Experience the changing seasons and celebrate the festive season at Auberge du Lac

With festive menus, and events that embrace the natural beauty of The Brocket Hall estate, it's a magical time to visit Auberge du Lac.  

The restaurant, housed within a former hunting lodge on the grounds of the picturesque estate proudly re-opened earlier this year under the guidance of new Head Chef, John Barber. Since then, this young, culinary talent has been delivering a more relaxed style of dining at the beautiful lakeside location.

Working closely with kitchen gardener, Lucy Hawkins, John is focusing on sustainability and seasonality to enhance his modern British style of cuisine.

In a little over a year, Lucy has transformed a one-acre site, employing the no-dig method, into a fertile garden which is supplying Auberge with fresh produce and supporting local biodiversity.

Dishes created by John make the best use of her seasonal crops which are growing within metres of the tables where they'll be served. Thus this is soil-to-plate dining at its best.  

John is also prioritising using the most local and sustainable suppliers across Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas, who can deliver the freshest and highest quality ingredients for his exquisite and flavoursome food.

Front of house, it is Scott Foster with a wealth of experience in luxury hospitality ensuring the ambience, drinks, and service match the incredibly high quality of John Barber's food. 

This winter the team is excitedly preparing to welcome guests for their first festive season, and have some wonderful events planned. From foraging to New Year's Eve feasts, see what's on at the new Auberge du Lac! 

Autumn Forage & Lunch with The Hitchin Forager 

On Thursday 30 November, join The Hitchin Forager, Jane Simmons, for a seasonal forage around the grounds of The Brocket Hall Estate followed by a three-course lunch at Auberge du Lac.

Along with their own kitchen gardener, Lucy Hawkins, wild food expert Jane will share her local knowledge helping you identify wild ingredients you can forage and cook at home.

After the guided forage, enjoy a glass of our finest Fili Extra Dry Prosecco and a beautiful lunch at Auberge du Lac prepared by John Barber, using some of the ingredients growing naturally on the estate. £85 pp 

Christmas Wreath Making Workshop with Lucy Hawkins 

On Thursday 7 December, create you can create your very own Christmas wreath over minced pies and mulled wine with the help of our kitchen gardener and trained florist, Lucy Hawkins. 

To create your beautifully natural door display, you'll be working with fresh mixed textures, varied evergreen foliage, berries, and cones all sourced directly from the estate grounds. There's no glitter or plastic here! 

After you have created your dream wreath, it's time to relax over lunch, John Barber's festive menu with a choice of dishes, accompanied by a glass of our finest Fili Extra Dry Prosecco. £120 pp

John Barber's Festive Menus 

Head chef, John Barber, has created two exquisite menus, Set Lunch and Tasting, which will be available alongside his a la carte offering between November 30 & December 29. 

Whether you are celebrating with friends, family or colleagues, dining at the atmospheric lakeside restaurant is guaranteed to get you into the Christmas spirit. £65 pp & £95 pp.

Auberge du Lac New Year's Eve at Brocket Hall 

This New Year's Eve, Auberge du Lac will be hosting guests in the Splendour of The Ballroom at Brocket Hall. 

John Barber has created a celebratory menu which includes Lobster Canapés,  Game, Halibut and Beef Wellington -  a truly special feast which will be paired with fine wines. 

The party will go on till late as we countdown to 2024 with a live pianist, DJ, and Laurent-Perrier champagne served as the clock strikes Midnight! £320 pp

Where is Auberge du Lac? It's at Brocket Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL8 7XG.

You can call them on 01707 368700

www.aubergedulac.co.uk

Opening Times

Open Thursday to Sunday for Lunch from noon to 2.30 pm and Dinner from 6 pm – 9 pm with a choice of menus; 7- 7-course tasting menu £85 + wine flight £45, A la carte, Set £39 and Specials. Open Sunday lunch for a 3-course Roast from noon to 3 pm £65

For up-to-date information on all events follow Auberge on Instagram and Facebook.

 At just 33 years old, John Barber has already had an incredible career. Following an intensive apprenticeship at The Mandarin Hotel Group in London and Thailand,  a stint in Paris with famed chef Charcutier Giles Verot, John joined Bar Bouloud (part of the Mandarin in London) and within three years became Executive Sous Chef and Executive Head Chef. 

A period at the D&D Group followed, where John opened 14 Hills at 120 Fenchurch Street, London.  The opportunity to put Auberge back on the map as a foodie destination has seen John relocate to Hertfordshire with his young family to start an exciting new chapter. 

Stir Up Sunday Comes Early to The Food WorksSW

Stir Up Sunday, the Victorian tradition of stirring the mixture for Christmas pudding and making a wish, has come early to North Somerset's The Food WorksSW with Butcombe Brewery. 

In preparation for the busy festive season in their pubs, the Bristol-based brewery recently produced enough Christmas pudding mixture to make 1,000 Christmas puddings at the food and drink innovation centre in Weston-super-Mare. 

As well as making Christmas pudding, Butcombe's chefs from across the country, including chefs from  the Liberation pub group in Jersey, spent a week in the specialist kitchens at The Food WorksSW perfecting some of the brewery's delicious Christmas creations and training for the holiday season under the watchful eye of Butcombe's Head Development Chef Jasper Prickett. 

Forthcoming delicious festive dishes prepared by the chefs included sticky figgy pudding, toffee apple, fig and chestnut crumble, mince pie ice cream, gilt head bream and Ox Cheek Wellington.

Butcombe Brewery hires the state-of-the-art kitchens at The Food WorksSW for menu development, training and business meetings throughout the year and make full use of the food and drink innovation centre's specialist equipment and spacious well-equipped kitchens.

Jasper says, “The Christmas pudding mixture we made in the commercial kitchen at The Food WorksSW is now currently steeping and will be ready to be shaped and steamed for the festive season and sent to all our pubs for Christmas Day."

He added: "We're really big fans of The Food WorksSW and we absolutely love it there. It offers so much and meets all our needs for menu development, training, equipment, storage, even meeting space. It's also in a great location just off the motorway so it's easy for all our staff to get to.”

Zoe Plant, who is new product and innovation manager said, “Whether it's equipment you need or expert technical advice, if you are a food or drink brand, be it big or small, you'll find everything you need at Food WorksSW and at very reasonable rates, too. You can hire any of our five specialist kitchens for just one day if that's all you require as we understand everyone's needs and budgets are different.

"Our top-of-the-range equipment within each of our kitchens, like the commercial kitchen Butcombe used, really do offer the perfect space for chefs and producers the chance to come in, experiment, develop and fine-tune food and drink products or menus.”

The only centre of its kind in the south west, The Food WorksSW is based in the heart of the Weston-super-Mare Enterprise Area, under half an hour from Bristol, and close to Junction 21 of the M5 motorway.

"It has state-of-the-art facilities including five product development kitchens available for flexible short-term contract hire for food and drink businesses of all sizes to test, develop and manufacture their products, prices begin at start just £96.90 per day (inc VAT).

Technical support packages are also available at the centre where a team of food industry experts provide technical support to businesses navigating their way through a range of food disciplines, from new product development and quality assurance, hygiene and food safety and efficiency. The team helps food and drink businesses develop products in a safe and efficient way.

For more information on how The Food WorksSW can help businesses, visit them at foodworks-sw.co.uk, or stay up-to-date follow @foodworks_sw on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. A range of case studies can be found on the website and on The Food WorksSW YouTube.

That's Food and Drink: Munch Lunch & Dinner, Your New Kitchen Essential

That's Food and Drink: Munch Lunch & Dinner, Your New Kitchen Essential: Munch Lunch & Dinner will help you gain more confidence in the kitchen. It’s a new cook book that's packed with easy-to-follow, deli...

Give the Gift of Colour This Christmas With ROKA London

Unwrap smiles this Christmas with sustainable styles!     

Impeccable craftmanship and innovative designs, there's genuinely something for everyone, whatever your budget. With ROKA LONDON, form meets function so you can stay stylish on your travels. Made with the highest quality, weather-resistant fabric you can be totally confident that your possessions will be kept safe and dry.

ROKA LONDON has been awarded with the prestigious accolade of a B Corp business so you can also shop consciously this Christmas. Choose from the vast array of sustainable styles to suit every individual need. Whether you're a lilac lover or want to be on trend with burnt orange to reflect the new Pantone colour for 2024, give the gift of colour. Which ROKA LONDON bag reflects you?

The Canfield (RRP from £64.95) is a best-selling backpack with its instantly recognisable, versatile roll-top design. Complete with hidden compartments to protect your tech, it's the perfect travel accessory for any adventure seeker!

Link to buy: https://rokalondon.com/collections/canfield-b

The Chelsea (RRP £24.95) is a best-selling cross body and makes a great gift for those who love to go hands-free! With its affordable price point, it's a great stocking filler or stylish statement for those on a budget.

Link to buy: https://rokalondon.com/collections/chelsea    

The Farringdon (£39.95) looks effortlessly cool with its slouchy design which any fashion-conscious recipient will love. With multiple interior pockets, you can keep your keys, wallet, water bottle and phone safe without compromising on style!   

Link to buy: https://rokalondon.com/collections/farringdon

The Bantry (from £64.95) was the original ROKA LONDON backpack, named after the founders' honeymoon destination in South Africa. As part of the Creative Waste collection, this eco-friendly design is made from the offcuts of production materials in a vivid, contrasting colourway to turn heads!  

Link to buy: https://rokalondon.com/collections/bantry-b

The Trafalgar (RRP from £59.95) is a functional, yet stylish tote bag, featuring ROKA's signature laptop pocket and internal bottle pocket. A bag that can either be carried by its handles or slung over the shoulder, this multi-functional tote is perfect for those with a busy life. 

Link to buy: https://rokalondon.com/collections/trafalgar-tote

ROKA LONDON: The Bags Born from British Weather 

For everyone, every day, everywhere. Live life in colour with bags that make you smile   

Made from the very highest quality, weather-resistant fabric you can be confident your possessions will be kept safe and dry with ROKA LONDON. Born from a need to withstand typical British weather, our Founder, Brett Edwards, wanted to create bags where function genuinely meets fashion. Heading to the office, setting off on a hike, packing snacks for the kids, jetting off on holiday, or simply worn as a colourful fashion statement, ROKA LONDON is for everyone, every day, everywhere. With 15 different bags, and over 30 different designs and colours, you'll be really spoilt for choice! 

ROKA LONDON produces bags and backpacks that are sleek, stylish and simplistic. Offering bags from across the rainbow, their bright, playful design and colour scheme ensures there is a bag to make everyone smile. Highlights from the rainbow include Canary Yellow, Burnt Orange, Spearmint Blue, Green Apple and Candy Pink. With compartments for those everyday essentials and handles to carry it in a multitude of ways, the bags are comfortable to wear and their weight is distributed evenly.  

Recently awarded B Corp Certification, ROKA LONDON believes in using business as a force for good, benefiting not only people but our beautiful planet too. With an entirely vegan range, made from predominantly recycled materials and plastic, ROKA LONDON are trying hard to reduce their impact on the planet.  

The new and very innovative Creative Waste line of ROKA LONDON bags are made from their leftover recycled materials and offcuts. Seamlessly combining a juxtaposition of different colours, these limited edition, colour block bags feel unique, whilst helping to reduce material waste through creative solutions.     

ROKA LONDON is the home of fantastic Christmas presents that are both stylish and functional.

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Female Entrepreneur Targets Hospitality Industry with Healthier Choice Prosecco Brand

33-year-old Kath Jones, from Aigburth, Liverpool says she is targeting high-end foodservice and hospitality venues with her products thanks to a huge shift in behaviour towards veganism, ketogenic lifestyles and a growing number of people  who are cutting sugar from their diets. 

ThinK Wine is an award-winning brand of prosecco and sparkling rose offering consumers a healthier alternative to its full sugar competitors without losing the taste or the percentage volume. And it has been wowing judges in blind taste tests.  

ThinK Wine has just 75 calories and 0g carbs, 0g fat, with 0.58g of residual sugar per 125ml (this is legally classed as zero sugar under UK standards), while still retaining an ABV of 11%. The product contains no artificial sweeteners or ingredients. 

So far, Kath has been selling direct to customers via the ThinK Wine website https://www.thinkwinegroup.co.uk, with the product available in a small number of exclusive, independent hospitality venues. 

Kath now aims to grow the trade side of her business after her own research discovered a gap in many premium restaurant and bar drinks menus for a luxury brand like ThinK Wine. Customer feedback also highlighted strong demand for it. Consumers would dearly love to see healthier alternatives on menus and in restaurants and bars where sugary, calorie-packed alcoholic drinks are often the only option. 

Kath says she wants her sparkling wines to be available in as many premium restaurants and bars as possible and has put in place a dynamic business development strategy to target the sector. 

“My customers want the same healthier choices they have at home, when they are out for dinner or on a night out. It's a premium product so we're hoping to target fine dining establishments, premium restaurants, luxury hotels and cocktail bars, initially.” 

“I know this concept is a winner,” Kath explains. “It's a hugely popular product.  

“People are increasingly health conscious, they are more switched on to things like sugar addiction, additives and sulphites, but they also still want to be able to enjoy a drink now and again. With no palatable alternative available on the market, I felt moved to create something. That's how ThinK Wine was born, and we've been growing exponentially ever since.” 

Kath has been on a journey of discovery since she began her mission to bring ThinK Wine to fruition and as well as getting her products onto drinks menus is also keen to change people's perceptions of prosecco. She continues:  “Done right, prosecco is a premium product; it doesn't have to be filled with sugar, or worse, artificial sweeteners and sugar alternatives. The problem is much of the cheaper prosecco that's readily available uses lots of sugar to mask the quality of the grape. It's giving this fabulous drink a bad name; but it doesn't have to be that way.  

“We're not using sweeteners or artificial ingredients instead of sugar either, I want to be very clear on that. When you choose a premium quality grape, the natural flavour is all that you need. 

“Our customer feedback is that they love the product, and can't get enough of it, but they also want to keep their diet low carb, vegan or low calorie without having to forgo dinner dates and nights out, or having to switch to a drink that they don't like.  

“Unfortunately, at the moment, there just aren't enough viable healthier choice sparkling wines out there on menus and wine lists, that also deliver on taste. I want to change that.”   

ThinK Wine is available in a select number of independent restaurants including Pullman Hotel Liverpool, ACC arena Liverpool, Pendergast's Warrington, Castle Street Townhouse, Chester Townhouse and Hope and Smoke. 

The brand has continually outperformed its full sugar and non-vegan/organic competitors in blind taste tests and has won the following awards: People's Choice Wine Awards 2022 (silver), London Wine Competition 2022 (bronze), Glass of Bubbly 2022 (silver), The Drinks Business Global Pinot Grigio Masters 2020 (bronze) and Las Vegas Global Wine Awards (silver), as well as gaining a 4.96 rating on Judge Me. 

ThinK Wine – The Products 

Quality and taste is everything to the team at ThinK Wine, who believe being Prosecco drinkers has given them an edge over the competitors in creating the perfect blend of flavours for wines with a fresh and revitalising finish, despite the health-conscious benefits. 

The company is proud to say all of its wines are 100% vegan/organic and have low sulphites. As a business ThinK Wine operates as sustainably as possible and as of March 2023 ThinK Wine Group has been a certified B-Corporation. 

The brand currently has two main product lines, with more product development in the pipeline for 2024. 

ThinK Prosecco 

ThinK Prosecco is a vegan and organic sparkling wine with both reduced sugar and calories.  

It is made from the finest Glera grapes from the heart of Treviso, north-east Italy for a Prosecco that is fresh, satisfying and luxurious. Its appearance is fine and persistent perlage, straw yellow colour. On the nose its intense bouquet with light notes of green apple and citrus. The taste is fresh, aromatic and elegant, with light notes of bread crust and green apple. 

ThinK Prosecco is a delicious complement to fried fish, tempura vegetables, tofu and fine meat. 

ThinK Pink 

ThinK Pink is a Pinot Grigio Sparkling Rosé. It is a vegan and organic sparkling wine with both reduced sugar and calories. ThinK Pink is made from the finest Pinot Grigio grapes from the heart of Treviso, north-east Italy. Its appearance is fine and persistent perlage with a light pink colour.  

On the nose its refined bouquet is characterised by delicate hints of strawberry, gooseberries and pink grapefruit. The palate is fresh and delicate with a soft mousse. 

ThinK Prosecco pairs nicely with fish, vegetable and tofu dishes with light sauces 

After consulting with her client-base, some of the UK's biggest online influencers and celebrities, she confirmed that the idea was a winner.  

“I work with a lot of celebrities and influencers in my 'day job' and I honestly haven't found one of them that thinks having a healthier prosecco on menus is a bad idea. They have busy schedules and always out attending launches and events in the evenings; they all agree that a less calorific version of their favourite fizz should be an option. But we're not just reliant on word of mouth, as a brand we've conducted extensive market research, and the outcome is always the same. A resounding yes please!”  

“My job now is to raise the ThinK Wine brand's profile among the bigger players in the foodservice industry and hopefully bring some positive changes to wine lists across the country.” 

That's Food and Drink: Refuge Manx Rum is announced by Fynoderee Distillery

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