The story
Restaurant Interlude in Horsham delivers a refined South African influenced cuisine rooted in French technique. Executive Chef Jean Delport arrived in the UK in 2017 to launch the project, bringing training from the Cape Winelands alongside a strict commitment to local sourcing. He treats the surrounding woodland as an open pantry. Foragers walk directly into the kitchen to gather elderberries, mushrooms, and birch branches from the estate grounds. This hands-on method has kept the kitchen grounded while earning consistent recognition, including a Michelin star since 2019 and a score of eighty at the recent National Restaurant Awards.
The ever-changing tasting menu follows the rhythm of Leonardslee’s gardens rather than a fixed calendar. Guests move through courses like smoked scallop with birch and summer truffle. Estate deer arrives next, paired with juniper and traditional skilpadjies. Sweet finishes such as the ‘not so milk tart’ and water mint chocolate translate familiar comfort into refined plates. This estate-driven cuisine relies heavily on preservation techniques to capture fleeting moments of peak flavour.
Dining takes place inside a restored nineteenth-century Italianate house. Ten boutique bedrooms designed by independent British studios sit above the restaurant floor. Natural light filters through a windowed ceiling atrium before guests step out onto terraces overlooking seven restored lakes. The beverage program mirrors this landscape focus. Cocktails arrive built from garden botanicals alongside a dedicated flight of Sussex sparkling wines grown on-site. An award-winning wine cellar rounds out the experience, completing a meal where modern British cuisine remains firmly tied to the soil.
Recognition
Ambience
Location
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