Foodie Itinerary
Food & drink is what we do best at Keythorpe Hall! Please see below a suggested 3-night itinerary every foodie will love! This itinerary can be fully customised to make your stay extra special.
Arrival Day
Wine dinner with Bert Blaize & ‘The English Winemaker’ Matt Gregory
Keythorpe Hall’s wine concierge Bert Blaize was young sommelier of the year in 2018 and author of the book Which Wine When. Bert is incredibly passionate about wine and food pairings and will create the perfect wine pairing for each dish, explaining the how and why of pairing the perfect wine to a certain dish. Matt Gregory is Leicestershire’s best wine maker and a great raconteur – a tasting of his wines is a great way of starting off this wine dinner.
Day 1
Wild Food Walk with our Head Gardener and Ethnobotanist Claudio Bincoletto
Once the forager for the Italian army, Claudio has a wealth of experience teaching at Petersham Nurseries, as speaker for the RHS and doing wild food cooking demonstrations at food & country shows across the UK. He will take you on an educational tour of the grounds to explore the wild food growing around us and will finish in the walled garden where we grow the fruit and vegetables you'll be eating!
Gin Making with Brentingby Gin
The Brentingby Gin Distillery is based in Melton Mowbray (12miles from Keythorpe) and founded by gin maker Bruce who trained under British gin legend Tom Nichol (of Tanqueray No. TEN). To make Keythorpe Hall Gin we took botanicals grown in our walled garden to Brentingby and together with Bruce we created our very own Gin. For our guests, Bruce will bring his mini still to Keythorpe Hall and together you will blend your own gin with ingredients foraged during the tour with Claudio. If requested, the gin can be put into bigger production to enjoy more bottles at home.
Keythorpe Feast
Finish the day with a multi-course dinner featuring the best of what is on offer in the walled garden and from local artisan food producers. A true celebration of the season!
Day 2
Butchery & Cooking over Fire Masterclass
Spend a few hours with our local butcher Gwilym to test your knives skills and learn all about Butchery. The chefs will subsequently teach you everything about nose to tail eating and the preparation of different cuts of meat, of which some cooked over the open fire.
Local Cheese Tasting with Perry from Rennet & Rind
Did you know Leicestershire is one of the three counties in the UK where Stilton can be made? In addition to Stilton there are so many other local British cheeses which are delicious and deserve a spot on any cheese plate! Rennet & Rind is Keythorpe Halls cheese supplier and does not only source the finest cheeses from the very best independent cheese makers but also ages them to perfection in their maturing rooms. Perry is head of cheese at Rennet & Rind, Certified Affineur and Judge of the World Cheese Awards. Perry’s knowledge and passion will certainly rub off during this fun, delicious & informative tasting.
After dinner Home Nation Whiskey Tasting & Old Fashion Masterclass with Rob Simpson
Rob Simpson is London’s best ‘Bar Chef’ and has worked in some of the finest restaurants. Rob will deliver a Home nation Whiskey Tasting in which you will taste regional artisan whiskies as a tour of the home nations of Great Britain & Ireland. He will examine current trends in the whiskey world and finish with an Old Fashioned Cocktail Master Class in which you will not only learn cocktail techniques but also about the role of bitters & sugars and their interplay with the spirit.
Day 3
Departure after a blowout brunch - a smorgasbord of sweet and savoury delights with a Keythorpe Mimosa or home grown Bloody Mary...
