Guide showcases best dining in the SW
"After last year’s good summer, and the easing up of the recession, we’re heading into an exciting new era of top quality dining in the South West," says two Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines of Gidleigh Park, and chairman of the Trencherman’s Guide’s editorial board.
"With consumers increasingly viewing the South West as an exceptional food destination, we chefs are feeling buoyant and confident in developing the dining scene further. And nothing showcases what’s going on in the South West dining scene as successfully as The Trencherman’s Guide."
For 23 years The Trencherman’s Guide has given food lovers the definitive list of must-visit West Country restaurants that reach the highest standards of cooking, service and dining experience, and
which are invited into the guide on meeting a strict criteria.
The Trencherman’s Guide was started by chefs and they still make up the editorial committee along with industry specialists which is why it’s the guide that the chefs trust.
As Rick Stein says: "Since Kit Chapman [formerly of The Castle in Taunton] and Paul Henderson [formerly of Gidleigh Park] hit on the idea…The Trencherman’s Guide has been a completely reliable recommendation."
On Monday March 30, the 23rd annual edition of the guide was launched at The Bybrook Restaurant at The Manor House in Castle Combe, Wiltshire, where its Michelin-starred chef Richard Davies was joined by three other Trencherman’s chefs from across the South West to cook a stunning launch lunch for 60 of the region’s leading chefs and restaurateurs.
The chefs cooking the launch lunch were:
Richard Davies (The Manor House) canapés and main course
Matthew Beardshall (Wild Garlic Restaurant and Rooms) starter
Sam Moody (The Bath Priory) fish course
Matthew Peryer (Lewtrenchard Manor) dessert
This year the guide contains write ups on 154 restaurants from across Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Bath, Devon and Cornwall and includes an introduction by Michael Caines MBE.
The colourful paperback will retail from April 1 at £6.99 at member restaurants, in bookshops such as Waterstones, on Amazon, from the Trencherman’s website (www.trenchermans-guide.com) and is also available as a digibook on www.pocketmags.com
*Restaurants are invited to be in the guide on the basis of consistently high ratings across a selection of top international publications including the Michelin Guide, the Good Food Guide and the AA
Restaurant Guide.
Tee guide’s editor, Jo Rees of Salt Media which publishes the guide said: "We’re thrilled with the 23rd edition of The Trencherman’s Guide. It’s full of beautiful photography, insider’s tips from the region’s chefs - we asked them where they recommend eating out – and easy to use maps to make this year’s guide a portal to some fabulous foodie adventures across the South West."
The guide is supported by a vibrant website: www.trenchermans-guide.com, a fortnightly e-newsletter to 27,000 foodies, Twitter (@Trenchermans) and Facebook page (The Trenchermans Guide).
