The South West’s answer to Michelin
Since 1992, the Trencherman’s Guide has championed restaurants in the South West that value creativity, hospitality and consistency. Trusted by chefs and restaurateurs, the guide exists for those who care deeply about where they eat – and are willing to travel for meals that matter.
We took over the guide in 2009 at the request of the Trencherman’s Guide chairman, chef Michael Caines MBE, because of our expertise in food and hospitality publishing through Food Lifestyle Magazine.
A brief history
The Trencherman’s Guide was launched by leading hoteliers Kit Chapman of The Castle at Taunton and Paul Henderson of Gidleigh Park, who came up with the idea of providing discerning diners with an annual guide to the most exceptional restaurants in the region. They brought in Rick Stein and together published a guide that (due to its exacting entry criteria) featured just 25 restaurants in the region.
Over 30 years later, the current guide contains 111 restaurants and restaurants with rooms which is testament to the food and dining revolution that’s taken place.
When we took over the guide we reinvented it for a next generation of chefs, hoteliers and discerning diners, building it from the small booklet into a significant guidebook with website, social, email newsletters and annual awards. Everything has been done with the aim of protecting the brand’s reputation in the South West hospitality scene.
‘A must-have guide for anyone who loves great food‘
Paul Ainsworth
Supporting a community
Over the years, the guide has fostered a vibrant and supportive community of those working in South West hospitality, celebrating stalwart chefs and restaurateurs while simultaneously bringing up-and-coming talent into the fold.
The launch of each year’s guide is celebrated with a fabulous launch lunch at a member hotel or restaurant. The multi-course feast sees dishes cooked by leading member chefs. The launch is attended by member restaurants and partners of the guide.
Trencherman’s Awards
The annual Trencherman’s Awards ceremony highlights the incredible talent in the region and is widely regarded as the most prestigious event in the South West culinary calendar. Many thousands of votes are cast by the guide’s readers, and the winners list reads like a who’s who of hospitality.
Highly acclaimed
The guide is highly regarded because of its strict entry criteria: restaurants are invited to be a member based on reaching a number of points in an extremely stringent scoring system. That’s why Rick Stein calls it ‘a guide with teeth’.
The guide is available from bookshops, member restaurants and on the website shop page.
‘My go-to “Where am I going to eat?” guide’
Adam Handling MBE
