Refreshment on the Rails
The golden age of travel, and indeed dining, is back, with Belmond British Pullman's star-studded chef pop-ups leading the way, says Hellen Dalley
Experience the golden age of dining on the Belmond British Pullman
Luxury trains with firstclass coaches and steward service, Pullman trains first made their debut in the 1870s, enjoying a heyday in the ‘ 20s and ‘ 30s before winding down in the 1970s. Intended to recreate the golden age of travel, dining onboard these old steam trains remains decidedly popular, with trains such as the Belmond British Pullman, an engine that first voyaged up and down the rails in the 1920s, now restored to its former glory, traversing the English countryside as passengers savour meals cooked by some of the biggest names on the UK restaurant scene. This includes established names like Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux Jr to up-and-coming talents like Sky Gygnell and Merlin-Labron Johnson.
It’s Roux Jr, head chef of London’s two-Michelin-starred Le Gavroche, who will be cooking for us from a narrow galley kitchen tonight, recreating classic French dishes, all painstakingly plated, aboard this charmingly retro Pullman.
The journey begins at London’s Victoria Station, from platform 11, where smartly-attired wait staff are on hand to greet us with Champagne, later circulating with canapes, at Belmond’s private lounge from 6pm before the train departs at 6.50pm. It’s a Friday night, commuters still zipping past on the platform, but the ambience inside the lounge is distinctly formal, with gents all decked out in black tie (one sports a glittery black tux) and ladies attired in floor-length evening gowns & sparkly cocktail dresses in preparation for an evening that will see us cover 84 miles of track, journeying out towards Ashford and Feltham in the Surrey Hills before heading back to Victoria. As we walk towards the reception area, awkwardly conspicuous in our evening wear, we catch a glimpse Michel circulating, his trademark beam and salt-and-pepper hair distinctly familiar from all those Masterchef episodes, cutting an elegant figure in his gleaming chef ’s whites.
It’s with a certain level of expectation that we are escorted from the lounge onto the train by the smartly attired wait staff who lead us out to the Belmond’s distinct brown and yellow carriages. Peering inside the windows, we spy art deco detailing, cute antique table lamps and row upon row of patterned armchairs and linencovered tables. Many of the guests stop for a selfie or two in front of the train before boarding, including my husband and I, before sinking into our plush armchairs and expectantly eyeing up the five-course menu.
We gaze out onto a superb sunset and head south towards Clapham and Balham, all guests’ eyes trained on the window as we pull away from London and head into the Surrey countryside. We catch brief glimpses of Michel as he darts through the carriages, and as the skies darken, my eyes rest inside the carriage to take in the velvet drapes hanging smartly at the window, and the vases of carnations juxtaposed against the table lamps that softly illuminate each course.
The GM, Craig Moffat, is onboard this evening, and is keen to find out how we’re finding the vintage rail experience so far. We tell him it’s a luxury to have four hours to ourselves with nothing much else to do except eat and drink and chat, as he tells us many refer to it as the Downton Abbey train. “People like the opportunity to experience the golden age of dining, and we’re finding many passengers appreciate the low environmental impact of travelling aboard a train,” he adds.
We begin our sumptuous journey with a 2014 Blanc de Blanc from Kent’s Gusbourne Estates, a bright golden colour with a delicate mousse and classic Chardonnay aromas of green apple and citrus. The first course begins on an intriguing note with a smoked beetroot, choux and horseradish (it’s smoked eel for my other half), which is followed by an earthy mushroom terrine, a dish many chefs refer to as French
country meat loaf. With a firm jelly holding it together and a truffle dressing delivering a high-end upgrade, it’s delightfully retro, and, as it’s served cold, rightly liberally seasoned. A roast cauliflower, celeriac and peppered carrot pie delivers a homespun feel, as does my husband’s venison loin and grouse pie, which has a mushroom puree and green pepper sauce on the side.
MEETING MICHEL
Michel doesn’t limit himself to the kitchen, instead snaking his way through the carriages to interact with each guest and sign his recipe book, The Frech Revolution: 140 Classics Made Fresh and Simple, which each guest has received a copy of when they boarded. (Mine is scrawled with ‘All the best’ while my husband’s message is ‘ Vive La France’). Roux Jr is happy to take selfies, politely and persistently smiley in the face of yet another screen. As he stands across the table from me, still handsome and twinkly aged of 59, I ask him how it’s gone in the kitchen so far. He laughs and rolls his eyes and says, “Kitchen? What kitchen?’ But the experience can’t have been that bad as Michel has catered several dinners aboard the Pullman before. While he hasn’t experienced the joys of the Pullman train himself (probably like most chefs, he’s been too busy working 18-hour days) the chef says he’d like to have fellow Frenchman Raymond Blanc cooking for him should he ever do so. With Blanc hosting a pop-up for Belmond last July (his hotel and restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is owned by the Belmond group), he’s sure to be back again in the Pullman kitchen should Michel be serious.
There are pleasant pauses in-between courses while diners are left to contemplate the charmingly retro carriages, with mahogany fittings and marquetry punctuated by art deco glass windows and polished brass. Even the bathrooms are decked out with gorgeously detailed mosaics.
FAMOUS CARRIAGES
After dallying in Surrey for a while once the mains have been meticulously cleared by our immaculately turned-out waiters, we’re off
back to Victoria, with Barkham Blue cheese, saffron honey and pickled orange served before a fabulously rich, decadent bitter chocolate indulgence with praline and topped with gold leaf that is heightened by the syrupy sweetness of a rich dessert wine, a 2016 Sauternes La Fleur d’Or from Bordeaux. The petits fours – nougat, passion fruit jelly, almond tuile – provide the final flourish to what’s been a deliciously eventful meal. I’m left wanting to make a trip to Le Gavroche, Michel’s two Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair, which many critics still refer to as “the ultimate fine dining dream” where iconic plates including Souffles Suissesse (cheese souffle baked on double cream) and Le Caneton Gavroche (whole poached duck in a light consommé) await.
After dinner, a magician comes round to perform magic tricks, which seems altogether in keeping with the retro theme. (though I’m not the biggest fan of magic tricks myself).
There’s a quick tour of the carriages before we leave – PR manager Hannah Layton points out where luminaries including Nelson Mandela and Charles de Gaulle once sat and dined – and we find several passengers have nodded off, no doubt chastened by too much Champagne and rich food.
We arrive back promptly, as arranged, at 11.15pm into Victoria station, the sight of the fast food outlets and coffee shops clustered at the end of the platform bringing us back down to earth with a bang after the opulent surrounds and sublime service we’ve witnessed aboard the Pullman. What I’ve enjoyed most about the experience is the chance to linger over each course and truly appreciate each nuance and flavour of the dish. If you’re keen to do the same, there are regular dinners during February and March, while afternoon teas and murder mystery evenings are also offered aboard this delightfully dashing train.