A few weeks ago we went to Suffolk and stayed at White House Lodges in Suffolk. You can read my article about our stay here. 

During our stay, we enjoyed a private chef experience with Mark Weeks Private Chef. 

Private chef experience in Suffolk

If you’ve not experienced a private chef before, I highly recommend it. It’s such a unique and special experience, and it’s not as expensive as you might think. You can enjoy a lavish indulgent meal in the comfort of your own home (or holiday accommodation), and you don’t have to worry about travelling anywhere, getting a taxi home etc. 

It’s also really nice to get the opportunity to chat to a professional chef and ask them about how they make their food, where they source it from and why they do what they do. Chatting with your chef is part of the experience. 

We were staying in Heveningham, Suffolk. So I needed to find a local private chef from the Suffolk area. I found Mark and checked out pictures of his creations on Instagram, and I was instantly sold. His food isn’t just food. He presents his dishes so beautifully. 

A little bit of info about Mark Weeks

Mark Weeks is a trained chef with over 22 years in the business. He’s got six years of Michelin-star restaurant experience – that’s quite a portfolio. He was previously based in the Bath area but he moved to Suffolk to start a family. He has now become known for his exquisite dinners and stunning culinary creations. 

The menu – A six-course menu

Mark prepared a rather special six-course menu for us containing all our favourite things! I’m not sure how he managed to incorporate gnocchi, sea bass, pork belly and cheese souffle into the menu, but it was a huge success. Everything came out rapidly and it was a seamless dining experience. 

Bread and butter

Mark baked some homemade bread for us to enjoy, which was a lovely treat. 

Leek and potato velouté

This is an excellent starter as it’s wonderfully light and also very comforting. I’ve never tasted a soup (sorry, velouté) like this. It came in a cute little tea cup and tasted delicious. 

Twice baked cheese souffle, micro herb salad, tomato confit

I’m not sure I’ve ever had a cheese souffle before. It’s so fluffy and bursting with flavour. This is a good option for cheese lovers! It has a melt-in-your-mouth feel to it. 

Sea bass, pancetta and hazelnut gnocchi, braised gem, chive beurre blanc 

I would never have thought to combine gnocchi and sea bass – but they work so well together. Particularly with the pancetta thrown into the mix. The braised baby gem lettuce was really tasty, too, I’d never thought to cook it! The sea bass was cooked to perfection and paired well with the chive beurre blanc. 

Slow-cooked pork belly, pomme puree, butternut squash, cavolo nero 

Who doesn’t love a nice crispy pork belly? However, pork belly is definitely something that can be an epic fail if done poorly. Thankfully, Mark served up an exquisite example of a pork belly dish. He seems to be able to choose flavours that taste insanely yummy together. Like butternut squash and cavolo nero and the pork and pomme puree combo. 

Rhubarb and vanilla cheesecake, stem ginger ice cream

There’s just something about a ginger based pudding I really love. It is zesty and refreshing. Mark prepared some homemade ginger ice cream for us, which was a real treat! So much time and energy goes into creating these dishes and making them extra special. 

Chocolate fondant, hazelnut ice cream 

I mean, there’s got to be some chocolate in the menu somewhere, right? And why not finish off with an indulgent chocolatey pudding? You can’t beat a warm, gooey chocolate fondant. 

Mark brought all the equipment and ingredients he needed, including his own plates and bowls. Every single detail was thought out carefully and it made it a completely relaxing and hassle free evening for us. When you’ve got a private chef in your home, all you need to worry about is enjoying the whole experience. Mark was extremely professional and his attention to detail was incredible. The dishes were truly something else and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you Mark!

If you’d like to book Mark for a special meal or occasion, click here to get in touch with him.

#AD #gifted #giftedexperience