London, February 2019 – The Grove, a five-star country
house hotel in Hertfordshire, has announced details of the much anticipated
re-opening of The Glasshouse restaurant, scheduled for early May 2019,
following significant investment to dramatically update the space.
The Glasshouse has received an exhaustive renovation
by the award-winning Martin Hulbert Design - the studio which has also been
responsible for The Grove’s interior design since the hotel first opened, and
to much praise. With over 25 years’ design experience, Martin has completed a
wide range of hotel and residential projects around the world that have been significantly
applauded, and he regularly features in ‘Top 50 interior designers’ lists.
The renovation of the restaurant includes a new
extension which sees an impressive triple-height, glass conservatory added to
the main building. This calm and tranquil space, similar to an orangery, brings
the outside in – with views of the garden and terrace now fully available from
within. The spacious main dining room has been
completely remodelled to allow diners to move freely throughout the food
stations, plus the new design also creates the impression of sunlight filling
the space - even on the darkest days.
Almost every item within The Glasshouse has been
specifically designed, created and commissioned for this project. Enormous
kinetic hanging sculptures, made of bronze and brass mesh with giant hand-blown
yellow glass orbs, have been introduced to move gently above diners and add a
touch of magic to the space. The floor is in sections of Italian terrazzo and
smoked oak, with the terrazzo also being used for some of the tables as well as
Italian marble.
Strikingly redesigned, The Glasshouse sits at
the heart of The Grove, and offers an outstanding, luxurious yet fun
experience, inspired by food-hall style dining. For a set price, diners are
invited to sample a variety of dishes celebrating international flavours, fresh
produce and the talents of a team of specialist chefs.
Executive head chef, Stephen Wheeler, launched
The Glasshouse to much success when the hotel opened just over 15 years ago.
Now, having spent many years overseas gaining widespread international
experience, he has returned to the helm of The Glasshouse to re-open an elevated,
contemporary restaurant.
Having lived in Asia for several years, leading
some of the best restaurants including Six Senses Laamu, Constance Moofushi and
The Sun Siyam Irufushi, Wheeler has drawn
upon the region’s focus on fresh, seasonal produce to introduce a range of new dishes
and cooking techniques to provide diners with a huge range of options. Live
cooking stations invite guests to watch the chefs in action as they prepare food
to order. The Glasshouse caters to all palates and preferences, with fantastic
freshness and quality. There is an extensive range of meat and fish options, whilst
vegetarian and vegan guests are very well catered for, too, as well as plenty
of options for children. A snapshot of just a few of the dishes on offer
includes:
From the Robata Grill
Grilled fillet of
Loch Duart salmon, marinated in garden herbs, lemon, olive oil
Madagascan tiger prawns
with chilli, lime & coriander
Hickory rubbed rib-eye
steak, mustard butter
Spatchcock baby chicken,
garlic, rosemary & preserved lemon
From the Stone Oven
Baked flat breads
with a selection of toppings including:
Plum tomato, mozzarella
and garden basil
Pulled beef brisket,
dill cucumber and fontina cheese
Hot smoked salmon, crème
fraiche and rocket
From the Live Action Pasta Station
Lobster ravioli
Pappardelle pasta with slow cooked beef
cheek, lemon and parsley gremolata
Potato
gnocchi with garden basil pesto, toasted pine nuts and shaved parmesan
From the Asian Noodle Soup Station
Build your own soup base - chicken miso /
vegetable broth / Thai coconut / Pho and more
And add your own toppings - bok choy, tofu,
coriander, chilli, fish, meat, chicken, egg noodles and more
From the Tandoor Oven
Fenugreek
& ginger spiced chicken with curry leaves
Masala
and coriander marinated tiger prawns with lime and roasted chilli
Cauliflower,
baby squash and potato skewers with cumin, turmeric, fresh lime and mint
yogurt
Salad Bar
Build your own salad with a variety of
leaves, toppings and home made dressings
Crustacean Station
Fresh
shellfish - such as oysters, lobster and mussels
Sushi
and sashimi
Dessert Station
An
enticing display of sweet treats from pastries and cakes to yoghurts and fruits
A
build-your-own ice cream station includes a range of sundae toppings as well as
a free-flowing chocolate tap
Stephen Wheeler, executive chef at The
Glasshouse, commented: “It brings me great pleasure to oversee the relaunch of
The Glasshouse, and we couldn’t be more excited to showcase this new,
innovative dining experience to guests. We’ve introduced so many new cooking
stations and methods, as it was crucial to us that we provide guests with a
fantastic range of options at a superior quality. It’s an interactive and fun
way of eating.”
He continued: “My time in Asia made a huge
impact on how I view cooking, as well as my food style. The focus is on fresh
and varied produce, and seasonal ingredients -with lots of flavour! With the
new offering and layout, we hope that guests have a special and memorable
dining experience.”
The Glasshouse is open for breakfast (7 -
10.30am), lunch (12.30 - 2pm) and dinner (6 - 9.30pm), as well as afternoon tea
in The Glasshouse Bar (1.30 - 4.30pm). Lunch starts at £42 per person, with
dinner from £49 per person.
Reservations for The Glasshouse will open in early
March for bookings from early May, 2019. For more information about The Grove,
please visit: www.thegrove.co.uk or call 01923
296010.