John's House
Mountsorrel, United Kingdom
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
The eponymous John was raised right here on the family farm and now provides excellent field-to-fork dining inside its 16th-century farmhouse. His brother Tom looks after the 400-acre estate, which provides herbs, vegetables, fruits and multiple meats that inform and inspire the tasting menus. The kitchen has the skill to let these flavours shine, in dishes that come with a personal and playful touch – such as a take on classic duck pancakes. You start with drinks on the ground floor and are then shown upstairs to the rustic restaurant with its exposed bricks and beams.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Here are three unique and unconventional aspects of John's House, Mountsorrel, a Michelin-starred restaurant:
1. Farm-to-Fork Concept with Onsite Family Farm Integration
John's House operates as part of a larger family farm setup, Stonehurst Farm, where much of the produce is homegrown and seasonal. The restaurant emphasizes a strict farm-to-plate philosophy, sourcing ingredients directly from the farm and local area, including rare breeds like Leicester Longwood sheep and Gloucester Old Spot pigs. This integration allows for exceptional freshness and seasonality in the menu.
2. Multifaceted Family Business Including Farm Shop, Café, Petting Farm, and Motor Museum
Beyond the restaurant itself, John's House is part of a unique family enterprise that includes a farm shop, café, petting farm, and even a classic car museum on the same site. This creates a distinctive visitor experience that combines fine dining with rural and cultural attractions, all connected to the family’s heritage and land.
3. Nose-to-Tail Cooking and Butchery Onsite with Rare Breed Livestock
The restaurant practices nose-to-tail cooking, meaning they utilize every part of the animal to minimize waste. They perform all butchery onsite, which supports this sustainable approach. The use of rare livestock breeds raised on the farm adds a further layer of uniqueness to their culinary offerings, with adventurous dishes like crispy pig’s head terrine and braised oxtail featured on the menu.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred restaurant John's House in Mountsorrel include:
Herbs, vegetables, fruits, and multiple meats from the family’s 400-acre estate: These local, estate-grown ingredients form the foundation of the tasting menus and reflect the restaurant’s field-to-fork philosophy, ensuring freshness and seasonality.
Black garlic: Used notably in a dish with hens egg and turnip broth, black garlic adds a sweet, tangy umami depth that complements the earthy flavors and elevates the dish’s complexity.
Truffle: Featured in a refined truffle custard and toastie, truffle brings luxurious, velvety richness and an aromatic edge to the dish, showcasing elevated comfort food with finesse.
Stichelton cheese: A raw milk blue cheese used in risottos, it adds a distinctive, flavorful sharpness and creamy texture, enhancing the rustic yet sophisticated character of the dishes.
Loch Duart salmon and Mylore prawns: These high-quality seafood ingredients are combined with sea buckthorn to create fresh, light starters that balance richness with bright, vibrant flavors.
These ingredients highlight the restaurant’s emphasis on local provenance, seasonal freshness, and refined techniques to create dishes that are both personal and playful.