Du Fermier

With its wide main street, sprawling corner pub and verandah-shaded footpaths, Trentham could be a period drama film set. Annie Smithers’ French farmhouse-style restaurant Du Fermier is right at home in this bucolic environment. Walls are hung with quirky portraits and gardening implements, and in cool weather a fire takes the chill off the air. Guests, most of whom are regulars, settle at widely spaced tables for dishes featuring whatever Smithers’ garden grows. Breakfast might be crepes or pain perdu, lunch chosen from a small selection, and at dinner, three rustic set courses, served family-style at the table. Dinner might begin with crusty bread spread with good butter, cream of parsley soup with a poached quail egg or charcuterie, followed by duck confit and walnut salad, say, or rib-sticking Sher wagyu boeuf bourguignon with creamy mash and mustard greens. If you’re very good and eat all your mains, afters might be apple and rhubarb under a sugar-crusted pastry dome.

And … Smithers runs regular cooking classes at her house and garden in Malmsbury.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe French farmhouse.
Best bit Leaving the chef to make all the decisions. 
Worst bit Crossed fingers: Limited opening hours make booking tricky.