Ugly Butterfly 2.0 hosts launch of South West’s leading dining guide
Adam Handling’s Ugly Butterfly 2.0 – at its brand-new home at The Headland Hotel in Newquay – played host to this year’s glamorous lunchtime launch to celebrate the publication of the Trencherman’s Guide edition 33 – but who made the cut to be included in the 33rd edition?
Chefs Michael Caines, Adam Handling and Elly Wentworth were just some of the well-known names on the guest list of the launch of the Trencherman’s Guide edition 33 at Ugly Butterfly 2.0 in Newquay on Monday. Scroll down for a gallery of behind-the-scenes photos from the event.
Among the 111 restaurants listed within the guide’s pages and on the website, 28 new venues entered the 33rd edition, all of whom have exceeded the stringent criteria necessary to earn the title of Trencherman’s restaurant. New additions are listed below.
The event
The 33rd edition was revealed on October 13 at Ugly Butterfly 2.0 at The Headland Hotel, Newquay (the restaurant’s new home after moving from the Carbis Bay Estate this summer), and was attended by the great and the good of the South West hospitality scene.
An exceptional multi-course lunch was cooked by Trencherman’s chefs Adam Handling and Jamie Park of Ugly Butterfly, Elly Wentworth of Fowlescombe Farm and Millbrook Inn near Salcombe, and Ben Champkin of Catch at the Old Fish Market in Weymouth.
Fine wine pairings were supplied by Hallgarten & Novum Wine, while other high-quality drinks were supplied by Trevethan Distillery, Navas Drinks and St Austell Brewery. Ingredients were supplied by Classic Fine Foods, Harvey & Brockless, Philip Warren Butchers, St Ewe and Wing of St Mawes.
Michael Caines MBE, chair of the Trencherman’s committee, said: ‘Trencherman’s goes from strength to strength. It’s more than just a guide: it’s a network of professionals working very hard here in the South West.
‘It’s not been an easy year in hospitality but the Trencherman’s Guide, now celebrating 33 years, continues to champion the South West extremely well. It’s a collective of excellence; every restaurant included fits the criteria of quality, which speaks volumes for the region.’
The guide’s editor, Abi Manning of Salt Media, said: ‘For 33 years the Trencherman’s Guide has provided discerning diners with the definitive list of the most authentic, creative and innovative dining experiences across the South West of England. The latest edition is a true celebration of the kaleidoscopic array of dining concepts to be found in this food-rich area of the country.
‘The launch of the guide is one of my favourite days of the year, when we gather together the South West hospitality community to catch up, connect, and celebrate the incredible quality of the region’s restaurants – as showcased in the new edition of the guide.’
The lunch
In traditional Trencherman’s style, the multi-course meal was created by Trencherman’s Guide chefs. The event opened with a Champagne reception and canapés, plus gin and tonics from Trevethan and Navas, followed by an exceptional lunch prepared by chefs Adam Handling and Jamie Park of Ugly Butterfly, Elly Wentworth of Millbrook Inn and Fowlescombe Farm and Ben Champkin of Catch at the Old Fish Market.
New additions to edition 33
Cornwall
Ardor, St Ives
Halwyn, Newquay
Petty Fours, Truro
St Tudy Inn, St Tudy
Walter’s on The Beach at Carbis Bay Estate, St Ives
Yamas, Looe
Devon
Restaurant 1685 at Colcombe Castle Hotel, Seaton
Harry’s Restaurant, Exeter
Le Vin Perdu, Ashburton
The Millbrook Inn, South Pool
Restaurant Kensington, Lynton
Sandy Cove Hotel, Combe Martin
The Arundell Arms, Lifton
The Castle Inn, Lydford
The Tytherleigh Arms, Axminster
The View, Exeter
Dorset
Thirteen, Bournemouth
The Ilchester Arms, Symondsbury
Bath, Bristol and Somerset
Caper & Cure, Bristol
Da Costa, Bruton
Emberwood, Bath
Horrell & Horrell, Sparkford
Lapin, Bristol
Noah’s, Bristol
Wiltshire & Gloucestershire
Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa, Warminster
Sam & Jak, Cirencester
The Old Bell Hotel, Malmesbury
The Three Daggers, Edington
These venues join the likes of Lympstone Manor near Exmouth, Paul Ainsworth at No6 in Padstow, The Manor House in Castle Combe, Àclèaf near Plymouth, Osip in Bruton and Olive Tree Restaurant in Bath.
The guide
Since 1992, the Trencherman’s Guide has revealed the most exquisite restaurants in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol and Bath, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. Each one has been handpicked and verified by industry experts and exceeds stringent quality criteria. Below is just some of the praise garnered by the guide:
‘A must-have guide for anyone who loves great food’
Paul Ainsworth
‘The only independent, quality‑controlled guide in the South West’
Michael Caines MBE
‘A guide with teeth’
Rick Stein CBE
‘It holds a special position in promoting excellence’
Jack Stein
‘Very few areas of the country have a guide like Trencherman’s, which rivals Hardens or Michelin’
William Sitwell
‘The Trencherman’s proposition is unique thanks to its very particular sense of place in the South West. We are very lucky to be part of such a vibrant, interconnected food community’
Nicholas Balfe, Holm, South Petherton
Get the guide
The 33rd edition of the guide is available to order here (order and claim a FREE copy of Food Lifestyle magazine). The guide can also be sourced from member restaurants. To stay up to date with the latest news and events from the South West restaurant scene, plus enter amazing dine-and-stay competitions, sign up to the Trencherman’s e-newsletter here.
Photography by Guy Harrop
