GETAWAYS
by a herbal kick of hedgerow and the oniony tang of wild leek.
Technically brilliant, impossibly delicious dish after technically brilliant, impossibly delicious dish followed – each a celebration of the estate in its own right and prompting the realisation that chef Jean Delport and his team don’ t cook from recipes, but from intuition and heart, each plate a tribute to the land they walk and tend to daily.
The dish I’ d heard of, but definitely was not prepared for was Interlude signature‘ rabbit eats carrot’- the only dish on this gustatory journey with a more playful name and yet absolutely the most masterful. Inspired by the estate’ s wild rabbits( who, naturally, feast on the garden’ s carrots), with this standout dish, Delport has conceived a story-driven creation as conceptual as it is divine. Cooked sous-vide until just blushing, then wrapped in a layer of smoked hay fat, the rabbit loin is accompanied by heirloom carrots prepared four ways- roasted, fermented, puréed and pickled – rabbit mousse, a rabbit leg‘ foie gras’ rillette encased in carrot gel, rabbit kimchi, an unctuous deep-fried rabbit taster and an earthy, intensely meaty jus laced with smoked bone. Pure alchemy.
Throughout the evening, which spans around four hours beginning with a group welcome drink that bonds diners like an exciting initiation into some sort of secret club, courses arrive in a rhythm that feels intuitive rather than orchestrated – as with his clearly magical palate, Delport’ s menu isn’ t about showiness or opulence, it’ s about integrity and enjoyment. The wine pairing is no supporting act either. Instead, it’ s a characterful procession of small-producer bottles highlighting everything from South African chenin to Sussex sparkling brut and a luscious Hungarian tokaji that made the final sweet course sing. A classic pairing made with local chocolate and water mint foraged from the shallow waters of Leonardslee’ s lakes, this final flourish was a proud nod to a popular‘ peppermint crisp’ chocolate bar from Delport’ s South African homeland, and rightly so.
Post-dinner, we had the privilege of retreating to the main house’ s Magnolia Suite, which exudes elegance- not in obvious glitz, but in clean lines, plush textures, an enormous cloudlike bed and that calming sense of space that can rarely be found outside of proper country houses. A slim vase of just-clipped magnolia branches sat modestly on our mantelpiece and hand-poured candles flickered beside a trio of estate-made bath salts, while the textured, botanical wallpaper reflected the grandeur of the gardens outside without being literal. There was also a claw-foot bath facing a huge bay window with a decanter of sloe gin on the sideboard that demanded my attention the moment I spotted it. Not one to argue with such decadence, the bath was run and the sloe gin poured before you could say“ sleep well …”.
Which of course we did. Like everything else here, the suite is part of the story. The magnolia trees outside the windows bloom in a fragrant reminder that nature isn’ t just the backdrop here, it’ s the whole point. After a breakfast of house granola- a crunchy,
slightly floral number- with estate honey and garden berries, poached eggs balanced on a tangle of estate spinach and fresh brioche, and toast smothered in house-made jams of sharp gooseberry and soft plum, we spent an entire half day walking the lakes and gardens. A world suspended in its own rhythm, painted by swathes of camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas and rhododendrons, the herd of wallabies( originally introduced here in the 1880s) that lounge lazily beneath the trees add an integral piece to the estate’ s slightly whimsical, utterly charming puzzle.
But what strikes you most is the stillness. Leonardslee doesn’ t demand anything of you. It gives. By the bucketload. There are plenty of places you can dine well in the UK; there are a fair few where you can also stay well too, but Leonardslee House offers something rarer: an experience where everything is in open, honest conversation with everything else. The entire team- kitchen, gardeners, front-of-house- operate not as separate departments but as a living system in perfect symbiosis.
Regenerative, generous in kind and deeply rooted in respect, this is a holistic haven that abides by a philosophy of deep connection. To the land, to the plate, and to a slower pace of life that reminds you to stop and smell the flowers. Absolutely come for the food, but stay for the suite, walk the gardens until you can walk no more and smile at the wandering wallabies. It’ s an experience like no other.
leonardsleegardens. co. uk restaurant-interlude. co. uk interludesussex
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