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Coffee, Whiskey and Lemon Choux Latymer Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa

SURREY

In his first year at helm of Latymer – Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa’s fine dining restaurant – Head Chef Steve Smith has successfully steered the restaurant’s brigade through the ups and downs of the pandemic, picking up a Michelin star along the way.

Arriving at Latymer last February, Smith quickly set about creating his sixcourse Discovery tasting menu, complete with snacks, hot beverages and petits fours of handcrafted chocolates and a caramelised Yuzu Tart.

One of the highlights is the chef’s luxurious ode to Irish coffee. “The dish is inspired by a classic Irish coffee, with the addition of chocolate and a hit of lemon,” explains Smith. “It’s rich, decadent and has an incredibly sensual mouthfeel; it is best enjoyed with a shot of Blue Mountain Difference coffee.”

Referred to by the team as “Irish coffee in a solid state”, the dessert is presented on a plate supplied by Odd Standard and comprises Paris-Brest choux, chocolate, and coffee and whiskey mousse with chocolate croquant pieces. Enhanced by coffee-flavoured jelly, whiskey gel and a praline and cocoa nib crumble, the delicacy is best eaten in one bite.

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Red mullet, John Dory and Squid Terre Blanche

PROVENCE

Making the most of seasonal produce from Pays de Fayence – the Southwest region of France that is home to five-star hotel and resort Terre Blanche – Executive Chef Christophe Schmitt looks to the Mediterranean and local produce to inspire colourful and flavoursome dishes that celebrate the Provençal terroir.

“My cooking is readable, respectful of the environment and delicious without distorting the product – it is only enhanced by the precision of cuisine,” explains Schmitt. His creation – a modern take on a traditional French stew – sees fresh seafood and anise-flavoured sea urchin served with iodised sabayon sauce. “It was essential for me to keep the DNA of the bouillabaisse. I wanted to preserve each element of the dish, but give it a more personal, gastronomic and contemporary twist.”

Presented on a soup plate by J.L. Coquet, the fish is seasoned with espelette spice and served with potatoes cooked in a saffron broth and topped with grilled courgette flowers. “It’s a delicate soup of rockfish, highlighting the beautiful flavours of the sea – squid, John Dory, red mullet and sea urchin, accompanied by an aioli-style sabayon,” concludes Schmitt. “It is the perfect harmony of tastes and flavours that come together in a dish that’s both classic and contemporary.”

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