Somerset foodies are being invited to dine out in style while not breaking the bank next month (February, 2017) thanks to an initiative to help promote Exmoor’s leading chefs, growers and producers.
Restaurants across the area are offering specially priced menus on selected days during February to encourage diners to eat out as part of the Exmoor Food Fest.
Clavelshay Barn Restaurantnear Bridgwater is one of the establishments taking part. Co-owner, Sue Milverton, said: “We’re delighted once again this year to be participating in the 2017 Exmoor Food Fest from February 1 until 28
“It’s all about showcasing the very best our region has to offer. It is a celebration of all local produce and local talent, the very things we’re devoted to here at Clavelshay.”
Clavelshay Barn will be running special menus as part of Exmoor Food Fest on Wednesday and Thursday evenings during February with two courses priced £10 and three courses £15.
The award-winning business, which at the end of last year was crowned as the Westcountry’s top restaurant in the Taste of the West Awards and named the region’s ‘No. 1 Place to Go’, also has accolades from the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Awards, run by Services for Tourism, for being the Restaurant of the Year and having the very highest standards in customer service.
Sue, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband Bill, said: “We won seven awards in 2016 including the Taste of the West South West Restaurant of the Year and being named their No 1 Place to Go.
“We also won Silver in the Bristol Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards – Restaurant of the Year category and won Gold in the Unsung Hero for Customer Service. These were a direct result of all the effort everyone on the team puts in on a daily basis here. We also owe a great deal to our wonderful diners who give us lots of support and encouragement.
“We pride ourselves on serving up the very best in customer service, use only the highest quality local, seasonal ingredients and have developed a stunning menu thanks to our incredible French head chef, Olivier Certain, who has a flair for creating some of the most fabulous food I have ever tasted.
“Olivier creates stunning dishes with French flair. His style of cooking is classical French but after living in England for more than 18 years, he has learnt English dishes to an extremely high standard and knows exactly what our diners like to eat.”
The restaurant is in a lovingly restored and converted 18th century stone barn at the foot of the picturesque Quantock Hills at Lower Clavelshay Farm near North Petherton.
The restaurant is set on a family-run farm that produces its own milk, beef, pork, lamb and eggs, which all feature in its top quality and tasty dishes.
Sue added: “At Clavelshay, we also strive to use as much produce as possible from the farm and the surrounding countryside. We use our own pork, rose veal, wild rabbit, pigeon, pheasant and our own farm-reared beef on the menu.
“We have a walled garden where we grow salad leaves, herbs, soft fruit and vegetables. If it is not possible to use our own produce, we only use local suppliers who can provide us with quality local produce, which is fully traceable.”
Also in 2016, Sue and the team won a top accolade for the best micro business in the Sedgemoor Business Excellence Awards.
Olivier will also be cooking at a special launch dinner for the 2017 festival at the Luttrell Arms in Dunster on January 26. He will be one of five award-winning chefs joining the Luttrell’s Head Chef, Barrie Tucker to cook seven courses.
The Exmoor Food Fest runs throughout February and is organised by Elke Winzer who is also behind Exmoor4all, an online platform for all things Exmoor related, including an online shop, and the Exmoor Markets.
Elke said: “The Exmoor Food Fest helps local businesses in the hospitality sector to show off their skills. The festival deal of two courses for £10 tempts many people into restaurants at a time of year when business tends to be slow. Diners can download and print off a voucher to present at their chosen participating restaurant https://exmoorfoodfest.com/vouchers/to qualify for the offer.
“For the first time this year all participating restaurants will also take part in the Taste of Exmoor Awards. Customers will be able to vote online for their best dining experience – the winners will be crowned at an awards ceremony at Butlins in Minehead at the end of March.
“Tearooms and village shops are also encouraged to sign up for the Exmoor Food Fest too.”
Information about all the restaurants signed up for the Exmoor Food Fest can be found atwww.exmoorfoodfest.com.
The restaurant is open in the evenings from Wednesday to Saturday with dinner served from 7pm. It is also open for Sunday lunches from 12noon until 2pm.
For further details, please call 01278 662629 or visitwww.clavelshaybarn.co.uk.