A touch of Heston at Hammet House

Luxurious, yet cool and funky country house hotel Hammet House, near Cardigan in West Wales, has just taken on a new head chef, Matt Smith, who mastered his trade under some of the country’s leading ‘Michelin Men’ including Heston Blumenthal at his Knightsbridge restaurant, Dinner.

Along with his young kitchen team. Matt and his fellow chefs are wowing guests with their unique brand of modern, British fine-dining menus.

Comments Owen Gale, co-owner of Hammet House: “You can never underestimate the importance of a chef in bringing success to a country house hotel. You can have the smartest hotel in the world but if the restaurant is not serving delicious, original food, you are bound to fail.

"We are very excited – and fortunate – to have found Matt. We now have the perfect chef who can translate our ethos of uncompromising quality, presented in an innovative, playful and stylish manner. His passion for cooking enhances the whole experience here for our customers, which is of paramount importance.”

Matt draws upon the abundance of outstanding local produce from the area, to create seasonal menus, combining the finest ingredients sourced from throughout Wales & the UK.

Current dishes on the dinner menu ‘To Begin’ include Cumin roast lamb sweetbreads with apricot, carrot, goat’s curd and mint, and Yakatori duck liver with egg yolk, mushroom ketchup, ragu of summer vegetable and ragu.

‘Main event’ dishes include Roe deer haunch and sausage roll with cauliflower, Perl Las. pickled walnut and pear, and Scorched langoustines with slow cooked pork belly, roast leek, scampi and cider sauce.

Delicious desserts on the July menu include Pistachio macaroon with chewy caramel, pistachio ice-cream and Granny Smith apple, and Macerated strawberries with vanilla bean cheesecake, popcorn and basil.

Two courses from the menu cost £39.50 or £49 for three. There is also an extensive choice of cocktails, organic wines (the biggest list in the UK), dessert wines and spirits.

Taste some of Matt’s delicious dishes with a stay at Hammet House which has some special packages including a ‘Stay for 3 and pay for 2’ deal which is available from now until the end of September (Sundays to Thursdays) and costs from just £145 pp (two sharing).

The price includes B&B with accommodation in a ‘cosy double’ (room upgrades available at a supplement.

For more information, visit hammethouse.co.uk.