The Middleton Lodge Estate, located on the outskirts of Richmond, North Yorkshire, has officially opened its new restaurant FORGE.
It will serve food foraged from the estate which will be cooked on open fires and guests can expect intricate, delicate dishes using unusual flavours and ingredients.
Executive chef Gareth Rayner has created a nine-course tasting menu and a three course set menu. Each dish will be influenced by the ingredients found amongst the estate’s Kitchen Garden, surrounding woodlands and the local farming community.
As both menus will focus on the seasonal produce picked from the estate the same morning as served, the menus will change on a daily basis, dependent on ingredients available.

Image: GASP Photo Co
Gareth said: “It’s fantastic to finally open the doors to Forge. We’ve been out foraging the estate’s land this morning and we’ve come up with a delicious menu ready for tonight’s opening night. Forge has been a year in the making so myself, the kitchen team and the estate’s gardeners are so excited to let the guests take their first bite. The fires have been lit and we can’t wait for service to begin.”
The Middleton Lodge Estate has also worked closely with local and national wine merchants to create an in-depth and detailed wine list, to sit alongside the two menus. FORGE’s sommelier will pair each dish with a different wine from the list, which will also change daily, dependent on which produce is making its way to the menu that evening.
James Allison, owner of the Middleton Lodge Estate, said: “At FORGE we really want to create an experience like no other, full of memorable moments from the minute a guest steps foot in the restaurant to their last mouthful of Gareth’s innovative dishes.
“It’s been a fascinating process to watch our team of chefs work with the estate’s gardeners and local farming community in such a collaborative way, and we’re looking forward to our guests finally being able to taste the dishes in this new chapter of the Middleton Lodge Estate.”
FORGE is now open, with reservations available every Wednesday to Saturday evening. The nine-course tasting menu is priced at a guide of £70 per person and the optional wine pairing is £45 per person.
To place a reservation, visit www.middletonlodge.co.uk/the-forge-restaurant or call 01325 377977.
READ MORE: about Middleton Lodge Estate’s All-Day Dining at The Coach House