Fowlescombe Farm appoints Elly Wentworth as executive chef
Main courses include fillet of Shorthorn beef with cavolo nero pesto and summer vegetables, and line-caught seabass with basil velouté and smoked almonds
Fowlescombe Farm, a luxury retreat set on a 450-acre regenerative farm at the foot of Dartmoor, has appointed Elly Wentworth as executive chef.
Wentworth, known for her produce-led cooking and focus on provenance, brings experience and a seasonal approach that aligns with the farm’s sustainable ethos.
She now leads the kitchen at the Refectory, Fowlescombe’s all-day dining space, which is open to non-resident guests for the first time.
The menu changes daily based on the harvest, shaped by close collaboration with head gardener Shelley Hutcheon.
Dishes make use of organic heritage vegetables, edible flowers, Szechuan peppers and homegrown turmeric.
Meanwhile, farm manager Rosie Ball supplies regeneratively farmed meat from native breeds including English Longhorn and Shorthorn cattle, Manx Loaghtan sheep, Tamworth pigs and Boer goats.
Guests are encouraged to experience the farm’s produce firsthand, from morning walks through the kitchen garden to evening cocktail garnishes picked from the greenhouse. Surplus ingredients are preserved, pickled or dehydrated for year-round use.
Hutcheon said: “Working with Elly so closely means we grow with intention, knowing how and when produce will be used. It’s rewarding to see ingredients go from soil to plate, just metres from harvest. This direct connection between producer, chef and diner, and the community that this creates, is what makes Fowlescombe so special.”
Ball added: “Elly joining the team marks an exciting new chapter for Fowlescombe. Her approach to cooking is completely aligned with the way we farm – thoughtful, sustainable, and led by what the land gives us.”
Wentworth concluded: “I’ve always cooked with the seasons and sought out the best local produce – but at Fowlescombe, I’m working directly with what the land gives us.
“Shelley and Rosie grow and rear everything with care, and it’s my job to translate that onto the guest’s plate. It’s a completely collaborative process, and there’s a sense that we are building a real community and learning from each other every day.”