1941), the Spanish king who tasted it for the first time on holiday in France.

• 30ml Dubonnet

• 1 sugar cube

• 2 dash agnostura bitters

• champagne

Goodfellas

METHOD THROW GLASS OLD FASHIONED GARNISH TWIST OF PINK GRAPEFRUIT

I created this cocktail for my friends, Rudi Carraro (ambassador of Amaro Montenegro), Giuseppe Gallo (owner of Italicus) and Giancarlo Mancino (owner of Mancino vermouth) at the Imbibe Live show in London this year.

• 25ml Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto

• 25ml Amaro Montenegro

• 25ml Mancino Chinato

IT’S NOTHING OSTENTATIOUS, JUST a small, cosy bar, warmly lit and lined with polished mahogany shelves of bottles and glasses. But The Waterside would not be the same without its bar. Think how many guests, en route from front door to dining room, have paused here for an aperitif, a glass of wine or a cocktail and a little chat. This is a place of smiles and laughter, of cheerful memories.

To be here, serving on the other side, was never part of my plan. I grew up in a village close to Milan and went to catering school, where I studied to become a chef. I worked in the kitchens of some great restaurants, then I moved into the dining rooms. The bar was not in my sights.

One day I met Mr Diego when he visited Italy. We had both studied at the same catering college (although some years apart), so we had plenty to chat about. He gave me his business card and we went our separate ways. About a year later, I got in touch with him and sure enough Mr Diego invited me to work at The Waterside Inn.

I did everything: I was a commis, a demi-chef de rang, I made breakfasts and worked on the door. Then Mr Diego asked if I fancied some bar experience. Let me tell you, the moment I stepped behind the bar, I fell in love. It was as if I had discovered my home. I felt at one with myself and that feeling has never faded. When I am away from this bar, I miss it. I feel privileged that people come to this bar – perhaps they are on their first date, or maybe an anniversary – and share moments with me. I have become part of their celebration. I am inside their hearts.

Of course, cocktails are often enjoyed at this bar. It is one thing to give you the ingredients and measurements and share the recipes, but always remember to give a part of yourself when you are making them.You will find that every perfect cocktail has the same secret ingredient – a twist of love.

‘I feel privileged that people come to this bar – perhaps they are on a first date, or maybe an anniversary – and share a moment with me… I am inside their hearts’

The last word (this page)

METHOD SHAKE GLASS COCKTAIL GARNISH TWIST OF LIME

In his classic 1951 cocktail book Bottoms Up, Ted Saucier says the last word was first served around 30 years earlier in the Detroit Athletic Club. It’s usually considered a drink of the Prohibition era (1919-33), but research in the club’s archives reveals that it was offered on the 1916 menu for 35 cents, making it the club’s most expensive cocktail at the time.

• 25ml green Chartreuse

• 25ml gin

• 25ml lime juice

• 25ml maraschino liquor

Sazerac (opening page)

METHOD STIR GLASS OLD FASHIONED GARNISH TWIST OF LEMON

This brandy cocktail was created in New Orleans in 1853 at the Sazerac Coffee House. The name of both the bar and the cocktail derives from the fashionable ingredient of cognac, which came exclusively from the French house of Sazerac de Forge et Fils. In 1870, cognac became expensive and scarce as a result of the phylloxera epidemic, so rye whiskey and a touch of absinthe were added.

• 60ml cognac or rye whiskey (or both, if you like)

• 10ml absinthe

• 2-3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters (typical bitters of New Orleans)

• 1 sugar cube

Underfloor heating allows me to create a luxurious heating experience, that can be controlled from anywhere, at anytime, using a smart device.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW

These are rooms with character, soul and, at times, charming quirkiness. Guests come to stay once, then many of them return year after year, to feast like a true gourmet and stay for a night or two. All of the suites at The Waterside Inn have been designed by Robyn Roux. She likes bold design and uses soft fabrics that crave the touch of a hand; florals and chintz don’t get a look in. The restaurant’s nine rooms include Mallard and La Tamise, as well as Willow and Heron, the two deluxe superior rooms in Tan Home cottage. Apart from a unique view of the Thames, they all offer an extremely comfortable home from home, along with French continental breakfast, fluffy white bath robes and slippers, and Nespresso machines for coffee lovers.

WILLOW

With its touch of elegant flamboyance, Willow has echoes of the opulent 1920s and 1930s. Up in the eaves of Tan Home cottage, this is a room where you can leave the rest of the world behind, enjoy your own luxury hideaway and listen to the music of the river as it flows past the window.

HERON

With its jewel-red wall and exotic Asian hints, Heron in Tan Home cottage is one of the most intriguing rooms The Waterside Inn has to offer, and a favourite choice of its many guests. The picturesque attic window looks directly onto the river and the abundant treetops, as well as the gardens below.

MALLARD

Classically designed in golds, with splashes of bright colour, Mallard is a superb two-level suite – the most spacious of all the suites – with a breakfast area, sitting room, bedroom with queen-sized bed and bathroom with combined tub and shower. In Mallard, you can sit and let your cares float away as you gaze on an unparalleled view of the river Thames, from either its private waterside decked terrace with loungers, or from the balcony off the bedroom where you can enjoy breakfast at a pretty iron table.

LA TAMISE

This gorgeous, airy room, awash with natural light, was named in honour of the river Thames, which runs alongside it. With a stunning view through French windows onto a private wooden deck, La Tamise offers a great view of the water and the countryside around it. As chic as it is cosy, this is the perfect place to unwind and appreciate nature.

A fine tradition

Bucks Carpets are delighted to have been working with the Roux family over many years at The Waterside.

website www.buckscarpets.com email sales@buckscarpets.com telephone 01628-522716

We are a family owned and managed local business for over 40 years. Our large store in Bourne End services all aspects of carpets and hard flooring with a very experienced sales team on hand to help you with all your needs.

Courgette flower filled with wild mushrooms, with spring vegetables tossed in warm olive oil and sliced truffle

A timeless classic of The Waterside, this starter has been on the spring menu for more than two decades. It shows that healthy vegetarian food can be as exciting as any fish or meat dish. The black truffle brings an extra dimension.

HORS D’OEUVRES »

THE ART OF THE START

When it comes to creating a feast for the senses, begin as you mean to go on – with the freshest, lightest dishes

WORDS FABRICE UHRYN RECIPES ALAIN ROUX & FABRICE UHRYN

THERE IS A WELL-KNOWN ENGLISH SAYING THAT GOES: “Start as you mean to go on.” What a fantastic approach to life! And, of course, it also applies to the cooking and eating of a feast.

Hors d’oeuvres, or starters, are the opener; a taste of what is to come. They should – they must – awaken and excite the senses, and this means there are a few rules for the cook to consider.

For instance, a starter should be beautifully fresh and pleasantly light. It should be colourful. And it should also be large enough to please the appetite, though certainly not large enough to sate it.

A tasting menu has more than one starter before the main course. Light and subtle flavours should be served first – you do not want to overwhelm the palate for the subsequent courses. Shellfish is luxurious and ideal; our guests love Dublin Bay prawns, Cornish lobsters and scallops from the Orkney islands.

When it comes to the menu, I am always thinking of seasonal ingredients. We try not to use an ingredient in too many dishes, unless it is something extraordinary and with us for only a short time. I am thinking, for example, of asparagus or truffles, which are irresistible and can be used in different ways in dishes.

Here are three starters that, you will notice, are all vegetarian. The older I get, the more health-conscious I become, and vegetables are a wonderful source of vitamins, nutrients and protein. But apart from that, we love to cook with vegetables at The Waterside. When vegetarian – and, for that matter, vegan – dishes are well made, they should appeal to every single palate.

Millefeuille of Provençal omelette ‘crespéou’ style, pickled mushrooms and hazelnuts (below left)

Traditional Provençal ‘crespéou’ is made from layers of omelette and, usually, tomatoes, chard and olives. We have adapted the recipe using autumnal ingredients: black trumpet and girolle mushrooms, hazelnuts and spinach. We sometimes play with more exotic ingredients but never forget our roots.

Smoked aubergine caviar with tahini and spicy onion fritters, young leaves, yoghurt sauce and pomegranate juice (below right)

For this fresh and fragrant dish, we were inspired by the cuisine of the Middle East. It combines Lebanese baba ganoush and Indian bhaji onions. This is a perfectly light start to a meal, with a good hint of spices.

‘Light and subtle flavours should be served first – you do not want to overwhelm the palate for the subsequent courses’

Aubrey Allen butcher to The Waterside Inn

“We have found that the unrivalled quality we receive from Aubrey Allen helps us to maintain our reputation as one of the best restaurants in the UK.”

Aubrey Allen, proud sponsors of The Roux Scholarship

Alain Roux - Chef Patron

SPRING

A Year

IN COLOUR

Vegetables at The Waterside Inn reflect the seasons, from spring’s first delicate white asparagus tips to summer’s vibrant beans, autumn’s sweetcorn and purple sprouting broccoli during the winter months

JOANNA LAYLA

Globe artichokes & white asparagus Anyone who loves good food is guaranteed to be excited by the appearance of spring’s first shoots after a long, dark winter. Alain Roux and Fabrice Uhryn use the earliest vegetables of the year to create artichoke heart chartreuse with peas and asparagus, soft-boiled pheasant egg and parmesan vinaigrette.

SUMMER

Peas, broad beans & carrots

Longer days and plenty of bright sunshine mean generous yields of vegetables and fruit. The Waterside Inn menu makes full use of the season’s bounty with Italian-inspired courgette flowers filled with wild mushrooms and delicate vegetables tossed in warm olive oil with chopped truffle.

AUTUMN

Sweetcorn & button mushrooms

Harvest time is when Mother Nature is most generous. Along with juicy tomatoes, mushrooms, red onions and shallots, potatoes, apples and berries is vibrant yellow sweetcorn. Pheasant velouté soup garnished with sweetcorn and pan-fried diced foie gras showcases some of the best of the season.

WINTER

Truffle & purple sprouting broccoli

Root vegetables come into their own during the cold British winter, and at The Waterside they can be enhanced with generous pieces of black truffle. For example, fillet of sea bass is studded with truffle then cooked en papillote and served with Jerusalem artichokes, young leeks and a Madeira sauce.

POISSONS

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER

Alain Roux shares a showstopping centrepiece plus two sauces that are fantastic to serve with fish, especially the salt-crust trout you see here

THE DISH Rainbow trout in a lavender salt crust

SERVES 4 PREPARE 45 minutes, plus resting COOK 20 minutes

• 1 whole rainbow trout (weighing about 1kg)

• finely grated zest of ½ lemon

• 2 herb crêpes, 26-30cm diameter (or pieces of baking parchment)

• 4 fresh lavender sprigs

• 30g pine nuts, toasted

• 80g egg whites

• 500g fine salt, plus extra for sprinkling

• petals from 25g fresh lavender flower heads

1 Clean and fillet the trout (each fillet should weigh about 300g) but leave the skin on. Remove and discard any pin bones, then season the fillets on both sides with a little salt, pepper and lemon zest.

2 Lay one of the fillets on a double thickness of foil, then use scissors

to trim around the contours of the fish, leaving a 3cm border all around. Set the foil aside.

3 Lay the crêpes (or parchment) on the work surface, overlapping slightly. Put 2 lavender sprigs on top and put 1 fillet of trout across, skin-side down. Cover with pine nuts.

4 Place the second fillet on top, skin-side up. Lay the 2 remaining lavender sprigs on top.

5 Fold the crêpes or baking parchment over the fish to enclose it fully. If necessary, trim with scissors. The fish should be completely wrapped, but the crêpes must overlap only very slightly.

6 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Sprinkle a little fine salt onto the centre of a baking sheet (this helps the fish to cook evenly).

Lay the pre-cut foil onto the salt, then place the wrapped fish on top.

7 For the salt crust, whisk the egg whites until foamy, then beat in the salt until firm and smooth, like a meringue. Whisk in the lavender petals until incorporated.

8 Using a palette knife, spread the mixture evenly over the entire

surface of the trout parcel, taking it right down to the foil to make an airtight seal. Smooth the surface, then use the end of a small palette knife to trace the shape of the whole fish, with its head and tail, onto the surface. Use the end of the palette knife to press down into the mixture, as if making scales.

9 Bake for about 20 minutes, then insert a trussing needle into the centre of the fish for 10 seconds to check if it is cooked; the needle should feel just hot to touch when withdrawn. If it is lukewarm, the fish needs a little longer in the oven.

10 When cooked, slide the fish, on the foil, onto an oval platter and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

11 Serve at the table for full dramatic effect, sharing the beautiful aromas. Use a knife tip to cut open the crust. Carefully lift off the salt crust, the crêpes or baking parchment and the lavender sprigs. Peel away the skin with the knife blade or a serving spoon.

12 Lift off the fillets and the pine nuts, arrange them onto 4 warmed plates and serve.

THE SAUCES

Maltaise

SERVES 4

PREPARE 10 minutes, plus cooling COOK 15 minutes

• juice of 1 large blood orange, preferably, or 2 small oranges

• finely grated zest of ½ blood orange or 1 small orange

• 1 tsp white peppercorns, crushed

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 3 egg yolks

• 200g butter, freshly clarified and cooled until tepid

• 2 tsp lemon juice

1 Put the orange juice and zest in a small saucepan set over a low heat and reduce by half; set aside.

2 In a heavy-based, stainless steel pan, mix the peppercorns and vinegar with 4 tbsp water. Set over a high heat and reduce by a third; then leave to cool completely.

3 Whisk the egg yolks into the cooled mixture, then set on a heat diffuser over a very low heat and continue whisking. Gradually increase the heat so that the sauce slowly emulsifies, becoming very smooth and creamy – this should take about 8-10 minutes. Do not allow the temperature of the sauce to rise above 65°C.

4 Remove from the heat and, still whisking, pour in the butter in a steady stream, a little at a time.

5 Pour the sauce through a conical strainer lined with muslin. Stir in the orange juice reduction and lemon juice, then season with salt to taste before serving.

Chicken and honey gastrique emulsion

SERVES 4

PREPARE 5 minutes COOK 15 minutes

• 25g honey, preferably a local, floral variety

• 10ml cabernet sauvignon vinegar

• 250ml brown chicken stock

• 60g fennel bulb purée, cooked

• 40ml pine nut or hazelnut oil

1 Put the honey and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for 5 minutes or until golden brown and the consistency of syrup.

2 Pour in the chicken stock and simmer gently to reduce by half.

3 Add the fennel purée and mix with a whisk. Gradually pour in the oil, whisking continuously, until the sauce has emulsified.

4 Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add a few drops of vinegar, if needed, before serving.

Alain’s top tips for fish and sauces

The general rule: fresh is crucial. But sometimes fish that has just been caught can be too firm if it is cooked immediately. So it will benefit from a night in the fridge, wrapped in a damp J-cloth or kept on ice. Allow chilled fish to come back to room temperature before cooking it.

When shopping for fish, the eyes should be sharp red and shiny, rather than dull; the gills a vibrant red, not brown or black. The skin should be shiny, as if it has been brushed with oil, and the fish should feel quite rigid, not floppy.

Don’t fry too many fillets in the pan at the same time, as the heat will reduce rapidly. And it’s usually best to cook – and serve – fish on the bone to retain as much moisture and flavour as possible.

Season fish with salt before cooking to bring out its flavour, and season it a little more at the end if necessary.

Pepper tends to burn, so add it after the fish has been cooked.

Always let fish ‘rest’ after cooking, just as you would a piece of meat, to improve its flavour and texture. Smaller fish need only a few minutes; larger fish should rest for up to 10 minutes before serving.

Give yourself plenty of time to make a sauce –never rush it. As for ready-made hollandaise and mayonnaise in jars; please, no! They simply don’t compare to the egg-based sauces made at home.

Sure, a Thermomix saves time and effort when making sauces. But you can’t beat a sauce that is lovingly made by hand, in a pan, with a whisk. You’ll be able to get the feel of the sauce, and adapt it as you go along.

LES VIANDES

SPEAKING VOLUMES

Inspiration for The Waterside’s menu comes in many forms, sometimes – as with the roasted poultry over the page – from antique recipe books

MICHEL ROUX IS IN HIS STUDY, LIVELY, spirited, ecstatic even, as he thumbs the scores of precious antique cookery books that live on the shelves behind his desk.

He is happy. He is humming (could it be Edith Piaf’s chirpy La Foule?) and, now that a cup of coffee has just been brought to him (“thank you, my darling”), Michel has escaped to another world, transported by the yellowed pages of French culinary masterpieces. Think kid in a sweet shop.

“Over the years I’ve used these books to inspire me,” he says. “My first was a gift from my mother when I was very young. Escoffier came after that, again a present. Parents used to buy classic cookery books for their children who were going into catering. These days, young cooks still receive books as presents, but they tend to be by contemporary, well-known chefs, rather than classics...”

Michel is halted, mid-thought, by the sight of Le Pâtissier Royal Parisien, which he lovingly takes from the shelf. It was written by the great Antonin Carême, who was born into poverty and then abandoned as a child during the French Revolution to become the greatest chef of – and well beyond –his time. “This is my favourite book. Look at that!” says Michel, pointing to the fantastic artwork of Carême’s creation. He owns many valuable copies (the first volume of which was published in 1815).

“Carême was the chef to the Rothschild family

FOR THE SAUCE

1 In a large saucepan, cook all the quail bones with the clarified butter until golden.

2 Deglaze the pan with the white wine, then reduce the wine by half.

3 Add 500ml veal stock and simmer for 1 hour, skimming regularly.

4 Pass through a fine strainer and set aside. Discard the bones.

TO MAKE THE FARCE

1 In a saucepan, fry the lardons in 50g butter until golden brown. Drain and transfer to a plate.

2 In the same pan, fry the chicken until cooked and golden brown. Drain and set aside with the lardons.

and Napoleon,” explains Michel. “And he was chef to the Prince Regent [later George IV] and produced a magnificent banquet of 100 dishes at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. When he was chef to Tsar Alexander I, Carême had a train just for himself and his brigade of 140 chefs. It took them from one place to another as they followed the tsar, cooking as they went.

“But the book...” Michel raises the tome to his nose, inhales deeply and smiles. “Aah. That smell... The smell, the design... It’s so much more than a book. If you don’t get inspiration from that, then you will never get inspiration.

“I bought so many of these books when I was about 30 years old, and had just acquired The Waterside. I wanted to further my knowledge. Whatever you cook, whatever your style, if you haven’t got your basics – your fundamental knowledge – you’ll get nowhere. Look at this...”

Michel reaches for La Cuisine Classique (by Urbain Dubois and Emile Bernard, first published in 1856). “Classical cuisine,” he says, “teaches the basics. We need to protect not only the past, but also develop the future on the past. The ones who recognise that it is about evolution and never revolution are the real masters.”

Suitably inspired, Michel settles on capucine de cailles, an extravagant and luxurious dish of quail, truffle and foie gras. It appears in Eloges de la Cuisine Française by Edouard Nignon. Like Carême, Nignon was a chef to a tsar (in his case, Nicolas II), and oversaw the kitchens at Claridge’s in London. The book was published in 1933, the year before his death. “This recipe dates back to about 1870,” says Michel. “But today it could go on our menu as a special, and our guests will be as delighted by it as people would have been in the 19th century. Books have inspired many great lamb, beef and pork dishes, but this roasted quail, which I’ve adapted here [see right] is particularly special.”

SERVES 8

PREPARE 1 hour, plus chilling COOK 1 hour

• 8 x 240g quails, boned completely (keep the bones for the sauce)

• 50g clarified butter

• 100ml dry white cooking wine

• 800ml veal stock

• 125g smoked lardons

• 100g butter, plus extra for greasing

• 125g chicken breast, diced into medium-sized cubes

• 125g chicken livers

• 50ml brandy

• 2 egg yolks

• 260g raw foie gras, 100g passed through a sieve, 160g cut into 20g pieces

• 3 tbsp cooked button mushroom duxelle

• 8 x 5g pieces of black truffle

• 4 baby gem lettuce, cut in half and braised with 150ml veal stock

• 8 slices veal sweetbread, gently pan fried with butter, then glazed with 75ml veal stock

• 500g cooked pilau rice, dressed in a buttered, dome-shaped bowl and kept hot

3 Finally, and in the same pan, cook the chicken livers; keep them pink.

4 Add the cooked lardons and chicken cubes to the pan. Deglaze the pan with the brandy. Flambé.

5 Add 75ml veal stock and transfer everything to a food processor with the egg yolks, 100g smooth foie gras and 50g softened butter.

6 Blend for 2 minutes, then pass through a fine-meshed sieve.

7 Add the mushroom duxelle, season and chill until needed.

TO PREPARE THE QUAILS

1 Season the inside of the quails, then stuff each one with 50g of farce. Push a 20g piece of foie gras and a 5g piece of truffle into the centre of the farce.

2 Close the quails and secure them with cocktail sticks.

TO ROAST AND SERVE

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a large baking dish, arrange the quails in it and season.

2 Roast for 25 minutes, basting with the butter every 5 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, reheat the braised lettuces and sweetbreads.

4 Combine the quail sauce with the cooking liquors from the braised lettuce and sweetbreads, then heat gently until warm.

5 Glaze the roasted quails with the sauce, then arrange on a warmed serving tray with the lettuce, sweetbreads and rice. Serve immediately with the remaining hot sauce on the side.

Roasted quails filled with foie gras and truffle, with braised lettuce, veal sweetbreads and white wine sauce

Down on the farm

Join assistant manager Frédéric Poulette as he visits Somerset and Hampshire with his family to select cheeses for The Waterside cheeseboard

Clockwise from top left: Frédéric samples the Wookey Farm cheese; his daughters Amelia and Mirabelle, who is also seen on page 51, are tasters-in-command; Nigel Arrowsmith, the Buffalo Dairy Parlour Manager at Laverstoke; Amelia feeds a Laverstoke buffalo calf with mum Rachel

CHEESE CHAMPION

Michel Roux’s love affair with cheese began at the age of seven. As a little boy, he would wander to his local market, St Mandé in Paris, where he bought cheese for his family to share. It was a precious Sunday treat.

Michel’s latest book, Cheese: The Essential Guide to Cooking with Cheese (Quadrille, £25), is a glorious celebration, savouring the beautiful and, at times, complex world of cheese (see our

Front of House section). In his expertly curated work that explores the provenance, seasonality and health benefits of cheese, Michel presents more than 100 recipes, including mini seaweed scones filled with brie, Normandy onion soup, and classic Mexican tacos using venison and a sharp cheddar. There is steak tartare with parmesan, cacio e pepe, and a hearty Sunday lunch dish of slow-roasted pheasant with savoy cabbage, bacon and gorgonzola polenta. Desserts and pastries include strudel filled with apples, spices, sultanas and pecorino.

Michel provides helpful alternatives to cheeses that are not always easy to source, tips for storing cheese, and masterfully shows how to achieve the perfect cheeseboard.

THE EARLY MORNING SCENE IS OH-SO-SPLENDIDLY British, green and pleasant. On the quaintly named Wookey Farm in rural Somerset, in the shadow of the Mendip Hills, campers are unzipping luminous tents and emerging to sizzle eggs and sausages on Calor gas stoves. The scene is set to the cries and bleats of the curious goats that ramble all around.

Into this picture comes Frédéric Poulette, very much the typical Frenchman, accompanied by his wife Rachel and their two young daughters: Amelia, seven, and three-year-old Mirabelle, whose hair is as golden as the plum she is named after.

They are not campers. Instead, Fred is on a mission; this is “work”, for him. He has come to Wookey Farm to taste the cheese, which is a product of the goats’ milk. Later, he and his family will drive to Hampshire and the vast 2,500 acre Laverstoke Park Farm, where the buffalo roam and their milk is used to make mozzarella and other cheeses. He will taste there, too, for Fred is keen to discover more excellent varieties of cheese to offer guests at The Waterside Inn.

And in between, he talks. “I came to England in 1996 when things were just starting to happen,” says Fred, musing on Britain’s artisan food industry. “The development has been immense. British cheese is booming. I am the biggest fan of stilton, and Montgomery cheddar is one of my favourite hard cheeses.”

The trolley at The Waterside Inn has a selection of up to 45 cheeses, including many British varieties. “It’s true,” says Fred, “that French people don’t try British cheeses, and not many are exported to France. But if we have a table of French – or for that matter, Italian or Spanish – guests at The Waterside, they will try the British cheeses from the trolley and they will say, ‘Wow!’”

Fred even concedes that, “being French, I would have said 20 years ago cheese can be served only with bread. But now I have been in Britain, I like my biscuits. Oat biscuits with blue cheese, charcoal with goats’ cheese, nutty biscuits with creamy cheese. Oh, and the water biscuits with a good, strong cheese…”

Wookey Farm is owned by Sarah and Ian Davies. “We met about nine years ago,” says Sarah. “Ian was a builder and I was a music teacher. I’d grown up on a farm where my mum kept pet goats. Ian, meanwhile, had grown up on a dairy farm in Wales and it was always

his dream to start a goat farm. Over the years he’d never found someone to live his dream with him. Then we met, and I said, ‘It all sounds amazing. Let’s do it.’” That was seven years ago.

“We’d never made cheese before. We started off with 12 milking goats [they now have about 150] and spent a few years experimenting.” Four years ago they were ready to “launch” their cheese. It is sold mostly in Somerset, at local markets.

“Our pots of soft cheese are very popular and everyone loves our brie. People say they don’t like goats’ cheese but when they try our hard cheese, which is mild, they’re hooked.” Campers come to watch the goats being milked, and to learn about cheese-making. There’s an endearing honesty to the farm’s signs around the young goats: “The female goats join the milking herd; the boys get turned into sausages.”

It is not difficult to make cheese, says Sarah. “You just have to get the milk to the right temperature, put in some cultures and a bit of salt, and that makes cheese. But it’s hard to maintain consistency. So long as I always have good-quality milk, I am okay.”

A couple of hours away, former Formula 1 racing driver Jody Scheckter and his wife Clare are at Laverstoke Park Farm. Fred’s daughters tuck into the farm’s buffalo ice cream, while Clare tells the inspiring – and bizarre – tale of how she and Jody came to be farmers.

In the 1990s they were living in Atlanta when Clare read The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman. “Jody is dyslexic but I urged him to read it, too,” says Clare. “Well, we ended up buying a small farm near Atlanta. There were a lot of weeds and Japanese beetles, and the deer ate most of our produce. After four years all we had to show for it was about 20 kilos of tomatoes, and we’d watched every episode of The Good Life.”

However, they later moved back to Britain and now lead the way in biodynamic and organic farming on their 2,500 acre farm in Hampshire. “When Jody worked for Ferrari in Italy,” says Clare, “he fell in love with mozzarella.Years later, in Britain, a herd of buffalo came up for sale. That was it.”

As with Wookey Farm’s goats’ cheese, extensive experimentation was required to perfect the cheese at Laverstoke (apart from mozzarella, they also produce gouda and cheddar). “In the early days, our mozzarella varied, from squash balls to soggy amorphous blobs. We had to learn that as all of our buffalo are grass fed, the milk will vary.” When it comes to the cattle’s diet, there is a well-considered balance between silage and fresh grass.

On the return drive to chez Poulette, Fred is reflecting on the controversial question: what to drink with cheese? He enjoys white wines with goats’ cheese but beyond that, says, “I have drunk many good things with cheese. Apart from wine and port, there’s beer, Tio Pepe and cognac. One guest wanted to have some fun, so I gave him three cheeses, each paired with a different whisky. The gentleman,” adds Fred, smiling at the memory, “was very pleased.”

‘Our pots of soft cheese are very popular and everyone loves our brie. People say they don’t like goats’ cheese but when they try our hard cheese, which is mild, they’re hooked’

SWEET MEMORIES

All these desserts have stood the test of time to become classics in their own right, as popular today as when they first appeared on The Waterside Inn menu

1970 s

Duet of lemon tart and blackcurrant bavarois

The bavarois is offered with a very thin slice of lemon tart.

Michel Roux created this unique interpretation of the lemon tart in the early 1970s.

The dessert featured on the menu for at least 20 years and still appears from time to time.

It is a perfect duet with the sharpness of the blackcurrant balanced by the sweetness of the lemon tart.

1980s

Warm raspberry soufflé

Michel first served this to the Rothschild family in Paris during the 1960s when he worked as head chef to the family. It first appeared on the menu at The Waterside Inn in the 1980s and reappears occasionally.

1990 s

Sliced pears and blueberries in shortbread biscuits served with a coulis of red fruits

This dessert was also popular with the Rothschild family. Michel used to make the sablé with raspberries and strawberries. An experiment with pears and blueberries proved an instant success and so it has been on either the main or special menu ever since.

2000 s

Blood orange Norwegian omelette flavoured with ginger and iced bourbon whiskey parfait

This beautiful dessert is Alain’s creation and was served at La Nuit des Neiges, a prestigious charity event in Crans-Montana in February 2017 with a centrepiece five-course dinner for 300 guests. Michel counts this as one of his all-time favourites: “I love it for its originality, taste and texture with all elements in perfect harmony.”

‘We use L’Unico Musetti espresso coffee at The Waterside Inn because it provides our guests with the blend they’d expect from us. The aroma, the quality, the consistency – its superb coffee’

ALAIN ROUX

« LES VINS ET LES DIGESTIFS »

PERFECT TEN

Head sommelier Michael Trenga selects his favourite vintages of the past five decades from his collection at Octavian’s cellars – and adds two digestifs for good measure

Michael Trenga (above) will tell you there’s a story behind every bottle of wine that he opens and then pours. “The wines do not simply appear in the cellar, delivered by a supplier,” says Michael.

“Non, non. Instead, they are very carefully chosen by Michel Roux and Claude Grant, a co-director of Michel Roux Fine Wines.”

Michel and Claude make annual trips to France, most often Bordeaux, where they visit vineyards and châteaux to tour, taste, compare notes and deliberate. Then they buy exceptional wines en primeur that will be shipped to Wiltshire, where the bottles are stored underground in Octavian Vaults, once a stone mine and now the world’s largest storage specialist of fine wines (it keeps 800,000 cases).

1970 s

Pétrus, Pomerol, Bordeaux 1971, £3,500

A very high-quality claret with a silky texture, smooth, subtle bouquet and complex finish. Cigar box, hints of cedar wood and tobacco, blackcurrant notes, dusty, slightly musky, earthy tannins, and a full-bodied and powerful personality.

Château MoutonRothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux 1978, Magnum £2,240

A beautiful and intense classic red Bordeaux. Full, rich and fleshy, delicately woody with ripe plummy fruits and earthy notes. The tannins are powerful yet subtle with a lingering finale.

1980 s

Montrachet Grand Cru, Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils, Bourgogne 1989, £1,506

An extremely refined chardonnay with rich smoky flavours of honey and mango layered with subtle acidity. Lightly honeyed throughout, with a refined botanical note lingering. This legendary wine is of a rare finesse.

Domaine de Trévallon, Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône, Provence 1986, £460

A velvety and juicy red wine. The complex nose offers scents of plum, blackberry and spice. Expression of blackberry and cherry on the palate with subtle elements of vanilla, spices and fresh herbes de Provence.

1990 s

Hermitage “La Chapelle”, Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Rhône 1990, £1,778

This superb syrah wine has an intense nose of black pepper, crushed rocks, spring flowers and black cherries. Showing a judicious touch of oak, the wine is medium- to full-bodied, moderately tannic, pure, and long on the finish.

Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Domaine Colin Deléger, Bourgogne 1999, £606

Big and powerful but elegant and graceful, too. Nutty, buttery aromas with peach and mango fruit. The palate has a ripe peachy aroma, rounded out by a creamy texture and delineated by fine acidity.

Cases of wine are taken out of Octavian on a weekly basis, at the request of Michael and Frédéric Poulette, assistant restaurant manager. These are brought to The Waterside, where the journey of the wine ends – in happiness – at the table. “Apart from the astonishing wines, we have about 30 wines under £60,” says Michael. The jewel in the cellar is a magnum of Château Margaux 1947, with a price tag of £9,900. Or, there’s a muscadet from the Loire at £30.

Highly recommended wines include the house champagne, Michel Roux Champagne, Tours-sur-Marne NV (£95), a sparkling product of chardonnay and pinot noir. Michael describes it as having “crisp fruit flavours and a delicate mousse, remarkable finesse and outstanding quality”. The house chablis is Sélection Personnelle de Michel et Alain Roux, Daniel Etienne Defaix, Bourgogne 2011 (£59), a well-balanced, light-bodied dry white, which Michael says is “fine and fruity, reminiscent of citrus, green apples and spring flowers. Mineral notes. Fresh, clean finish.”

Here, Michael takes us into his small but deeply cherished cellar. He shares two bottles from each decade of The Waterside Inn’s life, and provides helpful tasting notes.

To buy fine Bordeaux en primeur wines for your collection, call Mrs Claude Grant on 01628 786709 or email claudegrant@michelrouxfinewines.com

2000 s

Château d’Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux 2005, £1,665

This wine shows intense aromas of orange rind, apricot and honey. The palate bounces with orange, grapefruit and honey flavours that carry through to a beautifully balanced and persistent finish. It is a great complement to blue cheese or rich puddings.

Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé, Champagne 2006, £658

A beautiful, perfectly structured champagne, and one that is pure harmony on the senses: to the nose it delivers fine aromas of peach and rose petals, while it brings to the palate the flavours of soft, red fruit. This is, quite simply, a wonderful wine with great finesse.

2010-2017

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel, Rhône 2010,£190

Full-bodied red wine with a classic nose, explosive taste and very long finish. Plenty of blackberry and blackcurrant aromas, and an earthy flavour with lots of spice and liquorice. A very fine blend of grenache, mourvèdre, syrah and cinsault.

Blanc de Pouilly-Fumé “Silex” Didier Dagueneau, Loire 2014, £242

Sauvignon blanc at its best. A wine of balance and elegance, with hints of lime, grapefruit zest and minerals to match. This vivacious wine has lively aromas of passion fruit, melon, fresh grass with flavour persistence and a long, clean finish.

… & two digestifs

Calvados Pays D’Auge Lecompte Secret, £182

To present this rare nectar to the world, Maison Lecompte commissioned an artisan glassmaker to create an exclusive crystal carafe. Each handmade bottle is unique, engraved with its own number. Housed in a lacquered wooden case, with a leather finish worthy of its noble status, Lecompte Secret is undoubtedly the finest calvados created, a fine blend of calvados from 1923 to the early 1930s.

Cognac Hennessy Paradis Impérial, £195

In 1818, the Dowager Empress of Russia commissioned Hennessy’s first master blender, Jean Fillioux, to create a cognac for her son, Tsar Alexander I. In 2011, seventh-generation master blender Yann Fillioux recreated this blend using tasting notes from the original. Only 10 out of 10,000 eaux de vie from a given vintage, some over a century old, are thought worthy of inclusion in this cognac.

at the family table

Two dynasties, the Roux and Troisgros families, discuss the importance of preserving and handing on the mantle of culinary excellence

WORDS WILLIAM SITWELL

Left to right: head chef César Troisgros, Michel Roux, Michel Troisgros and Alain Roux share 82 years of three Michelin stars between them (Troisgros 1968-2017 and The Waterside Inn 1985-2018)

Clockwise: the restaurant is set in an Italianate-style villa; César in the kitchen; briefing waiting staff; a seafood starter. Opposite page: horses can be seen from the kitchen window

A PASSION FOR FOOD HAS BEEN PASSED down through the generations of the Roux family. There was Benoît’s charcuterie in Charolles (see page 22) and his son Henri’s charcuterie in Vincennes. In turn the sons of Henri – Albert and Michel Roux – founded Le Gavroche in London and The Waterside Inn in Bray, and today Michel Jnr (son of Albert) runs Le Gavroche, while Michel Roux’s son Alain is chef patron of The Waterside.

To preserve and pass on that mantle is an extraordinary feat. But the Roux family are not alone in having such a legacy, one that comes with as many challenges as there are rewards. And so it is that Michel and Alain Roux find themselves in a field outside the village of Ouches, between Lyon and Vichy in south-east France.

They are on a guided tour being given by Michel Troisgros, one of France’s most acclaimed chefs, who is showing Michel and Alain what another family generational business has achieved in the country of Michel Roux’s birth.

Like the Rouxs in Britain, the Troisgros family are synonymous with fine dining in France. It was in 1930 that Jean-Baptiste Troisgros and his wife Marie bought a hotel that stood opposite the station. They served regional food with fine Burgundy wines and their sons Jean and Pierre entered the kitchens in their teens. With a name change in the 1950s to Les Frères Troisgros, the

restaurant saw Pierre working as chef, Jean in charge of sauces and Jean-Baptiste as patron.

Today, with Michel and Alain Roux is Michel Troisgros, son of Pierre. Michel Troisgros’ son, César, is head chef while Michel runs the business with his wife, Marie-Pierre. “She has played a leading role in our history, oversees our projects and organises the gardens,” he says.

“How they have passed the business down through the generations, how they have adapted and changed with the times is a quite exceptional feat,” says Michel Roux. The field they are standing in adjoins the restaurant property and the idea of change is prescient.

For in January of 2017, the family made a momentous decision. They decided to shut the original restaurant, by then re-named Maison Troisgros, opposite the station in Roanne, and open a new establishment some eight kilometres away in the middle of the French countryside. The building they had purchased was an Italianate-style villa. And after a few months of painstaking restoration, having moved the 38,000 bottles of wine from the cellar, and conceived and built a modern kitchen of breathtaking design in addition to the main restaurant and adjoining salons, they re-opened.

“We had been so long in the town – we were a part of its fabric and that fabric was part of the story of the cuisine of France – that people were astonished at our

This and opposite page: staff prepare for service before the guests arrive

decision,” says Michel Troisgos. “Guests and critics could not understand how we could do such a thing.” But convincing them as to the reasons was easy. “They just came to our new place and immediately understood the new perspective it gave us,” he adds.

There isn’t just more space at what is today called, with simple confidence,Troisgros.The main restaurant – with its glass walls looking out to the woods – has a design with light fittings and pillars that at night transforms the space into a magical, glinting forest.

There are 15 bedrooms for visitors, a library and other light and beautifully decorated spaces to relax. The garden has a swimming pool and through the kitchen windows horses gambol in a field.

From the bright and modern entrance hall to the chef’s table in the stunning, dark and sleek kitchen, one enters a culinary mecca. There is an air of informality in the dining room as waiting staff wear no ties, just open-necked shirts, the menus reflect the month of the year, the food is generally lighter

in style than it once was and descriptions of dishes are simple and unpretentious.

There is huîtres, chou et curry toast (oysters, cabbage and curried toast, a delicious combination of richness and thrift). Le mariage de la langoustine et du lapin is a perfect union of shellfish and rabbit. A delightful dessert – trois oeufs à la coque – sees a playful sweetened egg on a bale of sugary hay.

Michel Troisgros’ son, César, brings some of the artfulness he learned under the eye of Thomas Keller at US Napa Valley three Michelin star restaurant The French Laundry, where he spent 18 months, and it is a tender and touching thing to see the confidence that Michel Troisgros now places in his son to cook the food of his heritage combined with skills and knowledge learned here and overseas.

As with Michel Roux, Michel Troisgros has other restaurants including one in Japan, a brasserie in Roanne and an auberge in the Roanne countryside. Their hearts remain at the epicentre of their empires. This was a meeting of two great culinary families who exude as much charm as they do a passion for food.

The Troisgros family have given their business a new lease of life, and Michel and Alain leave after lunch inspired and excited for their own projects. But as we leave, Alain turns to his father, “Dad, do you mind if we stay in Bray, by the river?” “Don’t worry,” replies Michel Roux, “we’re not moving anywhere…” For reservations, visit troisgros.com

Left to right: Alain Roux, Michel Troisgros and Michel Roux in the restaurant’s garden

‘It is a tender and touching thing to see the confidence that Michel Troisgros places in his son to cook the food of his heritage’

THE PLOT THICKENS

Head chef Fabrice Uhryn finds working on his prolific allotment garden a great way to relax and grow vegetables, herbs and edible flowers for the kitchen

HE WHOOSHES AT WHIRLWIND pace through the garden, gathering the harvest, pruning, digging and tying back.

“I work fast and I have to, because I don’t have a lot of spare time,” says Fabrice Uhryn as he takes a breather. “Also, I have the growing bug. I spend much of my life inside, in the kitchen. Being outside connects me with nature. I can relax. And I enjoy picking and cooking the produce.”

It is not, in fact, his garden, but an allotment about one mile from The Waterside. Fabrice’s partner Stephanie, who used to work front of house at the restaurant, is now a childminder and acquired the allotment with another

childminder. “They go to the allotment with the children they look after,” says Fabrice. “But I have kind of taken it over.”

Whether it is Fabrice or Stephanie who rules the land, they make good use of the space. The allotment is 100 square metres, but crammed with produce. There is Swiss chard, runner and French beans, sweetcorn, Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes, as well as onion, garlic, courgettes, tomatoes, cabbages and celeriac. Herbs include lemon verbena, mint, sage, fennel, savory, angelica and chives. “I have edible flowers, such as

nasturtiums and borage, and ornamental flowers like sweet peas and sunflowers.”

He adds, “Although I’m not growing vegetables for dishes at The Waterside, once a week I take one of the young chefs to the allotment. I give them a few tips about growing, and we pick some things to bring back to The Waterside.”

He also brings his own children. “My grandfather and my father had vegetable gardens,” says Fabrice. “As a child I wasn’t that interested, but now when I’m in this allotment I let myself go.”

“I have worked with Steve and his boats for 25 years. I am grateful for the service he provides in making our guests feel special. He is very professional and one of our team.”

Diego Masciaga Director and general manager

FROM LITTLE ACORNS

When he first set eyes on a run-down pub in Bray, even Michel Roux was uncertain whether it was the right place. But a little imagination, flair and plenty of hard work transformed it into the fine restaurant with rooms you see today

WORDS WILLIAM SITWELL

ON A BRIGHT, SPRING DAY in 1972 a young Frenchman padded around a shabby old pub, beside the river and in the village of Bray, in England’s Berkshire countryside. The estate agent, operating for the leasehold’s owners, looked despondent. Why would a Frenchman, a chef indeed, buy a rundown pub in the middle of nowhere?

But that Frenchman was Michel Roux, then aged 31. He and his brother Albert, with their shared restaurants such as Le Gavroche and Le Poulbot, were transforming the face of London’s restaurants. That day, Albert was at the helm of Le Gavroche so Michel was on his own. Their new mission was to find a flagship restaurant outside of London; somewhere with charm and warmth, a reasonable drive from the capital but

within the catchment area that included prosperous Marlow and Henley.

The paving stones on the river terrace were cracked and slippery. Inside it was filthy. “I remember walking across a damp dining room that looked out to the river,” says Michel. “Except you couldn’t see the river.You needed a razor blade to scrape the filth off the windows. It was just a grotty, dirty, smelly pub. It seriously stank.”

After phoning Albert, Michel returned to tell the surprised estate agent, “We’ll take it. It’s perfect.” Reflecting on it today, Michel says, “Even I had to work hard to persuade myself that we really could transform the place. But there was this beautiful willow tree by the river whose leaves danced in the afternoon light. And it made me hopeful.”

Once the builders had left, The Waterside Inn opened in September. “The beginning was tough,” Michel recalls with a shudder. “We had what you would call today ‘a soft opening’. It was very soft because we were getting maybe six or eight for lunch and two for dinner. We had more staff than clients.”

Weekends were better but, he says, “We had a skeleton staff and it was myself or Albert and Pierre [Koffmann] cooking side by side.”

Then, in 1973, along came Egon Ronay, in those days the doyen of restaurant critics, whose articles in The Daily Telegraph were preyed on by those looking for advice on where to eat. “One day,” wrote the Hungarianborn critic, “The Waterside Inn will be the best restaurant in Britain.”

Ronay’s article had a positive impact. “It brought us clients from far away,” explains Michel. “We started to break even.” The following year, Michelin awarded the restaurant a star. (A second came in 1977, then a third in 1985.)

All the chefs were French and together worked hard. Their philosophy for success was simple. “It was common sense,” reflects Michel. “We had to fill the restaurant and please the clients.” Ambitions which, of course, they accomplished. “We were two brothers, getting strength, energy and focus from each other. And we were stubborn enough not to give up.”

Soon after opening, with characterful 1970s cars outside. Right: Michel in the dining room and kitchen

MY CY CMY K

on

Meeting the exacting requirements of professional clients is what we do. And exacting requirements do not come any more challenging than those of the award winning Waterside Inn. So we are delighted to have been part of the team that achieved the dream kitchen for Alain and Michel Roux.

For further information please call Paul Gilhooly on 01438 750022, or e-mail sales@gratte.com.

Gratte Brothers Catering Equipment Ltd, 3 Crompton Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2XP. Telephone: 01438 750022

Design, sales, installation and maintenance of commercial catering facilities

Alain and Michel Roux

“WHAT IS SERVICE?

Service is impossible to describe. It is not something you can touch. It is not something you can see. It is not something you can hear. It is something you have to feel. Service is about giving pleasure to people – making them happy –and, in doing so, receiving pleasure yourself. Service is also about selling. What do I sell? I sell food. I sell wine. But I also sell a dream, because for many people, it is a dream to come to The Waterside. That is what service is for me.”

Diego Masciaga (above), the Maestro, director and general manager of The Waterside Inn

« LE SERVICE »

ABOVE AND BEYOND

What epitomises great service? Is it a warm smile, natural charm, or simply constant thoughtfulness? We asked five experts of hospitality, all of whom have been familiar faces at The Waterside over the years, to share their wisdom and insight

“I LEARNED SOMETHING EVERY day at The Waterside Inn. It is not only a place of work, but a style of life. I am always grateful to Mr Michel Roux and Mr Diego; both of them taught me to smile, take care of the customer, be strong and never give up during the hard times… And to be a true gentleman in every situation.”

Simone Galiazzo, restaurant manager at La Locanda, The Ritz Carlton, Kyoto, Japan. He was head sommelier at The Waterside Inn from 2008 to 2011

to welcome guests, make them feel special, and to be generous to staff and guests. Also, how to question and assess yourself every day to make sure your weaknesses become your greatest strengths.”

Pierre Rizet Mosser, food and beverage manager at The Montagu Arms Hotel, Beaulieu, Hampshire. He began at The Waterside Inn as commis chef de rang in 2006 and left as a maître d’hôtel in 2012

“YOU MUST BE PASSIONATE, OF course. Have a great time with your guests, and then you will entertain yourself without thinking about when you can finish and go home. Remember, it is that smile, from the moment you open your restaurant door to the moment you close it, that is important.”

Jean-François Imbert, restaurant director at Midsummer House, Cambridge. He was first maître d’ at The Waterside Inn from 2000 to 2013

“IN THIS PROFESSION, THE MOST important words are ‘hospitality’ and ‘generosity’ – life can be extremely challenging and stressful, so a bit of warmth goes a long way. That’s what I am about and it’s that before anything else. For me, the service is as important as the food. Central to great service is how

“GOOD SERVICE IS DEVOTED to people, and requires a great deal of passion, empathy, care, flexibility and attention to detail. Technology and social media may have changed the business, but the golden rules of hospitality remain at its core. A great deal of empathy and care really do make all the difference.

The show must go on, the magic effortlessly apparent – shoes laced, ties straight, smile in place, grooming impeccable – so the show can begin. It is like a performance where each individual has a role to play. At The Waterside, the ballet of chefs and waiters appears very busy but is, in fact, organised to run like clockwork, thanks to a lot of planning and care.“

Hervé Mazella, general manager at Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan. He was at The Waterside Inn from 2002 to 2004, starting as demi-chef de rang and finishing as maître d’hôtel

David Bowie releases his album Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

MASTERMINDIS FIRST BROADCAST ON THE BBC

Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber makes its West End debut

The VW Beetle is the world’s bestselling car

Number-one singles include Metal Guru and Telegram Sam by T Rex, Harry Nilsson’s Without You, Donny Osmond’s Puppy Love and his brother Little Jimmy Osmond’s Long Haired Lover from Liverpool

John Betjeman becomes the new poet laureate, after C Day-Lewis

American swimmer Mark Spitz wins a record seven gold medals in the summer Olympic Games in Munich

CEYLON LOSES ITS COLONIAL NAME TO BECOME SRI LANKA

We look back at memorable events from the year The Waterside Inn opened its doors

WORDS

Watership Down by Richard Adams is published

Wings make their live debut, Paul McCartney’s first concert since his final 1969 rooftop appearance with The Beatles

THE POCKET CALCULATOR IS LAUNCHED IN THE UK

Flared trousers, platform shoes and cheesecloth shirts are all fab

Actors Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, Idris Elba, Ben Affleck, Jude Law and Jonny Lee Miller, Olympic rower James Cracknell and presenter and poker player Victoria Coren Mitchell are born

GEORGE POMPIDOU IS PRESIDENT OF FRANCE

The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola’s Oscar-winning film, breaks box-office records

The musical Grease opens on Broadway

30 YEARS OF BUILDING EXCELLENCE

Celebrating our 30th anniversary this year, Millgate has grown to become one of the pre-eminent housebuilders in the home counties with a host of awards that endorse its success. Every one of our prestigious developments, whether it’s a collection of luxury apartments, a stately restored residence or a vast 45-acre country estate adheres to our ethos of creating homes that surpass expectations in terms of quality and luxury.

Our ethos of individuality and hand-built craftsmanship coupled with a meticulous attention to design and exquisite specification can be seen in our current portfolio.

NOW SELLING IN: Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire

Checkendon, Oxfordshire

COMING SOON TO: Lingfield, Surrey

Ascot, Berkshire

Cobham, Surrey

Camberley, Surrey

External

Kent

Pangbourne, Berkshire

Upton Grey, Hampshire