The Best Chef’s Tables in the UK

Curious about what goes on behind the doors of Michelin-starred kitchens? We’ve rounded up some of the best Chef’s Tables in the UK, from Lancashire to The Lake District – perfect if you’re planning a foodie getaway…

Aulis at L’Enclume, The Lake District

The recently refurbished Aulis at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume has been hailed as the most high-tech cooking facility in the country. Seating just six, this Chef’s Table offers guests a first taste of dishes before they appear on the main restaurant’s menu. Interactive and informal, it’s is a place for the L’Enclume team to experiment with dishes, and guests can ask questions about the methods, techniques and philosophies behind it all. Seasonal, local food is at the core of Simon’s food philosophy – though this strong respect for nature is paired with cutting edge technique, creating a unique dining experience which lingers in the memory long after the evening is over. l’enclume.co.uk

Northcote, Lancashire

An oasis of gastronomic excellence, top class food is a given at Northcote – but their Chef’s Table experience offers something extra special. The space accommodates up to 16 guests, with sliding doors to bring you into the kitchen and screens to watch close-ups. Lisa Goodwin-Allen heads up the culinary side of things, with a menu driven by making the most of seasonal produce – much of it from the hotel’s own kitchen garden. There’s a choice of a four or six course tasting menu, which changes often but could include dishes like warm cured chalk stream trout; squab pigeon; and charcoal roast beef. Whatever’s on the menu, you can guarantee it will be impressive: Northcote has held onto its Michelin star for over 20 years. northcote.com

Tasting Room at The Salutation, Kent

Put your fate in the hands of Head Chef Shane Hughes at The Salutation’s Tasting Room, housed within the Grade I listed hotel in Sandwich, Kent. Here guests can opt for a blind menu, likely to be playful and indulgent – to give you an idea, recent dishes have included sautéed octopus and white crab with homemade chorizo; roasted poussin with beetroots and ratatouille; and an irresistible Baked American Cheesecake. The Chef’s Table is perfectly placed between the kitchen and the hotel’s beautiful gardens, where much of the restaurant’s produce is sourced. the-salutation.com

Pennyhill Park, Surrey

If glamorous surroundings are top of your list, it doesn’t get much better than the intimate Chef’s Table experience at Pennyhill Park’s Michelin-starred restaurant The Latymer. You’ll sit around a handmade glass cast table infused with bubbles and adjustable light systems beneath a bespoke Swarovski crystal chandelier, surrounded by onyx and glass mosaic walls. But it’s by no means style over substance though: the food is also excellent. Head Chef Matt Worswick and his team cook up a bespoke tailored menu for guests, which you can witness being created through interactive glass panels – with a large LCD screen to display detailed close-ups. The room accommodates between four and eight guests, and you’ll have your own personal team on hand throughout. exclusive.co.uk

L’Ortolan, Reading

Since opening in 2001 L’ortolan has played host to some of the UK’s best chefs, including Nico Ladenis, John Burton-Race, and Alan Murchison, the restaurant’s first head chef. The only Michelin-starred restaurant in Reading, L’ortolan is a beautiful dining spot, housed in a former vicarage in the village of Shinfield surrounded by picturesque gardens. The Chef’s Table is found right in the heart of the kitchen, offering guests an uninterrupted view of the preparation and dressing of dishes as they are finished off to perfection before being carted off to guests. The evening begins with bubbles and canapes followed by a ten-course tasting menu with wine pairing, so prepare for a gastronomic feast. These days the kitchen is headed up by Tom Clarke, who cooks up a modern French menu with a focus on seasonal produce – think flavoursome dishes executed perfectly and artistically. lortolan.com

The Best Chef’s Tables in London / Farm To Table Restaurants