Surrey


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where"><strong>WHAT? WHERE?</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1001" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Great-Fosters_front.jpg" alt="The Tudor Pass Michelin starred restaurant at at Great Fosters, Egham, Surrey." class="wp-image-28661" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Great-Fosters_front.jpg 1001w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Great-Fosters_front-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Great-Fosters_front-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Great-Fosters_front-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Great-Fosters_front-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Great-Fosters_front-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1001px) 100vw, 1001px" /></figure>



<p>The Tudor Pass is the fine dining restaurant at Great Fosters, the 17th Century manor house near Egham. And &#8211; big news &#8211; its ridiculously talented young chef Alex Payne is stepping into the spotlight. Payne took charge of the stoves in October 2022 when Tony Parkin moved on. And just mere months into his tenure, he&#8217;s already put a Michelin Star to his name. </p>



<p>He&#8217;s was previously head chef&nbsp;at The Thames Table&nbsp;at Crockers in Henley-on-Thames, and has worked with Gordon <em>and</em> Heston. Yes, it&#8217;s a fine pedigree indeed. In 2018, he also completed the series of&nbsp;<em>Masterchef: The Professionals</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>THE VIBE</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1072" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/The-Tudor-Pass.jpg" alt="The Tudor Pass Michelin starred restaurant at at Great Fosters, Egham, Surrey." class="wp-image-46787" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/The-Tudor-Pass.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/The-Tudor-Pass-800x572.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/The-Tudor-Pass-1000x715.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/The-Tudor-Pass-400x286.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/The-Tudor-Pass-768x549.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/The-Tudor-Pass-735x525.jpg 735w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Renaissance decor at its best &#8211; rich tapestries on the walls, velvet seating, oak beams, beautiful lighting and an ornate stone fireplace. The passage to The Tudor Pass isn&#8217;t too shabby either. Built as a royal hunting lodge in the 1500s, Great Fosters is found down an elegant tree-lined driveway and the main entry &#8211; into a resplendent reception hall &#8211; is through the small wicket door set within a grand domed oak front door. </p>



<p>The Tudor Pass is tucked away just down the hall from the main reception room. And while the hotel is indisputably lavish and luxe &#8211; and there&#8217;s a formality to this Michelin-starred dining room, it also feels relaxed and unpretentious.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s a small intimate space &#8211; there are just seven tables &#8211; so there&#8217;s also a feeling that you&#8217;re stepping into a private dining club. Yes, it feels special &#8211; and we haven&#8217;t even started on the food!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-1086.jpeg" alt="Appetizers at The Tudor Pass Michelin starred restaurant at Great Fosters, Egham, Surrey" class="wp-image-46792" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-1086.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-1086-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-1086-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-1086-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-1086-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-1086-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>So let&#8217;s get started shall we?! Open from Wednesday to Sunday for both lunch and dinner, feasting at The Tudor Pass is more of an interactive dining experience than a simple dinner of four or seven courses. Each course is like a culinary voyage &#8211; presented in person by the chef or one of his team with an commentary on what&#8217;s in the dish and how it has evolved.</p>



<p>And while the signature tasting menu lists seven courses, this doesn&#8217;t include the small bites that arrived at our table shortly after the bottle of Ridgeview Bloomsbury sparkling wine, nor the delicious handmade bread. Ridgeview, incidentally, is a vineyard on the South Downs in Sussex &#8211; and the Bloomsbury is a wonderful accompaniment to the taster menu. It&#8217;s light and fresh, so it doesn&#8217;t overpower the subtle flavours of each dish.</p>



<p>But back to the food, and those light bites. A prelude of what was to come, there were four appetizers &#8211; each one a perfectly presented morsel of deliciousness.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-beetroot-AE-007.jpg" alt="Beetroot at The Tudor Pass Michelin starred restaurant at Great Fosters, Egham, Surrey" class="wp-image-46793" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-beetroot-AE-007.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-beetroot-AE-007-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-beetroot-AE-007-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-beetroot-AE-007-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-beetroot-AE-007-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-beetroot-AE-007-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>What followed was an inventive anthology of incredible tastes and textures &#8211; mussels with apple and cucumber, beetroot salad with delicate horseradish dill, quail served with wild garlic and Jerusalem artichoke, Skrei cod with cauliflower, velvet crab and monksbeard, and Creedy carver duck with red cabbage, turnip and timur pepper. Each dish was picture perfect on the plate, and came with an introduction from chef Alex Payne or his team. </p>



<p>The sweet courses included a theatrical dish of rhubarb, tonka and oats served cold amid a halo of dry ice. This was followed by a chocolate and mandarin ensemble, and then petit fours.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-08.jpeg" alt="Dessert at The Tudor Pass Michelin starred restaurant at Great Fosters, Egham, Surrey" class="wp-image-46790" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-08.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-08-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-08-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-08-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-08-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Tudor-Pass-AE-08-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>My favourite? It&#8217;s a difficult choice &#8211; I genuinely loved them all. The mussels were exquisite, the Skrei cod was probably the best fish I&#8217;ve ever eaten and the duck was phenomenal. </p>



<p>Dining at The Tudor Pass in an experience to take slow pleasure in. The food is exquisite, and the service is exceptional. The passion and creativity of Alex and his team is truly inspiring &#8211; and worthy of that Michelin star.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">STAY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Great-Fosters-Dower-House-Bedroom-August-New-108.jpg" alt="A room at Great Fosters in Egham, Surrey" class="wp-image-46789" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Great-Fosters-Dower-House-Bedroom-August-New-108.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Great-Fosters-Dower-House-Bedroom-August-New-108-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Great-Fosters-Dower-House-Bedroom-August-New-108-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Great-Fosters-Dower-House-Bedroom-August-New-108-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/04/Great-Fosters-Dower-House-Bedroom-August-New-108-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>With a 56 rooms, sleeping over at Great Fosters is the perfect way to round off a delightfully decadent evening. There&#8217;s a choice of historic rooms in the main house &#8211; each lavishly styled &#8211; whilst The Cloisters and The Coach House offer luxe contemporary styling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>KID-FRIENDLY?&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>Leave the kids at home &#8211; this is proper grown up territory. Although if you must, and their tastes are sophisticated enough, children from age 12 and above are welcomed. Children of all ages are very welcome in the rest of the hotel though, including the hotel&#8217;s other restaurant The Estate Grill.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>AND DOGS, TOO?</strong></h2>



<p>The hotel has dog-friendly rooms, but The Tudor Pass isn&#8217;t the place for pooches.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>DISABILITY ACCESS</strong></h2>



<p>Yes, The Tudor Pass is on the ground floor at Great Fosters, and there are amenities just across the hall. If you&#8217;re staying the night at the hotel, there are rooms with disabled access. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>OUT &amp; ABOUT</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Savill-Gardens-autumn-credit-Windsor-Great-Park-no-permission-yet.jpeg" alt="Savill Gardens " class="wp-image-42957" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Savill-Gardens-autumn-credit-Windsor-Great-Park-no-permission-yet.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Savill-Gardens-autumn-credit-Windsor-Great-Park-no-permission-yet-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Savill-Gardens-autumn-credit-Windsor-Great-Park-no-permission-yet-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Savill-Gardens-autumn-credit-Windsor-Great-Park-no-permission-yet-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Savill-Gardens-autumn-credit-Windsor-Great-Park-no-permission-yet-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Savill-Gardens-autumn-credit-Windsor-Great-Park-no-permission-yet-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption>Savill Gardens</figcaption></figure>



<p>If you&#8217;re coming to The Tudor Pass, the food and dining experience is the main event. But if you&#8217;re staying at Great Fosters a few days, there&#8217;s plenty locally to take in including walks on the Great Fosters 50-acre estate. Runnymede National Trust, Windsor Great Park, Savill Gardens and Virginia Water are all less than 10 minutes’ drive away, while he city of Windsor are is just shy of 20 minutes away, and a lovely day trip.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>THE MUDDY VERDICT</strong></h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> This is special-occasion all the way. If you love food &#8211; and theatrical dining experiences, you&#8217;re going to love The Tudor Pass. </p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> Fussy eaters should move right along.</p>



<p><strong>The damage:</strong> At lunch, the four-course tasting menu is £90 per person and the seven-course tasting menu is £120 per person. For dinner, the signature seven-course tasting menu is £120, and the four-course menu is available on Wednesday and Thursday evenings only at £90.&nbsp;A wine flight with wine pairings chosen to complement each course is also available.</p>



<p><a href="https://alexanderhotels.co.uk/great-fosters/food-drink/the-tudor-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Tudor Pass at Great Fosters</a>, Stroude Rd, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9UR. Tel: <a href="tel:TW20 9UR" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">01784 433822</a>.</p>


Review: The Tudor Pass at Great Fosters, Egham

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