Auberge du Lac Officially Re-opens this Spring

New Head Chef John Barber to offer a new style of fine dining on the Brocket Hall Estate

Under the direction of new Head Chef, John Barber, Auberge du Lac will re-open its doors on May 4th, 2023.

Now in its 25th year, the beautiful lakeside venue which has been home to an illustrious line-up of talented chefs in its history – including Phil Thompson and Jean-Christophe Novelli – will be offering guests memorable dining experiences once again.

With his pedigree (Mandarin Hotel Group, D&D Group) and passion, John is evolving the renowned restaurant, to make it more relevant and accessible for a local audience and visitors alike.

 His vision? To make fine dining at Auberge more relaxed, without compromise on quality or taste.

New team in place

John is bringing a new team of talents together for the re-opening of the restaurant which sits within the grounds of the Brocket Hall Estate.

Supporting John in the kitchen is Pastry Chef, Ariana Machado who learnt her craft at iconic London brasserie The Wolseley and Luke Watkins who trained at  Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat`Saisons.

Front of house, Scott Foster will be ensuring that the drinks, atmosphere, and service, match the excellence of the food. With a wealth of experience in luxury hospitality including running operations for The Galvin Brothers, he will be the friendly face of Auberge; creating an informal ambience whilst maintaining the high standards and excellence for which Auberge is known.

Soil-to-plate dining

Working closely with kitchen gardener Lucy Hawkins, John will be focused on sustainability and seasonality to enhance his modern British style of cuisine.

Since joining the estate last May Lucy has transformed a one-acre site - using the no-dig method - into a fertile garden which will supply Auberge with fresh produce all year round and support local biodiversity.

Dishes created by John will make the best use of her seasonal crops which are growing within metres of the tables where they will be served. This is soil-to-plate dining at its best. 

John is also prioritising the use of the most local and sustainable suppliers across Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas who can deliver the freshest and highest quality ingredients for his exquisite and flavoursome food.

Highlights from the a la carte menu include dishes such as Guinea Fowl, roast breast, stuffed leg ballotine, baby leeks, wild mushroom, tarragon cream sauce and Crab Ravioli, Cornish crab, scallop mousse, fennel charcoal pasta, bisque.
 

Opening hours

Following a soft launch (20th - 30th April) the restaurant will be open from the  4th of May, Thursday through to Sunday, for lunch and Thursday to Saturday for dinner.

For more information and bookings go to:  www.brocket-hall.co.uk/auberge-du-lac/

For updates follow Auberge on Instagram and Facebook.

Notes to editors:

Images available to download here:

For more information, please contact Donna Amato at AH Creative: 07950 411747/ahcreativeldn@gmail.com  

About John Barber

At just 32 years old, John Barber has already had an incredible career. Following an intensive apprenticeship at The Mandarin Hotel Group in London and Thailand and a stint in Paris with famed chef Charcutier Giles Verot, John joined Bar Bouloud (part of the Mandarin in London) and within three years became Executive Sous Chef and Executive Head Chef.

A period at the D&D Group followed, where John opened 14 Hills at 120 Fenchurch Street, London.  The opportunity to put Auberge back on the map as a foodie destination has seen John relocate to Hertfordshire with his young family to start an exciting new chapter.