Chris Wheeler, Executive Chef at Stoke Park, celebrates his 10th Anniversary and is awarded 3 AA Rosettes

Tucked away in the sprawling verdure of the Buckinghamshire countryside is one of Britain’s most beloved country estates: Stoke Park, the exquisite five-star luxury country club, spa and hotel. Although just a mere 35 minutes from London, this stunning hotel emanates a distinct feeling of lush tranquillity far removed from the bustle of the city. Stoke Park’s history is peppered with notable figures and momentous occasions; originally designed in 1790 by James Wyatt, George III’s architect, it has since become a favourite locale for filming. Firm Bond-fan favourites like Goldfinger and Tomorrow Never Dies were both filmed on location here, as was the famous ‘mini break’ sequence in Bridget Jones’s Diary.

Paralleling the estate’s impressive past is the culinary excellence accrued by Executive Chef, Chris Wheeler over the past 10 years. Stoke Park’s fine dining restaurant, Humphry’s (previously The Dining Room) launched last year and was awarded two AA rosettes just months after opening and today it was awarded its third AA rosette. The menu at Humphry’s offers modern British cuisine with a twist. Chris began his career as Jean Christophe Novelli’s right-hand man at Le Provence in Lymington and later helped him to launch Maison Novelli before joining Stoke Park in 2003. For the past 10 years Chris has steadily been building Stoke Park’s culinary reputation. Humphry’s was voted one of London’s “Top 20 Best out of Town Restaurants” by Harper’s Bazaar.

Humphry’s, a stunning, light-filled restaurant featuring panoramic views of both the estate and the lake, has both à la carte and table d’hôte menus available for lunch, as well as a three-course dinner menu.  In celebration of his 10 years at Stoke Park, Wheeler has created a 10-course tasting menu at Humphry’s which includes highlights from his menus over the last decade such as: home smoked salmon with a warm watercress salad Niçoise (2008); Berkshire ham hock and parsley roulade with homemade piccalilli (2011); seared foie gras served on a red grape brioche croute (2009); roast lamb cutlet topped with lentil soufflé (2007) and apple parfait (2012).

The three-course dinner menu, priced at £58 per person, features starters such as pan-fried scallops with a celeriac purée, crispy pancetta and caviar, and a streaky bacon, confit quail and pistachio terrine with Madeira jelly and toasted pain Poilane. Entrées include pan-fried pavé of halibut with a leek, butternut squash and sorrel risotto accompanied by marinated artichokes, and cannon of new season lamb with Windsor ale slow-braised osso buco, rosemary and garlic roasted root vegetables. Desserts include:  rhubarb and lavender jelly with a vanilla panna cotta and pan-fried almond cake, and the Humphry’s ‘Snickers’, a milk chocolate and peanut mousse accompanied by salted chocolate caramel, caramel foam and peanut tuile.

The three-course lunch menu, priced at £29 per person, boasts starters such as pan-fried fillets of brill with petit ratatouille, confit tomato and sun-blushed tomato coulis or Jerusalem artichoke soup with truffle shavings.Entrées include dishes such as a pan-fried panache of fish with crab linguine, julienne of mange tout and lobster sauce, or potato gnocchi with beetroot purée, pea shoots, shitake mushrooms and hazelnut pesto.

HUMPHRY’S FACT SHEET

Address:   Stoke Park, Park Road, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, SL2 4PG

Telephone:  01753 717 171

Email:  info@stokepark.com

Website:   www.stokepark.com / www.humphrysrestaurant.co.uk

Twitter:  @HumphrysSP

Head Chef:  Chris Wheeler

Opening Hours:  Lunch Mon – Sun Midday-14.30
  Dinner Mon – Sun 19.00-22.00

Nearest station:  Slough or Gerrard’s Cross