There’s a lot of hullabaloo happening around Windsor, but for once it’s not all about the royals.
Tongues are wagging—and mouths are watering—about the latest development at Coworth Park. The hotel, nestled in the Berkshire countryside, just outside of Ascot, is a known quantity. Built in 1776 as a Georgian manor house for a prosperous merchant, it is surrounded by 240 verdant acres of hunting-and-hiking grounds. In the mid-80s, it was bought by Galen Weston, the onetime owner of Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason, who erected a polo field and held several memorable parties (so the legend goes) before eventually selling it to the Dorchester Collection group.
These days, Coworth Park includes guest rooms in both the mansion house and the stables, and it draws vacationers of all persuasions, including William and Harry, who both chose to spend the night there before their weddings, at Windsor Castle.
Now it’s betting big on culinary tourism by building out an ambitious new restaurant under the watch of executive chef Adam Smith (of no relation to the economist). Smith, a native of Birmingham, got his start in the kitchens of the Ritz London and the Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa, on the estate of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, before joining Coworth Park as executive chef in 2016. Two years later, he was among the youngest chefs to earn a Michelin star.
Woven, as it’s called, might be located inside a hotel, but it does not feel anything like a hotel restaurant. The dining room’s design is faintly midcentury, stocked with angular chairs backed in chestnut leather, and illuminated with cone-shaped black lamps that droop over the tables. Overhead, shimmering lights ensconced in an elaborate configuration of threads mimic the feel of a woodland canopy. It’s a sensory-rich universe, through an immersive mix of smart interiors and beautifully prepared food. For a few hours, it’s acceptable and even encouraged to snooze your texts and ignore the outside world.
So many fine-dining establishments are plagued by interminable tasting menus, overwrought beverage “programs,” and celebrification of chefs. It’s all a bit precious, and increasingly out of touch for the times we live in. No wonder many diners have lost their appetite for performative gastronomy.
But Smith seems to understand that, which is why he’s eschewed the white tablecloths in favor of great-looking tables, minimalist ceramics, and the kind of stemware that makes any old glass of swill taste special. Instead of endless rounds of micro-size courses, he presents a tight edit of inventive dishes that taste delicious, without making an excessive fuss about it.
These days, Coworth Park includes guest rooms in both the mansion house and the stables, and it draws vacationers of all persuasions, including William and Harry, who both chose to spend the night there before their weddings, at Windsor Castle.
Lunch, where Smith’s three-course menu satiates without stuffing, is the way to do it. He named the restaurant Woven because his modus operandi is to bring flavors together in unexpected ways, but none of his combinations feel forced. By relying mostly on ingredients that are so hyperlocal to Berkshire that they could be interpreted as commonplace, Smith ensures that a fanciful experience feels grounded.
In Smith’s hands, the very familiar brown crab is transformed, thanks to a sprinkling of radish, a dash of yuzu, and a chiffonade of basil. Ever so slightly grilled hen-of-the-woods mushrooms are artfully arranged alongside wafer-thin crackers, made of mushroom and cauliflower that have been shaped like toadstools and maple leaves.
It all looks great on Instagram, but it’s the tastes that linger. Especially if one leaves the wine selection in the capable hands of head sommelier Sandro Mezzapelle, who will happily take adventurous types on a journey through the ever expanding world of British wine. (Spoiler alert: it’s better than expected.)
The dining room seats only 44, and while the atmosphere is reverent and hushed, it’s not monastic. The best place to sit is in the private dining room, which is adjacent to a larder that displays an embarrassment of wines and cheeses. That table, which seats up to 12, is an ideal spot for a celebration—birthday, anniversary, rehearsal dinner, what have you. It overlooks Coworth Park’s spectacularly manicured gardens, which include David Austin roses, a lime grove, and nearly a dozen bronze sculptures by artist Carol Peace. One might even be tempted to go outside. After a few hours in this place, see? It turns out that the real world’s not so bad after all.
Ashley Baker is a Deputy Editor for Air Mail