Farmer, Butcher, Chef

Goodwood, world-famous for its flagship events, Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival and the Quatar Goodwood Festival, brings together thousands of visitors from across the globe each year. Mostly, this is to enjoy socialising within the fashionable country estate grounds – an unrivalled location, set in almost 12,000 acres of woodland, gardens, fields and farming. In the heart of the estate is Goodwood House, the glamorously restored 300-year old home to the Duke and Duchess of Richmond offering tours and afternoon teas.

A walk (or drive) around the estate and there’s also ‘The Kennels’ a clubhouse for the Estate’s Sporting Members, ‘Hound Lodge’ a 10-bedroom country retreat, a motor circuit, racecourse, golf courses, farm, aerodrome and ‘The Goodwood Hotel’, complete with Health Club and adjacent to this ‘Farmer, Butcher, Chef’, Goodwood's sustainable restaurant - where we have a lunchtime booking.

Farmer, Butcher, Chef is one of Europe’s few self-sustaining organic farms/restuarants, producing their organic meat just yards away at Goodwood’s Home Farm. The restaurant champions seasonal English fare using local suppliers and embracing the field to fork ideology, serving up some of the country’s very finest cuts of organic beef, pork and lamb to locals and visitors alike.

Although adjoined to the hotel, the restaurant, a converted barn, also has its own private entrance, easily accessible from the main road,

with plenty of parking shared with the hotel guests. With exposed traditional wooden beams counterbalancing the white washed walls, large open fire place, and authentic countryside chic décor, inside is extremely warm and welcoming – it really does have a home-fromhome feel, further enforced by the lovely welcoming, relaxed staff.

For starters I went for the hand-caught Scallops with Samphire, Salsify, Wild Mushroom with Coral sauce, followed by a main of Slow Roasted Whole Rump of Beef with crispy beef shin, onion pressing, and roasted cauliflower. The meat was succulent and melted in the mouth, washed down with a lovely glass of Rioja Reserva. The closing scene was a warm pear and fennel cake with fennel ice cream. A surprising and delightful ending to sumptuous meal.

As the Sunday lunch clientele thinned out we spent some time browsing the many quirky objects adorning the walls, an eclectic mix of Goodwood’s racing and farming heritage. Artefacts included radiator grills, badges, maps, horse harnesses and shearing scissors. This gave a real connection with the Goodwood Estate and brought the working element of the farm history to life.

Tour over, we then enjoyed a coffee by the roaring fire in the cosy snug room adjacent to the bar. It was a chance to reflect on our meal and an afternoon well spent. We all agreed. Contentment had been found in this rural Sussex countryside gem. •

Goodwood Hotel, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0QB