As part of the partnership between The Cathedral and the highly acclaimed catering experts, Kudos, The Refectory at Winchester Cathedral has recently been given a fresh new look and an exciting and contemporary new menu.
Significant recent investment has given the Refectory a fresh identity with an organic twist: so new furniture and colour scheme, a salad bar and a new bakery station with bread and pastries created on-site by the Cathedral’s own baker, all beautifully displayed. Expect to see potted home grown herbs, ‘make-your-own’ afternoon teas and giant Hampshire winterberry meringues.
As one of Winchester’s hidden gems, the Refectory is sheltered behind an ancient flint wall with beautiful views of the Cathedral. Now in its 21st year of operation, this refurbishment of the main restaurant is probably the most significant change since the addition of the Paul Woodhouse Suite and the Garden Marquee; both of which sit alongside and offer fabulous additions to this great space.
As much emphasis as possible is placed on crafting everything on-site and sourcing produce from Hampshire and the surrounding areas, such as Tunworth Cheese, New Alresford watercress, and Hampshire haslet.
The magnificent Gothic Cathedral, one of the largest in Europe, welcomes over 300,000 visitors each year. For the Cathedral, its Benedictine roots are highly influential to its ethos, and providing hospitality is one of the ways that is evident. Additionally, teams of volunteers from parishes around the Diocese join with the Refectory’s in-house team in bringing that welcome to life on a daily basis.
Josh Beth, Retail Director at Kudos said “Celebrating local suppliers is what we love to do at Kudos and the Refectory has plenty of them. We also wanted to bring a taste of the gardens inside and this new fresh space will keep you here for hours, we even have a stack of Jane Austen novels to immerse yourself in”.
Annabelle Boyes, Receiver General at Winchester Cathedral is equally delighted with the results. “What we have been aiming to do is to take an already much-treasured, winning formula, used by locals and visitors alike throughout the year, and give it a fresher twist. We are delighted to be working alongside Kudos to deliver this for the benefit of everybody.”
The Cathedral Refectory is open daily throughout the year.
More information about the Refectory is available from www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/planning-your-visit/visitors-centre/cathedral-refectory
Venue hire and function enquiries are via 01962 857 258 or catering@winchester-cathedral.org.uk.
More information about Kudos is from www.kudosknowhow.co.uk
