FOOD + DRINK
FROM KITCHEN GARDEN TO HANDCRAFTED PLATE: LOCAL FINE DINING IN THE HEART OF THE KENTISH COUNTRYSIDE
CHILSTON PARK HOTEL
A TASTE OF THE ESTATE
BY SAMANTHA READY
There are some meals you remember because of what was on the plate, and others because of where you were when you ate them. At Chilston Park Hotel, nestled in 22 acres of rolling Kentish parkland, the two are beautifully intertwined, now more so than ever thanks to a renewed emphasis on local ingredients, estate-grown produce, a kitchen garden where even the general manager tends the crops, and a culinary lean into fine dining excellence helmed by head chef Ali Altunaş.
Located just outside Lenham, the 17thcentury manor house, now a luxurious country retreat under the Handpicked Hotels collection, feels a world away from the everyday. With 53 individually styled rooms, including opulent four-posters and romantic manor suites, Chilston delivers heritage charm with a gently modern touch. On a golden spring evening, I was lucky enough to experience something truly special: a private dinner hosted in the hotel’ s intimate Library dining room, where each dish was a heartfelt celebration of homegrown, foraged and locally sourced ingredients.
The space itself was a dream: antique bookshelves, leaded windows glowing in the last of the light and soft candlelight flickering between crystal glasses. It was the sort of setting that makes you want to speak in hushed tones and savour every bite … And that we did.
A Journey Through the Garden, Field and Vine
The concept of the evening itself was a celebratory menu designed to showcase the very best of local produce alongside an encapsulating storytelling of the estate’ s commitment to fine dining underpinned by growing its own produce in its thriving kitchen gardens. Through tales of bees that swoop across wildflowers to their Chilston hives- from which the kitchen reaps its bountiful homegrown honey- to hilarious anecdotes of GM Paul Pierce and Ali drenching the lake to gather the clay from which renowned local artist James Galbraith Kirkpatrick handcrafted the evening’ s plates, bowls and stands, refined dishes were exquisitely presented and paired with wines from Balfour Winery( who have a vibrant terrace pop-up this summer), each expertly and passionately explained by food and beverage manager, Matthew Burbidge.
We began with a foraged wild garlic and pea soup; the vibrant green of early spring in a bowl. The garlic, gathered from the estate’ s own grounds, was delicate, not dominant, letting the sweet pop of the peas shine through. Paired with a chilled glass of Balfour Winery’ s Brut NV, it was a fresh and gently fizzy welcome to both the meal and the land it came from.
Next, beetroot terrine. Earthy and mellow, the beetroot( pulled from the hotel’ s kitchen garden) was beautifully offset by a cloud of whipped goat’ s curd, adding both tang and creaminess. The accompanying glass of Balfour Liberty’ s Bacchus 2022, with its crisp elderflower and citrus edge, cut through the richness like a spring breeze through the orchard.
The standout starter, though, was the dressed crab, elegantly served with radish, cucumber( both kitchen garden heroes), a swirl of horseradish cream and a sharpsweet note from blood orange segments. It was coastal and clean, summer-ready and elegant. Paired with the Balfour Cinque Ports 2019, it sang.
For mains came a generous chicken ballotine, stuffed and seared to golden perfection, nestled among a bed of morels, spinach and delicate asparagus spears from nearby Watts Farm, just 11 miles away. The dish was warm and comforting without being heavy, expertly balanced and perfectly paired with Balfour Pinot Noir 2023, a juicy, bright red with just enough structure to complement without overpowering.
Dessert arrived like a little burst of sunshine. Strawberry cheesecake adorned with pickled strawberries and a quenelle of peppermint sorbet, the latter made with peppermint picked that morning from the garden. The sharpness of the fruit, the cool lift of the mint and the creamy indulgence of the cheesecake made for a triumphant finale. And, with a final glass of Balfour Rosé Brut full of summer berries and delicate bubbles, we toasted to a menu that had told the Chilston story with each course.
What made this dinner so memorable wasn’ t just the quality of the ingredients, it was the pride in them. Every plate served was a nod to the land, gardens and nearby producers that shape Chilston Park’ s culinary ethos. It was a gentle immersion into Kentish terroir, from soil to vine, garden to handcrafted dish, all passionately told by every member of the Chilston team.
Whether you’ re staying the night or seeking a countryside dining experience with substance and soul, Chilston Park Hotel delivers it all- elegance, heritage and a genuine connection to its land and produce. And if you’ re lucky enough to dine in that library, you’ ll carry the memory( and possibly a craving for that strawberry cheesecake) long after you’ ve gone.
handpickedhotels. co. uk / chilstonpark chilstonparkhotel chilstonpark www. insidekent. co. uk • 97