OBSESSION 2015 Magazine

NORTHCOTE OBSESSION 2015 | 1

15 YEARS OF CULINARY MAGIC

NORTHCOTE OBSESSION 2015 | 54 | NORTHCOTE OBSESSION 2015

Quench YourCuriosityIF YOU HAVE EVER been curious about the beautiful wines produced

in one of the oldest wine regions in Portugal, for Julia Kemper and

family, CURIOSITY comes in the form of a complex and extremely

elegant wine made in the heart of the Dão region.

Made in the best Portuguese tradition, passed down from generation

to generation for more than 400 years, this unique red boasts great

aromatic expression of rosemary, violet and wild berries, combined

with hints of toast and dried fruits.

Produced at the Quinta do Cruzeiro family estate, where tradition

and modernity come together to produce exceptional organic labels,

this elegant red is guaranteed to pique your CURIOSITY.

With a winemaking heritage dating back hundreds of years, JULIA KEMPER produces award-winning wines in the famous Dão region of Portugal. The family estate of Quinta do Cruzeiro

boasts several terroirs, farmed organically, which produce elegant, award-winning wines with a quintessentially Portuguese soul. JULIA KEMPER is distributed in the UK by Alliance Wine Co.

www.juliakemperwines.com

6 | NORTHCOTE OBSESSION 2015 NORTHCOTE OBSESSION 2015 | 7

11 18 24A LIFETIME’SOBSESSIONNIGEL HAWORTH

on the upcoming

OBSESSION festival and

positioning Northcote

as a legacy for the next

generation of

restauranteurs.

A PASSIONFOR WINEThe wine cellar at

Northcote is legendary

and has, over the years,

reaped numerous awards.

Its success is largely all

down to one man:

CRAIG BANCROFT.

THE WOWFACTORMARY WEAVER, Houses

Editor of LivingEtc

magazine, enjoys

Northcote’s new

look after 18 months

of refurbishing and

extension work.

h SPECIAL FEATURES

For more information and news, please visit: www.visitlancashire.comOBSESSION LANCASHIRE

Lancashire CheeseFull-bodied and creamy in texture, the

delicious Lancashire cheese is the star of

the 'Length of Lancashire' cheese board,

specially developed by Nigel Haworth.

“Sourcing food from our doorstep and

supporting our local artisan producers is

very much a way of life at Northcote. In my

opinion, no other region offers so many

different tastes and distinctive characters,”

said Nigel. Produced since the mid-19th

century, Lancashire Cheese can be divided

into three varieties – creamy, tasty and

crumbly. It can be eaten young and mild,

from as little as four to eight weeks, or left

as long as two years, allowing the flavour to

become stronger and fully mature.

Cooking with HeartBeyond Michelin stars and the fineststandards of food and hospitality, eachyear, Northcote also dedicates the OBSESSION festival to a charity close to its heart. This year, as it celebratesits 15th anniversary, Northcote hasnominated two charities – HospitalityAction, which provides support to those who work or have worked withinhospitality in the UK and who findthemselves in crisis, and of which NigelHaworth has been a patron for manyyears; and The Prince's Trust, whichsupports vulnerable young people tohelp stabilise their lives and developskills to work. The festival is hoping toraise a considerable amount through a silent auction, with OBSESSIONchefs from the last 15 years offering incredible prizes.

The Forest of BowlandAn Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty, the Forest of Bowland covers312 square miles of open moorland,gentle lowlands and picturesque villages in the heart of rural Lancashire. A haven of peace andquiet, visitors can walk, ride or cycle,observe rare birds and wildlife, orsample the best local produce of this captivating countryside.

NorthcoteCookery SchoolLocated in the heart of the Northcote

kitchen since April, the Northcote Cookery

School offers an exciting programme all

year round. Ideal for the novice cook or

the culinary enthusiast, there are three

levels to choose from – foundation,

intermediate and advanced –, with full

and half-day courses featuring a variety

of categories, from honing knife skills to

learning how to bake bread and creating

dinner party menus or gourmet barbecues

in the summer. With courses delivered by

head tutor Michael Vanheste, and special

masterclasses from Nigel Haworth and

head chef Lisa Allen, the Northcote

Cookery School provides a unique and

intimate experience to learn new skills in

the heart of a Michelin-starred kitchen.

www.northcote.com

Making it LancashireIts Lancashire’s diversity combined withan authentic warm welcome that drivesover 63 million visitors and generatesover £3.5 billion for the economy eachyear. These numbers continue to growthanks to the quality and choice of theleisure and hospitality businesses withinthe county. VisitLancashire.com is thecounty’s comprehensive resource forvisitors looking to plan their stay in Lancashire from food and drink to activities and experiences and of coursethe huge choice of events held every year.This increasingly popular consumer-facing website, created and managed by Marketing Lancashire, has over 1.5million unique users visiting over 5 million web pages per year reflecting theinterest this fantastic county holds.

Portuguese GoldRamos Pinto is a centenarian winemaker

from Portugal's famous Douro region

whose constant pursuit for excellence

can be tasted in each of its finest nectars.

Founded in 1880, the Portuguese wine-

maker produces excellent port wines, as

well as non-fortified wines, at its four

estates: Quinta do Bom Retiro, Quinta da

Urtiga, Quinta dos Bons Ares and Quinta

de Ervamoira.


15 YEARS

OF CULINARY MAGIC

2015St Anne's Pier, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire

Chris Sandham Graham Kirkham

OBSESSION 2015 looks set tobe bigger and better than ever.Not only will it showcase someof the world’s best chefs, eachpresenting a specially curatedmenu, harmonised wine list and evening of entertainment,but Northcote itself will be celebrating its 30th anniversaryand the opening of 8 new luxurybedrooms, following extensiverenovations, Northcote has become one of the leadingproperties in the UK

With Nigel Haworth and CraigBancroft at the helm, Northcotehas gone from strength tostrength over recent years and 2014 has seen itamass still further accolades. Add these to theawards and Michelin stars which will be broughtalong by the internationally renowned chefs,each coming to demonstrate their talents atOBSESSION’s sell out dinners, and the heavenswill be sure to be twinkling brightly.

OBSESSION is not only a platform for thesefantastic chefs to show guests what they can do, but it is also a forum for them to exchangeideas and enrich their own culinary experience.Set in the heart of the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, there is plenty of fresh, local

produce around Northcote, which all of the invited chefs arekeen to learn about and incorporateinto their menus. This means thatthe visitor experience will be evenmore special: tasting something new and scintillating, both to them and, in many cases, thecreators.

And, of course, Northcote’s cellarhas much to boast about. The winepairings offered with each dinnerwill take guests on a global flight,experiencing the very best from a number of countries and grapevarietals.

This year stretching over 15 nights, OBSESSIONwill be the culinary event of 2015! An event ofthis magnitude could not be staged without thesupport of our valuable sponsors and guestsalike who travel the country to be part ofNorthcote’s OBSESSION. However, Northcote’scommitment and passion continues throughouteach and every day and 2015 will unveil a seriesof events to mark the celebration of 30 years, so there is always a good excuse to visit thisiconic property.

Kaye MathewSales & Marketing Director

Editor & Art DirectorTOR SOREIDE

WritersANNA McNAY

MICHAEL MANNINGMARY WEAVER

CRISTINA ALCOCK

PhotographyALLEN MARKEYTOR SOREIDE

Web PrintGARNETT DICKINSON

This year stretching over

15 nights, OBSESSION will be the culinary event

of 2015!

Cover Image: The Mysteries of HotpotCreated by Nigel Haworth

Photography by Allen Markey

Now in its 15th year, OBSESSION is run by theNorthcote Leisure Group as an annual homage to the finest food and wine from across the globe. It is the only event of its kind in the UK and regularlytakes place in January/February each year.

Showcasing some of the world’s best chefs, this culinary extravaganza promotes Lancashire and the Northwest, the region’s culture and products.

Inaugurated in 2000 by Northcote’s chef patronNigel Haworth, the festival has grown steadily yearby year and tickets always sell out well in advance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACTKAYE MATHEWSales & Marketing Director

Email: [email protected]: 01254 915 177Web: www.northcoteobsession.com

NORTHCOTENorthcote Road, Langho Blackburn,Lancashire, BB6 8BE

Email: [email protected]: 01254 240 555Web: www.northcote.com

�

8 | NORTHCOTE OBSESSION 2015

PROGRAMME DATE CHEF RESTAURANT MICHELIN COUNTRY

JANUARYFriday 23rd CHRIS GALVIN Windows H UK

JEFF GALVIN La Chapelle H UK

Saturday 24th MARTIN KLEIN Ikarus Das RestaurantHangar-7 AUSTRIA

Sunday 25th JACOB JAN BOERMA Restaurant De Leest HHH HOLLAND

Monday 26th ENRICO& ROBERTO CEREA Davittorio HHH ITALY

Tuesday 27th PHIL HOWARD The Square HH UKBRETT GRAHAM The Ledbury HH UK

Wednesday 28th VIVEK SINGH The Cinnamon Club UK

Thursday 29th Portuguese Masterclass Various PORTUGAL

Friday 30th Taste PortugalDIETER KOSCHINA Vila Joya HH PORTUGALVITOR MATOS Casa da Calçada H PORTUGALJOSÉ AVILLEZ Belcanto HH PORTUGALMIGUEL LAFFAN L’And H PORTUGAL

Saturday 31st TSUYOSHI MURAKAMI Kinoshita BRAZIL

FEBRUARYSunday 1st GAGGAN ANAND Gaggan THAILAND

Monday 2nd KLAUS ERFORT GästeHaus Erfort HHH GERMANY

Tuesday 3rd Girls’ Night Out!MARGOT JANSE Le Quartier Francais SOUTH AFRICAANGELA HARTNETT MBE Murano H UKLISA ALLEN Northcote H UK

Wednesday 4th KEN HOM OBE Ken Hom THAILAND

Thursday 5th SHAUN HERGATT Juni H USA

Friday 6th Great British Menu NightSHAUN RANKIN Ormer H UKGLYNN PURNELL Purnells H UKKENNY ATKINSON House of Tides UKNIGEL HAWORTH Northcote H UK

Saturday 7th NIGEL HAWORTH Northcote H UK


2015

25 of the world’s best chefs, 27 MichelinStars and who knows how many dishes?There is nothing in the food world like OBSESSION at Northcote. It’s a feast inevery sense of the word.

OBSESSION isn’t just about the food, the wines,

the service, as it’s not formulas that make great

festivals, but it’s the people – the chefs; the staff

and the guests who are lucky enough to have a seat

to mark this anniversary of 15 years of OBSESSION.

Great hotels demand great design

Northcote has a lot to celebrate in 2015 – their 30th anniversary and 15 years of Obsession. Ward Robinson is proud to be celebrating with them as 2015 also marks the 10th anniversary of this award winning interior design company transforming the interiors of Northcote from a humble abode to the 28 bedroom luxury destination it is today.

+44 (0)191 269 5465 [email protected]


Nigel Haworth drops down into one of the stylish leather sofas in the lounge at Northcote and reaches for a waiting cup of tea. A rare moment of peace and quiet. WORDS MICHAEL MANNING | PORTRAIT ALLEN MARKEY

A LIFETIME’SOBSESSION

T’S FRIDAY and lunch is a popular date for the regular clientele – the evening is already top heavy with bookings for a dinner service that also offers the complex ‘tasting menu’. Haworth has been trying for the last three hours to get a break in which to

discuss his time at Northcote – and hisplans for the new year and beyond.

Barely a sip of tea later comes a requestfrom the restaurant: a valued guest would

like a tour of the new kitchen facilities,hand-held by the Northcote’s celebratedMichelin starred chef. Haworth wearily –but with great good humour – gets to hisfeet and goes off to show his pride and joyto a client for whom this simple gesture willmake her day. If not her year! For in thispart of the world Haworth is a celebritywith star quality.

Haworth will show her the newly extendedkitchen wing, which could hold its ownagainst any top calibre restaurant facility

in Europe. Custom built to his exact specification, it is big enough to host multiples of the world-renowned chefs who attend the annual OBSESSION foodfestival staged at Northcote each January.He will explain the impressive chef ’s table,gleaming behind its plate glass, floor to ceiling windows, where guests can dine and yet be an integral part of the whole creative process. He will explain how this doubles as a school of cuisine whereclasses can learn the whole gamut of quality cooking.

II


If there is time available,Haworth will go on toreveal the floor abovewhich has a canteen,rest room (completewith video games)and study area for the staff and apprentices whowork the long catering shifts below.

It’s all a very long wayfrom the cold and draughtyouthouse – with a Formica tableand stove in the corner – thatgreeted Haworth in his first weeks at the old Northcote Manor.

Having trained locally at RossendaleCatering College, Haworth joinedBritish Transport Hotels as a young intern. BTH controlled premier Scottish locations and others along thefamous railway routes. He remembers it as a ‘great military style training’. Although soon promoted to theGrosvenor in London, Haworth feltuncomfortable with his developmentand when a chef friend suggestedSwitzerland as a great place to learnthe business, he quickly followed up on it.

‘I had a crash course in German at the sandwich bar,’ he recalls, ‘then Iprogressed to Lucerne and worked myway around the five star kitchen.’ He would have been happy to continueclimbing the continental ladder but marriage intervened. ‘I came back to Lancashire to start a family,’ he remembers. ‘I made the decision tocome home... to a barren desert, inculinary terms!

‘I cooked in a few places near here(Langho) but nothing really worked out.A friend suggested a bit of teaching atmy old catering college. Then I met witha very young Craig Bancroft – and thenext 30 years are history. I fell in lovewith Northcote and it became a lifetime’s work. I have no regrets – I have travelled the world and met some fabulous people and we wouldnow like to position Northcote as alegacy for the next generation – as with the great French hotels and restaurants.’

Hotpot is a quick and simple dish to prepare with a long, slow cooking time, and every Lancashire tradeclaims it as their own. Mill workers, miners, and shepherds all have an LHP anecdote. Even the aristocracy were said to take hot pots to the races,wrapped in a blanket. Traditional hot pots were supposedly tall because hill sheep were long boned and a chop or two would be stood up in the dish.

NIGEL HAWORTH’s winning hotpot dish on Great British Menu (2009) has become recognised as a modern classic and is still a firm favourite in

Lancashire. It is almost a signature dish. ‘Simplicity,’ he says, ‘and the right ingredients. Simple dishes are often misunderstood – although it is very hard toachieve on a bigger scale. You really need a dedicated

kitchen team to create this dish properly.’ His ‘secret’ is the three cuts of lamb that add texture: shin, neck and shoulder. He is frequently quoted as preferringLonk Lamb for this, and ‘English onions, not Spanish’,and a ‘floury potato able to crisp on top and drop underneath.’

Haworth’s aim is to have Lancashire hotpot recognised as a classic standard like coq au vin, osso bucco or moussaka, the essential peasant dishes with an ability to transcend their humble origins. ‘I'm working on another interpretation ofthe LHP at the moment,’ he reveals tantalisingly.Meanwhile, to do it yourself, Northcote have provided an online guide – good luck!

www.northcote.com/recipes/nigel-haworths-lancashire-hotpot

Haworth’s return to the Northcotekitchen, lately under the acclaimed direction of Lisa Allen, currently on maternity leave, predicates his review ofthe Northcote situation. ‘I’ve been busyrunning a business with several outlets,’he notes, ‘and so being back on site atNorthcote means I can think ahead. We have been on one star for some time now. Michelin stars are a bonus. Allchefs look up to these and it will certainly give us extra kudos and openup other possibilities. A second star iswhere I want to be, where I would feel

comfortable.We have set thestage, our facilities are first

class, the training is inplace, so a second starwould be an incrediblerecognition in how wehave moved forward inthe last 18 months’.

The notice and appreciationthat Northcote’s annual

food and wine festival, OBSESSION, has enjoyed

would seem to make that secondstar an inevitability. The 2015 plans

are bigger and more ambitious than ever,yet it all stems from Nigel Haworth’schance meeting in the restaurant withthe chairman of Shire Inns. ‘He told me about a festival of food and wine in Carmel in California which he’d just attended – all the top chefs in America drop in. He then introducedme to Tom Baker and, in due course, Iwent and did a week over in California– as a minnow in a very big pond. On the flight home, I really thought thisthrough and then we tried it out with afour night event here at Northcote. By the 10th anniversary we were up toten nights. This year it is going to bevery special and 15 nights. It kicks our 30th anniversary year off in style andthere will be more celebration eventsthroughout 2015”

‘We’ve created an incredible platformand it is a major event in January herein Langho, and, indeed, in the UK. Topchefs are now asking to be a part of it.We’ve never had a single glitch in thewhole 15 years, well none that we couldn’tdeal with! Christmas is over and theteam head straight into OBSESSIONwith excitement, they can learn somuch, everyone wants to be part of it’

NIGEL HAWORTH

Lancashire Hotpot

The stuff of dreams, the world-famous Haworth hotpot

‘I fell in love with Northcote and it became a lifetime’s work. I have no

regrets – I have travelled the world and metsome fabulous people and we would now like to position Northcote as a legacy for

the next generation’

Nigel Haworth: Tarletlon Wood Pigeon with its own Leg Meat,

Garstang Blue Cheese, Slow cooked Hesketh Bank Cabbage


A PASSION FOR WINEHE WINE CELLAR AT NORTHCOTE

IS LEGENDARY. IT HAS, OVER THE

YEARS, REAPED NUMEROUS

AWARDS AND ITS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING

WINE LIST IS FOCUSED ENTIRELY ON

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. ITS SUCCESS IS

LARGELY ALL DOWN TO ONE MAN:

CRAIG BANCROFT.

WORDS ANNA McNAY | PORTRAIT ALLEN MARKEY

T

The Northcote Treasury


THE RIBBLE VALLEY INNS

Country Pubs with Culinary Prowess

The Ribble Valley InnsThe BullThe Bull at Broughton has long been

one of Yorkshire's landmark pubs and it is

famous as much for its hospitality as it is

for its beautiful location. Nearby is the

imposing Broughton Hall, a Georgian

country house, which has been the seat

of the Tempest Baronets for 900 years.

As with all the Ribble Valley Inns, The Bull

harvests the finest, freshest seasonal

ingredients from the pick of local

suppliers, creating a menu inspired

by Nigel Haworth, with his flair

for combining tradition with

contemporary twists.

Broughton, Skipton,

North Yorkshire, BD23 3AE

If you’re looking for something a little less formal than a Michelin-starred restaurant, but still want to enjoy award-winning food and wine, why not try one of the Northcote Group’s inns?

As heads and co-founders of the Northcote Group of Companies, Nigel Haworth and Craig Bancroft not only runNorthcote itself, but also five impressive gastropubs, knowncollectively as the Ribble Valley Inns. The pubs are full of atmosphere, character and northern rural charm, but, first and foremost, they are designed to be relaxing, with al fresco dining in the summer and warming log fires in the winter. While priding themselves on their award-winning foodand wine list, the selection of regional cask ales and ciders reminds guests that they are in the cosy surroundings of a traditional country pub.

The Clog and BillycockJust down the road from Blackburn, in the picturesque Pleasington, diners at The Clog and Billycock can enjoy breathtaking views across the rollingcountryside towards the River Darwen as they enjoy their leisurely – and delicious – lunch. Does the name of the pub intrigue you? Well, originallyknown as the Bay Horse Inn, clogs andthe billycock were the favourite attire of a landlord who took over in the early20th century. Curious and curiouser.Sadly this tradition has died out, but the quality of food, wine and cask ale persists.

Billinge End Road, Pleasington,

Blackburn, Lancashire. BB2 6QB

The Three FishesAs the flagship and first-born Ribble

Valley Inn, The Three Fishes, situated

in the tiny picturesque hamlet of

Mitton, celebrated its 10th anniversary

in September 2014. The previous year

saw a stylish refurbishment, keeping

the country pub both traditional and

welcoming, while also cutting edge

and contemporary in terms of what it

has to offer. Currently celebrating the

arrival of a new head chef, Ian Moss,

the menus will continue, nevertheless,

to be inspired by Nigel Haworth,

using, of course, only the freshest

ingredients.

Mitton Road, Mitton,

Nr Whalley, Lancashire. BB7 9PQ

The HighwaymanSituated just inside the borders of Lancashire, a stone’s throw from Yorkshire and Cumbria, The Highwaymanhas been part of The Ribble Valley Innsfor seven years, but it re-opened in June2014 following a full refurbishment. Offering a garden terrace for al fresco

dining and cocktails on the lawn, thepub offers a menu that embraces thelocal food traditions from all three counties. The kitchen is led by head chef Jason Birbeck, affectionatelyknown as ‘Bruno’, who previouslyworked as sous chef at Northcote.

Burrow,

Kirkby Lonsdale, LA6 2RJ

Please check our website for more info: www.ribblevalleyinns.com

TThe Nag's Head

The Nag’s Head lies slightly off the beaten track, in thehamlet of Haughton, near Tarporley in Cheshire, and isas quintessentially English as a pub can be. Standingsince 1680, it is just a couple of minutes’ drive from thebustling Tudor village of Bunbury and is close to manytourist attractions, including Beeston Castle, TattonPark and the restored Water Mill at Bunbury. Now withmenus created by Nigel Haworth, The Nag’s Head

has been transformed, following an extensive but sympathetic refurbishment, into one of the county’s finest gastropubs.

Long Lane, Haughton Moss, Near Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 9RN


ESPITE his modesty, Bancroft is actually wellworth writing about. Alongsidehis business partner Nigel

Haworth, with whom he has beenrunning Northcote since 1984, he has helped turn the once humble six-bedroom abode into a luxury 28-bedroom destination with aMichelin-starred restaurant and anaward-winning wine list.

‘My passion for wine comes from my family, really,’ Bancroft explains.‘My father was a wine connoisseurand collector – as was my mother –and so I was brought up with winefrom an early age. But I’m not an expert. I always make it clear toeveryone that I’m not qualified inwhat I do.’ Maybe not on paper, but,in experience, Bancroft is doubtlesslymore qualified than most. Indeed, he continues: ‘I’m not going to undermine my position – what I’m known for, what Northcote is renowned for, is food and wine

matching, and that’s my skill. Myskillset really is that I’m a greedy bonviveur, who loves food and wine. Firstand foremost, I’m a gourmet.’

And that is how it all began. ‘A lot of sommeliers have a hugeamount of knowledge but they’re not into their food. Because my reallove has always been food, in order toenjoy it better, I’ve always made surethat my food and wine were either aperfect marriage or a great contrast.That’s how I started the wine enthusiasm.’

It seems to be working. Last year sawNorthcote win AA Wine List of theYear and this year they have achievedTwo Glasses Award of Excellence withAmerican Wine Spectator. They havealso won Portuguese Best Wine List of the Year three times and Bancrofthimself has been given a special awardfrom the Portuguese Ambassador forhis services to Portuguese wines.

D

‘My stepmother and father emigratedto Portugal in 1984 and my cousin ismarried to Bruce Hawker, the ownerand editor of the Essential magazinesin the Algarve, Lisbon, Madeira and London. He is a real Portuguese foodand wine connoisseur – and was theman who introduced Craig to theamazing wines Portugal produces.

Up until 2000, Bancroft built Northcote’s wine list himself, but,more recently, he has expanded his ‘wine team’ to include NickAdams MW, who consults with Bancroft on a monthly basis, andhead sommelier Adam Pawlowski,newly qualified as a Master Sommelier. ‘Nick is an expert in thebest vintages, best growers, what’shappening in the market place, what’s new, what we should be looking at… And Adam is a greattaster. He understands and is helpingto improve the wine list with the teamas they strive for perfection.’

All of their wine is bought from justthe one merchant: Julian Kaye, ownerof the Wright Wine Company. ‘I firedall my other wine merchants 20 yearsago because it was too much hassleand I wanted just the one contact,

‘Don’t write about me for goodness’ sake!’ laughs Northcote’s

Director of Wines, CRAIG BANCROFT. ‘I’m a failed student

at school, who ended up taking a Trusthouse Forte Management

training course for five years and then came to Northcote.’

one phone call, one person to dealwith who would get me anything and everything I wanted. Our relationship may be regarded as unusual but for us it is robust, sincereand a great friendship. We use his

The cellar at Northcote has been

established over the years under

Bancroft’s lead. His ‘wine team’

includes Nick Adams MW and head

sommelier Adam Pawlowski MS.

The wine list itself acts like a library

from which to match the gourmet

tasting menus. Bancroft’s aim is to

offer customers wines from all around

the world, showcasing different

varietals, as well as sherries, madeiras,

cognacs and whiskies.

services and his skills and always get exactly what we want. That was the pact Julian and I made 15years ago and we still work togethernow. One of the best decisions wemade together was when we selected

LOUIS ROEDERER Champagne as our house champagne. We wanteda family-owned house with the sameethos as us, hence why we are stillpouring Roederer 15 years on at OBSESSION’

A PASSION FOR WINE CRAIG BANCROFT

[ ]‘Bancroft himself has been given a special award from the Portuguese Ambassador

for his services to Portuguese wines.’


to get. So it’s buyable on the nightby glasses or by the bottle. We’vemade it überflexible. It’s harder work for my staff but much better for the customer.’

The wine list itself acts like a libraryfrom which to match the gourmet tasting menus. In the restaurant itself, the wine list is almostredundant. ‘We’re so well known for our food and wine matching thatthe majority of our customers trustour suggestions and don’t even ask

The wine team also includes Haworth and Northcote’s head chefLisa Allen, who keep them in theloop about what’s happening seasonally with the food. ‘Our winelist is constantly evolving. Everymonth, when we meet, we evaluatethe list. We’ve stripped it back forevery area and every country, gettingrid of any wines or makers thatweren’t quite right. It’s a four-yearprocess and, having just reached theend, we’re starting again.’

The ethos of Northcote’s wine list is that it must have a huge and wide range of food matching opportunities, including grape varietals from all different parts ofthe world. When pairing wines for atasting menu, Bancroft seeks to takeguests on a journey, with no repeatedstopovers. He believes there are twoways to make the wine match: it’s either a marriage – ‘a beautiful combination of subliminal blendingwhere you can’t see the join’ – or it’sa contrast, bringing out both sets offlavours. ‘I always say that food andwine pairings should either marrythings or divorce them,’ Bancroftlaughs.

It is all about customer satisfaction.‘It’s not about sales and it’s not about running people up a list,’ says Bancroft. ‘We don’t have all thegrand crus and the premier crus andthe famous wines of the world. Wedon’t go out and buy Screaming Eagle because we have to have it onthe list. We have things that we thinkour customers want and we make the prices range from low £20s up to the high £500s, not into the£1000s, ensuring great value for exceptional, quality prestigiouswines.’

Northcote also has a large range of wines available by the glass because for each of the tastingmenus, Bancroft offers a glass match.‘That’s actually our main sale. Youcan have a wine bottle flight, where a table of eight can have bottles witheach course, or if there’s only two orfour of you, you can have glasses. We don’t include wine in the price of the taster menus because we’velearnt over the years that we’ve gotpregnant ladies, we’ve got drivers,we’ve got people who are poorly –and they don’t want to pay for awine flight that they’re not going

to see the list,’ laughs Bancroft. ‘Our Portuguese wine sales are phenomenal because I’ve been ableto win over Ribble Valley!’ All of thewine team are well versed and ableto advise customers, and part ofeach monthly meeting with Adamsis given over to a three-hour tutoring session to keep everyone up to date. Sometimes he also tutors the bar team on cognacs orsherries or even whiskies as well.Many of the staff hold WSET wineand spirit qualifications.

Bancroft, along with his wine team, likes to maintain control over his wine list and food and wine pairings, and is reluctant to let othersommeliers takeover at an event like OBSESSION. ‘I’m quite controversial at times. I don’t wantto be told by anyone – a sponsor, a grower or another sommelier –which wines to feature with anygiven menu. I’m not a prostitute! I’m somebody who’s going to put a wine to a food because I believe it works and I’m not doing it because somebody wants to ride on the back of our custom and our brand,’ he says.

‘I might sound arrogant, but theonly time I subjected myself to do it– I was seduced many years ago bythe fact that the money meant morethan my pride – was the one occasion when people said to me:“My God, Craig, what’s happened tothe wines tonight?”I was frustratedin the back of the kitchen becausethe wines weren’t what I would havechosen, they didn’t match the foodas well as I would have liked, and,the trouble was, everybody noticed.We’ve done such a good job over theyears that people are excited by thewine match and they buy it becausethey trust it – and us.’

So Bancroft and his team will beworking hard to match wines andoffer amazing global flights for all the dinner events throughout OBSESSION 2015. ‘I will give a nod to the chef, however,’ Bancroftconcedes. ‘If he’s an Italian chef, I’ll probably put an Italian wine in the flight. But I don’t want to do what everybody does, so we takesome risks. For example, everybodyserves sauterne with foie gras, but I hate sauterne with foie gras, so I won’t serve it. We like to gamble. We’ve served cognac with chocolate dessert and portwines with chocolate and dried fruit, or with cake; we don’t dowhat’s normal. Sherries always feature, madeiras always feature –it’s not just playing down the line.We’ll choose different countries and different varietals – it’s all designed to enhance the guest’s experience.’

At the end of the day, the customer’ssatisfaction is Bancroft’s only goal.And it seems to be a goal he is succeeding at meeting.

Northcote also has a large range of wines available by the glass. Each tasting menu offers both bottle and glass matches, to accommodate parties of different sizes and withdifferent tastes. ‘We’ve made it überflexible,’ says Bancroft. ‘It’s harder work for mystaff but much better for the customer.’

CRAIG BANCROFT

[ ]‘I don’t want to be told by anyone – a sponsor, a groweror another sommelier – which

wines to feature with any given menu.’

THEOBSESSIONTASTINGBREAK

IF YOU HAVEN’T VISITED this part of

Lancashire before, Northcote is giving you

the perfect excuse to travel to the official

“Centre of the Kingdom”. Explore the

stunning Ribble Valley, historic villages

and country towns, then relax and soak

up the great Northern hospitality and

indulge in regional food at its best.

· Stay any night of the week in a luxurious

bedroom or suite either in The Manor

House or The New Garden Lodge

· Relax and enjoy a half bottle of

Louis Roederer Brut Premier as an aperitif

served with canapés

· Followed by Nigel’s OBSESSION

seven-course tasting menu

· Wake up to a traditional English breakfast

or choose from the many alternatives

· Plus, take home a signed menu

Fully inclusive, based on two

people sharing, from £355.00

Share in Nigel’s obsession and enjoy his Tasting Menu from

OBSESSION 2015. Available ONLY from 8 Feb – 31 March 2015

To book, visit www.northcote.com or telephone 01 254 240 555Only 10 minutes from junction 31, M6

northcote

EXCLUSIV

E

OFFER

FEB – MARCH

2015


[ ]

PORTRAIT: DIETER KOSCHINA

20 | NORTHCOTE OBSESSION 2015 www.tasteportugal-london.com TASTE PORTUGAL 2014/15 | 20

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NUTRIFRESCO works with some of the most

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Conceived by an enterprising team with vast

experience in the sector, NUTRIFRESCO believes

in providing the freshest seafood and exceptional

service to its most demanding clients.

Every product is carefully prepared in modern

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Oyster, Red Mullet and Caviar by Aime Barroyer Photo: Vasco Célio

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NUTRIFRESCO

IETER OSCHINA’s contemporary cooking style centres on taste, colour, presentation and precise processing. Innovation is also key.

His guiding culinary philosophy is: ‘firstthe flavour, then the presentation.’ Notthat his culinary creations don’t look the part, it is simply that freshness andquality of ingredients take precedence.Wherever possible, he sources his produce locally, in particular focusingon fresh fish and seafood, given his location on the coast of the Algarve.‘The products from the ocean, theirquality is just wow,’ he says.

Born in Vorarlberg, western Austria,just 5km from Switzerland, 10km fromGermany and 34km from Lichtenstein,Koschina grew up surrounded bytourism industries: ‘In winter there wasskiing, and in summer there was thelake [Lake Constance].’ He still feels likehe ‘needs’ the mountains, but, havingbeen in the Algarve for nearly 24 yearsnow, he also ‘needs’ the Atlantic. ‘I canchange my clothes after work and be in the sea in just two minutes,’ he says.‘One hour on the beach and you forgeteverything. You’re fresh again to startback in the kitchen. We have 300 daysof sun in the Algarve. It’s a paradise for me.’

Koschina’s passion for cooking comesfrom his mother. Prior to arriving in theAlgarve, Koschina worked with HeinzWinkler at Tantris in Munich, Gerhard

Austrian-born Dieter Koschina has been head chef at Portugal’s

two-Michelin-starred Vila Joya since 1990. He combines local

produce from the Algarve with northern European cooking

techniques. In 2014, Vila Joya was ranked 22nd in Restaurant

Magazine’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

WORDS ANNA McNAY | PORTRAIT TOR SØREIDE

Schwaiger at Tristán in Puerto Portalson Majorca, and Eckart Witzigmann.He now encourages young Austrianchefs to join his team of 20 at Vila Joya, thereby helping to nurture futuregenerations from his homeland.

Currently, however, he is workingwith Matteo Ferrantino to keep up the high quality in Vila Joya’s kitchen,where the menu changes on a dailybasis. ‘Between us we have four hands and two heads,’ he laughs. ‘It’s

important to have a lot of inspiration.’And this is one reason why he enjoysparticipating in festivals such as OBSESSION. ‘This is the life of a cook.My life. I’m always learning. At big gastronomic events, we learn together.Every day, you see a new product or anew technique. We all come together as friends and create new ideas.’

Team spirit is something Koschina is keen to foster in his kitchen as well.And, although he works hard all day,

he likes to party at the end of it. In fact, when asked what the essential ingredients for his type of work are, helists four: the hands, the product, thepresentation and the party. ‘This is not a family business,’ he admits. ‘It’s not so easy.’

Koschina is a fan of London. ‘You caneat the world in London! It’s a big city.People have pound signs in their eyes.Many great chefs from around theworld have their second restaurantsthere.’ Nevertheless, he himself feels he’s had enough of big cities.

Lancashire, however, appeals. And OBSESSION, in particular, is a gastronomic event Koschina is keen to return to, having taken part twice before. ‘Nigel is a really clever and niceguy,’ Koschina says. But, for him, thereal draw in 2015 will be the newly refurbished kitchen. ‘They have a completely new kitchen now and this,for me, is really important. I’ve beensaying all the time “You should get thisand this!” So I’m really interested to see this new kitchen.’

Perhaps Koschina’s most importantstatement is the one that sums up hisphilosophy of life: ‘If I don’t like my life,I change it. It’s not about the money, it’sabout fun.’ And it is surely this spiritthat imbues the flavours of his culinarycreations. Koschina is an open book, always learning, raring to go. ‘For me,’he chuckles, ‘one life just isn’t enough!’

Dieter Koschina describes his adopted Heimat of the Algarve as ‘a paradise’ in terms of both climate and fresh fish and produce

D

‘If I don’t like my life, I change it. It’s not about the

money, it’s about fun.’

ATLANTIC FLAVOURS


WORDS MICHAEL MANNING | IMAGES VARIOUS

tion from overseas. And in 1974, Lan-cashire lost 709 square miles of land toboundary changes, about two fifths of itsoriginal area. Liverpool and Manchesterbecame the metropolitan counties ofMerseyside and Greater Manchester;whilst the northern sector of Lancashirewithin the Lake District, including theFurness Peninsula, was made part ofCumbria.

But Lancashire has reinvented itself.New Age industries inhabit the old

‘The natural beauty of the countymakes it a destination of choice

for international tourists.’

NE OF THE GREAT counties of historic England lies at the very heart of the British Isles. The Wars of the Roses, fought between two rival branches of the House

of Plantagenet – Lancaster and York – between 1455 and 1487, left an indelibleimpression on the region. Henry Tudoreventually defeated Yorkist Richard III atthe Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, andand the Red Rose of Lancaster remainshighly emotive emblemto this day.

The inhabitants of Lancashire are traditionally ingenious and hard working,tenacious and skilful – as well as down-to-earth and phlegmatic in character –

it is no surprise that the industrial revolution was consolidated across thiscentral region which in turn generatedthe wealth that made 19th centuryBritain great, dominating both globaltrade and the birth of modern capitalism.But it is a tale of fluctuating fortunes. Inthe 1830s, approximately 85% of allcotton manufactured worldwide wasprocessed in Lancashire. By the late 20thcentury this was an industry that hadfailed to predict and overcome competi-

manufacturing centres, generating a freshsource of wealth; and the natural beautyof county makes it a destination forchoice to international tourists.

Lancashire’s great Forest of Bowlandsurvives as the north-western remainderof an ancient wilderness that oncestretched across England, incorporatingSherwood Forest, the New Forest(Hampshire) and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire). Also known as the BowlandFells, the Forest is an area of deep valleysand peat moorland, mostly located in thenorth-east of Lancashire. It has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964. The River Ribble winds its way throughtowards its estuary near Preston.

OLANCASHIRE &THE NORTHCOTEEXPERIENCE


but which stopped short of the ‘baronial’ excesses so evident in the Borders and Scotland. Invariably set inextensive landscaped gardens, thesehouses were as solid and imposing asthe bank balances and characters oftheir newly rich owners. Today, thosethat remain make up the backbone of the country house hotel (and spa)conversions so beloved by tourists outto discover a piece of old England.

While the country house style has become something of a cliché, there are examples that have courageously bucked the trend for chintz, darkleather and gilt framed oils of fieldsports and fishing. The Northcote, some 13 miles outside Preston, is one.Formerly Northcote Manor, the changeof name is a good indication of thechange of attitude and tone its two active directors have envisioned for thefuture of this Victorian industrialist’s1883 hideaway located in the picturesque Ribble Valley, at the foot of the Forest of Bowland. The originalfootprint is much changed since then,and by the close of 2014 a substantial expansion programme will have beencompleted. Walking in through the restrained main entrance gives the first indication that Northcote is not at all going to be the predictable ‘country house hotel’ experience. Andwhen you discover that the house champagne is Louis Roederer, you are certain!

Back in 1983, a dynamic young Lancashire man found himself in chargeof a lacklustre, small hotel business resting on past glories. Craig Bancroftaccepted the challenge and almost atonce experienced his first piece of goodfortune. The house chef walked out and,through a happy serendipity, a localman, Nigel Haworth, was recommendedfor the job. The two teamed up in whatwas to become – over the next 30 years –a formidable partnership that has beenlikened to that of Jeremy King and Chris Corbin, the celebrated Londonrestauranteurs.

Scratch the surface and it is clear whatsets Bancroft and Haworth apart frommany other teams running successfulbusinesses in the ‘country house’ style.As a trainee with Trust House Forte,Bancroft’s hands-on experience encompassed the famous Plaza Athénéein Paris and the equally celebratedBrowns Hotel, the Westbury, andGrosvenor House, all at the top of the

London hotel hierarchy. Along the way, he developed his mastery of thefine art of wine for which he has sincewon numerous awards and honourswithin the trade. Craig Bancroft has a natural warmth and flair for peopleand hospitality – along with an impeccable eye for detail, a factor that is evident throughout the wholeof Northcote.

Nigel Haworth might have been teaching at his old catering college in nearby Rossendale when he gotBancroft’s call, but he had previously

‘Walking in through the restrainedmain entrance gives the first

indication that Northcote is not at all going to be the predictable

‘country house hotel’ experience.’[ ]

worked in the Gleneagles kitchen, hadjust returned from an extended con-tract in Switzerland (where he becamefluent in German), and had latelyturned down an offer from The Ritz.The Northcote opportunity to take fullcommand was perfect timing – andone that paved the way for Haworthto become the universally renowned,Michelin starred chef he is today.

With such a wealth of international experience between them, and fullyaware of the bigger picture, Bancroft and Haworth decided to remain loyal

It is hard to identify the original footprint of the 19th century Victorian 'manor house' followingthe extensive - but sympathetic - additions that now offer a luxury experience that is Northcote.

to their Lancashire origins and to conjure Northcote into an experiencelike no other in the region. Today, 30years on, the Northcote Leisure Group(1)

includes a portfolio of outstanding local gastro-pubs with talented chefs hand-picked by Nigel Haworth, who are all encouraged to create idiosyncraticmenus that ensure each has its own culinary identity and reputation.

1) The Northcote Leisure Group is owned

by Richard and Lynda Matthewman,

Craig Bancroft and Nigel Haworth.

One of the two great historic northern

counties, Lancashire blends the old with the

new, the urban with the rural, effortlessly.

Combining epic landscapes with its own

vibrant new post-industrial city centres, and

on the edge of the great metropolitan areas

of Liverpool and Manchester, Lancashire

has become a destination of choice for both

the international visitor and British explorer.

OBSESSION 2015 LANCASHIRE & THE NORTHCOTE EXPERIENCE

Lancashire’s great Forest of Bowland survives as the northwestern remainderof an ancient wilderness that oncestretched across England, incorporatingSherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire),the New Forest (Hampshire) and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire). Alsoknown as the Bowland Fells, the Forestis an area of deep valleys and peatmoorland, mostly in northeast Lancashire, although a small part lies in North Yorkshire and much more liesin the West Riding of Yorkshire. It hasbeen designated an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty (AONB) since 1964.The River Ribble winds its way throughtowards its estuary near Preston.

The Ribble Valley today is statisticallythe wealthiest enclave in Lancashire,complete with a Bentley car dealership,and it is popular with former Londonresidents escaping the rat race to morecalmer climes. Yet Although the largestarea of Lancashire, the Ribble Valley actually has the smallest population.

These two wealthy counties of industrial Victorian England – Lancashire and Yorkshire – spawnedtheir own vernacular architecture. The desirable and more rural areas, wellaway from the congested mill and manufacturing towns, became populatedwith the late century ‘manor house’.These were imposing mansions, built inlocal stone and festooned with extensiveoak panelling and mullioned windows,


URING HIS THREE and a half years at The Square, Brett Graham won the Restaurant Association's Young Chef of the Year title in 2002. Then, in

2005, Howard and his business partner Nigel Platts-Martin gave Graham, by now 26, the opportunityto open his own restaurant, The Ledbury. It was certainly a baptism of fire: ‘It was incredibly tough, bothphysically and mentally,’ said Grahamin 2010. ‘Never having been a headchef before and suddenly having theresponsibility of running a restaurantwas very hard.’ But, supported by a young and energetic team, the restaurant opened to rave reviews,was awarded its first Michelin starwithin a year, and gained its second in2010. In the same year, the HarwoodArms, a gastropub Graham hadopened in the meantime together withTV chef Mike Robinson and publicanEdwin Vaux in Fulham, became thefirst London pub to win a Michelinstar. Now in his mid-30s, Graham isone of a very elite group of (adopted)British chefs to have three Michelinstars to his name.Graham describes his culinary style

as ‘modern with classical roots’. He is always seeking to create new dishesaround new ingredients he finds. Acurrent seasonal favourite is Beetrootbaked in clay with Smoked and DriedEel. An old staple on The Ledbury’smenu, however, is the Flame GrilledMackerel with Pickled Cucumber,Celtic Mustard and Shiso. If any, Graham would select this as his ‘signature dish’.At the moment, he is particularly

enjoying working with vegetables; and none of those baby vegetables so popular in Michelin cuisine! Graham is a fan of large, farm-stylevegetables and vegetables that others

Brett Graham was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. At 18, he moved to Sydney to work withthe Irish chef Liam Tomlins at his restaurant Banc. During his three years there, he won the coveted

Josephine Pignolet cookery award as Sydney's best young chef. The prize was a trip to the UK, and, whilevisiting, he landed a job at The Square working for Phil Howard. Graham has been in London ever since.

are less interested in – ‘unutilised ingredients’, he says. He doesn’t wanthis guests to only sit up and notice themeat on the plate. ‘I want people tosay: “Oh, that meat was lovely, butthose turnips cooked in salt crusttasted amazing as well.” Vegetablestake a lot more effort than meat.’Running The Ledbury is more thanjust a full-time job for Graham. ‘Therestaurant takes a lot of time andsometimes even when you’re not there,you’re doing something related to it. It becomes a way of life, I suppose.You have to be really passionateabout it.’ And passionate he is. ‘We've had a lot of good success

over the years. We don’t do any PR or advertising. It’s a real credit to my

young team. We’re a seven-days-a-week operation. It doesn’t just happenby itself. It’s really about teamwork.Everyone is really enthusiastic andhelps one another. Our ultimate goalis to please our customers the best we can.’

Graham lives near Richmond Parkwith his wife, Natalie, and their dog,Winston. He gets back to Australiaevery couple of years or so. This yearhis mother is coming to London overChristmas. ‘I’m looking forward to a couple of days off,’ says Graham.‘I’ll be taking her to eat at The Ledbury a few days before Christmas,but we’re closed on Christmas Dayand Boxing Day.’

And then, at the end of January, it’soff up to Lancashire for OBSESSION2015, where Graham will be cookingalongside his friend, colleague andmentor Phil Howard. They have takenpart together once before in 2009 butare already working to prepare a newmenu especially for the event. ‘Ourfood dovetails nicely together. We understand how to build a menu. Alot of chefs who cook together don’thave this. It’s just a collection of sixdifferent dishes that don't really gowell together. They’re not singing offthe same sheet. But Phil and I have along history. Our menu is going to bea mix of new things alongside someold favourites. I want to do somethingwith vegetables. Also oysters are verygood at that time of year, so we wantto use them.’

Graham plans to stay at Northcotefor a couple of nights before his event.‘It’s a great opportunity to catch upwith other chefs and people from the trade. You might pick up a newsupplier, which is always good. Oneof the customers I met there in 2009has become a really regular customerof The Ledbury, which is fantastictoo. Doing a demo like this is goodfor me because it puts you outside ofyour comfort zone. It makes youwork with different ingredients thatyou’re not perfectly familiar with. Itgets you thinking on your feet.’

When asked what he thinks makes it isthat he thinks makes OBSESSIONsucha sell out event, Graham doesn’t missa beat: ‘Craig and Nigel live andbreathe it. You always feel so welcomeup there with their northern hospital-ity. Over the years they’ve pulled someamazing international chefs into OB-SESSION.’ Then, with a somewhatwistful tone, he adds: ‘My goal is toone day just go up there as a cus-tomer!’

Flame Grilled Mackerel with Pickled Cucumber, Celtic Mustard and Shiso. A staple on

The Ledbury's menu for so many years now that it is approaching ‘signature dish’ status.

D

‘I want people to say: “Oh, that meat was lovely, but

those turnips cooked in salt crusttasted amazing as well.”’

Brett Graham believes knowing the source

of his produce – both meat and vegetables –

is an integral part of being a good chef

WORDS ANNA McNAY

GRAHAM’S GREENS

PORTRAIT: BRETT GRAHAM


THE WOW FACTOR – that's what we wanted to bring to Northcote with our design update,' says Managing Director Craig

Bancroft. 'Our number one priority is to ensure that guests have an all-round fantastic experience, whetherthey come for a full-on fine dining experience or just an indulgent afternoon tea.' Northcote has undertaken huge developments, which are concluded, thanks to the new investment from chairmanRichard Matthewman and wideLynda, who have brought a long termvision to a reality over the last 18 months.

Now that experience starts the moment guests walk through the Victorian sandstone and glass portico entrance to a show-stopping,oversized, modern Italian chandelier,suspended above a marble and greyleather reception desk. Impressive and unexpected, yet cleverly conceivedto enhance the historic bones of the property, not overwhelm them. 'That was the challenge,’ says design consultant Jill Holst, 'to come up witha scheme that was fresh and excitingwhile still honouring the integrity ofthe building. Our aim was to create a more edgy environment that would attract a new young crowd, while not alienate the established clientele,

some of whom have been coming for the whole 30 years of the hotel’sexistence.' Jill, who has been workingwith Northcote for more than 12 years, was given 'free rein' to explore newideas and come up with storyboards to move the design forward. 'It soundslike a creative blank canvas, but ofcourse a scheme like this has its ownbuilt-in restrictions,' she explains. ‘A major revamp for a hotel is a big investment, so while it had to be cooland contemporary it also had to havebuilt-in longevity.’

For this reason, the backgroundcolours are timeless neutrals like greysand honey tones with hot shots of

fashion shades like pink and lime for cushions, bedspreads, lamps andaccessories. ‘These are current coloursbut easily changed should they start tofeel dated further down the line,' shesays. Fabrics and textiles are highquality and luxurious – silk, leather,faux suede, wool and velvet – all materials that age well, and have classic appeal.

Practical considerations had to betaken into account and, naturally,comfort is paramount and a relaxed,welcoming atmosphere crucial. This iswhy the hotel has retained its originalopen fires that burn all year round, bar the hottest days of the year. 'In

this country, the real challenge is to establish a cosy ambience that workson the dullest days of November and February,’ says Jill. ‘It's easy to make a place feel welcoming on a lovelysunny day.’

Leading off the main reception is the'snug' with views of the sprawling Ribble Valley. High-sided curved

banquette seating in soft grey fauxsuede embraces the area, giving it the air of a secluded hideaway – theperfect spot for a secret assignationover a champagne afternoon tea, perhaps? The banquettes were looselyinspired by the tea rooms of the LondonWolsely restaurant, reveals Craig. They have met a little controversy atNorthcote (being twice the height of

the average banquette seating) butapart from providing deluxe comfortand excellent back support, they act asbuffers against any draughts sneakingin from the entrance hall. A good example of innovative design stylishlysolving a practical problem.

The snug has replaced what was thebar area, and in turn the bar has beenre-sited, framed in an original large alcove, in the main lounge. With its up-lighted wall of glamorous cocktail components, including 30 different gins and limitless vodkas including one presented in a glass skull that Damien Hirst would beproud of, it has knockout wow factor.

‘A major revamp for a hotel is a big investment, so while it had to be cool and contemporary,

it also had to have built-in longevity.’J I L L H O L S T‘

WORDS MARY WEAVER | IMAGES ALLEN MARKEY

THE

WOWFACTOR

The entrance to the Louis Roederer Private Dining room.

[ ]

A new terrace with uninterrupted views

of the Ribble Valley where guests can

enjoy pre-dinner drinks, opened last year.

STYLE: NORTHCOTE


Mary Weaver, Houses Editor of LivingEtc magazine,enjoys Northcote’s brand new look


With its sexy suspended lighting and white leather and metal bar stools, it has been compared to ‘a London cocktail bar’.

'It definitely gets a Marmite reaction,’laughs Craig. ‘Previously it was allbrown leather, like a gentleman's club;now it's like a high-end London cocktailbar,' he says. ‘Some of our clients foundit scary at first but most people like itnow they've got used to it. And one of our guests, aged 90, thinks it's themost exciting thing about the place.’

Despite some of the doubters, Craigwould agree that creating a new cocktailbar has been one of the best things the hotel has done. 'We’ve created theheartbeat of the hotel, where everyoneloves to meet, and having it in the main lounge area has encouraged more socialising between clients, contributingto that important all-round fantastic experience,’ he says. ‘As well as enjoyingan aperitif in the bar before dinner,guests gravitate there afterwards, too. Ifthey want to stay up until 3am, havingfun exploring the cocktail list, we’rehappy too.’

In all, the year-long design revamp hasincluded extending and refurbishing thereception, lounges, restaurant, kitchenand Louis Roederer function rooms. In total, 12 new bedrooms have beencreated, upgrading Northcote to a 26-bedroom hotel – quite a leap from itsoriginal six when it opened 30 yearsago. ‘As you can imagine, the number of bedrooms and design of the hotel has evolved over the years,’ says Craig.

'I remember quite fondly our pastelphase around the early Nineties – allchic pale lemons and blues, inspired byGordon Ramsay's Aubergine restaurant,back in the day’. Now the rooms areboutique-hotel chic with high-end luxebathrooms with rain showers, his &hers sinks and well-conceived daylightmirrors. Bedrooms reflect the decoratingphilosophy of the public areas with chicneutral base-notes in wall coverings, silkcurtains and deep pile carpets, withpops of brights in cushions, bedspreads,lampshades and accessories. Attentionto detail (one of Craig’s favourite

phrases) is demonstrated with a flourishin the bedrooms which are furnishedwith sets of Scrabble and Backgammon,a Bose music system, excellent coat hangersand a cuddly Northcote teddy bear.

The hotel's Louis Roederer Champagne-inspired function room has also seen arevamp (in shades of stylish greys) but it’s the Michelin-starred 68-seatrestaurant presided over by Chef

Patron Nigel Haworth, that is the centre of its Universe.

‘People come to Northcote for its finedining so I felt the restaurant should, of course, be beautiful, but at the sametime it had to be more of a backdrop forNigel's food which is the real hero,' saysJill. As expected, she and the Northcoteteam have got the balance exactly right.The spacious room is an exercise in elegance with warm tones of deepgraphite grey silks and soft honeycolours with buttermilk deeply buttonedhide chairs and comfy banquette seating. It exudes luxurious yet relaxedstyle, and apart from the exquisite food and impressive wines, a few sophisticated design wow factors have managed to sneak in. There is a beautiful glass ‘icicles’ chandelier, almost a metre and a half wide, suspended from the high ceiling andsome twinkling wall lights – just enoughto be noticed without detracting fromthe main dining event.

A redesign of this size is never all plainsailing, but Jill counts herself lucky forthe support she has had along the way.When asked about what inspired her,she references the team rather thancolour charts or fabric swatches. ‘It has been Nigel’s fantastic food, Craig’sunflinching hospitality and the staff’senthusiasm for the venture that hasdriven me’, she says.

So has this big investment in a designoverhaul paid off for Northcote? All the signs are looking good. 'We've stillgot our old faithful clientele and we'vehad their sons and daughters (the nextgeneration) coming for some time,' says Craig. 'Now we're attracting a new generation of 25-year olds too,' he adds. 'I heard about a twenty-something couple coming here on their first date,' he smiles. Music toCraig's ears.

‘People come to Northcote for its fine dining,so I felt the restaurant should be beautiful,

but, at the same time, it had to be a backdropfor Nigel's food which is the real hero’

J I L L H O L S T[

Right: The show-stopping bar in the loungearea ticks all the design boxes – mood lighting, a sexy sweep of a counter and high leatherstools – while cleverly melding with the hotel’s original features.

A customised ‘Icicles’ chandelier, almost a metre and a half wide, by designers Annet vanEgmond and William Brand, takes centre stage in the restaurant which reflects the sophistication of the food that is produced in the Northcote kitchens.

The elegant 68-cover restaurant has sumptuous silk-clad walls in graphite and cream, a luxuriousbespoke carpet and a mix of deep banquette seating and deluxe hide chairs.

In total, 12 new bedrooms have been created, upgrading Northcote to a 26-bedroom hotel – quite a leap from its original six when it opened 30 years ago.

[

STYLE: NORTHCOTE

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Behind every great team, there are great suppliers.

A great team in the kitchen can create outstanding results. And that’s why we’re proud to play our part in the ongoing success at Northcote and Ribble Valley Inns.

C&C Catering Equipment Ltd are award-winning professional kitchen equipment specialists, with a long history of supplying innovative catering installations to professional chefs and their teams up and down the UK. C&C Catering Engineers Ltd not only provide a benchmark-setting repair and maintenance service to the industry, we also provide organisations with a huge range of catering sundries. From crockery and cutlery, to service trolleys and linen ware.

To find out more about C&C Catering Equipment, and C&C Catering Engineers, and what we could do for your organisation, why not visit us online?

Together, we make it happen.


Welcome to the world of

At PURE LUXURY, every holiday we book is unique and adapted to theexact specifications and preferences of the person, couple or family whoseholiday we’ve been entrusted to look after.

Whether you are looking to visit Arabia, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean,the USA, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Africa or the Far East,if you are looking for the ultimate in luxury accommodation in an exquisiteresort, flying with one of the world’s leading scheduled airlines, then PURELUXURY is the perfect choice to create that holiday for you.

Where detail mattersIt is the extra touches and attention to detail that make the differencebetween a wonderful holiday and an exceptional one. Those specialtouches come as standard with every PURE LUXURY booking, where weendeavour to exceed you expectations every time you book with us.

Complimentary PURE LUXURY ConciergeOne of the ways which we achieve this is through PURE LUXURYConcierge – every detail is taken care of before you travel.

Whether you need to book a tee time or a spa treatment, make dinnerreservations, upgrade your flights or transfers or book day tours andexcursions, PURE LUXURY Concierge is on hand to take care of all this foryou along with any other requirements you may have.

*Holiday must include a flight and a minimum three nights accommodation at a hotel or resort featured in the 2015-16 PURE LUXURY Worldwide Holidays brochure. Available at selected airports, services may differ between airports. Lounge passes given to all passengerstravelling subject to availability and individual lounge terms and conditions. Valid up to 31 Mar 16.

DESIGNER DETAILS BY CHARLOTTE HUDDERScharlottehudders.com

Following a childhood full of creativity (Charlotte’s mother is anartist), a career in this area was inevitable. She studied Theatreand Performance Design at Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institutefor Performing Arts, before moving into textile design andlaunching her own range of silk scarves – handmade in Como,Italy. Charlotte currently lives in Dubai, and works as an ArtDirector as well as continuing to develop her collection.

CULINARY CUES BY NIGEL HAWORTHMichelin-starred since 1996northcote.com

Nigel is regarded as one of the greatest British chefs practising inthe UK. From his base in Lancashire, he leads the kitchen atNorthcote – one of the most respected in the UK, with its true heartin regional artisan production, executed with outstandinggastronomic flair. Well-travelled and with a passion for culinaryperfection, Nigel is the perfect source of insight for all things foodie.

INSPIRATIONAL COLLABORATIONAt PURE LUXURY we’re all about inspiration. We’ve collaborated with three fantasticpartners who really know what luxury is all about, to inspire you more than ever before.You’ll find insight from an international designer, inspiration from a Michelin-starred chef,and the ‘Smith mark of approval’ from boutique hotel specialists, Mr & Mrs Smith.

SELECTED BY SMITH

Throughout the PURE LUXURY portfolio, wherever you see theSmith logo, you can rest assured that the featured hotel has beencherry-picked by Mr & Mrs Smith. Expect unmatched ambiancethat hits all the right style notes, the warmest of welcomes withoutfuss or formality, seductive rooms supplied with thoughtful extras,perfectly mixed drinks and delicious dinners. Everything thatmakes your stay memorable – for all the right reasons.

TO SPEAK TO ONE OF PURE LUXURY’S EXPERT TRAVELAMBASSADORS CALL 0800 747 0000, OR VISITPURELUXURYHOLIDAYS.CO.UK FOR DESTINATION INSPIRATION

Downtown DubaiBarbados Mexico

Complimentarylounge passeswith every PURELUXURY booking*

À L A R E C H E R C H E D E L ’ Œ U V R E

Documents

OBSESSION 2015 Magazine