It’s extraordinary to think that the food-loving city of Bath, one of the most affluent areas outside London, only boasts one Michelin starred restaurant versus the capital’s 80. The Olive Tree, located at the boutique Queensberry Hotel owned by Laurence and Helen Beere, has retained a star since 2018, a status all the more impressive when you consider that the inspectors judge no other Bath restaurant to quite hit the mark. Executive Head Chef Chris Cleghorn has honed his fine dining style tremendously over the years we’ve been dining at The Olive Tree, as evident from one glance of the current menu, with its exquisite ingredients, bold flavour pairings and innovative cookery techniques. Joining The Olive Tree in 2013, Cleghorn was awarded 3 AA Rosettes in under 9 months and spent five years developing dishes which gained the praise and approval of diners and critics alike.
With the five star The Bath Priory and The Royal Crescent Hotel no longer able to boast a Michelin star – something which has serious pulling power over the more cosmopolitan visitors to the city – Cleghorn’s competition has abated slightly, although it’s far harder to entice locals to push the boat out on a regular basis. I have the sense that, in a city wall-to-wall with restaurant chains trying to tempt diners away from the often more expensive independent establishments. Nor do some of the well-heeled locals like the prices that go with fine dining, and can tend to put aside venues like The Olive Tree for special occasions. It’s perfect for those too. I have fond memories of dining here with my mother, aunt and mother-in-law on the eve of my wedding, a sophisticated hen party if ever there was one. I bitterly regret that Bath seems to have become hen party central of late, and often smugly laugh to myself when I see a group of inebriated women, dressed in pink and carrying the strangest-looking handbags, staggering up the street definitely NOT on their way to The Olive Tree.
It’s the discerning, usually well-travelled diners who appreciate the quality of the ingredients being served and all the work that goes on behind the scenes of a Michelin-starred restaurant, and are persuaded that you get what you pay for and that it’s far more rewarding to go out less often, but dine sensationally well when you do. You’re not likely to get a heart flutter when a chain brasserie, the same in over 100 locations up and down the country, places before you a meal prepared in a central kitchen and no better than heated up by the ‘chef’. In addition to the 9 course tasting menu (£170pp), The Olive Tree offers 4 courses for £90 every night apart from Saturdays and a great value ‘Taste of Summer’ menu (£45pp for 2 courses, £60pp for 3), ideal for those wanting to dip their toe in the water or for locals wanting to dine here more regularly. I for one would like to taste every dish on the menu and can guarantee that I’ll never leave this restaurant muttering, “I might try making that.”
If I hadn’t dined here, it’s a certainty that I would have gone through life without having tasted the dynamic partnership of Cornish Lobster cooked over Binchotan with
fermented carrot, lemon verbena, lovage and lime. Or cured Chalk Stream trout with Granny Smith apple, tonka bean and ginger. The shockingly pink fillet is surrounded by a clear, delectable broth with sharp citrus notes which are in turn mollified, like a soft baby’s blanket, by the vanilla, spice and-all-things-nice tonka. Each and every ingredient combines to intensify the flavour of the succulent fish. At this time of the year the menu is a showcase for fleeting delights such as Wye Green Valley asparagus, English strawberries and rhubarb, but it’s good to see preserved black winter truffle on the menu: a luxury foodstuff which one of Cleghorn’s chefs used to finished my husband’s Huntsham Court Farm Middle White Pork dish, featuring cep and the most ravishing Old Marsala sauce.
We revisited The Olive Tree during graduation season, when the restaurant’s relaxed ambiance was aided by mothers and daughters and best friends enjoying a well-earned culinary treat. The appealingly mellow interiors boast olive green accents, framed illustrations and comfortable dining chairs ensuring you won’t get fidgety however many courses you opt for, with polished honey-toned wooden tables and subdued lighting. The music is, as it should be, enlivening without being intrusive, thus the overall effect is harmonious and adds to the welcome you feel instantly. Even diners unfamiliar with Michelin starred establishments will find the tone relaxed, something reinforced by the efficient, yet extremely friendly front of house team led by the experienced restaurant manager Aisling Bury who has worked for the likes of Rosewood. All seem to have the knack of encouraging diners to try things they wouldn’t ordinarily. It really does make all the difference when front of house have tasted every dish and can enthusiastically recommend them.
A case in point is the fact that my husband sacrificed the chocolate dessert he was tempted by (and which I ordered), in order to try the fascinating combination of Isle of Wight Tomato (made into a jam), granola-esque sunflower seeds topped with a crumble of frozen Driftwood cheese. Encouraged by our young waitress’s enthusiasm for it, he took the plunge and duly raved about it, not something he usually does either! It’s dishes like this that make me think of Chris Cleghorn as more of an alchemist than a chef. If you thought innovative cookery stopped with Heston Blumenthal, think again. Cleghorn, who can boast The Fat Duck in Bray on his CV and having had chef Michael Caines MBE as a mentor, is all for pushing the culinary envelope and marrying the most mind-bending ingredients. There’s a whole generation of highly ambitious chefs who, despite being classically trained, are determined to channel their creativity and give their diners something truly unique. You don’t need a Michelin plaque on the wall to tell you there isn’t another dining experience like this in Bath.
The Olive Tree at The Queensberry Hotel, Russell Street, Bath BA1 2QF. For more information and reservations please visit the website.
