From Royal Banquets to Family Tables: A conversation with Executive Head Chef Paul Reader, The Ickworth
- James Massoud
- 20 hours ago
- 5 min read
From cooking for the Royal Family and private clients at One Hyde Park to leading the kitchen at The Ickworth, Paul Reader has experienced luxury hospitality from some very different perspectives.
Now Executive Head Chef at the Suffolk estate, he talks to The Knife about swapping fine dining for "refined dining", why local produce needs to earn its place on the plate, rethinking children's menus, and what a busy kitchen can learn from a Formula 1 pit crew.
You've cooked for royalty, billionaires at One Hyde Park, and now families on holiday. Which audience is actually the hardest to satisfy, and what has each taught you about what makes a memorable meal?
Every audience brings its own unique pressure. Cooking for royalty and dignitaries at state occasions, including the 2011 Royal Wedding, requires absolute precision, flawless execution and a deep respect for British culinary traditions. At One Hyde Park, private chef work is about hyper-personalised luxury and understanding the exacting preferences of high-profile individuals. But cooking for families has taught me something equally important: a memorable meal is ultimately about how you make people feel. It doesn’t always require complex technique or the most luxurious ingredients, it can be a grand state banquet, a beautifully prepared dinner for a private client, or a simple family meal that brings everyone together around the table.
Where do you draw the line between refinement and approachability, and have you ever had to unlearn habits from the luxury world?
Coming from fine dining and royal households, it’s easy to default to intricate techniques and detailed plating. At a family-focused destination like The Ickworth, refinement shouldn’t feel pretentious. I focus on high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, cooked simply and allowed to speak for themselves. It’s not about lowering standards, but applying them differently, with an emphasis on comfort and flavour. A couple of examples include pairing handmade pappardelle with slow-cooked chicken and charred hispi cabbage with labneh. In essence The Ickworth isn’t 'fine dining' but instead 'refined dining'.
When you inherited the kitchens during a major refurbishment, were you designing a menu around a building, or redesigning the building around the way you wanted people to eat?
In creating the new food offering for The Ickworth, I looked closely at the history of the house and the surrounding estate, drawing on its heritage to create food that feels authentic to the setting. At the same time, leading the kitchen operations through a major refurbishment gave us the opportunity to rethink how the space could support that vision. We wanted to create a kitchen and dining environment that felt seamless, relaxed and welcoming for families, while still reflecting the character and heritage of the estate.
You speak passionately about local Suffolk produce, but provenance alone isn't enough anymore. What separates a supplier you'll build a menu around from one that's simply local?
In my opinion, it is the result of consistency and a shared passion for quality. Anyone can source locally, but a true partnership comes from knowing the producer, their farm and their process. I’ve visited Dingley Dell just outside Woodbridge, seen their pigs and heard the story behind the operation firsthand. That connection translates into exceptional flavour and a product I trust, making it a staple on my menus and one I actively build dishes around. It's important not to just put produce on the menu because it's local. It has to also be good!
Was creating the 'bento' concept about making life easier for parents, or challenging the industry's assumptions about what young diners are willing to eat?
The kids' 'bento' concept is a build-your-own meal option that gives children the flexibility to combine all the things they enjoy, while simultaneously giving parents complete peace of mind that their little ones are eating a balanced meal. Kids are often far more open to exploring food when they have a sense of control over their plate, so it removes the mealtime battle for parents while keeping young diners engaged.
Is there one lesson from cooking at state occasions that still influences the way you plate a midweek dinner service?
The biggest takeaway from state occasions and royal banquets is discipline in preparation and organisation. Precision isn't just for Michelin stars or royal events; it's what keeps a kitchen calm and efficient during a packed midweek service. Every dish should be presented neatly whilst every ingredient is to be respected.
If somebody visited The Ickworth without ever seeing the estate, what flavour, ingredient or dish would instantly tell them exactly where they were in the country?
Suffolk Dingley Dell pork. Having used it for many years, its rich, distinct flavour immediately anchors a dish to this region. Whether it’s paired with local cheeses or Longhorn beef sourced from just down the road, this produce represents the absolute best of Suffolk's food hotspot.
What's the balance between giving guests what they expect from a luxury hotel and giving them a reason to return even if they aren't staying overnight?
It’s about balancing quintessential hotel traditions with a vibrant, modern menu. On one hand, people visit for iconic luxury hotel experiences like our traditional afternoon tea, complete with classic finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and floral crockery. On the other hand, non-resident locals want a relaxed, high-quality meal after a day out, such as handmade pasta, grilled sourdough with heirloom tomatoes, or sharing sides. Offering both makes the hotel a destination for special occasions and a casual local favourite.
You've introduced new technology and achieved exceptional food safety standards behind the scenes. Do you think the best hospitality is sometimes the work guests never notice?
Absolutely. Achieving a 98% food safety audit score or introducing new kitchen technology to streamline operations may not be flashy, but it’s the foundation of great hospitality. When backend operations, food safety systems and kitchen workflows run seamlessly, it creates a calm environment where the front-of-house team can deliver warm service and guests can relax, without ever thinking about what happens behind the scenes.
How do you create food that feels nostalgic for grandparents while still exciting their grandchildren?
By taking timeless, nostalgic classics and presenting them with a fresh, interactive twist. Grandparents appreciate tradition and simplicity, like a beautiful afternoon tea served on traditional crockery, or a classic poached rhubarb and vanilla tart. Meanwhile, we aim to keep the younger generation excited with offerings like our miniature children's afternoon tea or the build-your-own bento boxes, ensuring everyone feels included at the same table without compromising on taste.
Formula 1 is a sport obsessed with marginal gains, teamwork and split-second decisions. As a fan, have you ever caught yourself borrowing that mentality in the kitchen during a busy service?
A kitchen during a peak dinner service operates a lot like an F1 pit crew: every single person has a defined role, communication has to be clear and timing is everything. Whether it's refining how prep is laid out, integrating technology to boost efficiency, or shaving seconds off pass times, all of this directly impacts the quality of the dish when it hits the table.
Looking back over your career so far, is there one meal you haven't cooked yet that still sits on your bucket list?
One of the dishes/skills that sits on my bucket list is the hot water crust pie! I have never worked in quite the right setting or been writing a menu at quite the right time of year for this to feature. I love the idea of a beautiful slice of pressed pie, perhaps game, as a cold starter served really simply with a seasonal chutney. Is there anywhere more appropriate than The Ickworth, a beautiful English stately home? Watch this space for our Autumn/Winter menus that are currently in development!
