Michelin starred chef Lee Westcott opens new restaurants in Birch (Selsdon)

Say hello to Birch (Selsdon)

Award-winning British chef, Lee Westcott has brought his farm-to-fork ethos to Birch(Selsdon) in South Croydon. Known for his appearances on Great British Menu, MasterChef and Saturday Kitchen, as well as his leadership of Pensons and Typing Room, Westcott has opened Birch (Selsdon)’s signature restaurant, Elodie, as well as its all-day dining British brasserie, Vervain.

One of the biggest projects for Birch (Selsdon) was rewilding the estate’s former golf course. Westcott has brilliantly capitalised on this by using the surrounding 200 acres of rolling hills and green space to grow ingredients for foraging, and starting an on-site kitchen garden; later this year will see the launch of nomadic dinners in the land with special guest chef collaborations.

Birch (Selsdon)’s flagship restaurant, Elodie, is driven by nature in an earthy, relaxed and warm atmospheric setting. A seasonal five course tasting menu brings Elodie’s ethos to life, celebrating the best produce the British Isles has to offer and allowing foraging to play an integral role throughout.

Situated within the 19th century mansion house, Elodie’s 100-seat dining room has been cleverly remodelled by Sella Concept, injecting contemporary drama into the Victorian period room.

The current set menu (at the time of writing) boasts magnificent ingredients and is a very reasonable £69. Wye Valley asparagus croustade is brilliantly paired with smoked cods roe, wild garlic capers and marigold, while the IPA sourdough with marmite butter is a stroke of genius.

Line caught Cornish mackerel is served with apple, cucumber and wild horseradish, and is a fantastically refreshing dish. The star of the show is the spring lamb that comes with green olive (who knew this combination would work so exquisitely), turnip and three cornered garlic.

This is completed with an English strawberry, cultured yoghurt and cherry blossom – a sweet, palette cleansing finish to an incredible menu.

At the beating heart of Birch (Selsdon) sits Vervain, the seasonal British brasserie serving contemporary dishes in breathtaking surroundings. Vibrant and bustling, Vervain’s casual all-day dining restaurant is open to members and overnight guests for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks – with small and large plates – as well as a family-style Sunday roast experience.

Birch (Selsdon) is very popular with families, so Vervain is perfectly suited with little ones in mind. Elodie, meanwhile, has a more mature palette and is perfect for parents and couples alike looking for a date nigh to remember.

The new opening from the award-winning Birch hotel group, Birch (Selsdon) is located just a short drive from East Croydon mainline rail station; trains take 15 minutes from London Bridge, London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.

The remodelled 19th century mansion is home to 181 bedrooms of all shapes and sizes, three bars, a lido, a state-of-the-art wellness space, full-service co-working hub, creative studios and several communal spaces, from cosy snugs to the light- bathed Orangerie.

The rewilding of Birch (Selsdon)’s 200 acres of land has been masterminded by designer, maker and environmentalist, Sebastian Cox. What was once a golf course is now one of London’s largest rewilding projects with big ambitions for reviving the land and local biodiversity and actively contributing to the greening of London.

The intention is to (re)create a northern hemisphere scrubland savannah, free from human intervention. Self-sustaining herbivores including long-horned cattle and Exmoor ponies will roam free (at a natural density for the site) and it’s hoped that, in time, endangered species native to this part of England, such as nightingales, nightjars and dormice, will return in abundance.