Dawn Chorus: The Dorchester’s plans for British Pie Week, Anya Hindmarch takes flight and how to rent the Earl of Suffolk’s childhood home

A piece of the pie

The Dorchester’s The Grill by Tom Booton restaurant is partnering with East London’s historic pie shop G. Kelly right in time for British Pie Week (3rd-9th March).

The reimagined pie — a contemporary take on G. Kelly’s pork and mushroom pie — will be available exclusively at The Grill for Pie week only, alongside Booton’s signature chicken and vegetarian offerings.

G. Kelly was founded in 1939 by George Kelly, bought by his brother-in-law Bill Kingdon in the mid-1950s — and today it is run by Bill's son, Neil. The closest pie and mash shop to West Ham London Stadium, Neil Kelly publishes the match times and his corresponding late opening hours on the website’s homepage.

Pie is big business in Britain — we eat £1billion-worth every year, not including those made by self-respecting cooks in their own kitchens. One of our pies, the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie, even received PGI protected status in the European Union, along with the Cornish Pasty and Forfar Bridie.

Since January 2021 the Pork Pie is protected within the UK under the UK Protected Food Names scheme (UKGI). This protection is identical to the European scheme.

All roads lead to St Moritz

Next week, The ICE — perhaps the car world’s most eccentric concours — returns to St Moritz (incidentally Tom Booton has a restaurant here too, inside the Kulm hotel).

Sponsored by brands including Richard Mille and VistaJet, the event sees a lot of very rare and very expensive cars skittering atop the surface of the Swiss alpine resort’s central lake.

You can read all about it in St Moritz and the slopes of hazard: How a Victorian bet sparked the Swiss resort's love affair with adrenaline-pumping winter sports — which we published last year.

Doors to manual

Anya Hindmarch’s latest concept store, Air Anya, has touched down on Chelsea’s Pont Street — and it’s inspired by the golden age of flying.

The corner venue is a constantly changing space that sits within Hindmarch’s ‘Village’ of five other permanent businesses along the same stretch of road, including a retro-looking café and a boutique specialising in organisational accessories and labelling.

In the past, the concept shop has transformed into, among other things, a greengrocer, a hairdresser and a blazing holiday grotto, complete with Father Christmas at ease in an armchair.

‘I’m all for making the journey as glamorous as the destination,’ says Hindmarch who has designed a series of bag charms, pouches and totes, inspired by the iconic British Airways Concord and Pan Am banding, to sit alongside the perennially-popular Walton bespoke collection.

And as lovely as it all looks online, it’s worth journeying to the physical store (until April 6) to shop everything in person (and not online) — if only to marvel at the interior which has been kitted out in reclaimed 1970s airplane parts.

Visit the Anya Hindmarch website to view the whole collection.

Book now

On 8th January, 1897, a solemn-looking 18th Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire appeared on the Country Life Frontispiece, in the first ever edition of the magazine.

The first page of editorial has appeared in every single subsequent issue and in January 2017, 120 years on, his direct descendant, Viscount Andover, agreed to be photographed for the very same page.

Earlier this week, the now 22nd Earl of Suffolk and 15th Earl of Berkshire (he inherited the peerage in 2022) announced that Andover House, the setting for the photograph and his childhood home, is now for private hire.

The 10-bedroom, Grade II-listed property on the Charlton Park Estate in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, has been recently renovated and includes a games room, bar, extensive gardens, ample parking and a hot tub. There's even a self-contained, one-bedroom staff annex for anyone travelling with a nanny or other member of staff.

Andover House is available to rent via Big House Experience and Big House Co.

Nature’s larder

Chef Nicholas Balfe — the brains behind HOLM, his restaurant with rooms in South Petherton, Somerset — is launching a series of exclusive foraging experiences.

From wild garlic to elderflowers, jack by the hedge (garlic mustard) to jelly ear mushrooms, the immersive series will shine a light on the wealth of ingredients to be found in our woodlands, fields and hedgerows.

Balfe, who forages regularly for the HOLM menu, will guide wannabe-pickers on foraging walks as well as laying on a specially-foraged feast. There will also be interactive cooking demonstrations.

Visit the HOLM website for more information and click here to read our review.