BRITISHAug 14

GandysCELEB FOOTWEAR

by Made in

Chelsea’s Louise

& Edward Page

POCKET

London

Callingall FOODIES

p64

Fashion EditorMoira Valenti

Features EditorIsabelle Porteous

Beauty & Fitness EditorChloe Taylor

Bridal EditorEmily Williams

ColumnistsGeorge Watts

Belinda ChorleyVicki Lord

Kelly MillarSuzanne Bernie

Susan Yates

Editor-in-ChiefGabriella Enriocco

Editor’s PA Sophia Moretti07914962760

@BritishMODE britishmodemagazine.co.uk Youtube: BritishMODETV@BritishMODE @BritishMODE

Youtube: BritishMODETV @BritishMODE britishmodemagazine.co.uk Youtube: BritishMODETV

WritersKirsti Reid,

Amy Callaghan, Christine HulmeMia Thomas, Safia Nazari

Maggie Reid, Chelsea Miller

Art DirectorSiobhan O’conner

PhotographerClaire Berry

International PresenterIleana Madarnaz

International VideographerLizbella Molina

HR ManagerSamantha Roberts

Sales TeamVicoria Hewitt

Anna Wilson

Regulars10 Editor’s Letter26 Fashion Loves

Fashion, Womens

Cover Look

Contents

20 Accessorise with Valentino22 Naturalistic Hues24 Ohh Meowwwww!26 Fashion Loves32 Cuff Me34 Editorial48 Maryling

Photographer: Ruth RoseArt Director: Maya Finkelstein Amrami

Designs by Pocket LondonMUA/Hair Stylist: Olivia Newman-Young

Model: Bruna Meneghetti

Featured12 Pocket London54 Gandys, A Brand with a Heart

52 Tried & Tested, Beauty62 Aumbry, Art of Fine Dining

Reviews

58 The Healing Magic of India - Column

Travel

Philanthropy57 Orphans for Orphans

Le DebutAutumn/Winter

14/15

www.kalexandra.co.uk

Le DebutAutumn/Winter

14/15

www.kalexandra.co.uk

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As a lover of heritage wear and earthy hues which glorify and stand to replicate the exquisite tones solely found in nature, this month’s issue was particularly interesting to both compose and to edit. From updated splashes of leopard print which best serve to accessorise a neutral monotone ensemble, to graphi-cal prints featuring animal silhouettes & luxurious exotic furs, this year’s autumnal, seasonal fashion is nothing less than a

magnificent meshing of the finest quality materials and design influence.

This month’s main fashion features focus on upcoming brand Pocket London and international celebrity favourite footwear

label, Gandys. With both brands placing a specific focus on ‘giving back’ and philanthropic efforts, we are delighted to be able to high-

light their current collections and overall ethos.

Editorially we feature the work of the remarkably talented photogra-pher J. Tuliniemi who photographed friend to the publication and

stunningly beautiful model Chloe-Jasmine Wichello.

We close by transporting our readers from the mountainous regions of India to a glorious well-being retreat reviewed by columnist and international CEO Kelly Millar, back to Britain in the heart of Man-chester for a review of one of this country’s most exquisite restaurants.

As always, enjoy this month’s issue and do be sure to tweet us @BritishMODE or by using #BritishMODE

EDITOR’S LETTER

Gabriella EnrioccoGabriella Enriocco, Editor-in-Chief

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FEATURED

www.pocket-london.com

London’s edgy, ec-lectic, unique flair for street style is widely envied. Its global reputation for bold, daring and iconic styles

being evident at each seasonal Fashion Week; a clear thread which seeds the DNA of Pocket London.

This stand-out British brand, cre-ated in 2012, draws directly on this ‘mix-it-up,’ unafraid London Girl style to create something original and distinctive. Co-founders and university friends, Louise Thomp-son of BAFTA award winning Made In Chelsea fame and Edward Page have a shared design vision; to create a distinctive British jeans brand, where the pocket flags up the brand. The Made In Chelsea star is determined to balance her studies, shooting for the programme with developing the brand. Edward is key to moving the business forward whilst Louise completes her stud-ies; this is a duo which really works.

Pocket London is aimed at 20-35 year olds who want some-thing bold and British, who like to express their creativity through clothes, by extension expressing their lifestyle and the culture of the city. The brand seeks to bridge the gap between high street and designer prices. The defining fea-tures of the first collection are their slim fit women’s jeans in block colours with the contrasting col-our pockets; a Men’s collection is in the planning. The SS14 collec-tion saw a shift in focus to pastel colours with contrasting panels.

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Ignite .Delight .

Desire .Fire .

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Founders Louise (De Courcy) Thompson & Edward (Max) Page

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With a fresh palette, the upcom-ing collection furthers another of Pocket London’s objectives, to

have seasonal collections of jeans as well as capsule collections throughout the year. Collaborating with gifted Israeli fashion designer and print artist, Maya Finkel-stein Amrami, has resulted in wonderful-ly bold, mixed monochromes alongside full colour graphic prints named, “The Spirit of London.” The collection uses hand drawn illustrations and includes a wider range of clothing. There are print-ed jeans, jackets, Lycra bodycon dresses, bomber jackets (as featured on the cover), cotton unisex jumpers, leggings, T-shirts, sweatshirts, track suits and joggers.

The spirit of London palette would sug-gest Amrami draws design inspiration from the dynamic colour palette and forms of abstract expressionism, pop and street art; the collection blends the abstract with animal and other motifs.Pocket jeans come in both stylishly mon-ochromatic varieties as well as in col-our with print designs such as the Maxy, Maya and Lewlew along with a black and varied pocket combo. Also housed with-in the collection are stunning black and white jeans with matching ‘crop’ jacket and a Neo-Classic jeans jacket in maya and maxy. Of the collection, the black jeans and Mesh Combo simply smoulders.The range has been extended with the inclusion of a unisex Bomber Jacket (featured on the cover), cotton jump-ers (also in Bat cut), printed T-Shirts, Allover Sweatshirts and Leggings.

As the brand strikes out with their une-quivocally eye-catching print designs they are grabbing the attention of the city’s fashionistas as well as a growing interna-tional clientele as they expand overseas.

Pocket London donates £1 from every pair of jeans sold to the Jeans for Genes Day. Prices range from £55-150.0018

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An outfit is simply in-complete without the adornments; whether that be a beautiful silk scarf, such as the one (pic-tured right) by Valenti-no, featuring a mirrored

eagle print, or this ox-idised silver claw ring from Henson, featuring a crown set pearl and a hand carved design.

One of the most universally flat-

tering trends for aw14 is nature prints such as fluttering leaves, feath-ers and the beloved animal print. Though many of you may be imagining updated

leopard print, here at British MODE we are absolutely enamoured with exquisite designs which incorporate the silhouette or graph-ic of the animal itself.

Best styled as a statement piece to main-tain balance

within an ensemble, this 100% silk scarf from Valentino is the ideal choice for those demanding versatili-ty, quality and careful craftsmanship. Serv-ing as an alternative to patterned designs, the mirrored eagle print is symbolic of perspicaci-ty, power and freedom.

To purchase either of the featured pieces visit

farfetch.com

ACCESSORISE

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Valentino Garavani eagle print scarf

£220.76

Henson claw ring £290.15

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Carven gabardine technic shorts£479.57

Naturalistic

These lovely beige gabar-

dine tech-nic shorts feature a

button & zip fly, side seam pockets & a

belted waist.

HuesEarthly tones and easy-to-wear col-ours which mimic the beautiful, natural hues of nature are timelessly chic. This Brunello Cucinelli necklace is stunning when teamed with Carven’s beige shorts. Opt for an entirely monotone look for daytime wear.

Brunello Cucinelli

layered petal necklace £647.02

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Etrogeometric trousers £224.92

For a truly sophisti-

cated look, try this perfect

pairing of forrest green tailored trousers with this luxurious

fox fur necklace from McQueen.

£966.38

Maison Martin Margiela split ring

£4,218.91

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D&G Small 'Sicily' leopard

print tote £742.42

Giorgio Armani leopard

print slippers £415.69

Meowwwww!OhhRoberto Cavalli leopard ring £312.39

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With the highly stigmatised

leopard print being a major trend for aw14, we share our favourite pieces alongside a selection of accessories to make you feel equally as feline.

Valentino Garavani 'Rockstud' leopard print pumps £763.15

Roberto Cavalli tiger earrings £491.50

Giorgio Armani leopard

print slippers £415.69

Meowwwww!

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LovesLanvin crystal earrings £284.52

DSQUARED2 curb chain buckle belt £195.77

Alexander McQueen scale chain sandals £1,038.59

Maison Martin Margiela multi chain cluster ring £270.00

fashionGiuseppe Zanotti Design crocodile

bracelet £1,130.00CHAINS &.

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LovesFendi logo detail bangle

£230.00

Sophie Hulme Chain Mini Envelope Bag £395.00

Lanvin chain hat £437.35

DSQUARED2 chain link necklace £162.44

Gucci embellished key chain £120.79

fashion

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Fendi mini ‘2Jours’ tote

£1,451.65

Mykita 'Jim' aviator sunglasses £249.08

Phillipp Plein skinny jeans £416.52

Valentino Garavani 'Rockstud' pumps £569.88

Moschino quilted calf leather cap £262.41

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Salvatore Ferragamo classic satchel £1,241.24

3.1 Phillip Lim bobble knit jumper £327.66

Philipp Plein denim shirt dress £727.25

Valentino Garavani 'Rockstud' ballerinas £415.00

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Y-3 faux fur backpack £449.84

Maiyet asymmetric fringe skirt £875.54

Alexander McQueen double wrap skull bracelet £215.67

Moschino peace sign 5s iPhone cover £29.16

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Jessica Choay Confession Collar £90.00

Mykita & Bernhard Will-helm 'Daisuke' sunglasses

£475.43

Andy Farrow Montana Ring £290.00

Faliero Sarti 'Gram' scarf £392.87

Versace 'Signature' ankle boots £696.79

Linda Farrow 'Linda Farrow 292' sunglasses £629.78

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With such a focus on accessories this month how could we possibly omit aw14’s hottest trend, the cuffs. Oversized and chunky they’re undoubtedly a statement piece for those feeling bold and fearless. Embrace androgyny by spicing up a casual ensemble with luxury women’s cuff-links from brands such as Wolf London. For a more daring look, feel inspired by Chanel’s metallic cuffs (as seen on the catwalk) or wrap your wrist in Henson’s edgy barb cuff.

CUFF ME.

DSQUARED2 studded bracelet £187.44

Maison Martin Margiela over-sized cuff £970.53

McQueen logo print bracelet £203.23

Henson 'Barb' wrap cuff £1,221.81

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Photography: J. TuliniemiDesigns: Cristina AdamiJewellery: Jaqueline BrillModel: Chloe-Jasmine WhichelloMUA/Hair: Anitka Kwiat

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DIVINEbutterfly

Model wears a Cristina Adami Cape halter neck dress

Model wears Cristina Adami Stretch corset with

a hand embellished vin-tage lace Silk georgette

long skirt, bespoke organ-ic wired 'Willow' necklace and hand beaded Maltese

antique lace bracelet by Jacq Brill

Model wears Cristina Adami

Organza ballerina dress with an

organza vintage lace cropped

jacket and be-spoke wired floral ‘Sofia’ necklace by

Jacq Brill

Model wears Cristina Adami Halter neck dress with a vintage lace embel-lished obi belt, bespoke pink & pearl ‘Amelie’ necklace and bespoke vintage pearl charm ‘Pearly Queen’ bracelet by Jacq Brill

Model wears Cristina Adami

Halter neck dress with a vintage

lace embellished obi belt, bespoke

pink & pearl ‘Ame-lie’ necklace and bespoke vintage

pearl charm ‘Pearly Queen’ bracelet by

Jacq Brill

I amtimeless

Images provided by Maryling

Model (pictured left) wears Maryling Mono-chrome Chunky Wool Jumper.

Model (pictured right) wears a white fox fur collar waistcoat by Maryling

MarylingAfter a lovely ss14 collection comprised of a multi-tonal blue colour palette set

against creams and ivories, Maryling present an interesting take on aw14. Pic-tured above, our favourite two pieces from the autumnal collection, playing

on the much loved geometrics trend whilst infusing elegant hints of fur throughout.48

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Fashion EditorMoira Valenti brings us this month’s Tried & Tested Tried &

testedCLINIQUE LASH POWERFEATHERING MASCARA

SCORE ****

This mascara comes in a sleek and neat silver coloured tube with a nice shiny silver lid; it’s great for that small-er handbag or make-up bag, so you needn’t leave home without it. The wand too is neat with an almond shaped tapered brush, perfect for lift-ing the lash from root to tip. I tried the black onyx shade.

It was great for creating a lovely dreamy feathering effect. There’s nothing heavy about this mascara, applied well it emphasises even small lashes. I really like this mascara because not only did it lengthen and volumise in one coat, it looked good hours after application.

It’s strong points were that there was no flaking, build-up, smudging or smear-ing, even after being caught in a deluge, getting dripping wet; there was no run-ning nor panda eyes! Great! This one is going with me to the beach as my holiday ‘must have.’ At the end of the evening I found it easy to remove with little mess. This mascara is a winner and a staple of my make-up kit.

£18.00

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Tried &tested

JANJIRA THAI LIME & GINGER SUGAR MILKY

BODY SCRUB

SCORE ****

Whether you’re suf-fering from acne or simply searching for a way to buff your body beautiful, Janjira have the answer. This in-tensely creamy, highly fragranced product infuses avocado, almond and argan kernel oil with refined sugar to exfoliate, enhance, smoothen and brighten the skin. Having trialled this product over a period of months I’ve noticed a huge im-provement in the tone and condition of my skin, with dark spots dramatically faded with regular use 3 times per week - an absolute must have item!

DR. LEWINNS LINE SMOOTHING COMPLEX S8

FOR EYES

SCORE ****

This eye cream applies easily with a lovely silkily smooth texture. Lightly fragranced, a single dab will sit under the eye area, without drying or being oily, then once patted in it is well absorbed. This is a line smoothing complex formulated for fine lines around the delicate eye area. You should notice a smoothing effect with regular use. I found the product worked well if layered; allow it to be absorbed and then reapply for an extra moisturising and a lightly plumping effect.

On more mature skin, within 3 hours some dryness and ‘pulling’ was visible under the eyes, requiring a re-application to keep the area moist and plumped. It may be that this product would be most beneficial in your anti-aging armoury whilst any lines are fine and not well established.

£32.00

£41.00

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FEATURED

gandysA Brand with a

Gandys is a revolutionary designer brand using fashion as a force for a good cause. People are going wild for the youthful spirit of Gandys and they are now recognised across London as the accessory to be seen in. These flip flops and the ethos behind them are turning heads and showing up on feet every-where. Gandys success is growing on a global level with Gan-dys launching in America with top leading Fashion Brands.

www.gandyflipflops.comwww.gandysfoundation.com

Heart

~

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With such a glorious Brit-ish summer as this, what better time to get hold of the seasons ‘must have,’ de-signer-led footwear, Gandys Flip Flops. Not only do they feel and look great, with the Gandys brand you know you’re contributing to some-thing special and mean-ingful at the same time.

The dream-made-reality began with a moment of sheer genius for Rob For-kan, one half of the brother duo which is Gandys. Awak-ing one morning at a music festival, Rob had the feel-ing of having “a mouth like Gandhi’s Flip-Flop!” Right

there and then the whole concept was set in train with Rob and Paul draw-ing on their formative life experience for inspiration.

Having travelled the world as youngsters, liter-ally in flip flops,

the brothers believed in the product driving their dream. They decided to use a percentage of any prof-its to build orphanages for orphans in honour of their late parents, Kevin and San-dra. Back in 2001 with their children alongside them, the Forkans set off across the world to both volunteer

and experience life at first hand. Tragically, Kevin and Sandra lost their lives in the Tsunami which hit Sri Lan-ka on Boxing Day of 2004. Somewhat miraculously Rob, Paul, Mattie and Ros-ie survived, having to fight for their very survival and find their way back home to England. Returning to Eng-land they were supported by their elder sister, finished their education and planned to travel again, with a view to helping other orphaned children around the world.

Springing naturally from the Gandys dream and focus arose the Gandys Founda-

Article by Moira Valenti55

tion, set-up on the wonder-ful “orphans for orphans” principle in 2013. The brothers are building their business driven by a vision; to create a sustainable social enterprise aimed at trans-forming the lives of children in need around the world. The Foundation receives 10% of the profits so that or-phans can be provided with the basics: nutrition, shel-ter and education. Through their enterprise, Rob and Paul have helped orphans in India and Sri Lanka and plan to open orphanages around the world; they are opening their first this year.

Gandys Flip Flops are to be seen all around London and on the feet of the hottest ce-lebrities. Sir Richard Bran-son has had the Necker Red

Flip Flop named after his Is-land, where he stocks them. Princes William, Harry and Kate Middleton all have their own Gandys as does Jamie Oliver and Jessica Alba, not to mention One Direction.

The range covers “Men, Women and Youth” in bold, dynamic

colours and designs. Dis-tinctively Gandys there’s a design to suit almost every mood and occasion. The price tag ranges from £18-30 for their gorgeous Lib-erty Gandys. The Men’s range runs through solid colour to combat, Leopard print and the eye-catching Serge 4 Gandys collection; London’s very own, Ollie Proudlock’s Serge DeNimes brand. The women’s range includes Originals, Glit-

ters, very much on-trend, Leopard, Printz, Serge 4 Gandys, Studs, with that rock chic vibe and Liberty.

Gandys goes from strength-to-strength, launching in the US with top fashion brands and to top it all, Rob and Paul received an invitation to Buckingham Palace this July from HRH The Queen for the launch of The queen’s Young Leaders Program. This is a unique initiative designed to enable young people aged 18-29, from all 53 countries of the Com-monwealth, to step up as leaders. It is envisaged that they have the capacity to im-prove the lives of people in their communities. The pro-gram aims to identify and nurture such young talent through grants and awards.

Visit www.gandyflipflops.com for pricing info & stockists.

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Visit www.gandysfoundation.com to get involved.

PHILANTHROPY

Orphansfor orphans

ThebackgroundRob and Paul Forkan’s experience of travelling the world with their uncon-ventional and caring parents, Kevin and Sandra, has made these social en-trepreneurs into truly global citizens with a well developed sense of what matters when all the accoutrements

of modern life are pared away. Tragically, the Boxing Day Tsunami which hit Sri Lanka in 2004, took the lives of Kevin and Sandra and upwards of 200,000 people. These unprecedented events saw the For-kan children orphaned but it seeded a mission in Rob and Paul’s hearts to make positive changes in the lives of children less fortunate than them-selves. The Forkan children were able to struggle and find their way back to the UK to be supported by their elder

sister.

ThemissionThe driving ambition behind it is to give back to orphans and underprivileged children around the world by providing them with a place to live, an ed-ucation, nutrition and health-care. The Foundation was formed in 2013 after an overwhelming demand on the part of the public to contribute directly to ‘Orphans for Orphans.’ It is noteworthy that the founders are determined that 100% of donations will go to both building and sustaining the first chil-

dren’s home.The goal of the Foundation is to build the first chil-dren’s orphanage in 2014 to mark 10 years since the

devastating Tsunami.

* With every purchase of Gandys, 10% goes to the Foundation

*Donate directly to the Foundation via the website

*Spread the word via media and blogs* Get in touch if you wish to offer your

skills to the Foundation

Get Involved:

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The Healing Magic of India

-Column by Kelly Millar

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TRAVELcolumn

I found the staff to be excep-tional on many

levels. They were extremely helpful, friendly and qual-ified, happy to ac-commodate your every wish. The Yoga instructor, Sunil shared daily spiritual insights and guidance in his classes, which I found to be very enlightening and enriching for my overall experi-ence. I also prac-ticed Yoga Nidra (guided medita-tion) and Pranay-ama (the art of yoga breathing) which consists of a series of breathing exercises intended to meet the body’s needs and keep it in vibrant health.

Ayurveda Yoga Villa Palvelichem, Bavali PO, Kartikulam,

Wayanad district,Kerala, South India,

PIN :670646(+91) 95396 84635 (+91) 81570 11347

India is a fascinating land, a place of over a billion people and a thousand different tongues. A tradition of medical and spiritual healing dating back more than two thousand years is interwoven within both the history and culture. I recent-ly took the time to experience a wellbeing retreat in Kerala, which was indeed a transform-ative journey; a kind of balanc-ing of the mind, body and soul.

From the moment I stepped out of the airport I realised that India was everything I’d ever envisioned it to be: the loud buzz which fills the streets, the intense heat which caresses the skin, strong potent scents floating through the air and a vibrant mix of colours. It tru-

ly is a place where the mystery of spirit and tradition is palpa-ble, where your senses become completely consumed by this mesmerising world, one which seems to distant to that of home.

I was picked up by a driver and bound for Ayurveda Yoga Villa on the banks of the River Kaba-ni. After a rather gruelling trip I arrived at a lush, jasmine in-fused, Indian oasis surrounded by thousands of acres of forest.I was greeted by a very friend-ly staff, handed a glass of fresh coconut water and direct-ed to my personal villa set amongst fruit trees and flowers.

Firstly, I had an appointment to see the Ayurvedic doctor. All guests map out a customised

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TRAVELcolumn

Ayurveda Yoga Villa Palvelichem, Bavali PO, Kartikulam,

Wayanad district,Kerala, South India,

PIN :670646(+91) 95396 84635 (+91) 81570 11347

plan based on their indi-vidual requirements. The doctor recommended that I try the Panchakarma to start. Panchakarma is an ancient set of therapeutic treatments administered to the patient for the complete detoxification of the body. It is part of the Ayurvedic healing tradition. At the retreat, they specialise in Panchakarma, but also of-fer complete treatment pro-grammes such as Rejuve-nation, Stress Management, Weight Management, Well-ness, Yoga and Meditation.

The daily schedule includes an early start, followed by deep breathing, medita-tion and a yoga class and you are actively encour-aged to take contemplative walks along the river before breakfast. There are three delicious vegetarian meals per day that follow an Ayurvedic diet and all food is grown and picked directly from their organic garden. As the days passed, I began to feel cleansed and ener-gised and I think a big part of it was due to the incredi-bly healthy food I was eating.The day comes to a close with a yoga class and medita-tion before turning in early. It took some time to adjust, but after a number of days it felt really good to simply flow with the early to rise,

early to bed rhythm, particu-larly as the sun rises and sets early in the south of India.

As part of the re-treat, they offer an-other location in

the mountainous jungle 40 minutes away named Udayagiri. The backdrop is sunlit coffee plantations, mango trees, chirping birds and the scent of wildflow-ers. There are only a hand-ful of individual villas, but it is well worth the journey off the beaten track to have a taste of this peaceful sanc-tuary. There was something magical about awakening perched high in the moun-tains amongst the clouds to a blanket of mist below covering a thick forest. One of my favourite things was starting the day sitting on my balcony and watching the sunrise. I found my daily

practice of yoga and medita-tion reached a deeper level.

“We believe that one should train the mind to tune into nature before look-ing through the corridors of one’s own life. When residing in such an ex-ceptionally peaceful and privileged environment, our minds are able to ex-perience perfect stillness, which then enables us to tune into the surrounding sounds of nature and feel the unity with all that is”.

I wanted to experience something exotic and the people’s passion and au-thenticity made the expe-rience extraordinary. I am now sleeping better, feeling fitter and enjoying compli-ments on my glowing skin!

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AUMBRYArt of Fine Dining

Review by Moira Valenti & Janet Lewison

The Aumbry is an utter revelation and suffice to say should at the very least be highlighted as a gourmet ‘outpost’ on any gastronomic map of

these Isles. The choice of name is apt, closely neighbouring the lovely St. Mary’s church, it is indeed something of a ‘sacred vessel’ in the landscape of eating. Whether you are a food connoisseur or consider yourself an epicurean; perhaps with a love of honey

fresh from the local apiary, enlivening a fine cup of iced jasmine tea, then this unexpect-edly ‘hidden’ gem is the perfect antidote to the all-too-common ‘sameness’ of dining out. The reviewers had no preconceptions about the venue or the food, however there is true accord that this is great food and great dining which ‘speaks for itself ’ and should be experienced. This is certainly one of the city’s best kitchens and the plaudits will sim-

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Review by Moira Valenti & Janet Lewison

ply stack up. For the jaded, the dining experience here is life affirming; food so good we defy the world-weary not

to feel lifted and invigorated.

Located in an artisan-style cottage, with a charmingly eclectic mix of furniture and vintage Fine Bone china, white linen tablecloths and curtains, the surroundings are essentially understated; being comfortable without ostentation. Likewise, the front of house staff, headed by Maitre d’ Siobhan, along with the exceptionally pas-sionate and knowledgeable female Sommelier, complete

the experience by being equally welcoming, attentive and knowledgeable ‘guides’ to the culinary excursions

awaiting the ‘foodie’ trave-ler entering this charming Aladdin’s cave of dining.

The eclectic combination of the Beatrix Potter décor and the contrasting moodiness of the Terry Neill photography gave diners the impression that we had alighted upon some friendly, yet enchant-ed Lakeside guest house, presided over by welcoming culinary genii. These genii seemed intent upon present-ing us with delights designed

to reconnect us to our sleep-ing sensory selves and the meal was carefully paced to maximise both pleasure and

relaxation.  Simply put, this is a dining experience with a relaxed dinner party feel; the atmosphere sufficiently inti-mate so that by the end of the evening there is the distinct possibility that you may have befriended fellow diners; amidst the audible “oohs and ahhs,” perhaps feeling com-pelled to comment between yourselves about the delight-ful surprises delivered up by the gloriously inspired food on offer. The attention to detail is exemplary, even in

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the thoughtfully ap-pointed toilet with its clothes brush-es, handkerchiefs, hand-inked and la-belled liquid soap; a space where you can refresh and pamper yourself between ex-tensive courses. At the close of evening, after a literal labour of love, Chef Ellen can be seen chat-ting with diners.

We discovered that this restaurant suc-ceeded in renew-ing our capacity for wonder, even if just for one night, this is a marvellous re-storative.  Head Chef Mary-Ellen McTague and partner Lau-rence Tottingham have created a con-temporary Dingley Dell where each dish is announced as a perfect gift, heralded for each individual client as an intrep-id epicurean adven-ture. Every dish has its own story, even one of the cheeses is named after a Victo-rian Debt collector! As to their own an-tecedents, these star chefs served under

celebrity chef, Hes-ton Blumenthal at the Fat Duck and Hinds Head respec-tively, no doubt fur-ther imbuing a flair for the extraordinary in culinary creativity.

As to culinary cre-ativity, there was nothing at all ‘pre-dictable’ about the tasting menu; it was simply delightfully original. Ellen and Laurence have es-tablished something very special in the heart of the old vil-lage of Prestwich or ‘Priest’s retreat;’ a bolt hole during Henry VIII’s rout of Catholicism. Here too a culinary bolt hole for those who need a place to revive their ‘eating sens-es,’ discovering what they may have all but forgotten: food can be fun, transforma-tive and transport-ing, all in one magi-cal experience. This place is a true ‘find.’ It goes without say-ing that first rate din-ing experiences can be had with relative ease in and around London, yet this res-

AUMBRY2 Church Ln, Manchester, Prestwich M25 1AJ0161 798 5841

Visit www.aumbryrestaurant.co.uk to find out moreMenu subject to change depending on market availability, see website

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Visit www.aumbryrestaurant.co.uk to find out more

taurant puts the provinc-es on the map with Prest-wich being an essential stop wherever you are bound. The Aumbry is unequivo-cally about delivering some-thing first rate; imaginative-ly stimulating and satisfying to the palette, eye, nose and memory through that spe-cial personal touch; effec-tively putting the customer at the heart of a complete sensory experience. Dining here is in effect an ‘event,’ the mood relaxed with-out pretension; the stage is yours for almost as long as you need it and the meal your dazzling co-star, the chefs and staff your crew. This is nothing less than fine dining with creative excel-lence and flair at its core; it should be experienced once at the very least, with book-ing ahead being essential.

Without exception, the food is lovingly and artfully craft-ed from locally sourced in-gredients; the provenance is both known and shared with the diner resulting in a menu which is exceptionally con-sidered, composed and pre-pared in ways to delight the senses and ignite the mem-ory as well as the palette. All the senses are fully engaged as the ‘story’ behind the in-gredients is shared with a delightful air of intimacy,

as if privileging something personal, even sacred. Each dish is lovingly presented: the eyes feast, tantalising aromas excite the nostrils, setting light to the taste buds even before the first mouth-ful. Once the food has suf-fused the palette, each dish-es nuanced flavours and textures are nothing short of a revelation. This is a res-taurant where everything is suffused with tender care and imagination; one of the dishes was presented with heated musk oil to recapture the authenticity of the origi-nal dish. Our minds and our taste buds were repeatedly rejuvenated and refreshed!

At times, one felt almost dizzy with the story-telling zest of

the lovely staff whose flair for their part in this care-fully orchestrated feast, rendered a rainy Saturday evening a very special oc-casion indeed. The whole restaurant was alive with appreciative sighs for over four hours and everyone seemed to depart for home, anchored once more to a lost, yet now rediscovered capacity for childhood joy!Eating as gustatory pleasure, sensory revelation and jour-ney into recollection and new discoveries surely lies

at the heart of the Aumbry raison d’être. The ‘story’ be-hind every piece situates the dish, its historic antecedents are carefully revealed. The restaurants originality will leave you wanting more; a dining experience both in-dividual and intimate, soul satisfying and simply su-perb. The staff are welcom-ing, warm, knowledgeable and attentive without being over-bearing. The chefs can be seen at work, intensely focused on the creative pro-cess. Here the diner leaves satiated on many levels, with a new found respect for what dining out might be; pleasure through the power of complete and relaxed im-mersion into a world of taste.

Opened in 2009 and listed in the Michelin Guide, the Aumbry has gone on to re-ceive a host of accolades such as winner of Restau-rant of the Year, in both 2010 and 2012 (Lancashire Life and Manchester Food and Drink Festival). In 2013 it was voted 8th best res-taurant in the UK (Topt-able). It is no surprise then that award winning Chef, Mary-Ellen (herself Great British menu winner, 2013), said they are going from strength-to-strength as new ideas come on stream; who could argue with that.

Menu subject to change depending on market availability, see website

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experienceTHE Tasting menus:

6 courses, £60 9 courses, £75

The evening began on the upper floor with its vanilla décor, chaise lounge, cottage roses in quaint buckets; perfectly shab-by chic. We were served drinks, an ap-petizer of delightfully light choux pastry filled with delicious molten ‘nutty’ cheese companioned by a small pot of crunchily topped black peas with vinegar dressing and homemade crisps, an enticing opener.Once relocated to the dining room, seated

in our white stick-back chairs, at our crisp-ly laid white linen spread table the Amuse Bouche proceeded with some light open textured homemade sourdough bread, ac-companied by delicate rounds of butter from a local farm in Bolton. A bowl of fresh beef dripping arrived; the warm liq-uor was deliciously intense as the stock, with its smooth caramelized beef sediment, made its own case as a deliciously meaty ac-

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companiment to good fresh bread. A return to one of the ‘lost’ details of the English eating experience, enriched by the glorious extracts of beef cooking. Delicious!

From the 6 Course Tasting Menu, especially enjoyed was the Lough Neagh Char accompanied by tangy red cabbage and walnut vinai-

grette, both delicious and subtle. Then came the Pink Fir Apple Potato Soup, the flavours deepened and lay-ered by the home cured pastrami, Killeen, wild garlic and English truffle. The soup had a delightful frothiness with the delayed ‘hit’ of garlic truly trans-

porting! Nirvana in a bowl.

Next, the pheas-ant pie made its entrance, look-ing very invit-ing; on tasting

the delightful gaminess came through, combining satisfy-ingly with the sweet oystery salsify, celeriac and sweet meatiness of the chestnuts,

certainly hitting the spot. Time for a small breather before the Grapefruit Posset arrived. The strong greens of the unusual celery gran-ita looked fresh and clean with the smooth grapefruit adding the slightest tartness to balance the sweet crunch of the granita. To top it the

sherbet was pure joy and the whole thing a perfect palette cleanser. Finally, Sherry tri-fle with ambrosia moscatel, mandarin and chamomile; a combination delightful-ly light on the palette with the fruity nectar-like sweet-ness of the moscatel and notes of mandarin com-bining with appley notes of chamomile. This menu

was not wanting in any as-pect, it was blissfully good.Then of course there was the equally sumptuous and mammoth 9 Course Taster Menu. Following the love-ly Amuse Bouche, came the delicious Home Smoked Mackerel with roast celeri-ac, pickled beets and mus-

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tard cream. It looked a de-light and didn’t fail to please the palette as well as the eye. Meltingly good, deeply rich, with the sweet beet-root puree counterbalanc-ing the depth of the smoked mackerel and warmth of the mustard cream per-fectly. The dark rye bread added a lovely touch of texture to the experience. Next up the Scallop Ceviche with celeriac, cocoa butter and tarragon. There on the plate for all the world an egg yolk, but that’s the artistry of Aumbry; it was spheri-

fied cocoa butter, which gave way under the knife to yield a subtle flavour and silky texture, enlivened by the ce-leriac and tarragon. Perfect fun! The Game Sausage with turnip, English truffle and barley grass was delicious, game having the depth of flavour craved in a good sau-sage and this was it. The tur-nip, truffle and barley grass an excellent accompaniment.

Enter, Roast Dover Sole, oys-ter pudding, sea aster and Lapsang Souchong; sea food lovers delight. The fish, fine

and delicate, a little sweet on the palette, the oyster pudding utterly tuned with the sea aster and rich depths of the Lapsang; the com-bination was fragrant and scrumptious. Then came the revelation, Slow Cooked Kid Goat, tender, subtle, yet with depth of flavour to de-light. Served with violetta potatoes, roast cauliflower and delicious curly kale. It looked beautiful and would convert those unsure of goat to wanting it as a staple.

The delightful Grapefruit

“Nirvana on a plate”

*****

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Posset came just at the right time to lift and freshen the palette before the intoxica-tion of desserts. The Ratafia Pudding, baked Cox’s Pip-pin apple and almond in-spired by Hannah Glasse’s 18thC. Cookbook delivered a sweet crisp puff pastry set against the deep, sweet caramelised Pippin with almond, whilst notes of Bay suffused the custard to add fascinating complexity.

The final dessert, this was the Beetroot and Choco-late Cakes with bee pollen, hazelnut, milk and honey. How compellingly egg-like it looked, the senses ‘fooled’ by the narrative of a visual repertoire of expectation. The hazelnut, milk and honey held the bee pollen as if a yolk; the chocolate cake cupping the creation whilst companioned by the delightfully blushing beetroot marshmallow. The bee pollen, honey and hazelnut sauce brought it together beautifully.When we thought we couldn’t take any more bliss the cheese selection arrived and re-awakened the sens-es once more, and the de-sire for something savoury to complete the feasting.Accompanied by oatcakes, the bespoke cheeses came in different shades of temp-tation, from creamy white to warming golden hues. Lord of the Hundreds

cheddar had a delightful open, slightly grainy tex-ture with savoury and car-amel notes which contrast-ed perfectly with Cote Hill Blue’s creamy texture, dis-tinctive blue veins, slight

saltiness and smokey taste. The cheese board included the equally Moorish Baron Bigod, a silky smooth cow’s milk farmhouse brie from Suffolk. The Herefordshire goat’s milk cheese, Rag-stone, characterized by its creamy smoothness and lemony notes was delicious.

The other goat’s cheese, Tyms-boro is a soft mould from Somerset with a

distinctively dense, smooth creamy texture which im-parted a herby, nutty and lemony finish. Being ched-dar lovers, Hafod cow’s milk cheddar sourced from Lampeter in Wales satisfied a desire for perfect tangi-

ness, whilst being smooth and buttery. This selection of artisan cheeses from award winning dairy farms will delight any cheese lover.

It is noteworthy that any

restaurant which provides clients with sherbet and handmade rice lollipops at the close of evening knows about the magical powers of gastronomic time trav-el; and how far we all love to wander memory wise, once given any  liberat-ing opportunity! Nothing was too much trouble for the staff, and many cli-ents seemed regulars or recommended. A gift of a restaurant brimming with pleasures. Surely Mr Pick-wick dines there in spirit!Chefs Mary-Ellen and Laurence have created a gastronomic ‘lodestone,’ which is only going to grow-and-grow in terms of reputation and im-pact on dining in the UK.

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