food & drink
Being B-Corp
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Green luxe
Green is cool , delicious and exciting at Lainston House
food & drink
With ‘ ingredients ’ such as relaxed dining , smoked food and cooking with fire , Lainston House , the 17th century country house hotel in Sparsholt , is ahead of the foodie curve . The Wellhouse restaurant offers imaginative woodfired dining , while Season , its cookery school , is as much about outdoor as indoor cookery .
However , Lainston House is also well ahead on its green journey . It is one of the Exclusive Collection , the first hotel group in the country to achieve B-Corp , demonstrating commitment to positive environmental and social impacts . In addition , it is on track to become carbon neutral by 2026 . Another first for a hotel group . Phil Yeomans , executive chef , and Tom Lampitt , chef tutor , Season , are not only passionate about cooking , but joyful about the sustainable journey that they ’ re taking . They explain that there ’ s no gas on site . Single use plastic has been eliminated . A new addition , The Rocket , composts 20 kilos of food waste in a day , which is then used on the kitchen garden .
Every detail is considered . Aprons are made from recycled cotton , supplied by a local business that is also B-Corp . Apples from the orchard are sent to Hampshire producers to turn them into juice , cider and liqueur . Local produce is on the menu and those attending cookery courses love the stories behind the produce they ’ re using , which can be found a few minutes down the road .
Phil says : “ It ’ s a commitment , but the team have made that choice ; it ’ s something we believe in .”
All the kitchens feature induction hobs . Phil admits : “ At first , I was sceptical about using an induction hob as you can ’ t see the heat source , but I changed my mind when I saw how efficient it is , and faster , safer , cleaner and cooler . It saves energy . If you ’ re not using the hob it turns itself off . But I don ’ t think we had thought about the benefit it would have on our working environment .”
For the outdoor cookery classes in the delightful hidden kitchen garden , Lainston House works in partnership with the Big Green Egg : “ We run outdoor classes from the end of March through to the end of November as the ceramic BBQs we use are so efficient we can cook on them in colder months with different styles of cooking . This includes slow cooking and Winter stews , even cooking a turkey in a couple of hours .”
Tom adds : “ The interest in outdoor cooking is huge and getting bigger . We show people new ways that they wouldn ’ t have considered , including charring vegetables with a lovely smokiness .”
It was Lainston House ’ s kitchen garden that determined Tom ’ s decision to join Season . He smiles : “ Not many chefs can pick the produce they ’ re going to cook with .”
01962 776088 www . exclusive . co . uk / lainston-house
Being B-Corp
Lainston are committed to reducing food waste and being carbon neutral by 2026 .
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