An 'informally elegant' setting from lauded chef Simon Rogan, Henrock at Linthwaite House Hotel offers the chance to experience his signature style next to Lake Windermere.
Few chefs have put their stamp on a style of cooking like Simon Rogan, with his locally farmed and foraged menus of inventive creations. Up until now Rogan’s restaurants have tended to be formal, ‘special occasion’ spots – most famously the two-Michelin-starred L’Enclume – but Henrock turns that on its head, managing to maintain the flagship’s farm-to-fork ethos at the same time.
Located within the picturesque Linthwaite House Hotel, which overlooks Lake Windermere and is surrounded by woodland, Henrock is all about serving up slick, contemporary dishes in a slightly more informal yet still stylish setting. Having opened in 2019 shortly before the coronavirus pandemic hit, the restaurant had an interrupted first year of service but has still won plaudits for its elegant yet affordable food.
Henrock’s warm and welcoming dining room features dark wooden floors, brightly upholstered chairs and widely spaced tables – just what you might expect given the hotel’s country house-like appearance from the outside. An airy conservatory leads out onto a glorious terrace boasting some of the best views around of the rambling surrounding area; advanced planning is required to secure a table here during the summer, whether for al fresco dining or drinks.
As is to be expected with the ingredient-led style of cooking on show, the menu at Henrock changes regularly depending on seasonal availability. A traditional a la carte menu is the order of the day when it comes to dinner, while Sunday lunchtime sees guests able to choose three courses from a roast-heavy set menu. At his other restaurants, Rogan’s food tends to be associated with big, bold, British flavours, but influences at Henrock come from all over, with a number of nods to Asian cookery in particular. Grilled mackerel, for example, comes with a satay dressing and potato sambal, while a roasted fillet of hake is served alongside curried cauliflower, shrimp and a lemongrass sauce.
A typically impressive wine list makes for interesting reading, with everything from old and new-world classics available by the glass to English sparkling wines from Hampshire’s Exton Park on offer.
With a stable of Michelin-starred restaurants in both Cumbria and London already under his belt, Simon Rogan already has a lot on his plate. The opening of Henrock, however, proves he has no desire to slow down and continues to develop and evolve his offering.
Crook Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, Kendal, LA23 3JA
Simon Rogan’s father worked at a wholesale fruit and vegetable market, coming home every evening with a box of the day’s the best produce. A fussy eater at the time, Simon Rogan was suspicious of the unfamiliar exotics he brought back, such as star and kiwi fruits, but credits this early exposure with sparking his life-long interest in ingredients and seasonal produce.
Already a keen home cook, aged fourteen he took a weekend job in a Greek restaurant in his hometown of Southampton, but at that point the financial freedom it afforded was the motivator. Football was more on his mind, with trials for Chelsea and a training contract with Fulham in the offing; but realising this was a pipe dream, he focused on catering college instead, which he attended on day release while he continued to work. He told GQ of his time there: ‘I was surrounded by aspiring chefs who were far more experienced than me and were working in the great country-house hotels of the New Forest … I couldn’t stand for that! So that fired up my competitive spirit and I vowed to become the best chef I could.’
