Latest news with #SimonRogan
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Luxury train with spa, Michelin-star chef and £11k tickets that tours the UK
The Britannic Explorer is set to be the first luxury sleeper train to operate in England and Wales - and will be taking passengers on a three night journey through Wales For a train fare of £11,000 per couple, one would anticipate an experience out of this world, and a luxury travel company promises to deliver just that. Luxury brand Belmond is set to launch The Britannic Explorer, offering a three-night journey through Wales this year. Passengers boarding the Britannic Explorer are advised to pack not only walking shoes but also a dinner jacket or cocktail dress. This is the first luxury sleeper train to operate in England and Wales, complete with an onboard spa. Guests will slumber in stunning suites, indulge in world-class dining curated by a Michelin-star chef, and partake in excursions such as hikes in the Welsh countryside, visits to a luxury pub, and clay pigeon shooting. Prices start at £11,000, based on a double cabin for three nights, inclusive of excursions, meals, wine, and alcoholic beverages on board. A three-night route through Wales departs from London Victoria, stopping at Llandrindod Wells and Machynlleth, via Haverfordwest, Porthmadog and Barmouth, before returning to London via the Cotswolds. The itinerary reveals that on the first day, guests will check-in and enjoy an afternoon tea crafted by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan, featuring Welsh teacakes and Bara Brith, reports Wales Online. On the second day, visitors will disembark in Pembrokeshire, alighting at Llandrindod Wells for a guided hike that includes lavender fields, a pond dip or sauna. They'll then reboard the train to traverse the Heart of Wales line, journeying through Carmarthenshire and Powys into Eryri National Park. Other routes across England and Wales include to the Lake District and Cornwall with longer six-night trips also on offer taking in either both the Lakes and Wales or Cornwall and Wales. "Highlights on the Wales route include a picnic-style lunch featuring delights like rarebit and leek tart," the company reveals. "Each dining experience onboard will reflect the landscape outside the train's windows, using the freshest local ingredients to create an immersive culinary journey that celebrates the diverse flavours and stories of England and Wales." Dinner promises to be a "celebration of seasonal British fine dining, perfectly paired with an enchanting entertainment line up", with guests spending the night near Barmouth. On the third day, guests can opt for a visit to the wellness suite, or enjoy a lie-in followed by brunch. The train will make a stop in Machynlleth. "Machynlleth is a hub of creativity, sustainability, and exceptional cuisine. Our Concierge's curated black book of excursions offers a range of active pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting," the itinerary details. Lunch will be served while travelling through Montgomeryshire, passing Welshpool before crossing the border into Shropshire. The journey continues through the Midlands, concluding at Moreton-in-Marsh. The luxurious Britannic Explorer will then make its way to England, where it will stop for an "exclusive party" at The Fox in Oddington, a venue owned by Daylesford farm shop. Here, guests will indulge in traditional British fare such as Scotch eggs and sausage rolls, accompanied by local ales and artisan liqueurs. They'll even get to learn the art of pouring the perfect pint. The final day of the journey begins with breakfast as the train travels through picturesque Oxfordshire, ultimately returning to London in the early morning. The three-night Welsh excursions are scheduled to take place on select dates. Following a winter hiatus, the routes will resume in March 2026. The Britannic Explorer is set to launch in July 2025, offering luxury accommodations starting from £11,000 for a double cabin. This price includes a 3-night itinerary, excursions, meals, wine, and other beverages onboard.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- South China Morning Post
Dish in Focus: Farmhouse Productions tomatoes at Roganic
Roganic restaurant is one of the leading lights on Hong Kong's sustainable dining scene: its farm-to-fork approach has earned it numerous awards, including a Michelin Green Star. Since opening in 2019, the restaurant has prioritised locally sourced ingredients and zero-waste menus. In February, Roganic moved to its new, upcycled premises at Lee Garden One in Causeway Bay. The decor has changed, the menu has changed, but one constant is head chef Adam Catterall , who has been in the kitchen since day one. From sous chef to head chef, over the last six years he has worked alongside founder Simon Rogan to push the boundaries of sustainable gastronomy in our city. Roganic's new location at Lee Gardens in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay. Photo: Jocelyn Tam One way the restaurant does this is through maintaining strong relationships with local suppliers – working closely with growers and producers who farm regeneratively and are environmentally conscious. Catterall says, 'A lot of guests are shocked to find out that such amazing produce can actually grow in Hong Kong. It's always great to see how our diners react … when we explain where all the ingredients come from.' The menu at Roganic changes according to seasonal availability of produce, and the names of dishes highlight local suppliers. The Farmhouse Productions tomatoes in perilla and coal with fermented pistachio, for example, uses cherry tomatoes from the eponymous farming collective based mainly in the New Territories. 'We were inspired by the outstanding quality of the cherry tomatoes here in Hong Kong, which enjoy a relatively short season,' explains Catterall. 'The idea of including other ingredients from the farm expanded into incorporating farm herbs and flowers, and vinegars made from purple perilla, also from Farmhouse Productions.' Adam Catterall, head chef of Roganic in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout One of Catterall's favourite dishes, this appetiser is entirely vegan – something he describes as 'a happy accident'. As the chef explains, 'The balance of the dish works really well without … animal fats or protein.'
Wales Online
24-05-2025
- Wales Online
Train coming to Wales has an onboard spa, Michelin-star chef, beds and £11k tickets
Train coming to Wales has an onboard spa, Michelin-star chef, beds and £11k tickets You can have a massage before putting on a dinner jacket and enjoying a world-class meal The Britannic Explorer will travel through Wales this summer, including the observation car (Image: Belmond ) For a train ticket with a fare of £11,000 per couple, you'd expect the world, and a luxury travel says it will deliver just that. Luxury brand Belmond will debut The Britannic Explorer for a three night journey through Wales this year. Anyone boarding the Britannic Explorer is advised to not only pack walking shoes but a dinner jacket or cocktail dress. It is the first luxury sleeper train to operate in England and Wales and even includes an onboard spa. Guests will sleep in incredible looking suites, tuck into world-class dining with menus drawn up by a Michelin-star chef, and enjoy excursions including hikes in the Welsh countryside, a luxury pub and clay pigeon shooting. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here Prices start at £11,000, based on a double cabin for three nights, including excursions, meals, wine and alcoholic beverages on board. The three night route through Wales will travel from London Victoria with stops in Llandrindod Wells and Machynlleth, via Haverfordwest, Porthmadog and Barmouth, before returning to London via the Cotswolds. The onboard spa (Image: Belmond ) Article continues below The itinerary says that on day one people will be checked in before having an afternoon tea, crafted by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan which includes Welsh teacakes and Bara Brith. On day two, people will arrive in Pembrokeshire, they will leave the train at Llandrindod Wells for a guided hike including lavender fields, a pond dip or sauna. They will rejoin the train to travel the Heart of Wales line, going through Carmarthenshire and Powys into Eryri National Park. "Highlights on the Wales route include a picnic- style lunch featuring delights like rarebit and leek tart," the company say. "Each dining experience onboard will reflect the landscape outside the train's windows, using the freshest local ingredients to create an immersive culinary journey that celebrates the diverse flavours and stories of England and Wales." Dinner will be a "celebration of seasonal British fine dining, perfectly paired with an enchanting entertainment line up" with the night spent near Barmouth. One of the Grand Suites onboard (Image: Belmond ) On day three, guests are offered a trip to the wellness suite, or lie-in followed by brunch. They will stop in Machynlleth. "Machynlleth is a hub of creativity, sustainability, and exceptional cuisine. Our Concierge's curated black book of excursions offers a range of active pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting," the itinerary reads. They will eat lunch while travelling through Montgomeryshire, passing Welshpool before crossing the border into Shropshire. Wind down through the Midlands to reach Moreton-in-Marsh. The bar on The Britannic Explorer (Image: Belmond ) From there, they will go to England, where the first stop is for an "exclusive party" in The Fox in Oddington, owned by Daylesford farm shop and will eat Scotch eggs and sausage rolls, local ales and artisan liqueurs, and be taught how to pour a pint. The final day involves breakfast as they travel through Oxfordshire, arriving back in London in the early morning. The dates the three-night journeys are taking place in Wales are: July 21 August 4 August 18 August 25 September 1 September 15 September 22 September 29 October 20 November 10 Article continues below Routes will then pause for the winter period and continue in March 2026. The Britannic Explorer will debut in July 2025. Luxury accommodation onboard starts from £11,000 based on a double cabin. This includes a 3-night itinerary, excursions, meals, wine and alcoholic beverages on board.
West Australian
03-05-2025
- West Australian
Europe cities, five for 2025
Amsterdam. Paris. Brussels. Just some of the storied destinations you can reach on the Eurostar from London. But from July there will be another tempting train to ride, a new luxury sleeper service by Belmond, the company behind the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Departing from London Victoria, the Britannic Explorer will offer upscale multi-night rail journeys to some of the most picturesque pockets of England and Wales. Three and six-day itineraries will showcase gorgeous slices of coast and countryside in Cornwall, the Lake District, Pembrokeshire and Snowdonia. The window scenery will be complemented by lots of swanky features and flavours on board. Each of the train's 18 elegantly-furnished cabins have ensuite bathrooms — and you'll get a butler if you book a grand suite. In the dining cars, there's afternoon tea and modern British menus curated by Simon Rogan, chef-patron at L'Enclume, a three Michelin star restaurant in Cumbria, with Sven-Hanson Britt, formerly of The Ritz in London, now the Britannic Explorer's executive head chef. There's one catch for this train. Fares are not exactly inexpensive. Bank on paying from around $13,000 per passenger. It's expected that services will run annually on dates between March and November. Distinctly less taxing on the wallet, but requiring a bit more intestinal fortitude, is the prospect of swimming in the Seine. Inspired perhaps by watching the triathletes crawling through the river in last year's Olympics, ordinary folk will be able to test out their strokes in Paris' famous waterway this northern summer following the completion of a $2.4 billion clean-up project to enhance the water quality. There are three new quayside sites where members of the public can swim freely from, including Bras Marie, which is in the heart of Paris, within strolling distance of the rejuvenated Notre-Dame Cathedral. The Seine swims will add an extra layer to the Paris-Plages project, which has tried to bring a touch of the Cote d'Azur to the French capital's river and canals since 2002, with pop-up beaches and activities from July to early September. If you're still wary about ducking beneath the surface of the Seine — this will be the first public swimming allowed in the river since it was previously banned in 1923 — you could go kayaking or canoeing instead. Krakow may hog the tourists, but those who make the effort to visit Warsaw are usually impressed by Poland's phoenix-like capital. In ruins after World War II, and under communist rule until 1989, the city has rebounded in recent decades and is now spoken about in glowing terms, similar to when it was dubbed the 'Paris of the East' before all the 20th century turmoil. From the buzzy cafe terraces in the meticulously-restored old town (Stare Miasto) to the promenades and natural beaches hugging the Vistula River, to the sprinkling of Michelin-starred restaurants and slick galleries, Warsaw is also the setting for one of Europe's most keenly-anticipated cultural openings in 2025. After being shifted around from temporary home to temporary home for two decades, the city's Museum of Modern Art finally has a permanent base: a purpose-built, light-filled space facing the Palace of Culture and Science, a towering landmark from the Soviet era. Designed by New York-based architect Thomas Phifer, the museum exhibits pieces by late Polish icons Magdalena Abakanowicz and Alina Szapocznikow (who was a Holocaust survivor), as well as from overseas talents like Sandra Mujinga, a Congo-born Norwegian abstract artist who's making waves with her inventive audio-visual installations. Birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, backdropped by snow-dusted alps, stirring tunes enlivening its postcard-pretty streets and gardens, Salzburg is rarely anything other than a delight. This year it's upping the ante further with a medley of themed events, exhibitions and experiences to mark the 60th anniversary of The Sound Of Music, a much-loved movie shot in and around the Austrian city. Whether you're attending a live performance of the musical in one of Salzburg's endearing theatres — such as the Salzburger Marionettentheater, with puppeteers pulling the characters' strings — or admiring the nostalgia-inducing filming locations with charismatic guides (or on new self-guided audio tours), don't be surprised to find yourself grinning and humming along to classic tunes like Do-Re-Mi, Edelweiss and My Favourite Things. Malta is a perennial favourite on the Mediterranean cruise ship circuit, both a port of call and a hub for embarking and disembarking, But the dreamy UNESCO sites, cinematic coastline and quaint fishing villages of this sun-baked archipelago makes it worth sticking around for several days at least. You could easily spend a week here, hopping between the three main islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino. From mid-2025, you'll be able to base yourself at the Romegas Hotel, a snazzy 23-room boutique number in a converted 500-year-old aristocratic palazzo in the honey-hued streets of Valletta, Malta's compact yet vibrant capital. Many of the building's original features have been preserved, including the traditional enclosed Maltese balconies, while there will be a contemporary fizz to the hotel's bar, restaurant and rooftop pool, which looks out towards the sparkling Med. Step out the front door and you're just a five-minute amble from St John's Co-Cathedral, built in the 16th century for the Order of the Knights of St John and renowned for its breathtaking baroque interior and paintings by Caravaggio.
Bloomberg
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
Roganic's New Home in Hong Kong Feels Like Fine Dining Inside a Forest
One of the most highly anticipated reopenings in Hong Kong's restaurant scene, Roganic is finally back after a nearly half-year hiatus. British chef Simon Rogan's restaurant came to Hong Kong in 2019 and nabbed its first Michelin star less than 10 months into its existence, followed by a Michelin Green Star in 2021. Today, it's known as much for its fine execution of dishes as its emphasis on sustainability — something that gets an even bigger stage at Roganic's new home at Lee Garden One in Causeway Bay, not far from its old location in Sino Plaza.
