Events and News
May 2008. Warm welcome to Blaine Reed our new Head Chef
We would like to extend the warmest of welcomes to our new Head Chef.
Cinderford born Blaine Reed is returning to the Forest of Dean after years cooking in some of the UK’s best hotels where he has held numerous awards including 3 AA Rosettes as well as a Michelin Red M. Blaine is aiming to build on the success we’ve already achieved at the Tudor Farmhouse’s 2 AA Rosette restaurant. English cooking with a modern European twist is Blaine’s trademark and he has a passion for using locally sourced seasonal produce wherever possible.
We are already enjoying working with Blaine and it’s great to see happy customers tucking into our new 3 Course Menu. The new evening menu includes Rosemary Roasted Gloucestershire Pork Tenderloin, Best End Cannon of Usk Lamb and Fillet of Hereford Beef. Traditional Sunday Roasts will also remain a speciality as will afternoon cream teas which are available 7 days a week.
March 2008. Foraging and Tutored Tours of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley
The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley are all about the great outdoors so we thought it would be nice to offer our guests a chance to go on foraging trips with local celebrity forager Raoul Van Den Broucke. Raoul lives nearby and supplies the hotel with local produce collected in the Forest and Wye Valley, if you have ever bought wild mushrooms and puffballs from London’s Borough Market chances are they were picked by Raoul.
Featured on TVs The Wild Gourmet programme and a number newspaper and magazine articles, Raoul is an expert in the local flora and where to find it. The crop depends on season, location etc and ranges from a wide variety of edible and useful mushrooms, wild garlic and sorrel, bitter cress, pennywort, wimberries, sea beat, marsh samphire, edible flowers, wild strawberries etc.
As well as the heads down foraging customers get some time outside with the kids and have a fun tutored walk with a local expert. Customers returning from trips can have their collection cooked for lunch by our kitchen.
Raoul charges £75 per couple for a half day and rates for larger groups can be arranged. Please call the hotel number (01594 833046) for more information or to make a booking.
