Ricki Weston’s Vision for Modern British Dining at The Dining Room, Whatley Manor
Situated near Malmesbury in the Cotswolds, The Dining Room is the jewel in Whatley Manor’s culinary crown. At the heart of the restaurant is Executive Chef Ricki Weston, a chef driven by instinct, integrity, a deep respect for ingredients – infusing his dishes with touches of nostalgia that reflect his own culinary journey. His approach is rooted in a simple yet powerful belief: if a farmer has spent years cultivating their produce, it deserves to be celebrated in its entirety.
Influenced profoundly by his time at the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains, Ricki reimagined his culinary philosophy to focus on extracting every ounce of flavour from each element on the plate. Before that, a formative experience under Matt Gillan opened his eyes to the intricacy and artistry of fine dining.
At Whatley Manor, Ricki combines both perspectives – technical brilliance and bold, ingredient-led creativity – to deliver a dining experience that’s as emotionally charged as it is refined. The Dining Room is more than a restaurant; it is an extension of Ricki himself. At its core, The Dining Room’s food invites guests to fall back in love with flavour, nostalgia, and thoughtful simplicity.
Sustainability is at the helm, from crafting dishes that spotlight yesterday’s bread to turning kitchen waste into signature condiments, every menu is a celebration of resourcefulness and respect for the land. The zero-waste ethos runs through every corner of the kitchen and grounds, from the honey collected from the hotel’s own bees to vegetables grown in the kitchen garden.
The Dining Room experience begins in the Lounge but soon transitions into the kitchen, where guests meet Chef Ricki Weston and sample his playful yet refined Caviar Trifle. Next on the menu is a delicate mussel tartlet, inspired by Ricki’s childhood days at the beach. For Ricki, it’s a dish rooted in memory, recalling the simple pleasure of barbecued mussels by the coast. To capture that nostalgic flavour, the team at The Dining Room barbecue the mussels before gently infusing them into a stock, transforming a seaside moment into an elegant bite.
The Dining Room is as interactive as it is refined, with subtle theatrical touches woven throughout the evening. One standout course, the ‘Cuttlefish’, captures the spirit of the season with vibrant wild garlic. The team prepare a fresh pesto tableside in front of guests, using herbs picked from the kitchen garden and preserved gooseberries from the previous year’s harvest, adding a bright, acidic note. It’s a dish that not only celebrates British produce at its peak but also brings the garden quite literally into the heart of The Dining Room.
Ricki Weston’s time under Sat Bains continues to influence his cooking today, most notably in the preparation of the duck dish, ‘duck, garden harvest’. While the technique has evolved over time, the foundations remain rooted in Bains’ precise approach. Ricki’s deep respect for ingredients is further evident in the use of the kitchen garden, where root vegetables are fermented to extend their seasonality and ensure they can be used year-round. The duck is served with a side of crisp potato, inspired by the pastry Ricki discovered in Puglia, ‘sfogliatelli’. Traditionally sweet, this version is crafted from potato, designed to surprise the eye and palate.
For those with a sweet tooth, Ricki recreates a dish inspired by a childhood classic: Coco Pops. For Ricki, and many others, the best part was always the chocolatey milk left at the bottom of the bowl, savoured in morning moments before school. This memory is reimagined in the dessert simply titled ‘Chocolate’ – a baked chocolate creation paired with a delicate sweet woodruff parfait. It’s a dish that’s both playful and elegant, evoking the comfort of the past with the finesse of fine dining.
To close the tasting menu, Ricki offers a soothing yet vibrant citrus tea, a gentle, refreshing finale that lingers on the palate. Inspired by his wife Natalia, a former tea sommelier, the bespoke blend of sencha, citrus, and cherry blossom is both delicate and uplifting. It’s a quiet nod to her expertise and a thoughtful reminder that the menu at The Dining Room is not only shaped by Ricki’s memories, but by the people who inspire him most.
For more information, visit www.whatleymanor.com.
For media enquiries, please contact Fox Communications: whatleymanor@foxcommunications.com
For access to the full tasting menus, please see here, and details below:
The Dining Room Experience Menu £175pp – 12 courses
The Dining Room Seven Course Menu £135pp – 7 courses
Journey Wine Pairing £105pp
Call 01666 822 888, book online or email reservations@whatleymanor.com to make a dinner reservation
About The Dining Room
The jewel in Whatley Manor’s culinary crown is The Dining Room, a Michelin-starred destination restaurant overseen by Executive Chef Ricki Weston. The seasonally changing menu combines locally sourced ingredients – including produce from the hotel’s kitchen garden, beef reared on farmland adjacent to the hotel and flour milled locally in the Cotswolds – with accomplished cooking, resulting in a menu of creative and enticing dishes that offer a nostalgic taste on classic British flavours.
About Whatley Manor:
The 23-bedroom Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa is located near the Wiltshire village of Malmesbury, within 12 acres of arts and crafts-style gardens. Restaurants, The Dining Room and Grey’s, are overseen by Executive Chef, Ricki Weston, who champions the best of British cuisine. The award-winning Aquarias Spa offers treatments provided by Sothys Paris and Gaia. Sustainability is at the core of Whatley Manor and the hotel has achieved a Silver accreditation by EarthCheck, the leading certifier for sustainable travel destinations, for three consecutive years.
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