Even though he makes scores of them per week, chef Ben Kelliher isn’t sick of the Beef Wellington. In fact, this classic English dish ‒ a star of his menu at the English Grill in London ‒ is a personal favourite.

The English Grill is the in-house restaurant at The Rubens at the Palace, the 5-star central London hotel Luxury Gold guests stay at during our British Royale journey.

“I often tell our guests a bit about the history of pies and pastry in the UK, and why this is something quite special to cook and present,” he tells me. Getting the puff pastry casing just right and slicing through to rose-pink beef is still a thrill. “It’s a real treat when you go out to a restaurant and see this dish on a menu; you really don’t see it that much around London,” he says. Luxury Gold customers can taste this historic dish on a visit to the Grill during the London leg of our British Royale journey.

A dish is born

The first Beef Wellington was created in 1815, made in celebration of the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo in June that year. But this pastry-swaddled beef dish has endured in British culture, becoming fashionable at the height of 1970s dinner party culture and remaining a home-cooking showstopper today. British cooking royalty from Mary Berry to Gordon Ramsay have championed its sturdy charms in recipe books and restaurants. 

Beef Wellington is a classic English dish

“It’s actually one of the first dishes I made on my first job in London,” says Kelliher. “I’d make the pancakes ‒ that’s the layer between the mushroom duxelles (a paté-like mix) and the pastry.” When he began working at the Rubens at the Palace hotel, home to the English Grill, he decided to run masterclasses teaching guests how to make this British classic, as well as putting it in prime of place on the menu.

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Reimagined for the 21st century

With the benefit of time, Kelliher has been able to play with the historic recipe for a modern palate. “We’ve been through a few versions of the dish: serving it with a red-wine sauce and a truffle madeira sauce, which are both more traditional versions,” says Kelliher. “With our current Wellington, there’s a bit of a modern twist: we serve it with a lobster sauce,” he explains. Inspired by the combination of beef and lobster in surf ‘n turf dishes, this adds a little indulgence and luxury. 

Meet chef Ben Kelliher:

Though the dish was designed for meat-loving 19th-century Englishmen, it’s surprisingly versatile, says Kelliher. Faced with hosting vegetarian guests, he suggests “you could do salmon in a similar style, which would usually be called en croute, with spinach and pancake wrapped around it. You can also do vegetarian or vegan versions: we’ve used beetroot instead of beef topped with goat’s cheese, or butternut squash topped with spinach.” 

One of his favourite twists on the iconic dish is a miniature version, served canapé-style. “We’ve done bite-sized, sausage-roll style ones with a small piece of beef and the mushroom duxelles spread on top rather than all the way around. Those are great for parties or events.”

As for what he’d recommend as a complimentary starter and dessert either side of your English Grill Beef Wellington? “We’re just coming into asparagus season in the UK, so I’d say our asparagus dish with morel mushrooms, confit egg yolk, grilled spring onions and a homemade milk-asparagus mayonnaise to start.” And to finish? “It has to be the Crepes Suzette, flambéed at your table.”

“We’re always trying to find a little twist to a dish and a way to make it theatrical for guests,” he adds. “It’s a great place to come for a celebration or special occasion in London.”

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The English Grill restaurant, London

Ben’s top tips for the perfect Beef Wellington:

“We always use fillet of beef; you can use a sirloin but it would be a bit tougher. Fillet is the finer cut ‒ it should cut through like butter and really melt in your mouth. We use a centre cut of Aberdeen Angus beef from a local supplier, which is dry-aged for 28 days. We have a great relationship with our butcher and are always testing and evaluating the meats we use for the best quality.”

“We use a mixture of wild mushrooms to make the mushroom duxelles (a fine mix with shallots and butter), cooking it for quite a long time ‒ around 45 minutes or an hour. It’s crucial to get rid of the water content, or you risk making the pastry soggy when you assemble it. We also deglaze the duxelles with a bit of madeira and port to add flavor and put a little grated truffle in there.”

“When it comes to assembling, have everything prepared in plenty of time: don’t panic. You can get things like your duxelles, your puff pastry and any pancake you’re using ready well before you need to put it together, so do it in stages.”

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Chef Ben Kelliher at The English Grill, London

“Consistency is key for getting the meat perfectly pink on the inside. We’ve mastered it by cooking it at 180 degrees, for 30-35 minutes and then resting it for 15-20 minutes. That brings it up to medium rare and it largely works every time. We also advise guests in the masterclass to have a probe to check the temperature at the centre.”

“Then, when you’ve cooked it, resting it is absolutely key. You’ve got to let the beef rest for up to 20 minutes, it helps the pastry firm up, it makes the meat juicy and you’ll be able to slice it really nicely.”

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Fogón Asado is no ordinary Buenos Aires restaurant. This petite parrilla (the name for this city’s expert steakhouses), with its exposed brick and leaping flames, is more like an immersive theatre experience melded with a supper club, all designed to introduce guests to the Argentinian art of asado. In an exclusive experience designed by the owners, Argentinian Alex Pels and his Danish wife Dani Jenster, the intimate space holds a maximum of 30 diners, who are given a ringside seat to this traditional, meat-focused feast.

Luxury Gold clients, visiting the Buenos Aires restaurant on the Argentinian leg of our Grand South America tour, are among the lucky few in attendance. Sitting at the polished countertop, you’ll watch the expert chefs smoke, sizzle and slice different cuts of meat, seasonal vegetables and the local provoleta cheese ‒ all on an elaborate, custom-made barbecue that executive chef José Gilberto Garcia calls “the Ferrari” of grills. We caught up with José to find out about this very particular style of South American cuisine.

A chef at Fogón Asado shows diners the way of the asado (Fogón Asado)

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Your Buenos Aires restaurant describes itself as “asado for a fine dining audience”. Can you tell us a bit more about this?

“Certainly. Asado describes the grilling technique – over a wood fire and its embers, but for Argentinians it’s also a kind of ritual, a traditional experience. It’s a very special moment to share with friends or with family. We usually gather at weekends for an asado, where we grill different cuts of meat for many hours. Everyone stands around the grill, enjoying wine and tasting the different cuts. At Fogón, we’ve tried to recreate that feeling for a fine dining audience. We like to incorporate innovative techniques and presentations to elevate the experience. Our tasting menu is designed based on the Argentine asado, but has a modern and unique approach.” 

What’s the origin of the cooking style, and how do you engage with that?

“The history of asado in Argentina dates back to the 19th century, evolving from the cooking practices of gauchos – Argentinian cowboys. As they roamed the vast pampas herding cattle, they developed simple, yet flavorful ways to cook meat over open fires. This method became ingrained in Argentine culture, blending indigenous techniques with Spanish influences. The gauchos had their tools, like the gaucho knife, the facón, which are very sharp. They used it for fighting, they used it for cooking and that’s really all they needed. We really wanted to include these tools in our dining experience. So a selection of these knives are presented to diners during the meal in a handmade wooden box, and each person can kind of choose their weapon. That’s our way of including a little bit of the culture and the history.”

Meat is grilled at Buenos Aires restaurant Fogón Asado (Fogón Asado)

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Can you tell me about the technical aspects of the fire cooking process?

“At Fogón we use two different types of wood that are typical here in Argentina; there’s one in particular called quebracho, which is one of the hardest woods in the world. The Spanish name for it actually comes from the phrase “to break the axe”. The white kind, quebracho blanco, is what we use to start the fire on our parrilla (grill) for the bigger cuts of meat to hang over; then we add the red kind (rojo), and once there are glowing embers from that wood, we cook smaller items like the rib eye or the bife el chorizo. It really adds a special flavour to the meat.”

How do you ensure the quality of ingredients?

“Quality is key at Fogón. We meticulously source our ingredients, prioritizing local, organic, and sustainably raised meats and produce. Our partnerships with local farmers and suppliers ensure that we receive the freshest and highest quality ingredients available. Each piece of meat is carefully selected for its marbling, age, and origin, ensuring that only the best makes it to our grill. This commitment to quality extends to every aspect of our dishes, from the vegetables and herbs to the specialty condiments. Unlike other restaurants, we only do one sitting per night, ensuring that each product is treated with respect and care.”

What are some of your favourite dishes on the menu?

“One of mine is the rib-eye cap, what we call the ceja (eyebrow), which we smoke with pine cones for an hour or so, something like that. Then we chargrill it over a strong fire for six or seven minutes more, until it’s rare to medium-rare. The flavour is very smoky and we serve it with a creamy cauliflower puree and corn cooked with a local technique called rescoldo, where we cook the vegetables over the fire. It’s smoky, salty, creamy, and even a little acidic because we add a little rice-vinegar to the cauliflower. It’s like a hug for your tongue.

“Another very typical street food here is choripan, which is usually local chorizo or morcilla sausage served in a baguette. This is something we eat at concerts, at the market or football games. But because we’re taking asado to a fine-dining experience, we reimagined the choripan for our menu. We put the two types of sausage on open-face, grilled breads, with a delicious apple and quince chutney on top, and flame-grilled pepper. In Spanish we call the combination “un matrimonio” (the marriage) because it goes so well together.”

Dishes at Fogón Asado, Buenos Aires (Fogón Asado)

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What else can guests expect from the experience?

“Guests are greeted with a cocktail, a Negroni but crafted from Argentine ingredients, like mate (a caffeinated herbal drink), Patagonian elderflower, vermouth and Viognier wine. From there it’s a three-hour fireside dining experience; you sit at the bar and all the preparations are done in front of you, right on the fire. I’ll explain each cut of meat, and show you them on a big wooden board before we begin. It’s a very interactive experience, inspired by the fact that Argentinians often gather around the asado when cooking at home.

We also have wine pairings of regional and national wines; our owners don’t believe in set glasses of wine, so we are very generous with refills! You’ll try every classic asado dish that you would usually try, but in a fine-dining presentation: they’re smaller, lighter plates and a bit more creative. It’s a real performance: our team loves to work in front of people and answer questions.” 

Experience the art of Argentinian asado on our Grand South America journey

Fogon Asado has two Buenos Aires restaurants ‒ one in Palermo Soho and one in Palermo Viejo. Tasting menus from $60 for lunch and $80 for dinner; wine pairings available (fogonasado.com)

Head Chef of The Werf at Boschendal, Allistaire Lawrence offers guests an exceptional soil-to-fork dining experience. Showcasing the spectacular produce of the Cape, he champions simple cuisine starring ethically sourced ingredients and served with unpretentious gourmet flair.

Exclusively for Luxury Gold, we asked Allistaire what our guests can expect when they dine at The Werf. And we also took the opportunity to learn more about South African cuisine.

Discover this on: Spectacular South Africa

Meet Allistaire Lawrence

Allistaire with fellow chef Todd English @delicious_al

Trained at the Institute of Culinary Arts (ICA) in Stellenbosch, one of the top three chef training schools in the world, Allistaire Lawrence boast an impressive pedigree. He has led the kitchens at some of the Cape’s most iconic restaurants and is now Executive chef of The Werf at Boschendal. Known for embracing and enhancing the simplicity in foods and letting the ingredients shine, he makes use of the freshest ingredients on his doorstep.

On the food philosophy at The Werf Allistaire says, “We are dictated to by the seasons, and the availability of produce from our farm and surroundings. The healthy rich soil for which Boschendal is famous translates into flavor profiles that are earthy and intense, as a result the dishes speak for themselves. I want guests to take away something special from our authentic farm-to-table experience, for it’s a process that continues to teach me so much.”

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The Boschendal Wine Estate

@boschendal

The Werf Restaurant is part of the Wine Farm Franschhoek, situated in the attractively revamped original cellar of the Manor House. All sited on the Boschendal Wine Estate, one of South Africa’s oldest wine estates, where the overriding philosophy is of family, food and reconnection. With sustainable at its core, the farm employs practices that ensure the soil is left better than found and to deliver quality produce and products.

@boschendal

With a vast organic vegetable garden and orchards on the doorstep of his kitchen, as Chef of the Werf, Allistaire always has a bounty of fresh ingredients available. In addition, other ingredients are sourced from small producers and farms from the surrounding Winelands, Stellenbosch and Cape Town.

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Dining at The Werf

@boschendal

 With such mouth-watering soil-to-fork dining on offer at The Werf Restaurant, we asked Allistaire Lawrence what Luxury Gold guests will gain from this dining experience. “Dining at the Werf restaurant gives guests an opportunity to make a visual connection with a taste and flavor experience” he tells us.

“Being able to sit and eat food produced on the farm and being able to see a working farm doing what it does, gives you a better appreciation for the food. It allows us to showcase the amazing produce the farm has to offer, while giving the guests an opportunity to sample it, as well as an opportunity to take some of it home, when shopping at our retail store.”

The seasonal menu features treats such as; aged black Angus steak with parsley butter and beef jus served with crispy potatoes with garlic emulsion; cured local trout with charred cucumber, fresh turnip, lemon sauce and foraged sorrels; and broad beans and ricotta, poached boschendal egg with chilli oil, white bean hummus, burnt lemon and hazelnuts.

For the ultimate souvenir of your visit, you can take away a recipe card to recreate one of Allistaire’s dishes at home.

Allistaire Lawrence on South African cuisine

@boschendal

“South African cuisine has many external influences” Allistaire goes on to explain. “There is no one type of South African cuisine. We all have a version of it based on where we come from.”

We asked him what he feels is so special and distinctive and he proudly told us: “The one thing that makes South African cuisine a magical experience is the extension of hospitality that you feel when you share a South African meal and experience. You are made to feel welcome and like family. We are very proud of what we cook, and we are very eager to share our food and hospitality culture with people.”

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His favorite South African dish?

@delicious_al

When asked his favorite dish Allistaire again reinforces: “Every South African has a different context when it comes to South African cuisine. Our food has been inspired by so many international influences and, due to how things were in the past, your family would have different food experiences to another based on social influences.”

“The one language all South Africans speak is “Braai”” he says, “so anything from a snoek with apricot jam, to wors (sausage) and a skaaptjoppie (lamb chop), to a Skope and pap (sheep’s head and maize meal). Anything over the coals would be a proudly South African meal.” However, to conclude the question without a doubt he tells us: “My favorite South African dish is my mother’s tripe, trotter and sugar beans curry.”

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His favorite ingredient?

@delicious_al

As Chef of the Werf, there are many fresh ingredients for Allistaire to choose from when we ask his favorite. “South Africa and especially Cape town has an amazing selection of fish to work with. Nothing beats fresh fish, cooked well,” he says. “I’m also a big fan of eggs. Such a simple, yet versatile ingredient.”

Home comfort food

@boschendal

To conclude our chat, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to ask what an acclaimed chef cooks at home with his family. “Because of the hours I work, cooking at home doesn’t happen too often,” he shares. “When I do cook it will be something hearty like a stew or curry, or something over the coals. I enjoy meals that bring back nostalgia of my family life when I was younger. I’m a sucker for an oven roast chicken, as my mom makes a killer one. My ultimate favorite comfort spoil is my wife’s spaghetti Bolognese – its like a bowl of delicious love.”

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Allistaire Lawrence’s exceptional cuisine as chef of The Werf Restaurant is one of the culinary highlights on our Spectacular South Africa luxury guided tour. A showcase of beautiful wilderness, eclectic cultures, warm hospitality and rich heritage, journey from Cape Town into the heart of Big Five territory. Discover Robben Island, Table Mountain, the finest wineries and view iconic wildlife on a luxury safari. And why not extend your tour aboard the luxurious Rovos Rail to the mighty Victoria Falls?

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