Roots Goes Wild: A Night in the Woods with Mel Brown at Tewinbury Farm

This October, Tewinbury Farm's celebrated alfresco dining series Roots gets an Autumnal upgrade, moving into the woods for one night only with special guest chef Mel Brown - the New Zealand-born chef, sommelier and restaurateur behind The Laundry in Brixton.

On 17th October, the long-shared dining table moves from the market garden to under the trees, surrounded by firepits and festoon lights, with the kitchen set up right in the middle of it all. Set on 700 acres of rolling countryside just 30 minutes from London's King's Cross, Tewinbury's outdoor dining series is known for its farm-to-fork approach, built around sustainability, seasonal produce and serious cooking.

Mel Brown brings a touch of New Zealand to Hertfordshire, working alongside the Tewinbury kitchen with whatever's growing, being harvested and coming off the farm in October, for a multi-course feast cooked in front of guests. Produce will hit the flames or sit slowly over the embers: expect smoke, char, proper autumn produce, and dishes built for sharing around a table rather than plating beneath restaurant lights.

Mel's career has moved between food, wine and hospitality in equal measure. She trained in kitchens including Raymond Blanc's Le Petit Blanc, before spells at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen and The Providores under Peter Gordon, becoming known along the way for championing New Zealand wine and for cooking that's produce-led, generous and uncomplicated, with a real understanding of what happens when brilliant ingredients meet fire. Expect her around the table throughout the evening: talking food, telling stories, checking what's in your glass, and making sure the conversation matters as much as what's on the plate.

Wines are provided by Humble Grape, with a curated pairing of New Zealand wines chosen course by course and poured throughout the evening - independent producers, interesting bottles, and wines with a clear sense of where they've come from.

Tickets are £79 per person and include a multi-course menu from Mel Brown and the Tewinbury team, New Zealand wine pairings from Humble Grape, and an evening of open-fire dining in the woods at Tewinbury Farm.

Tickets are available via Tewinbury Farm.

Why not make a weekend of it? With beautiful accommodation on-site, Tewinbury offers the ideal countryside escape, family and dog-friendly, with the kind of hospitality that makes you want to stay forever. Book your place at Tewinbury.