The Dysart Petersham is a family-run, Michelin-starred modern British restaurant in Richmond, run by Barny Taylor and head chef Kenneth Culhane.
Any foodie worth their salt can appreciate the importance of provenance for any meaningful dining experience. The Dysart Petersham’s efforts towards sustainable sourcing, low-waste cooking, and supporting British producers continue to bear fruit. The Dysart’s nature-conscious ethos runs through every classically executed dish, ensuring that quality seasonal produce takes pride of place.
Located inside a 1904 example of Tudor revival architecture with views over Richmond Park, the restaurant has a distinctively English bucolic character. Inside, the dining room has retained its original flagstone flooring and lead-lined windows but has now gained an antique grand piano, which takes center stage for Sunday recitals and classical music. The natural oak tables and accompanying wicker chairs are uncharacteristically well-spaced for London restaurants too.
Under the charge of Barny Taylor and head chef Kenneth Culhane, the Michelin star menu draws inspiration from the slow food movement – a grassroots not-for-profit organization that champions local supply chains producing food to be consumed with appreciation. Culhane’s upbringing on a farm in Kerry instilled an enthusiasm for traditional animal husbandry and sustainable practices. Culhane also won the prestigious Roux Scholarship in 2010, so you can expect his cooking at The Dysart to exhibit some peerless French technique. A signature dish, for example, is a chaud froid hen's egg - the egg cooked and set in jelly - with Pedro Ximenez sherry and maple syrup.
As well as an a la carte, Culhane offers a 9-course tasting menu that delivers satisfying dishes often with little twists of Japanese influence. Also on offer is a 3-course menu and a garden menu that highlights the best of local produce, wild herbs, and responsibly foraged plants, and a dedicated vegetarian tasting menu.
The wine list pays close attention to the approaches and standards of winemakers, listing vintages from well-known names alongside a variety of British wines and those that have been unjustly overlooked. Several biodynamic, organic, and natural wines make an appearance on the list providing the opportunity to form pairings in both classic and unusual ways.