Say Four Seasons to anyone with knowledge of the hospitality industry and they will probably look longingly. For those unaware, this 90-strong hotel chain present in 39 countries has a well-deserved reputation for offering some of the best luxury experiences available. A recent event saw your reviewer have the fortune to visit the chain’s Hampshire venue, set on the edge of the New Forest in the village of Dogsmerfield. Although the village was first recorded in the Domesday Book, its dominant manor house only became a hotel in 2005.
The main restaurant is currently named Wild Carrot in reference to the elegant white wildflower that grows in the nearby fields of Dogsmerfield Park. It is also a nod to the fact that the chef places an emphasis on locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Over the course of 48 hours at the venue, the Four Seasons excelled itself, both in terms of the offerings at Wild Carrot as well as catering on a much larger scale in its ballroom.
Begin in Wild Carrot and the three-course ‘taste of Hampshire’ menu (priced attractively at £65/head for three courses) gives a strong impression of the venue’s potential. For my starter, a humble burrata was paired innovatively with carrot ketchup, candied baby carrots and pine nuts. Beyond taste, the visual impact was also compelling. As a general observation, the venue probably over-achieved on aesthetics (consider the crispy poached egg, asparagus textures and truffle oil dish pictured) slightly to the detriment of the food. Nonetheless, there were substantially more successes than fails. I particularly loved a seared beef carpaccio, pickled mushroom, parmesan and rocket starter as well as mint and chocolate Guanaja ganache dessert composition. Moreover, catering for groups of 50+ while delivering, and delivering consistently, is no mean feat. Plaudits too for the sommelier, with reds such as a Quinta da Leda blend from Portugal and Napa’s Clos du Val being particular stand-outs. Based on my visit this time around (the spa area is a dream too), it won’t be too long before I consider booking my next trip.