Rock Cottage Dining in South Lakeland

Beautiful food and beautiful memories created for a special birthday. Simon was phenomenal from the very start. The communication to arrange this surprise private chef experience was super easy, he was so accommodating and created a beautiful menu to meet the fussiest of eaters needs. The food was delicious, the atmosphere Simon brings is relaxed and a real personal experience. We’ve already looked at booking him again for an evening at the end of this year. Thank you Simon!

Simon was an absolute pleasure to deal with and was so accommodating with all of our requests. All the food was superb and catered for our family of 2 adults and 3 children perfectly. The menu of scallops, venison and gingerbread sticky toffee pudding was all delicious. I had to take the spare portion of sticky toffee pudding back to London with us, couldn't leave something that tasty. We asked for a non dairy menu and I don't know how he made it taste so good - especially that sticky toffee pudding! We'll all be fighting over it when we get back home.

First and foremost, the food was absolutely fantastic. Every dish was carefully crafted and delicious, and it was clear that Simon had a true passion for his craft. From the appetizers to the main courses to the desserts, everything was expertly prepared and beautifully presented. The flavors were balanced and complex, and the ingredients were clearly carefully sourced and of the highest quality. The meals were definitely a highlight of our weekend away. In addition to the quality of the food, Simon was also incredibly responsive and professional. He was always easy to get in touch with, and happy to answer any questions we had about the menu or the ingredients. Simon was also very accommodating to any dietary restrictions or preferences we had, and made sure that every guest had something delicious to eat. Finally, the surprise weekend itself was a huge success, in large part due to the chef's contributions. Simon and his team arrived promptly and got right to work, making the entire process seamless and stress-free. Overall, I would highly recommend Rock Cottage Dining to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. Simon is talented, professional, and a pleasure to work with, and the food is outstanding. Thank you for helping to make our weekend away so special!

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Simon to you. Everything came up to expectations and beyond and to find a gleaming kitchen when we finally left the table was a surprising bonus! Simon made a traditional Sunday beef roast with all the trimmings after a delightful twice baked cheese souflé starter. He had to contend with an aga oven where one of the ovens had a broken thermostat and was cooking away at maximum heat ! Simon is friendly yet unobtrusive and helped provide us with a memorable evening. Ten very satisfied guests!!

I booked Simon for my birthday celebrations, catering for 6 adults. It was top notch, the canapés were delicious, Bourbon glazed pork belly chunks, Smoked salmon choux buns and Stilton and chutney rarebit bites. Followed by either Sea bass fillets with Scallops or Venison loin. All plates were almost licked clean!! We finished with a trio of desserts. Everyone loved the meal and what a treat to have dinner cooked in your holiday property. Simon even did the dishes before he left. Simon was so professional from our initial contact to the end, would highly recommend Simon for a special treat. Thank you

I don’t even know where to start with this review. The food we had was so unbelievable but with everything else Simon did it almost isn’t even the centre piece. Which seems ridiculous!! We booked to elope in December so wanted a really special evening after our secret wedding. We were put in touch with Simon and told him our plans. He not only put together a menu, he got to know us and what we liked and put together a perfect experience. As it was we had to reschedule because of Covid. Telling Simon was like telling a long standing friend. He was kind and thoughtful and we were able to rearrange. By this stage we had got to know him so well we picked our date around him to make sure he was free! He knew how anxious I was having had to reschedule already and he couldn’t have done any more to reassure us and not once did we worry about the evening. On the day he got himself settled in to the cottage we had and we came home to what I can only describe as the most exquisite, well thought out and delicious meal. It was served with precision and finesse which would befit a Michelin starred restaurant. All in our own front room! Can you complain that you’ve eaten too much, been too comfortable and enjoyed yourself too much? The only thing I worried about was that we hadn’t paid enough!! The food and service alone I would give 5 stars to. But with Simon you get so much more, he became our tour guide, recommending places to visit while we were in the area; our personal shopper - telling us about butchers / bakery’s / wine shops. A year ago I booked what I hoped would be a special meal. I left Cumbria with the most special memories and new friends in Simon and his beautiful family. Don’t hesitate- book it!

We invited Simon to cook five of us a special, 25 year since graduation dinner. From the initial conversation with Simon - I had full confidence he would deliver a fantastic evening. Advice on menu planning, sensible prices, he arrived on time, superb food and the kitchen was immaculate when he left. Generous portion size too. We especially liked his manner with us - professional, knowledgeable and his humour shone through too! We'd have him back again.

Simon provided outside catering for my Husband's 40th at Grizedale Campsite - it was a last minute request as the celebration was initially cancelled in light of Covid-19, but within just 5 day he provided me with some great one-pot meal suggestions, got in touch with the campsite owner to check facilities for keeping the food warm, sent over a quote which was great value and cooked up two incredible curries, one using local Venison which went down a storm! The portion sizes were generous, with brilliant sides and everything delivered at the agreed time. I'd highly recommend Simon for catering events, he was great to deal with and the quality of the food was fantastic.

What a great evening. We were a group of 8 adults on holiday. The canapés were delicious (Bourbon glazed pork belly chunks, Spicy chicken skewers and Stilton and chutney rarebit bites) and plentiful. Then a great soup (Butternut squash soup with chilli and crème fraiche). Main course was a superb Beef fillet with porcini mushroom sauce with parmentier potatoes and tenderstem broccoli. Finally, a fabulous Chocolate and ginger torte. One of the group had a serious gluten intolerance. No problem for Simon- including providing a second GF cake!! Simon is great, really friendly, really easy to deal with. I thoroughly and wholeheartedly recommend.

We had a fabulous evening for my mother in laws 60th (adults and kids). Simon was very friendly and personable and his food was amazing. We had a 3 course meal with canapés cooked in our holiday cottage which was delicious. We had a really lovely evening-thank you very much Simon! We will definitely be booking again!

Can't be faulted; on time, friendly, polite, tidy and the food is just superb. A chef in your own home or holiday let? What's not to like. Totally stress free and exceeded all expectations. Can't recommend enough; thanks, Simon. Really made the birthday and a gift she'll never forget. We'll definitely be back and calling on your expertise again. Cheers

The food was delicious, and Simon was such a great host. We felt so at home and it was lovely to be able to bring the baby and not have to stress. Highly recommended.

I can’t praise Simon highly enough. He is a very talented & creative chef. He has risen to every catering challenge I’ve given him:- During a yoga weekend the vegan-soya-gluten-nut-rapeseed oil-free dishes he created without batting an eyelid were absolutely delicious!. Fine dining birthday & family pre-Christmas meals were truly amazing. Wedding morning Cardamon buns for breakfast have now become a family favourite. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Rock Cottage Dining.