Private Dining at The Gibbon Bridge in The Orangery, Images by Jonny Draper

I really love this space at The Gibbon Bridge, it's fresh, it's contemporary and it adds a completely new dimension to this cosy, traditional hotel, as many of you will know TGB is famous for it's superb cuisine, everything and I mean everything is prepared on the premises by top notch bakers and chefs.

~

Their attention to detail is legendary from the owner Janet, her right hand man Edward right through their superb team, making it the perfect spot for intimate family celebrations and huge Wedding Breakfasts alike, check out the TGB Blog.

~

We'd arranged Oriental Lilies and Willow in the two tall urns on either side of the entrance to the Orangery.

The table was dressed with a series of "Spring gardens" on recycled glass plates We'd used Ranunculas, Cyclamen fresh Lilac, Tete a Tete and bulbs in these lovely table designs

The gardens at The Gibbon Bridge are exquisite and I really wanted to bring a little of the essence of the gardens into our designs.

The fab mood lighting really changes the atmosphere

These superb images were all taken by the indomitable Jonny Draper

A Spectacular Dinner Party with Divine Flowers Enjoy....

Welcome to my humble dining room and an insight into my style of "at home entertaining", I hope you'll enjoy a peek through my key hole...I dressed the table with a black brocade cloth and black napkins, I wanted the table to be insignificant a backdrop for the flowers and food to really take centre stage
We used a selection of autumnal Dahlias, Nerines, Orchids, Roses, Chillis, Tulips, Astilbe, Sedum and Amaryllis

The place settings were simple luggage labels attached to threaded conkers for a game later on


So the scene was set the guests started to arrive

Appetizers

~

Halloumi Cheese with a Caper and Shallot Vinaigrette

Venison Carpacio

The Starter in mid preparation, my brother Paul & I were in charge of cooking and this was his dish, he'd removed the legs from Mallards and Partridges these were cooked in a confit for three hours and then the meat was shredded and rolled to create a sausage which was portioned and sauted until crispy on the outside and yummy and soft on the inside....

The finished dish, Breasts of Partridge & Mallard with Confit on caramalised pears with a pear cider sauce

Fish Course: Sea Bass with tomato jam and lemon grass beurre blanc

Mojhito sorbet to refresh the palette

Lamb for mains served on cabbage, kale and carrots with piped potatoe puree and spinach and parsley puree and Red wine jus
Time out for a game of conkers Emma & I were the champions
Cheeses with figs and quince jelly
a frozen pot of frozen grapes

And finally White Chocolate Panacotta with dark and milk chocolate Cheese cake

I love cooking almost as much as I love flowers, socialising and eating but when you put all three together it's fantabulous!

Jonny Draper thank you so much for taking the photographs even though you were getting progressively more inebriated as the evening was drawing to an end! xxxx