Nestled away from the buzz of St Helier you’ll find Longueville Manor, Jersey’s premier boutique hotel and a sanctuary of relaxation amongst a luxurious five star setting.
Gastronomers and tourists alike have long flocked to the sunniest island in the British Isles for its exceptional seafood, farm to table produce and warm climate. Measuring just nine miles by five, Jersey is teeming with culinary innovation and at the helm of the Longueville Manor kitchen, one of the finest restaurants on the island, is Head Chef Andrew Baird, who has been with the hotel for more than 36 years. Andrew has many accolades under his belt, including being the first chef on the island to be awarded a Michelin star and having the honour of cooking for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A long-term Jersey resident, Andrew has embraced island living and over the years has not only perfected his craft, but acquired numerous skills that complement his cooking and recipe creation process. From watching the cycles of the moon to know how far the tide will ebb and what seafood will be available in abundance the next day at its freshest and juiciest, Andrew is no stranger to deciphering the signs of the island. Dedicated to creating bold and flavourful dishes that celebrate the island’s produce, Andrew is passionate about sharing this knowledge with his team as well as local schools and colleges to inspire the next generation of chefs. As a certified PADI Divemaster, he has led his team on scallop diving expeditions for team bonding and has been known to teach over sea bass and squid fishing.
Guests at Longueville Manor’s esteemed restaurant are often the beneficiaries of Andrew’s island expertise. Ever inspired by the environment, the hotel’s onsite Kitchen Garden and the local beaches, Andrew’s dishes pay homage to island life with everything from a simple yet delicious fresh crab sandwich for lunch to hand dived scallops with courgette flower, lobster mousse, garden lemon and sea herbs as a delectable starter, everything produced in the kitchen is a celebration of local indigenous ingredients at their best.
First brought to life as a hotel in 1949, today Longueville Manor is a third-generation family run hotel, and one of only three privately owned and managed AA Five Red Star hotels in the British Isles. The stunning hotel is set within 18 acres of verdant gardens and woodlands, amongst which guests can find bee hives and the hotel’s Victorian Kitchen Garden. The garden supplies the Manor’s kitchen with an abundance of fresh produce, virtually all year round. The season starts with a healthy crop of Jersey Royals and finishes with bountiful kale, winter cabbages and Jerusalmen artichokes, all of which become staples on the hotel’s seasonal menus.
As spring blooms and summer beckons, Andrew and head gardener David Lewis will be foraging for ormers (a British seafood speciality), seaweed, wild berries, wild garlic, elderflower, dandelion and woodland mushrooms. The kitchen garden will be abuzz with courgettes, sweet peppers, many varieties of tomato and chard, which, along with the foraged ingredients form the basis of the hotel’s wonderful garden salad.
Longueville Manor also has its own beehives, which produce the honey that inspires the ‘Longueville’s Honey’ dessert, a menu staple combining Jersey yogurt mousse, orange blossom, crème fraîche, filo tuile, and honey ice cream produced from the bees.
With 18 degrees and sunny days firmly on the horizon, we are getting a glimpse into the summer season ahead. For a UK based luxury holiday, with fabulous food, poolside lounging, beautiful countryside and white sand beaches on its doorstep, Jersey’s Longueville Manor is a must visit. The best bit? The island can be reached in just a 40 minute flight from London. So what are you waiting for, your ultimate foodie trip awaits!
For more information and to book your trip visit www.longuevillemanor.com
