It’s Up, Up And Away At Beaverbrook

Think of all the elements of a romance-fuelled summer’s day, blend them together at an English country house hotel and the result is an experience that will surely get your heart thumping. It’s not by chance that Beaverbrook’s annual summer dining experience is called ‘Love in the Air’ for it does just that, pulling on your heartstrings in more ways than one.

Found in the Surrey Hills, the sprawling country estate is renowned as the former home of press baron and war-time MP Lord Beaverbrook. With 400 acres of grounds, including an 18-hole golf course, the estate is a destination in itself, boasting a spa carved out of the old coach house, a cottage reimagined as the Garden House farm-to-fork restaurant, found in the midst of an overflowing kitchen garden, and a Victorian mansion-turned-hotel, with 18 elegant bedrooms, original Art Deco cinema and a Japanese fine-dining restaurant.

It is at The House, in the formal Italian gardens, that the hotel’s Japanese cuisine, spearheaded by executive development chef Wojciech Popow, is taken to new heights (even if you don’t quite take off). Replacing the formal surroundings of the mansion’s original dining room, diners are instead invited outside to dine in a vintage-style hot air balloon. A collaboration with luxury table dressers, Summerill & Bishop, the skyline is vibrant with the series of balloons made from the brand’s bold and colourful ‘Queen of Hearts’ fabric. Underneath, vintage baskets seat four diners, with each of the tables also dressed with heart-motif tableware and accessories.

Launched some 25 years ago, Summerill & Bishop is renowned for its graphic tablecloths designed to be “heirlooms of our time”. The brand is also known for its innovative collaborations with like-minded creatives, such as Skye Gyngell, Luke Edward-Hall, Solange Azagury-Partridge and Shrimps, as well as institutions such as Claridge’s, La Colombe d’Or & Club55, to work on exclusive tablecloth lines.

The ‘marriage’ with Beaverbrook, is a continuation of this tradition and is also a celebration of the very essence of a quintessentially British summer – of pastoral countryside vistas, manicured gardens, whimsical balloon rides and the gathering together of friends and family.

You may not actually float through the clouds, but you will soak up the tranquil surroundings of the garden’s lily pond and nodding alliums as you start the experience off with a heart-embossed cocktail or a crisp glass of rosé. Popow’s menu, however, which features a series of innovative takes on classic Japanese dishes as well as a yakiniku grill for interactive dining, will take you sky high when it comes to culinary expertise.

Your ‘journey’ begins with a tartar dish of Dry Aged Beef with Caviar served in a traditional Japanese sandangasane box, wrapped in a Japanese furoshiki cloth. The sandangasane boxes are handcrafted with bent wood – a lightweight material typically used for holding dishes at outdoor events – by artisans in the city of Hakata, Japan and bring an authenticity to the meal. The decorative, multi-use furoshiki cloth is another nod to Japanese traditions, whereby the cloths are often used to wrap Japanese dining boxes for picnics, and then will double up as tablecloths or napkins.

The main course is the yakiniku, which sees you grill the finest cuts of Kobe beef, Iberico pork, O-toro tuna and Madai fish on an individual hot plate at the table, accompanied by bowls of rice, dressed with bonito flakes, and a series of dipping sauces. The process means diners get involved with the process of cooking, while chatting over the grill.

Finally, dessert is a heart-shaped Rose Panna Cotta with Raspberry and Lemon Verbena concocted by pastry chef Thanos Linardarkis, together with artisan, Italian-style ice cream that you can choose from a retro cart.

For an alfresco tipple, there is a choice of summer cocktails, served from Beaverbrook’s kitsch Martini Pram. It’s the perfect way to raise a glass to a true summer of love.

‘Love is in the Air’ is available from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner during the summer months.