A collaboration between two icons of the culinary world is always something to look forward to, but when the chefs concerned are Tom Adams of BBQ joint Pitt Cue and April Bloomfield of New York's The Spotted Pig, and the project in question is a new farm/dining room/B&B, we reach sky-high levels of excitement.
Coombeshead Farm is near Launceston, in the verdant countryside of Cornwall, and is set in 66 acres of meadows and woodland. It's a six-bedroom farmhouse – complete with an open-fire communal living room, whisky room, library, wine cellar, dining room and open kitchen – on a working farm that will provide all the produce. If the idea sounds familiar, you'd be right – it's not too dissimilar to Magnus Nilsson's farm and restaurant, Fäviken, in the Swedish wilderness.
Unsurprisingly, food will be the focus here. Dinner will be served to guests in the 12-cover dining room on a large communal table and menus will change according to what's in season and will be entirely based around what's being produced on the farm at the time.
Come autumn, Coombeshead will also hold workshops where you'll be able to learn the techniques used daily in the farmhouse kitchens, as well as specific skills like butchery, sausage making, curing, pickling, preserving and bread making.
It's a project that's taken five years to come together, almost since Adams and Bloomfield met, and it marks Bloomfield's return to the UK, something which has been highly anticipated since she left for the US 13 years ago – which means you'd best get booking if you want to try it any time soon.
Bookings are being taken now for 6 July onwards; rooms will start from £160 a night. Email bookings@coombesheadfarm.co.uk
