In the kitchen with Tom Scade, executive chef at The Vineyard hotel in Berkshire

Tom Scade, executive chef at The Vineyard hotel in Berkshire, has truly made his mark in the last four years. With an unwavering commitment to a sustainable future, Tom has launched a culinary revolution within The Vineyard’s kitchen since his arrival and has also meticulously implemented a range of measures, firmly establishing sustainability as The Vineyard’s guiding principle. These initiatives include integrating onsite homegrown produce into the menus and working with local food suppliers to minimise carbon emissions.

His future-oriented approach has not only elevated the quality of the cuisine but has also positively impacted the local community.

Tom possesses a steadfast passion and an innate talent for crafting high-class dining experiences. He first entered the industry when he was 15, partaking in work experience at Bowman’s Brasserie. As soon as he walked through the doors of the kitchen he instantly fell in love with the atmosphere and the camaraderie – since then, he has climbed the ladder of success.

As an apprentice, he worked under Keith Stanley at Langan’s Coq D’Or for four years before being trained under John Williams MBE at The Ritz, London, where he played a crucial role in delivering the highest quality food, in line with their Michelin star. His wonderful work has not gone unnoticed, as he has claimed a whole host of accolades, including becoming a UK finalist in the prestigious Le Taittinger Prix Culinaire in 2018, before placing third in the world finals later that year.

Tom was fortunate enough to gain a role at The Vineyard after having cooked for Andrew McKenzie, managing director of The Vineyard, whilst he was working in The Crab and Boar in Chieveley. Andrew took a huge interest in Tom’s food and years later, Tom joined the team at The Vineyard as executive chef.

chef tom scade — *Tom Scade, executive chef at The Vineyard hotel in Berkshire, has truly made his mark in the last four years*

Tom now brings all his passion and expertise to The Vineyard, as he creates elegant works of art using the finest locally sourced ingredients. His cooking is an enigma and a contradiction. He has seamlessly incorporated The Vineyard’s Californian heritage into his menus, mixing wines and olive oil from the Peter Michael Winery into many of his dishes, creating bespoke and delicious food.

His personal preference for minimalism shines through as he presents his food on a truly blank canvas and each dish is a piece of art in a gastronomic gallery. Among them, a true standout is the delectable nut roast, complemented by hispi cabbage, and kohlrabi, all served in a wonderfully rich red wine sauce. This creation perfectly aligns with Tom’s dedication to sustainability, delivering not only an explosion of flavours, but also an earth-conscious dining experience.

What’s more, The Vineyard hotel has recently revealed its innovative dining concept, The Tasting Room, a visionary creation by Tom himself. Opened in October, this exciting venture further uncovers Tom’s creativity where guests can immerse themselves in a sensory journey of exquisite food and wine, with blind tastings, all carefully curated by Tom to echo the changing seasons.

Looking to the future, drawing upon his own experiences across the last twenty years, Tom is keen to continue helping chefs of the future break into the industry and reach their goals.

We sat down with Tom to find out more.

food at The Vineyard — The Vineyard has recently revealed its innovative dining concept, The Tasting Room, a visionary creation by Tom *Scade* himself

What are the most important considerations when crafting your menu?

For me, I always craft my menu with the seasons in mind, my menu changes drastically from summer to winter as I always rework my menus to reflect the season and ingredients I have to hand. I also like to create earth-conscious dining experiences, so I try to use sustainable methods and ingredients in my dishes.

How would you describe the food you create at The Vineyard to someone who’s never experienced your kind of food?

A culinary journey, a sensory experience like no other. This is undoubtedly reflected in our newest creation, The Tasting Room. We wanted guests to be captivated by the flavours of the food and wine together, ensuring they complemented each other perfectly, and guests would leave feeling completely captivated and wanting more.

What do your future plans entail?

We have so many exciting plans at The Vineyard, the first step for us was the launch of The Tasting Room which has been years in the making – in terms of future plans, we’d like to enhance The Tasting Room offering even more as it’s still in its infancy stages. We also have lots of plans in the pipeline, but that would be telling…

Do your personal preferences influence the menu at all?

Yes, of course! I have always been heavily committed to a sustainable future and I have firmly established sustainability as The Vineyard’s guiding principle. I prefer to use onsite homegrown produce in the menus and work with local food suppliers to minimise carbon emissions. I believe this approach not only elevates the quality of the cuisine, but also positively impacts the local community.

The Vineyard hotel — The Vineyard is a luxury five-star hotel located in the Berkshire countryside

What do you think is the most over-hyped food trend?

Charcoal. Used in the right hands, it can be a great addition to a dish but there’s been many occasions where it overpowers the rest of the flavours and components instead of enhancing or complementing them.

What’s your favourite flavour combination?

Salt and vinegar! You can’t beat a classic.

What is your favourite dish to cook at home?

I’ve got to be honest, I don’t cook at home all that much. However, when I do get a chance, it’s nice to cook a big roast and have family and friends over to share it with.