A week before being crowned with his first Michelin Star for Frog – his Covent Garden-based restaurant – I visited renowned Chef Adam Handling’s restaurant-cum-pub-cum-rooms, The Loch & The Tyne in the countryside of Old Windsor. From London to Cornwall (the Ugly Butterfly) via the G7 summit, Handling and his team have been extremely busy.
Pub
The Loch & The Tyne is Handling’s first ever pub. Run by longstanding cohorts Jonny McNeil and Steven Kerr (a Scotsman and a Geordie, hence the name of the venue), Handling’s mission is to make this one of the most sustainable pubs in the UK, complete with luxury bedrooms for overnight guests.
In another first for Handling, he named the two chefs as Co-Chef Proprietors. Handling’s
core ethos behind his restaurant group is the development of his team, which is why
Steven Kerr, his Group Executive Chef, and Jonny McNeil, former Head Chef at Adam Handling Chelsea, have taken the reins on Handling’s most exciting venture. Steven and Jonny have worked for Adam for 13 and 11 years respectively, and Adam is gifting them this new site as an opportunity to showcase the skills they have learnt during their time with him. In fact, the name of the pub is representative of where Handling first met both Steven and Jonny – 2008 in Newcastle and 2010 in St Andrews.
Everything about The Loch & The Tyne is rooted in ‘Sustainable British luxury’, with
exceptional attention to detail in every corner and truly personal touches throughout. The venue is the perfect countryside location for weddings, private events, and country
getaways.
Handling’s vision for The Loch & The Tyne is for it to be a local favourite, a home-from-home for destination diners, as well as enticing both UK travellers and international
holidaymakers looking for the perfect countryside escape in this iconic Royal Borough.
Restaurant
With Steven and Jonny having been Handling’s right-hand men for so long, there’s no doubt guests can expect the same Adam Handling brilliance in Windsor that they have come to know and love in London. As well as signature favourites from over the years, including ‘Mother’, ‘Lobster Wagyu’ and The Frog E1’s legendary ‘Mac & Cheese’, you’ll find some new additions from Steven and Jonny’s fresh country inspiration, utilising the vegetable gardens that have been designed for a constantly-changing sustainable menu.
The Orkney scallop with leek and horseradish is a highly recommended starter. Wonderful texture and aesthetically appealing on the eye. For the mains, meanwhile, I loved the Venison, cauliflower and kimchi. A successful marriage of flavours, the game meat was exquisite – as was the additional venison meatball on the side. Rich, yet not overpowering, I would happily order it again in a heartbeat.
There are some incredible English wines, available including Adam Handling’s very own, which is superb. So good in fact I went home and immediately ordered a bottle online! Equally, no pub is a pub in Handling’s eyes unless it has an incredible trifle on the menu, and this one is a real treat as the recipe is inspired by Jonny’s grandmother.
The restaurant interiors reflect the history of the building and the local area. Originally
two gamekeepers’ cottages, wood plays a huge part in the design along with characterful
accents of brass and copper. This more traditional style is cleverly juxtaposed with some of Handling’s favourite modern art pieces.
Rooms
The two bedrooms available at The Loch & The Tyne have been created with history and
luxury in mind – every piece of furniture tells a story. Expect ultra-comfortable beds, a
freestanding bath in the living room and peace and tranquility all round. Room packages
include a decadent breakfast feast and the ideal countryside extras, such as full access to
the gardens and the option to take one of the Nespresso Velosophy bikes (made using recycled coffee capsules) for a spin round the local area.
Sustainability
Whilst Adam and his group are widely known for their commitment to sustainability, The Loch & The Tyne represents an opportunity for Adam to implement it on a larger scale that’s rooted in every aspect of the building. He’s determined to make this one of the UK’s most sustainable pubs. The site includes its own vegetable gardens, orchard, flowerbeds, an area for composting biodegradable waste from the kitchen, and solar panels to reduce
electricity consumption. Adam has also teamed up with Estrella Damm to create an eco-
beer garden, which will incorporate solar-panelled phone charging points, blankets made
from recycled materials, hot water bottle covers knitted by Adam’s mum, and table décor
using homegrown herbs. Upcycled furniture has been used throughout the entire building, and water used in all of the sinks will be recycled as toilet water, minimising water waste.
For more information, visit www.lochandtyne.com
