Honor Townsend
Cooking is my passion, especially Italian!
Average: 5.00/5
See the 17 client reviewsAbout the Chef
Honor has been passionate about food and cooking for as long as she can remember and has been lucky to be part of a family where food and wine has always been a passion. Nothing makes her happier than being in the kitchen creating wonderful dishes, whether it is for her family, friends or complete strangers. Honor has mo...... Honor has been passionate about food and cooking for as long as she can remember and has been lucky to be part of a family where food and wine has always been a passion. Nothing makes her happier than being in the kitchen creating wonderful dishes, whether it is for her family, friends or complete strangers. Honor has more than 25 years of cooking experience, 16 of those spent in Italy as Chef at Boutique Hotel 'Il Bacchino' near Cortona and then at Palazzo Terranova, her family's Country House Hotel in Umbria. She is now back in Suffolk, where she grew up, bringing up her two daughters and has recently closed her own award winning restaurant, 'Buxhall Coach House' after a wonderful and successful 3 and a half years. She won the Award for Best restaurant in Suffolk in 2012. Honor cooks honest, authentic Italian food where delicious aromas of freshly made Focaccia and gently simmering pasta sauces emanate from the kitchen. Her food is bursting with flavour wherever possible Honor uses local, seasonal and always the freshest, best quality ingredients. Some of her speciality Italian products are sourced directly from artisan Italian producers. Honor uses the best ingredients and treats them beautifully and simply to create something delicious, full of robust honest flavours and you will not be disappointed! Honor has brought her love and experience of Italian food to rural Suffolk and hopes that clients who tried her food feel transported to Italy through flavour! Read all Hide
Location
Stowmarket, United Kingdom +60 km
Spoken Languages
Italiano, Français, English
Cuisine type
Gluten-Free, Cooking class, Gastronomic, Family, British, Italian
The Chef in 3 questions & answers...
17 client reviews
Had a great experience using La Belle Assiette and Honor was a lovely chef
Excellent food, fantastic service. Family gave it 10/10!
I recently hired a large venue for around 40 guests for a joint 30th Birthday event, and I have to say Honor was fantastic from the planning stages al the way through to execution. She was very calm, worked with me very well in designing a menu that sounded and looked and tasted amazing. To bring out around 40 starters and mains and to create a vegan menu to go by the side of it was nothing short of impressive.
Honor comes across modest but I spent time with her and her lovely mother in the kitchen leading up to the dinner and they carry themselves with class, but the main thing (the food) was loved by all. Would highly recommend for any event but if you want something special Honor is a great pick!!
fantastic
Honor was brilliant. She arrived on time, set up and served awesome food. With minimal direction from anyone as we were in full swing party mode. So easy. Booking with labelle eassiette couldn't be more efficient. Totally fab. I'd book again
Honor was very friendly and professional. The food was delicious and everything was served and presented beautifully. The whole experience was really good, and everyone both had a lovely time and felt that the occasion was a real treat and a pleasure.
Our family group of 6 people had a great evening with with wonderful food.
Fantastic evening, very discreet service with fabulous food, feeling very spoilt x
Honor cooked us a fantastic dinner - 4 courses, all excellent. She accommodated all dietary requirements, arrived with her team and equipment and did everything required with very little input from us, so we were able to enjoy a great meal with no hassle. I'd happily recommend her. Also, Ashley at La Belle Assiette was very helpful when booking. All in all a very easy, pleasant experience.
We used La Belle Assiette to book a chef for a dinner to celebrate my father's 80th. It was fabulous - the food was amazing and it was a very laid back and delightful experience. Honor took the time to go through each course and explain the ingredients - we all felt that we had not had such a delicious dinner in a long time (or indeed ever!) and certainly not at home.
Honor was helped by Nick who provided brilliant low key service. We would absolutely recommend Honor and Nick to anyone who was looking for a wonderful experience and absolutely delicious food. Top marks!
Excellent service bent over backwards to help sort a chef at the last min.
Honor was very professional and the food was superb. Guests really enjoyed the evening.
Thank you
Could not fault Honor one bit. Professional, friendly and amazing chef. Food was amazing!!
All in all a fantastic evening. Honor treated us to a veritable feast. Each new course produced squeals of delight from us diners and the taste certainly didn't disappoint. From canapes to pudding, everything was delicious and beautifully presented. Of particular note was the lamb which was cooked to perfection - juicy pink and meltingly tender. And all the while, Honor remained calm, professional and friendly. I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending her.
A delight from start to finish. The canapés were different and tasty, the right bite size too. Crab tian starter with leaves a delicious blend of ingredients to give a rounded flavour. Then ravioli with sage and butter which was just as it should be. The main course of lamb and aubergine with goats cheese and red pepper sauce was cooked perfectly and well balanced. Not a scrap left.
Tiramisu, which at first sight looked too big, was so light and oozing with gorgeousness it was gone in seconds. Honor was quietly efficient and is a talented chef , and the whole evening was a huge success. Well done!
What a fantastic evening! Honor's food was sublime, from the first mouthful of mini eggs benedict and porcini tartlet canapes to the last savoured morsel of tiramisu she gave us an authentic Italian meal to remember. The crab tian starter had just the right hit of chilli and a delicious freshness and looked as stunning as it tasted; then in true Italian style we had a pasta course - a divine homemade ricotta and spinach ravioli with sage and garlic butter. The lamb rack, perfectly pink and tender, was a fantastic match to the spicy red pepper sauce and grilled aubergine sandwiched with goats cheese (fab). The whole meal was rounded off by the most indulgent, heavenly tiramisu. How Honor managed to prepare, cook and serve this feast with apparently no stress at all is beyond me! She carried it off with the calmness of a real pro and enabled us all to have a wonderfully fun evening focused on our guests. Brilliant. I'm looking forward to our next party!
From exquisite canapés to her light-as-a-cloud tiramisu, Honor cooks sublime food that you really want to eat! Her elegant dishes combine the very best of local produce with distinct Italian influences and every course looked stunning and was perfectly executed. Throughout our meal, Honor was a calm and unobtrusive presence and we were served professionally and efficiently. The evening unfolded effortlessly, enabling every guest to enjoy the food in a relaxed atmosphere. We would recommend Honor without reservation and would definitely use her ourselves in the future.
Honor was an absolute joy. Open and warm, she engaged with the guests for an informed cooking class as we prepared canapés. Every dish was cooked to perfection, flavours had depth and with immaculate presentation. She kept on top of things in a very professional yet personable manor and the kitchen was spotless. We would highly recommend her for any function as she clearly has a great range and adaptability.
The Chef Honor Townsend in 3 questions
What is your signature dish?
I love cooking Italian style dishes and my home made Pasta and creamy risottos are always a favourite. I love to cook fish, without too much fussiness and I can cook beautiful steaks which are a favourite of many clients. Including the famous Bistecca Fiorentina. I am also fond of fresh and spicy food and can cook a variety of cuisines. Presentation is very important to me but not overly fussy and pretentious. Fresh ingredients cooked simply with great flavours is what my food is all about.
What are your favourite 3 ingredients and why ?
My favourite ingredients are anything seasonal and fresh, herbs, the best olive oil! My best friend in Tuscany provides me with her award winning cold stone pressed olive oil! The best quality local meat and fish are also very important ingredients. I know exactly where my meat comes from and how long it has been aged for.
Why are you a private Chef ?
I have always loved cooking especially for private families and friends. I have worked abroad for large house parties and in the UK for lots of private clients from small intimate dinner parties to larger celebrations and weddings. I don't like to cater for really big occasions as it becomes impersonal and I can't put the attention and love into it in the same way. Up to around 50 is probably my favourite number to cater for. It also depends very much on the type of food that is wanted.
