KCR Summer 2025 Mag V2 - Flipbook - Page 47
Interlude
A Restaurant with Rooms
At the luxury showstopper end of the Sussex vineyard vacation spectrum
is a family-owned estate which carries a swallow for its emblem, symbolising the special migratory relationship between Sussex and South
Africa. Founded by Penny Streeter OBE, Leonardslee has its roots in the
Western Cape Province, where her sister vineyard is still thriving: the
highly respected Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate.
Just forty minutes outside of London, Streeter’s English estate has
two very distinct accommodation o昀昀ers: one for golfers and one for
gourmets. If you want to play a round or two of the gentle person’s game
before a well-deserved tasting trio, then head straight to the Leonardslee
Family Vineyard (leonardsleefamilyvineyards.com). If you’re more of
a fan of Michelin-starred cuisine, iconic interior design and wallabies,
you need to get yourself booked into Interlude, fondly known as the
“restaurant with rooms.”
‘Wallabies?’ you may well ask.
As part of a wider estate o昀昀ering outdoor spaces for families, art lovers
and green-昀椀ngered friends alike, Leonardslee is home to a world-class
sculpture park with adorable hopping lawnmowers, setting the stage for
a truly memorable meal at Interlude. There’s every chance of an albino
wallaby bounding past while you’re tucking into dinner, which - in true
Michelin style - is made up of between 昀椀fteen and nineteen courses.
Interlude has earned its Green Star too, with at least one ingredient per
course foraged from within the grounds. Recently ranked at no. 49 in
the National Restaurant Awards, the excitement at Interlude is palpable.
Housed in a Grade-II listed building with palatially high ceilings, the
dining room itself is surprisingly intimate; with just 26 covers, the
culinarily curious are well looked after. As we traversed the woodland
menu, from the humble nettle through to the exquisite Rabbit Eats
Carrot (pictured), comprising mousses, terrines and patés, we were
made to feel right at home. The whole experience lasted about three and
a half hours: a playful cabaret of seasonal 昀氀avours with the steamy glass
cloches to prove it.
Re昀氀ecting the vineyard’s connection to South Africa, Executive Chef
Jean Delport’s early summer menu features brioche-style buns called
Mosbolletjies traditionally made using fermented grape must as a
leavening agent. With a savoury aniseed kick, the buns are served
alongside cultured butters and preserves infused with notes of biltong
spice, shallots, red wine, Madeira and smoked mushroom.
As for the wine, we sampled the most delicate, easy-drinking rosé, a
buttery brut and seriously creamy blanc de blancs very much worth
writing home about. The estate cultivates three principal varieties:
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in the champenois tradition.
There’s also a small block of Pinotage, the 昀椀rst of its kind on U.K. soil.
And, if you’re staying overnight at Leonardslee House, you’re in for an
absolute treat, with each of the ten rooms showcasing the best of
sustainable British design. In the deluxe Magnolia suite, the
hand-printed botanical wallpaper from Lewis and Wood takes its
inspiration from Edwardian architect, C.F.A. Voysey, creating a
beautifully elegant backdrop in the bedroom, which is far larger than
you might expect from a boutique o昀昀ering.
Meanwhile, in the separate lounge overlooking the vines, a lively
Indian-inspired design painted by Parisian textile artist, Serge Maurey,
is indicative of the profound attention to detail to be found at
Leonardslee.
Truly, it’s a vineyard escape like no other.
restaurant-interlude.co.uk
E.Rua
PAGE 47
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW
