Hitchen’s Barn Oakham

Neil and Louise Hitchen have transformed a historic stone barn into Hitchen’s Barn, a Michelin-recognized destination for Modern British refinement in Oakham. The menu is a celebration of the Rutland countryside, anchored by a signature twice-baked soufflé of Lincolnshire Poacher and Red Leicester that boasts a cloud-like texture and deep mineral resonance. Technical finesse is showcased in the Cornish black bream, pan-seared to achieve a glass-like skin and served over a fragrant pesto mash with chorizo. The aroma of wood-fired ribeye and braised local venison permeates the rustic dining room, where seasonal ingredients from Launde Farm take center stage. A smoked salmon Scotch egg, neatly offset by the saline crunch of samphire and warm tartare sauce, exemplifies the chef’s ability to elevate pub classics with serious restaurant finesse. The journey concludes with a banana panna cotta, a study in silken consistency and balanced sweetness.