A Celebration of Nomadic Dinners in the Heart of Buckinghamshire
There are dinners, and then there are moments. This was the latter—a woodland feast that felt less like an event and more like a rite of passage. Hidden in the ancient woods of Buckinghamshire, Nomadic Dinners marked seven years of unforgettable outdoor feasting with a long-table banquet that blurred the line between fine dining and elemental experience.
Sponsored by the legends at Maldon Salt and Gressingham, this anniversary event was a fire-cooked, flavour-drenched celebration of food, people, and place.
Arrival & Aperitifs: A Toast Among the Trees
Guests were welcomed with peach Bellinis, sparkling and bright, every sip a taste of the sunshine. Under the canopy of oak and ash, it was the kind of drink that told you you were exactly where you were meant to be.
Canapés: The Opening Act of a Woodland Feast
The first bites came hot from the fire and cold from carefully packed trays—a procession of punchy, delicate, and deeply satisfying small plates crafted by a dream team of chefs.
Stuart Deeley served up yeast crumpets topped with whipped goat’s curd and a sweet fennel jam—comforting yet refined.
Tom Hamblet impressed with trout rillette tartlets crowned with trout roe and lemon, alongside a feather-light goat’s cheese mousse on puffed rice.
Dan Merriman brought the nostalgic charm of a cheese, onion & white balsamic biscuit, just not as you have tasted before, perfectly balanced and gone in two bites.
Nikita Pathakji offered both a fiery lamb laab tartare croustade and a vibrant tomato & basil vegetarian version.
Dan Lee delivered an earthy mushroom & tarragon parfait, while Tom returned with a bold Gressingham duck liver & Calvados parfait, cut with a bitter orange edge.
Each bite was a statement. Together, they set the tone for what was to come.
Starter: Chilled Soup, Elevated
Tom Hamblet’s tomato gazpacho was anything but ordinary. Bright, silky and perfectly chilled, it was layered with sourdough croutons, fresh basil, prawn oil, and a curl of melon. It tasted like late summer in a bowl—cool, complex and refreshingly bold.
First Course: Sweetcorn, Spice & Maldon Magic
A vibrant vegetarian plate by Nikita Pathakji combined sweetcorn chevdo, tangy green chutney, and crisp sev, elevated by a dash of Maldon Salt. It was crunchy, spicy, salty perfection—the kind of dish that makes you stop mid-conversation and just eat.
Main Course: The Heart of the Woodland Feast
For the meat lovers, five-spice confit Gressingham duck leg was the showstopper—fall-off-the-bone tender, glazed in hoisin, and served on a smoky, crispy Cong You Bing (a Chinese spring onion pancake). Pickled cucumber cut through the richness, tying the dish together like a ribbon.
The vegetarian option was no side note. BBQ cauliflower, glazed with hoisin and served with wild foraged mushrooms and pickled cucumber, was smoky, sweet and absolutely stunning—crafted by Dan Lee & Stuart Deeley to stand tall on its own.
Dessert: Fire-Kissed & Fresh
Daniel Merriman closed the feast with a coconut, lime & verbena swiss roll, light and citrusy with a herbal lift. Alongside it: a wedge of BBQ pineapple, charred just enough to intensify its natural sweetness and add a hint of smoke. A clean, bright, satisfying finish.
Fireside Q&A: Stories & Smoke
As night settled over the forest and flames crackled low, guests gathered for a relaxed roundtable Q&A with the chefs. There were no filters—just honest conversation about working with fire, sourcing great British produce, the power of seasoning, and how Maldon Salt turns good dishes into unforgettable ones.
Seven Years of Nomadic Dinners
This wasn’t just an anniversary. It was a reminder of everything Nomadic Dinners stands for: bold flavours, shared moments, fire-cooked food, and a deep love of nature. A woodland feast that brought together chefs, guests, and ingredients in a way that felt powerful, primal, and completely unpretentious.
Here’s to the next seven years.
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