8 minute read
Eco-Friendly Food like no other
Dream Escape unearths extraordinary farm-to-table dining experiences at Simon Rogan’s world-famous restaurants in the Lake District, where sustainability, seasonality and world-class culinary innovation combine in delicious harmony.
Living sustainably doesn’t always have to require sacrifice. In fact, when it comes to food, local and seasonal produce is often far more delicious than the alternative. There are few greater pleasures, for example, than eating fresh fish on the beach where it was caught just moments earlier, or sipping a glass of crisp English sparkling wine while overlooking the vines that produced the fruit.
A similarly satisfying (and sustainable) experience can be found in the Lake District, where food lovers flock not only for the beautiful scenery, but for a taste of Simon Rogan’s farm-to-fork philosophy. One of the most celebrated chefs in the world and recently awarded an MBE for services to the food industry in the 2024 New Year's Honours List, Rogan is deeply passionate about the relationship between food and nature and has built an epicurean empire based on this ethos in and around the unassuming Cumbrian village of Cartmel. Here, his acclaimed restaurants include the legendary L’Enclume; the only three-Michelin-star restaurant in the North of England, and one of only eight in the UK. It also holds a Michelin Green Star; a relatively new annual award that recognises exceptional restaurants combining culinary excellence with outstanding environmental efforts.
One of the many things that has earned Rogan this prestigious eco accolade is the part played by his very own 12-acre farm. Set in the Cartmel Valley, ‘Our Farm’ supplies all of his restaurants with fantastically fresh, hyperlocal produce, ensuring a fully traceable dining experience, which is something of a rarity, even in today’s eco-conscious world.
During the spring and summer months, Dream Escape arrange unmissable farm tours that provide an opportunity to learn about the farm’s approach to regenerative farming and sustainability. Here, growers and chefs work side-by-side, no chemicals are used, and what is produced, according to the rhythms of the seasons, determine all of Rogan’s menus. The farm is essentially an extension of the kitchen(s).
It also features a fleet of fascinating state-of-theart composters, each one capable of consuming up to 200kg of food waste per week, and there is an emphasis on growing more unusual plants that can provide Rogan’s restaurants with exotic and interesting flavours, thus eliminating the need to import any alternatives. Exploring the rows of luscious vegetables, flourishing plants and polytunnels filled with delicate microherbs is an inspiring, back-to-nature experience that offers a unique insight into Rogan’s extraordinary gastronomic vision.
Also not to be missed is A Day on Our Farm; a oneof-a-kind immersive experience limited to certain dates and just 16 people. The day starts with an informative tour with exceedingly knowledgeable farm manager John Rowland, and head chef Liam Fitzpatrick, accompanied by some freshly prepared seasonal snacks. An alfresco feasting lunch is then served, using the very best of what’s available, grown only metres from the dining table.
However you choose to explore Our Farm, a visit truly enhances the experience of then eating in Rogan’s nearby restaurants, where guests can discover firsthand how his talented team of chefs transform the farm’s produce into unforgettably creative and delicious dishes.
Dream Escape organise stays at local luxury country house hotel, Linthwaite House. Nestled among beautiful sculpture-dotted grounds near the small town of Bowness-on-Windermere, the hotel is home to 36 stylish bedrooms and suites, art-filled interiors, and Henrock - an informal and elegant restaurant by Simon Rogan. The menu here is inspired by flavours and techniques discovered by Rogan and his chefs on their travels, reimagined using local ingredients, including produce from Our Farm.
At the hotel’s chic Henrock bar, even the cocktail menu is led by this unwavering focus on sustainability and hyper locality. The pina colada, for example, is made using foraged gorse flowers, known for their coconutty flavour; ingenious, delicious, and with minimal air miles to boot. A picturesque 30-minute drive away lies Cartmel; a chocolate-box scene of winding streets and pretty rose-covered cottages.
Here, Rogan has 16 tasteful and extremely comfortable bedrooms and suites dotted around the village, each with characterful historic features. Some have beautiful exposed beamed ceilings, luxurious roll-top baths, and feature an array of soothing natural materials.
At the heart of the village sits Rogan & Co, the chef’s relaxed one-Michelin-star neighbourhood restaurant. With rustic wooden floors, beamed ceilings, and comfortable, well-designed furniture, the cosy atmosphere is reflected in the comforting menu. In the summer months, expect flavour-filled dishes such as Our Farm heritage tomatoes –some fresh, others dehydrated and semi- dehydrated – with smoked egg yolk, sourdough crisp and a variety of freshly picked cress. Much like all of Rogan’s establishments, the service is impeccable, yet warm and welcoming.
Just a short walk away, more fantastic farm-to-table flavours can be found at Rogan’s development kitchen, Aulis. This unique behind-the-scenes dining experience is limited to just six guests who can enjoy a selection of innovative dishes and watch Rogan’s chefs at work, while hearing about their creative processes and how they use the ingredients from Our Farm.
However, Cartmel's ultimate dining experience has to be the world-famous L’Enclume - the jewel in Rogan’s Cumbrian crown and the edible epitome of his philosophy. This multi-award winning, 50-seater restaurant opened in 2002 and is situated in an unassuming former 13th-century blacksmith workshop, with the original anvil still at its centre (L’Enclume means ‘the anvil’ in French). Dream Escape organise highly coveted tables in its rustic, low-ceilinged dining room, or out in the small conservatory, which offers views of both the pretty cottage garden and the small, busy kitchen.
The exceptional, ever-evolving dining experience here consists of multiple courses and can take up to four hours. Expertly delivered by a team of friendly, knowledgeable, and supremely efficient staff, each beautifully presented dish is a flavour-filled masterclass in creativity, impeccable precision, and mind-boggling technique. As in all of Rogan’s restaurants, the menu changes regularly to reflect what is in season and is brimming with the freshest possible ingredients from Our Farm and the local area, transformed into truly unforgettable plates of food.
Breakfast is served at Rogan & Co, where an assortment of whisky-laced porridge, freshly laid eggs, smoky baked beans, and thick rashers of local bacon round off a delectable stay perfectly.
In a world where there is often so much distance between what we eat and where it is grown, the experience created by Simon Rogan’s innovative menus - a product of the genuine, symbiotic relationship that he has created between farm and fork - is totally unique, not to mention extremely delicious. And it just goes to prove that eating sustainably doesn’t have to feel like a sacrificein fact, it can be quite the opposite.
Hungry for more?
FURTHER DELICIOUS LAKE DISTRICT DELIGHTS
Cumbria’s reputation as a food-lover’s paradise is well-earned, with an impressive 13 Michelin stars – the highest number in the UK outside London. Several well-known delicacies have originated in the Lake District too, most notably Romney's Kendal Mint Cake – a much-loved meltin-the-mouth mixture of sugar and peppermint oil; Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding – a classic and comforting British dessert; and Grasmere Gingerbread® – a unique, spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake. Dream Escape organise trips to the market town of Kendal, home of the famous Mint Cake, and visits to the Cartmel Village Shop for a taste of the famous sticky toffee pudding that has been baked there for over 30 years. And no visit to the Lakes would be complete without a trip to the characterful Grasmere
Gingerbread Shop, where Victorian cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854. enquiries@dreamescape.co.uk
Sue Morris Associate
Director & Head of Marketing
There is no doubt that Simon Rogan has spearheaded a change in the British culinary landscape like no other. He has also put the Lake District firmly on the map as hottest fine dining destination outside of London, and as a Cumbrian myself, I am a huge advocate. While visiting this very special corner of England why not walk off that Cumberland sausage and sticky toffee pudding and head for the hills. The stunning Helvellyn/ Striding Edge walk is not for the fainthearted but. if you are able, it is so worth it. The ascent has to be one of the most spectacular you may ever experience, with valleys falling away either side of the narrow ridge – a great day out while staying at Linthwaite House or Cartmel.
Words | Sophie Farrah
