Winter pop-ups and South West supper clubs

Fancy dining out with a difference this winter? Check out these South West supper clubs and pop-up events which are anything but ordinary

The Scenic Supper at Fir Farm, near Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire

The Scenic Supper’s head chef Samuel Idione began his training in classic French cuisine in Cornwall when he was just 15. He went on to work for Simpsons, Rick Stein and The Clove Club, as well as cooking for David Beckham at the footballer’s summer garden parties.

Samuel and the Scenic Supper team will be delighting guests in the beautiful 18th-century Cotswold-stone barn at Fir Farm in Lower Swell – a working livestock farm dedicated to sustainable and organic farming practices. Dishes (four courses at lunch sittings, six in the evening) will showcase Fir Farm’s beef, lamb, poultry and game, along with other locally sourced ingredients from the likes of Mark’s Cotswold Bakery, Drinkwaters Fruit and Veg, King Stone Dairy, Cotswold Brew Company and Spinners Cider.

When: Wednesdays – Saturdays from November 10 until December 18

Price: £55-£70pp

Festive Foraging and Feasting, Studland, Dorset

Jade, Dan and their team of outdoor adventurers at Fore Adventure are passionate about helping people to discover, experience and appreciate the great outdoors and all it has to offer, including its edible delights. Dubbed ‘treasure hunts for the tummy’, their foraging and feasting experiences take guests from Dorset’s shores to its woodlands.

Their special Christmas foraging and feasting event brings together guest chefs and special creators at their festively festooned Studland seaside hideaway. The evening will start with a wild cocktail, followed by a foraged and hyper-local three course meal with wine.

The Fore Adventure team will give guests an insight into the provenance of what they’re eating via a foraging walk and demos. The interactive elements will enable diners to truly connect with the ingredients and the beautiful environment from which they are sourced.

When: December 4

Price: £90pp

Philleigh Way Supper Club, near Truro, Cornwall

Former professional rugby player Rupert Cooper is now making a name for himself as a top-notch chef. He trained at Paul Ainsworth’s and Rick Stein’s restaurants before establishing Philleigh Way, his contemporary Cornish cookery school nestled on the beautiful Roseland Peninsular where foraging and fishing abound.

Rupert hosts sell-out supper clubs around Cornwall (upcoming venues include The Old Garage, Origin Coffee Roastery and Watergate Bay Beach Hut), and his monthly supper club in the Philleigh Way kitchen is an unrivalled opportunity to see him at work on his own turf.

His collaborations with local, like-minded businesses means the vibe is always upbeat, with food tailored to the occasion. Rupert is passionate about creating simple, nourishing food from locally sourced Cornish ingredients. Always up for innovating with seasonal produce, this autumn/winter sees him celebrating game street food in the Philleigh Way kitchen.

When: November and December

Price: £10 – £70pp

Mello View, near Winsham, Somerset

In 2014, chef Ed and pilates teacher Vicky stumbled on the crumbling cow shed that (an episode of Grand Designs, a wedding, a growing family, and several animal acquisitions later) is now their self-sufficient, off-grid homestead with stunning views of the Axe Valley.

They host regular supper clubs, during which Ed chats and cooks a three course meal for up to 24 guests in their open-plan kitchen. The meat is from their own livestock, along with vegetables and herbs from their garden. Any seasonal shortfalls are met by the local organic market gardens.

October promises fried chicken as you’ve never tasted it before: free-range from a local smallholding, served with garlic cornbread, chips, house slaw and homemade barbecue sauce. And for those who can squeeze it in, there’ll also be a pudding. December will be all about winter Alpine feasting – roaring fires, gluhwein, melted cheese, potatoes, schnitzel, smoked sausage, strudel and other Alpine treats.

When: October 21-22 (December dates coming soon)

Price: £27.50pp

Lost Suppers at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, near St Austell, Cornwall

Chef Nat Tallents appeared on Masterchef: The Professionals before moving to Cornwall to become head chef of Lusty Glaze Beach, and later exec chef at The Lewinnick Lodge in Newquay. Now at the helm of her own private catering company, she’ll be working her magic on The Lost Gardens of Heligan’s autumn bounty.

Nat and the kitchen team will be serving seven comforting, autumnal courses in the Heligan Kitchen Conservatory at two special pop-up events. The menu will showcase the finest homegrown heritage produce, selected from over 300 varieties of fruit, vegetables, salads and herbs, along with outdoor-reared rare-breed meats from the Heligan Estate.

The food will be accompanied by live music from the chilled acoustic singer/songwriter Nick Mears, whose music is inspired by the Cornish coast.

When: October 29 and November 26

Price: £50pp

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