Henley Festival has announced that two Michelin-starred chef Daniel Clifford will be resident chef at Henley Festival 2016, which runs from 6th to 10th July. Taking the reins of Europe’s largest field restaurant, Daniel will create a bespoke tasting menu exclusively for Henley, serving 950 covers a night at the atmospheric Riverside Restaurant.
Winner of AA Chef’s Chef of the Year 2015, Daniel’s restaurant Midsummer House in Cambridge has cemented his reputation as one of the most innovative chefs in Britain. On Sunday, the Riverside Restaurant at Henley Festival will transform into The Sunday Riverside, giving festival-goers a taste of Daniel’s newest culinary venture, gastro pub The Flitch of Bacon in Little Dunmow, Essex.
Daniel, who is renowned for innovative, flawlessly executed dishes that focus on purity of flavour and reverence for ingredients, said: “I am incredibly excited to work at such an iconic event as Henley. The Riverside Restaurant will be the fine dining offering for guests with dishes such as sautéed scallop, granny smith apple, celeriac and perigold truffle puree and seared Cornish mackerel, piccalilli chantilly, pickled white”.
A stalwart of the festival, chef Paul Clerehugh will be cooking up a feast throughout the week with his bespoke festival menu at The Crooked Billet pop up restaurant offering fantastic British food using locally sourced seasonal ingredients. Paul’s restaurant of the same name in Henley has won multiple awards and he is the second pub chef ever to win the highly coveted Craft Guild of Chefs award.
Cooking up a storm of authentic Indian food, chefs Hasan & Bashir deliver Northern Thali to hungry festival goers at Spice Merchant Pop-Up. Serving steaming thalis and authentic Indian food with cold beer while The Social will provide modern-style tapas complemented by an impressively broad list of wines, available by the glass, carafe or bottle.
For the first time in the festival’s history legendary London jazz club Ronnie Scott’s will make the festival its home for the full five days. Festival goers will be treated to the full Ronnie Scott’s experience, seated at cabaret style tables they will be able to watch performances by the stellar Ronnie Scott’s Allstars while waiters discretely serve a feast of superb steaks, Ronnie style burgers and gorgeous fish pie. Close by and carefully tucked away, The Jazz Garden is the perfect place to have a tranquil drink whilst soaking up the sounds of jazz musicians.
The much cherished Terrace Restaurant will return for 2016, poised on the most picturesque location of the festival, with river views and the fabulous Lanson Champagne Bar below, which serves a range of fine champagnes including Rose and White Label.
For those who prefer to eat on the go, there will be an eclectic range of first-class street food at The Top, which will showcase the most exciting music stars of tomorrow, followed by high energy late night digital cabaret and performance. Also at The Top will be the big, circular The Bar @ The Top, brand new for 2016.
The buzzing Art Bar is another new addition for Henley Festival 2016, where revellers can enjoy a cocktail whilst immersing themselves in cutting edge art exhibitions and watching OSADIA, a street theatre company that perform free psychedelic hairdos on all who want them. Another hot ticket for art-lovers is the chic Long Gallery, adorned by art on all sides, the perfect place for a civilised drink and inspired conversation.
Other unmissable pop-up drinking establishments will be The Bedouin bar, the place to have a drink whilst listening to live music in a laid-back, bohemian setting and Pure Heaven, an upbeat piano & cocktail bar which later transforms into Henley Festival’s resident nightclub. Gin and Tonic lovers can head to The Fever Tree bar to sample a G&T made with their multi-award winning tonic, whereas The Van du Vin will be the place to go for a sparkling wine. Finally, no trip to Henley would be complete without a Pimms, and the PIMMS bar will be producing Henley’s quintessential drink all evening.
Legendary events company rhubarb are confirmed as the food partner for Henley Music Festival 2016 and will be managing the catering for the Riverside Restaurant, Ronnie Scott’s, and The Terrace.
