This summer, Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate in Hatfield Heath, England, invites guests to step outside as Garden Gatherings return to The Woodland Table: an open-air dining experience shaped by seasonality, smoke and open flame.

The alfresco feasts unfold within the estate’s signature outdoor dining concept. Beneath open skies and surrounded by the living larder of the two-acre kitchen garden, long organic tables carved from Down Hall’s own felled trees are set among gently smouldering fire pits, with live music drifting through the afternoon air.

Led by Executive Chef Robert Pearce, the experience celebrates flame cooking with menus inspired by the fresh produce of the estate’s kitchen garden and sourced from trusted local suppliers. Prepared in full view and designed for sharing, each dish draws depth from smoke and char, bringing a sense of place to every course.

Every Garden Gathering begins with estate-inspired cocktails and canapés, followed by chefs introducing the inspiration behind the four-course surprise menu. Guests can expect dishes such as grilled hispi cabbage with houmous, creamed taramasalata to start, fire-kissed lamb rump, miso-glazed cauliflower and wood-charred Chalk Farm trout for mains, while desserts include toasted pavlova with rhubarb compote.

Throughout the experience, seasonal cocktails crafted with Down Hall’s own gin and vodka are infused with freshly picked herbs from the kitchen garden, echoing the landscape that surrounds the table.

Photography: © Nick Holt