We spoke to Garsington’s long-standing catering consultant Christopher Barber about the evolution of catering at Garsington over the years, why Will Devlin is the perfect fit for Garsington and what his personal recommendations are from this year’s menu!
How have you seen food and beverage develop at Garsington Opera since you began back at Garsington Manor?
We have seen an amazing transformation. We were blessed with the original partnership alongside Keith and Elizabeth Maby, it was very special. As we evolved and the demands of the audience grew, we embarked on a relationship with a very small local caterer which grew into Absolute Taste, one of the biggest in the business. That brought us fabulous, memorable partnerships with Jamie Oliver and two of the finest Michelin starred chefs in the UK; Mike North and Ollie Dabbous. Each of these partnerships has been unique, exciting and groundbreaking in our field. I am also very proud to have introduced Deutz as our Champagne partner, though not a household name in the UK, those in the know recognise this as one of the most prestigious Grand Marques. Deutz is another example of how we look to be the best seeking out the less obvious but more intriguing and rewarding partnerships.
I am confident our latest partnership with Payne and Gunter alongside Will Devlin will take our hospitality to yet another level.
What makes food and drink at Garsington Opera special?
There is something magical about Wormsley; the ambition is always to match the wonder of the environment and the performance with what is on the plate and in the picnic basket. We endeavour to make this a seamless adventure which dares to push the boundaries in the pursuit of excellence.
What made Garsington Opera partner with Will Devlin this year?
After having a family caterer, the world’s most famous chef and then Michelin starred partners, we needed a fresh direction. Our friends at Payne and Gunter introduced us to Will Devlin. Nicky Creed and I checked out his fabulous restaurant, The Small Holding and we were immediately convinced that this felt right. Being a grower himself, Will understands produce and the seasons and has enormous culinary talent. Perhaps most importantly though, we felt Will along with Bethan and Lucy at Payne and Gunter would be the nicest people to work with, and this has very much been the case.
Talk us through your favourite dishes on the menu?
This is tough to answer as I love every dish on the menu, but we all have favourites. On our very first visit to The Small Holding we had the Jersey Royals, elderflower and lardo which is one of our starters; though it sounded very simple, it is in fact exquisite, sophisticated and very unusual. As a main course, I would have to go for the hogget. To those who don’t know, this is a sheep over one year, but not more than two years old. It has a rich, lamby flavour, but is not strong like mutton. It has had another year to mature, hence is a bigger animal with a better yield, so a little better for the environment as well as the palate. However that aside, it is utterly delicious. And finally, I am a sucker for a crème brûlée, Will’s version is unique with a wonderful essence of lovage, fennel and super sweet raspberries.
What about the picnics? Who would join you for a ‘fantasy’ picnic dinner and opera at Garsington Opera?
Though I think we have the best dining room of all the summer opera’s, the picnics are magnificent. With all the pain of the preparation and clearing up taken care of, this is a very elegant occasion equally as good as the dining room.
I could not have a fantasy dinner party without Nicky Creed in her final season as Executive Director, it would be the perfect finale (well for me anyway). And as it is a fantasy, we may just as well have Pavarotti, Mozart, Maria Callas and to even out the numbers and a bit of a wild card….Lady Gaga!
You can view Will Devlin’s 2025 Season menu using the button below.