From farm to table
Lyn Drummond visited new restaurant Wild, in Berkhamsted High Street.
Farm to table food is enticing diners across the UK, not because it’s a niche trend but for its promise of enhanced and flavoursome freshness, while rejuvenating local economies and communities.
Berkhamsted restaurant Wild sources food locally from its own farm at Radlett, giving discerning diners what they have been guaranteed – the best flavours of each season. Everything at the farm is grown from seed, so as not to disturb the eco-system under the soil.
Matt Larcombe, the chef patron, is leading the project.
Formerly of The Victoria, Oxshott and The Fat Duck Group, in October Matt brought his hyper-seasonal cooking to Wild, a restaurant that celebrates British produce, regenerative farming, and zero-waste principles. He is loving working at Wild. ‘The space is beautiful, and Berkhamsted is beguilingly quaint yet classy. It feels like the right location for what I’m ready to cook next in my career,’ he says.
Head chef Charlie Hitchcock honed his skills under Matt at The Victoria. Laeticia Valentini is general manager, having done serious tenure both front and back of house at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons and Oak.
The restaurant was filling up rapidly at 7pm on the evening I dined at Wild with a companion; the impeccable service allowing us time to admire the décor – modern chic in neutral colours with a stunning open kitchen. An unusual feature of the handmade oak dining furniture were the cutlery drawers hidden within each table. The central open bar encourages a relaxed atmosphere for drinking and chatting.
The concept is food sharing, with many different elements all in one meal. For starters, we tasted the lamb, aubergine and yogurt kebab skewer. The lamb and aubergine are served fresh from the farm and the dish literally melted in the mouth. The lamb is slow cooked for around 8 hours and the aubergine is cooked over charcoal before it is pureed.
For the main course, we shared the sirloin on the bone for two. A perfectly cooked sirloin, beautifully seared, tender within, and bursting with rich, beef-forward flavour.
We could not get enough of Pommes Anna. Its menu description of ‘potato, yeast and chives’ did not do it justice. Made from thinly sliced potatoes, layered with melted butter and chives, deep frying results in a perfectly crisp exterior and a cloud-light, fluffy centre.
The dessert menu’s Milk and Honey was actually a delectable honey cake made with fresh honey from the beehives on the farm, crispy honeycomb and a honey crumble.
Wines are paired perfectly to plates by sommelier Rémi Cousin, formerly of The Fat Duck and Le Gavroche.
Wild Restaurant will also host a series of wine and food events, such as Meet the Grower, to allow diners to meet the farmers that grow and rear much of the food on the menu.