The Elderflower restaurant in Lymington rated among top 100 in the UK by Harden's 2023 guide

THE Elderflower in Lymington has made it into the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK – Harden’s acclaimed top 100.

The eatery was ranked 86th best in the country in Harden’s 2023 list, a long established guide which was formerly used to compile the Sunday Times Top 100 UK Restaurants.

It is the only Hampshire venue to feature in the national poll which is based on the reviews of thousands of diners who contribute to the annual survey.

Located in Quay Street, The Elderflower made a name for itself locally long before its TV appearance on the Remarkable Places to Eat series with Fred Sirieix in 2021. But the exposure raised its profile well beyond the realms of the New Forest and it is now solidly booked up months in advance.

Andrew Du Bourg, who runs the venue with his wife Marjolaine, told the A&T: “We had a million hits on our website on the evening that show aired, and it took us three months to get on top of all the emails that then came in.

“It was crazy – we had people flying here from as far as Singapore just to say they had tried our food.”

Speaking to the A&T about the Harden’s guide, Andrew said the inclusion had “made all the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile”.

“We work long hours – more than 80 hours a week – so to be judged among the best in the country is gratifying,” he said. “It’s recognition, and it gives us an extra spring in our step.”

Marjolaine added: “This is a big accolade for us and it’s all the more gratifying because it’s completely independent; we’ve not paid a penny in sponsorship or subscriptions.”

The Elderflower, described by Harden’s as having “firmly established itself on the foodie map”, was opened by the couple in 2014, and by 2015 it had secured its third AA Rosette.

It serves up a “surprise tasting experience” of between four and seven courses, with menus presented only at the conclusion of the meal.

“This allows me more freedom and room to adapt, depending on the seasons,” said Andrew. “By taking the menus away we are not only fostering that belief our customers have in us to cook exceptional food, but also enabling them to try dishes they might not have ordered before.

“My cooking is imaginative and I try to tell stories; I will base dishes on a saying or a nursery rhyme that has inspired me, or it could be a nostalgic memory from my childhood.”

Andrew and Marjolaine met in London while working at the Michelin-starred Club Gascon, and were engaged after six months.

“It was love over the hot plate,” joked Andrew, who trained at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts before going on to work at London’s Goring Hotel and The Wolseley, and subsequently Chewton Glen in New Milton.

Marjolaine, too, boasts some impressive credentials, having trained at a specialist catering school in La Rochelle, France, and worked at Hotel du Palais in Biarritz before progressing to food and beverage manager at Club Gascon. Locally, she has worked at the Captain’s Club Hotel in Christchurch.

It wasn’t long before the pair, who have two girls, Anabelle (9) and Sophie (4), became business partners. Rather than buy a house, the couple ploughed all their money into setting up the restaurant.

“I had this burning desire to start my own restaurant – I was obsessed with the idea,” said Andrew. “It took us five years to get established, and it was really tough. The challenges we faced were: finding decent chefs that have commitment and drive to produce excellence.

“That’s a general problem in our industry, and there is a huge debate around hours and pay. If you see it as just a job you are better off going to work in Waitrose stacking shelves.

“I’ve always had a career path. I’ve known exactly who I wanted to work for and have always been a believer in not chasing the money, that the money would come to me.

“Another challenge has been finding the right supplier. We have an abundance of artisan producers but fruit and veg was hard to get hold of. That’s getting better now and we have a handful of top growers like New Forest Fruits and Isle of Wight Tomatoes.”

He added: “I see myself as a young chef and I still have lots more to explore. What I aim for is to make sure that each day we are better than the day before.

“It is good to know that our customers are loving what we are doing, though, and it’s exciting to see in the guide the calibre of restaurants we are being associated with – this only spurs us on to try harder.”

To make a reservation or for more information about The Elderflower, go to www.elderflowerrestaurant.co.uk