They say the early bird catches the worm, but in this case, it catches eggs royale and breakfast burritos as Tunbridge Wells’ One Warwick Park Hotel opens its doors to Brasserie – a new hotspot for breakfast & brunch…
The Brasserie, One Warwick Park which opened its doors on September 20, is dedicated to serving the town’s best breakfast and brunch, so whether you’re hungry for a classic full English or want to satisfy your sweet tooth with triple stacked American pancakes drizzled in maple syrup, The Brasserie’s head chef, Ollie Funnell has created a menu full of breakfast favourites.
Talented chef Ollie has spent time with his sous-chefs to create a menu which nods to the locality of Tunbridge Wells and our town’s wealth of fantastic suppliers. Boasting local flavours, traditional classics and homemade treats, Ollie tells us more about what lead him to The Brasserie, and what guests can expect from the new menu…
How long have you worked at One Warwick Park Hotel?
I’ve worked for Elite Leisure Collection for over a year, starting off at Salomons Estate, One Warwick Park’s sister hotel, conference, and wedding venue, as a Chef de Partie where I would assist the Head Chef and Sous Chef in creating delicious menu items. I then began working across both sites as my role developed into a junior sous chef where I’d often get involved in running the kitchen which was pretty exciting!
What lead you to cooking?
‘Feeding people happiness’ is what drives me. Like many chefs, my love for food began during childhood. All I have ever wanted to do was create delicious dishes that make people happy – you can’t beat the feeling seeing your regular customers return time and time again because they love the food that you cook.
Tell us more about your culinary studies…
I took the leap to starting my career aged sixteen, and I have never looked back. I completed all three levels of catering at West Kent College (now North Kent College) and studied there for three years. It was here that my passion for food grew, and whilst working my first job as a kitchen porter, I uncovered a new side to the industry – the adrenaline. Cooking hundreds of dishes each night made to the highest of standards to see the beaming smiles fill the restaurant floor is a feeling like no other!
Tell us about the concept of The Brasserie, One Warwick Park
We wanted to introduce a new breakfast and brunch spot that focused on fresh food and celebrated Tunbridge Wells’ suppliers. A place that was much more than your average café, but a relaxed spot filled with the highest quality dishes and coffee ideal for every occasion. From breakfast schmoozing to afternoon brunching, the menu showcases home-cooked classics you can’t help but indulge in.
What’s the menu’s USP?
From full English breakfasts that include vegetarian and vegan options to homemade pastries and smashed avocado, The Brasserie’s menu focuses on tasteful favourites that give our guests a nice boost for the day – after all, breakfast is the most important meal! We incorporated hearty ingredients with healthier trends such as our blueberry and chia seed overnight oats for those looking to try something new.
What particular dish would you recommend?
If you visit, you must try our breakfast burritos as they are a super tasty and filling option for any time of the day. Filled with scrambled eggs, Cumberland sausage, smoked streaky bacon and baby spinach wrapped in a delicious tortilla, this flavoursome cocoon is packed full of nutritious-rich ingredients.
You focus a lot on independent producers. Why is this important to you?
We chose to work with independent producers such as Southborough Butchers and Tunbridge Wells Coffee Roastery for two reasons. Firstly, keeping money in our local economy is important to us, especially with rising living costs. By supporting local businesses we’re also doing our part to help grow our community.
Secondly, purchasing local, freshly grown produce often results in better tasting dishes. We know where our ingredients come from and can promise a shorter time between harvest to table, allowing for not only more flavourful meals, but healthier ones too.
“We chose to work with independent producers such as Southborough Butchers and Tunbridge Wells Coffee Roastery. By supporting local businesses we’re also doing our part to help grow our community”
The Brasserie’s menu focuses on tasteful favourites that give our guests a nice boost for the day.
Rise & dine
Molly Miller swung by the new Brasserie at One Warwick Park to see whether the town’s latest breakfast and brunch spot delivers the goods…
What’s not to love about breakfast? Beautifully scrambled eggs, perfectly crisped bacon, and sweet pancakes enough to make anyone drool. When it comes to getting your morning fix, I can unashamedly say it is my absolute favourite meal of the day, so when SO’s editor asked me to review The Brasserie at One Warwick Park, I immediately said yes.
Nestled in the heart of Chapel Place, just a stone’s throw away from the famous Pantiles and only a short walk from Tunbridge Wells station, The Brasserie is perfectly located for commuters and shoppers alike.
I visited one Sunday morning with my partner, and as soon as we turned the corner onto Chapel Place the results of the restaurant’s stylish refurbishment were unveiled. Previously ‘STEAK’, One Warwick Park Hotel’s lunch and dinner steak house, the once dark and moody exterior has been given a new lease of life. The fresh lick of pale grey paint harmonises with the charming row of independent shops that follow, causing Sid and I to be taken aback by the restaurant’s fresh new look.
Early birds lined the opening as Sunday shoppers and coffee lovers filled the pleasant outdoor seating before we made our way through to the restaurant. Upon entering, we were welcomed into a deli-like space that incorporates elegant and chic interiors. Think black marbled countertops, intense dark green walls and warm lighting contributing to an imminent feeling of relaxation.
Greeted with a smile and led to our table by a friendly and attentive waitress, I quickly found myself relaxing into banquette seating dressed in plush cushions for all round comfort and style.
Of course, no morning can begin without a coffee and as big fans of the brew we began to order. Sid opted for a cappuccino which he described as having ‘great flavour’ and I asked for the caffè latte which was smooth and creamy. As we discovered the coffee was sourced from independent supplier Tunbridge Wells coffee roastery, we admired the décor that surrounded us.
From antiqued mirrors and vintage prints to velvet soft furnishings and statement light fixtures, the interiors of the main seating area are flooded with charm and character declaring this breakfast eatery a far cry from your typical greasy spoon. As you’d expect from the immaculate exterior, inside was very clean and well-kept too.
The breakfast menu (available every day between 7.00am – 1.00pm) offers a wonderfully diverse choice of food for meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, and health-conscious diners alike and while I had my heart set on the triple stacked buttermilk American pancakes with blueberries, natural yoghurt and maple syrup, the chef’s recommended breakfast burrito (£7.95) won me over.
When my breakfast arrived, it did not disappoint and those who have hearty appetites will be most impressed. While burritos were invented in Mexico and the breakfast adaptation is American, this dish was packed full of British breakfast staples that filled me up well into the late afternoon.
Generous in portion size and cocooned in a thin and soft tortilla wrap, I indulged in an impressive mix of fluffy scrambled eggs, Cumberland sausage, streaky bacon, and baby spinach. Now I have to say, if you’re feeling peckish rather than starving, this dish would probably be enjoyed best as a brunch as it’s very filling – not that I was complaining!
Sid’s order of the full English breakfast (£12.95) was equally impressive and much to his delight came paired with soft, not hard (a pet hate for us foodies) butter ready to spread onto his sourdough toast.
After kicking things off with a toasty crunch, Sid tucked into his full English made fresh with two eggs, a Cumberland sausage, smoked streaky bacon, grilled cherry vine tomatoes, a Portobello mushroom, hash browns and baked beans, which he swiftly demolished leaving the plate clean.
“My burrito was an impressive mix of fluffy scrambled eggs, Cumberland sausage, streaky bacon, and baby spinach”
The Brasserie certainly hits the spot and leaves you delightfully satisfied without feeling overly full. The quality of meat (also locally sourced) particularly stood out and was cooked to perfection.
With a superb location sandwiched between the best of Tunbridge Wells, beautiful décor and a relaxed atmosphere that eases you into your day, The Brasserie at One Warwick Park is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat and I can confirm the quality and value for money is up there with the best of eateries I have had the pleasure of visiting. We left feeling impressed and will definitely return…
One Warwick Park Hotel is owned by the Elite Leisure Collection who also own SO Magazine
