HIDDEN HAREWOOD – WINTER IN THE WOODS

Following the success of their first pop-up dining experience in the summer, Harewood Food and Drink Project is returning this December for their next event; Hidden Harewood – Winter in the Woods. This special winter edition will take diners on another immersive journey through the Harewood estate with an acclaimed chef at Ox Club and past contestant on MasterChef: The Professionals 2016, Josh Whitehead, returning with another innovative tasting menu, inspired by the Christmas season and winter produce. Josh has also recently been shortlisted in the Best Chef category at the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Oliver Awards 2018, for his work at the Hidden Harewood pop-ups, and Ox Club.
Independent from the house itself, the Harewood Food and Drink Project is a new initiative which celebrates the best of the Harewood estate’s food and drink production; Hidden Harewood fully embraces this concept, whilst offering adventurous foodies the chance to dine with a difference and discover the hidden corners of the Harewood grounds – with exclusive access to places which are not open to the public.

The evening will take diners on an immersive journey through the grounds of Harewood, with one of the secret dining locations being a cosy cottage hidden deep within woodland, in the most remote part of the Harewood estate. Josh Whitehead’s menu will showcase the best of Yorkshire, inspired by Harewood’s heritage and the seasonal produce is grown on site. Some of the dishes will feature the Highland cattle, which descend from those originally brought to the estate by Lord Harewood himself. Josh’s menu will feature many more innovative creations, similar to his mulberry ice-cream (made using the wood from a 120-year-old tree on the Harewood estate) which was served at the summer pop-up.
Read our review from the first Hidden Harewood Pop-Up event.
Providing support for the pop-up will be food and drink students from Leeds City College, who will be assisting Josh Whitehead (who was also a former student). Harewood Food and Drink Project are very excited to be working with the college to provide students with the opportunity to gain knowledge and learn skills through this unique work experience and it is the beginning of what they plan to be a long-term collaboration with the aim being to promote education through food and drink.
Scott Masey, the Professional cookery course leader at Leeds City College, said: “We’re looking forward to collaborating with Harewood Food and Drink Project to bring this unique dining experience to the North of Leeds. It is especially exciting as the menu has been created and is being cooked by Leeds City College former student, Josh Whitehead. This new partnership means that student from across our professional cookery and front of house courses can be part of a real dynamic team, building and enhancing the skills they have developed at college. This fantastic opportunity adds to our impressive portfolio of employers we’re working with such as Tattu, Home restaurant, Dakota Hotels and The Devonshire Arms”.
The journey through the grounds will last between two and a half to three hours, with two sittings each night for groups of up to 30 people. Tickets are available to purchase online for 6.45pm (SOLD OUT) and 8.30pm on 7^th and 8^th December, then 6pm (SOLD OUT) and 8pm (SOLD OUT ON SAT) on 9^th and 10^th December. Purchase Tickets. 
In the lead up to the festive period, the Harewood Food and Drink Project have expanded their drinks offering by launching three new additions to their seasonal range of Harewood ales. All the beers are made using goods grown and foraged on the estate and in collaboration with local producers. Joining the already popular Spring Rhubarb Bitter (4%) is a Summer Elderflower Pale Ale (4.8%) made with Quirky Ales, a classic Autumn Hoppy Golden Ale (4.4%) which marks their first collaboration with award-winning Ilkley Brewery and a Winter Plum Porter (4.5%) flavoured using Victoria plums grown on the Harewood estate and made in collaboration with multi-award winning Roosters Brewery in Knaresborough.
Tom Fozard, Director at Roosters, said: “Roosters has worked closely with the team at Harewood on a couple of occasions, brewing with a selection of the hops grown and harvested on the estate. Developing the plum porter has been a fun project to work on, especially being able to brew with ingredients that have been grown so locally to the brewery and plans are already afoot to see what we can come up with next”.
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Pop up dining Leeds – Hidden Harewood – Harewood Food & Drink Project