A taste of British food in the countryside that’s more than fish and chips and Yorkshire pudding

The minimalist platter with four slivers of lightly torched rice vinegar cured Cornish mackerel paired with a quenelle of gooseberry, elderflower and horseradish sorbet looks unassuming at first glance.  

Its taste is anything but bland.  

The delicate floral notes of the sorbet, made with seasonal British produce, perfectly complements the fatty, briny fish prepared in the style of Japanese shime saba for a refreshing yet umami-laden bite. What an impactful early course during a degustation dinner at the two Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in idyllic Oxfordshire in England. 

This unique combination is the creation of 32-year-old executive head chef Luke Selby, who made a name for himself with his one Michelin starred restaurant Evelyn’s Table in London. A former protege of French chef Raymond Blanc who opened Le Manoir in 1984, Selby returned to helm the garden-to-table restaurant’s kitchen earlier this year at the behest of Blanc. 

One of the reasons Selby made the move back to the Belmond-owned property was to gain access to the fresh, organic produce grown on Le Manoir’s sprawling gardens which span a heritage apple orchard, extensive plots of land for herbs, vegetables and fruits as well as a mushroom farm.  

It was also an opportune time for him to continue pushing the boundaries of a growing culinary interest in hyperlocal, seasonal and sustainable produce – a hallmark of contemporary British cuisine. 

“There is a big movement of understanding produce and sustainability. The modern consumer cares about where the produce comes from and really wants to learn about the stories behind the suppliers and food networks,” said Selby. “This is something that Raymond has been championing for many years so the quality of the produce we get from the gardens is amazing.” 

This foodie trend is certainly showing no signs of slowing down, with an increasing number of travellers interested in exploring their destinations through their stomachs. For Booking.com’s recently released travel predictions research for 2024, it found that 67 per cent of travellers based in Asia Pacific are more interested in learning about the origins of a destination’s "must-eat" delicacies than they were in the past. More than four in five respondents also want to try indigenous cuisines during their travels next year. 

Thankfully, with the next generation of inventive chefs like Selby gaining prominence, it is likely that British culinary fare will continue to evolve and turn up interesting surprises beyond comfort classics such as fish and chips or pies. 

What makes Le Manoir a worthwhile starting point for culinary explorers of modern British cuisine is Blanc’s own history as one of the most steadfast chef mentors in England for the past few decades. British icons including Marco Pierre White and Heston Blumenthal have trained in his kitchen. More recently Ollie Dabbous of the acclaimed Hide in London and Selby have credited Blanc as a key influence in their careers. 

“We have some extraordinary young chefs today in the UK. Before, London was the heart of gastronomy in the UK but not anymore,” said the affable 73-year-old Blanc, who has retained Le Manoir’s two Michelin star rating for 39 years since its opening. He continues to be closely involved in the day-to-day running of the estate, which also comprises a luxury manor house hotel featuring 32 rooms and suites each of which have been individually designed based on Blanc’s travels. 

He elaborated, “These young chefs are creative, authentic and are connected with their culture. Luke is a perfect example of today’s British chefs and we will work together on new menus that are rooted in my values of blending tradition with modernity.” 

For example, the mackerel dish, which was inspired by Selby’s stint at the three Michelin-starred Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo, is one of his new creations that offer a fresh spin on Le Manoir’s cuisine. 

Additionally, Selby and Blanc are also seeking to reimagine some of the latter’s most iconic dishes. During dinner, a creative take on Blanc’s classic tomato salad features a liquid nitrogen gazpacho granita served tableside for a touch of drama.  

Le Manoir’s location in charming Oxfordshire, which is about one hour’s drive from London, makes it particularly well placed for other epicurean explorations of the region. It is located close to the independently owned Hundred Hills wine estate, where there is a cellar door open for visits. Its outstanding English sparkling wines grown on the chalk slopes of Oxford are a critic’s favourite and can only be found at selected restaurants – including Le Manoir, where they stand out even among the restaurant’s own impressive wine list.  

And about 40 minutes from Le Manoir is Bray, possibly the OG village where English countryside gastronomy first gained widespread attention thanks to two of the country’s most acclaimed restaurants – Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and The Waterside Inn by Michel and Alain Roux. Well-prepared travellers may be lucky enough to snag a table at either of these establishments if they figure out how to make a reservation well in advance of their trip.  

Otherwise, the charming one Michelin starred The Hinds Head gastropub, which is also owned by Blumenthal, offers an equally satisfying meal and is a lot easier to score a table at. Here, historic British recipes are given a contemporary twist. For example, the classic Scotch egg is made with a runny yolk quail’s egg for a one-bite pop of flavour and texture. And do not miss the pub’s take on fish and chips if it is on the menu. The locally sourced flaky haddock was once again a reminder of the quality of local catch. Even more interesting were the dips, which included a “chippy dip” that in classic quirky Blumenthal style was blended to taste like the crispy bits found at the bottom of a chip bag.  

Back at Le Manoir, I was delighted with L’Orangerie, my elegant yet homey garden one bedroom suite. Situated on the garden courtyard and with its private garden entrance, I was welcomed with a freshly baked lemon cake and a bowl of seasonal fruits grown on the estate grounds – perfect for snacking on while watching butterflies flit by in my small private yard.  

In the morning, it was a pleasure to return to the same elegant dining hall where dinner was served for an utterly indulgent breakfast featuring – you guessed it – an abundance of farm-to-table ingredients from juicy Berkshire pork sausages to sweet English strawberries. 

There is one last gastronomic treat in store. I signed up for a three-hour Let’s Cook class at The Raymond Blanc Cookery School in a bid to glean some pearls of wisdom about cooking. Set within Le Manoir’s kitchen, the cosy training area is designed to resemble a farmhouse. For this session, instead of focusing on overly fussy recipes and complicated techniques, director Mark Peregrine (who was one of Blanc’s first apprentices four decades ago) dished out plenty of practical tips to elevate the home cooking experience. For instance, he advocated stocking up on frozen peas as they are at the peak of their flavour and nutritional value.  

Then, he dazzled with a masterful demonstration of how to make light-as-air souffles, often regarded as one of the trickiest desserts to make. He made it look so simple, it almost convinced me that I might be able to make a perfect souffle someday too. 

What I did manage to pull off was a version of the classic Blanc pistou soup, a light summer dish flavoured with a freshly made French-style pesto. Drawing on Le Manoir’s philosophy of evolving its dishes and menu depending on the freshest produce of the season, we were offered suggestions to create different variations, from adding pulses or beans to give it more heft to being adaptable with the range of summer veggies used in the dish.  

It is a lesson I took to heart when I returned home to Singapore and found myself picking out my favourite produce at Fairprice Finest for a wholesome, plant-based soup the way Peregrine taught.  

Best of all, I can say I learnt to cook it in a two Michelin starred kitchen.