The Avenue relaunches with Hamblet as head chef

Exclusive Collection has relaunched The Avenue at Lainston House near Winchester, with MasterChef: The Professionals champion Tom Hamblet in charge of the kitchen. 

The flagship restaurant is back in action having undergone an extensive refurbishment, inspired by the hotel's Hampshire surroundings and mile-long avenue of lime trees – which the restaurant is named after. 

A new chapter for Hamblet

Since winning MasterChef, Hamblet has completed residencies at Camellia at South Lodge in West Sussex (2023), and at The Avenue earlier this year. In his new position as head chef, he will offer guests a fresh take on flavour with contemporary, refined dishes that showcase his commitment to using the finest produce, including local ingredients from Hampshire and the Lainston House Kitchen Garden.

The eight-course tasting menu will be priced at £125, starting with Hamblet's snacks and laminated brioche with garden herb butter, followed by guests' choice of starter, main and dessert. Highlights f include scallop with anchovy, seaweed pickle and ajo blanco; venison loin with beetroot, onion caramel and duck liver sauce; and whipped cheesecake tart with pear, fig leaf, blackberry and pastis sorbet. ‘Squeeze them ins’ round off the meal, featuring Lainston apple juice and ginger pâte de fruit and salted nut nougat.

"It has been an incredible journey working with the talented team at Lainston House during my residency," says the chef. "I’m thrilled to be taking the head chef role for the relaunch of The Avenue, continuing to explore the region’s rich culinary heritage to create an unforgettable flavour-focused dining experience that helps put Hampshire on the map as an unmissable dining destination.”

Hamblet will also give guests the opportunity to cook with him in his Season Cookery School classes at the 17th-century Lainston House estate, teaching recipes inspired by time on MasterChef and his residencies over the past year.

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