Upstairs at The Oarsman will see the chef go back to cooking unaided, offering a six course menu on an ‘intimate’ sharing table that seats up to 14 guests.
Though grounded in classical technique, Bonwick’s ‘Choisi’ menu is typically quirky featuring the likes of ‘My Idea Of Blue Fin Tuna Sushi’; ‘Epoisse with Me Flapjack’; and an enigmatic dessert entitled ‘Lodgers Delight’.
Upstairs at The Oarsman launches on 5 September and will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. It will also offer lunch on the last Thursday of the month.
Located in Marlow town centre and billed as a ‘bistropub’ and wine bar, The Oarsman is part of Nigel Sutcliffe’s Truffle Hunting business and was named Newcomer of the Year at the Top 50 Gastropubs last year.
“Nigel and I have known each other for ages and so he has kindly given me a space to create, hang my art and make a home for my cooking,” Bonwick says. “We’ve made Upstairs at The Oarsman into a proper nice little bijou Pad. I’ve a shoe box-sized kitchen to cook in totally alone. It’s absolutely magical!”
“I’m madly excited to be cooking solo again and looking forward to this challenge, these soirées promise to be intimate, exclusive and luxurious. The shared table concept is new to me, it’s fascinating. I’m looking forward to see how it evolves.”
Last month, Bonwick announced that he and his family were moving on from Berkshire’s The Dew Drop Inn after 18 months.
Under Bonwick and his son Charlie’s tenure the Hurley pub attracted a number of awards and has been ranked on both Restaurant’s list of the top 100 places to eat in the UK and the Top 50 Gastropubs list.
No reason was given for the Bonwick family’s departure with Bonwick simply saying that the project has ‘reached its natural conclusion’.
Bonwick and his large family have run a string of critically successful pubs in Berkshire including The Crown at Burchetts Green, which held a Michelin star and was also listed on both Restaurant’s list of the top 100 places to eat in the UK and the Top 50 Gastropubs list.