This month sees the launch of The Mash Inn, an 18th century inn located in the leafy Buckinghamshire village of Radnage, which has been given a new lease of life by restaurateur Nick Mash.
Built in 1745 and lovingly restored over the last year, the inn houses five stylish and comfortable ensuite bedrooms and a 32-seat dining room, located adjacent to a wood-fired open grill and kitchen.
Long lazy lunches and evenings of delicious seasonal British food and wine beckon, as do weekends away exploring the hills, farms and forests that surround the inn. Nick invites his guests to enjoy his unique brand of ‘home from home’ hospitality from the moment they step through the door, greeting them with a welcome drink in the cosy snug or on the terrace, overlooking the inn’s kitchen garden and picturesque surroundings.
The kitchen promises a new experience for food lovers, focusing on the traditional inn ethos of serving only what is available on the day. The Mash Inn won’t feature your average menu – just a freshly scribbled-on chalkboard that changes every day. Chef Jon Parry, formerly of London’s Bull & Last and Adam Byatt’s Trinity, will be making everything from scratch including the hand churned butter that will arrive on the table with the freshly baked bread. Jon will use the highest quality ingredients available, including fresh fruit, herbs and vegetables from the kitchen garden, or the Mash Purveyors farms owned by Nick’s family, as well as carefully sourced game, meats and seafood, all cooked on the hand built wood-fired grill that provides a centrepiece to the open kitchen.
Diners can feel free to interact with the kitchen team, removing the conventional barriers between guests and staff from the moment they enter the dining room. They will be more than welcome to have a glass of champagne around the large central island, chatting to Jon about the dishes they are about to eat, stealing culinary tips and enjoying conversation with new friends.
Open for lunch and dinner, with an à la carte menu boasting of a selection of sharing starters and mains or a tasting menu of eight dishes available (£45pp), Guests will find themselves being treated to anything from leek root tempura with hay mayonnaise; homemade Burrata, preserved greengages, Umeboshi plum puree and wild sorrel, and local pigeon and partridge chorizo with pickled blackberries to dry-aged British rib of beef with oyster and nettles;barbecued scallop in the shell, smoked tomato, oregano and cured roe, and grilled halibut with Bradenham ham and sweetcorn. Rounding off the meal will be one of Jon’s signature desserts such as Baron bigot cheesecake or Gypsy tart, Hunza apricots and beeswax ice cream.
The overall interior of The Mash Inn tells the story of Britain’s heritage of furniture making, featuring rustic wooden floors, original beams and furniture and ironmongery hand-worked by local craftsmen. Stylish Bates & Lambourne oak chairs and tables, including a 14 seater communal table crafted from a single felled oak tree are entirely bespoke to the inn, and were designed by Nick himself.
The five upstairs bedrooms have a cosy feel, with stunning views, beautifully crafted king-size Hypnos beds, free standing baths, Wi-Fi and L:A Bruket toiletries. Breakfast is delivered to the room, comprised of an array of homemade baked bread, viennoiserie and foraged fruit jams, as well as buttermilk yoghurts, granola with freshly made Rare Company tea and Climpson & Sons coffee. The perfect relaxing start to any day.
Restaurateur and founder of The Mash Inn, Nick Mash told Luxury Lifestyle Magazine: “I want folks to be able to come out here, get back to nature, eat nature and get back to a childhood of hiking through fields, living without frills and get a taste of being in working farmland. Pickling, curing, foraging, tending to our kitchen garden and playing with the hand-built wood-fired cooking range is a normal day at the Mash Inn. I am bored of the traditional set up that we are all so used to, seated at little tables and presented with fuss and nonsense – here you can leave your table and stand in the kitchen and watch the flames dance under the food. There are no more doors between customers and kitchens, it’s a fully interactive and honest experience.”
Only seven miles from Marlow, the dining room at The Mash Inn sits amongst some of the top foodie destinations in the country including Le Manoir Quat’ Saisons, The Fat Duck, Hand & Flowers, making it the ideal base for food lovers to explore. Only 40 minutes away from London, The Mash Inn offers City-escapers a convivial experience – just the laid back break they were craving, promising a food-filled, relaxing weekend or mid-week escape.
Address: Horseshoe Road, Bennett End, Radnage, Buckinghamshire HP14 4EB / +44 (0)1494 482440
