Cultivating Elegance: The New Vision of Chef Martin Carabott at Gravetye Manor

Amid the serene gardens of Sussex, Chef Martin Carabott brings a renewed harmony between nature and haute cuisine, where every dish tells the story of the land itself. At Gravetye Manor, the union of culinary artistry and heritage unfolds across seasons, textures, and time.

From Malta to Michelin: A Journey Rooted in Precision and Grace

Born in Malta and shaped by the world’s most exacting kitchens, Martin Carabott embodies the essence of modern gastronomy: refined, instinctive, and deeply connected to origin. At just 29, he won the Roux Scholarship, a hallmark of exceptional promise, while serving as Senior Sous Chef at Hide London. His subsequent stage at Eleven Madison Park, one of the world’s most acclaimed three-Michelin-star restaurants, refined his technique to an art form.

Now at Gravetye Manor, Carabott channels this global mastery into something profoundly local. His time at Luca London further deepened his respect for seasonality, inspiring a philosophy where ingredients lead, and the chef follows. Each plate here reflects a quiet dialogue between experience and instinct, between the precision of haute cuisine and the purity of nature.

Where Garden Meets Kitchen: The Art of Seasonal Symbiosis

The 35-acre estate surrounding Gravetye is more than a landscape; it is a living pantry. Working closely with head gardener Tom Coward, Carabott designs menus that evolve with the land’s rhythm. Together, they map the lifecycle of every fruit, herb, and flower, transforming the elliptical walled garden, orchards, and glasshouses into a symphony of taste and texture.

This collaboration embodies the spirit of William Robinson, who created the gardens in 1885 to celebrate nature’s freedom rather than control it. “The seasons dictate the plates,” Carabott explains, a philosophy that mirrors Robinson’s vision of natural elegance. Here, vegetables ripen on the vine and are served within hours of harvest, a fleeting luxury few kitchens can match.

Autumn’s Palette and the Poetry of Time

As autumn paints the manor in shades of bronze and gold, the menu follows suit. Guests can expect dishes featuring quince, kalibos cabbage, crown prince pumpkin, kale, and Jerusalem artichokes, each treated with restraint and reverence. For Carabott, the most important ingredient is not what’s rare, but what’s right—the produce that arrives at its peak, untouched by haste.

In the colder months ahead, he anticipates new challenges and new inspirations from the winter garden. Yet, his outlook remains quietly confident: “There’s always something beautiful growing, you just need to listen to the land.”

A Timeless Dialogue Between Nature and Craft

As Gravetye Manor celebrates 140 years, its legacy feels more alive than ever. The manor’s wild gardens and refined cuisine now exist in seamless conversation, a dance of nature and nurture, artistry and patience. Carabott envisions fine dining’s future not as excess, but as essence: “There will always be a demand for experiences that move people, that remind them of beauty.”

Perhaps the chef’s most poetic idea yet, a 140-ingredient garden salad, perfectly encapsulates this philosophy. A dish that isn’t merely celebratory but symbolic: a tribute to time, tradition, and the endless elegance of nature’s rhythm.

Explore more at gravetyemanor.co.uk