The Lucky Onion, the Cotswold-based collective of hotels and restaurants, has announced another exciting line-up of chef talent for the upcoming months as part of the ‘The Lucky Onion Club presents’ series. Following on from successful supper clubs from the likes of Michel Roux Snr, Mark Hix, Fergus Henderson and Valentine Warner, the next series promises more of the same stellar talent throughout autumn and winter. The intimate events are hosted family-style and are put on by the guest chef along with The Lucky Onion owners Sam and Georgie Pearman, who often continue the festivities well in to the evening. The idea behind the events is to bring together like-minded chefs and cooks to work alongside the Lucky Onion’s own kitchen staff, highlighting their passion for top quality food and generosity. Guests will also be treated to an array of seasonal cocktail creations from the Ketel One Vodka Kitchen.
As the last days of summer approach, the very best of British produce will take centre stage when the team from renowned Bristol restaurant The Ethicurean host Sunday lunch at No. 131 on Sunday 16th August, where guests can expect the team to bring their ethically-minded, bold-flavour cooking to this one off event. Owner of The Ethicurean Jack Adair-Bevan, hunter and mixologist extraordinaire, will return on the 13th September to host a weekend of foraging and feasting with The River Cottage’s Gill Meller. Jack and Gill will lead guests around the Cotswold woodlands surrounding The Wheatsheaf Inn in Northleach, armed with maps and tip sheets, scouring fields and hedgerows for the best seasonal ingredients. On returning, Gill and the chefs will rustle up a Sunday supper using some of the foraged ingredients from the explorations, whilst Jack will delve in to the Ketel One Vodka Kitchen to create cocktails that will also use the produce and herbs from that day’s haul.
Following The Ethicurean evening, expert mixologists from Ketel One Vodka will be on hand at each supper to create bespoke cocktails that will be carefully made to complement the ingredients in the visiting chefs’ menu using a mixture of spices, seasonings and the freshest seasonal fruit and vegetables from the Ketel One Vodka Kitchen. Guests will also be invited to take part themselves throughout the night, by creating their own unique serve with the fresh ingredients on hand, adding to the evening’s festivities.
As autumn approaches, The Times and The Sunday Times Literary Festival will be in town in October, teaming up with The Lucky Onion to host one of Britain’s most exciting chefs of the moment, to be announced in early August.
November will see Richard Turner, meat-lover, author and founder of Hawksmoor restaurants, host a meat feast to remember, before Fergus Henderson arrives at The Chequers in December to put on a Nose-to-tail extravaganza. Since spring, The Chequers Inn in the quintessential village of Churchill has played home to four Mangalitsa pigs, who – come Christmas time – will provide diners of the pub with some of the tastiest pork dishes, due to their high fat content. One such pig will be the fodder for Fergus’s festive feast, giving him the opportunity to show off his skills with his signature nose-to-tail cooking.
All of this, along with recent success at the Tatler Restaurant Awards, where The Lucky Onion came away with the Best of British prize, as well as “Best Foodie” in the Sunday Times Ultimate Hotel in Britain Awards 2014, Runner up for “Above and Beyond” at the 2014 Mr & Mrs Smith Awards, and Finalist in the “Best Newcomer” category at The Independent Hotel Show 2014, continue to highlight The Lucky Onion’s achievements and dedication and passion for high quality hospitality, design, art, music, food and drink.
Confirmed dates for the ‘Lucky Onion Club Presents’ series are:
· 16th August – The Ethicurean, at No.131 Cheltenham
· 13th September – A foraged feast with Jack Adair-Bevan and Gill Mellor, at The Wheatsheaf Northleach
· 2nd October – Guest Chef to be Announced in collaboration with the Cheltenham Literary Festival
· 12th November – Richard Turner, at No.38, Cheltenham
· December (Date TBC) – Nose-to-Tail Pigfest with Fergus Henderson at The Chequers Churchill
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To get a feel for the events, have a look at this video from ‘The Lucky Onion Club presents.. Sunday lunch with Fergus Henderson’ event.
