Dorset’s sculpture park and art venue, Sculpture by the Lakes, kicks off 2024 with the launch of a succulent and hearty new menu packed full of locally-sourced produce – most of it grown on-site at its kitchen garden.

From flavourful mouth-watering mains to tempting desserts and cheeses, the chefs, front-of-house staff, and gardening team have pulled together an unmissable new menu for visitors to the free-to-enter Makers Yard Kitchen. It has been inspired by flavours from the Mediterranean and across Europe, with most of the ingredients used in the dishes being locally sourced.

Chef George Carter said: “We’ve worked hard with the kitchen garden team to make the most of the garden’s produce at this time of year to present what we believe to be a lovely selection for our customers. We’ve taken inspiration from as far as Morocco while ensuring our ingredients are as locally sourced as can be to guarantee their freshness.”

The welcoming starters and small plates comprise soup of the day with Italian focaccia, smoked ham hock terrine with chutney made from the kitchen garden produce, their popular fish finger sandwich with tartare sauce in ciabatta, and lemon, garlic and thyme marinated olives.

The large dishes cater for a variety of palettes and include their daily quiche with the kitchen garden salad, a crispy chicken burger with pesto mayo, bacon and thick cut chips, and the south coast fish pie with seasonal buttered greens. Also on offer is the cured meats and British cheese sharing platter, Shakshuka with garlic flatbread with spices imported from Morocco for that authentic taste, the kitchen garden heritage beetroot and goats curd salad, and the Buddha bowl of kitchen garden leaves, falafel, avocado and beans.

Sculpture by the Lakes’ tempting desserts include sticky toffee pudding served with toffee sauce and salted caramel gelato, a mixed winter berry pavlova served with Chantilly cream, a dark chocolate mousse with morello cherry compote, chocolate soil and hazelnut crumb and a selection of English cheeses.

Chef Mark Ramsden added: “Sculpture by the Lakes is wonderful to visit all year round but particularly so at this time of year: the cold makes us all want to indulge in hearty dishes that make us feel warm and fuzzy, to snuggle down in comfort and enjoy moreish food that’s good for the soul.”

Small plates start from £4, mains from £10.75, and desserts from £7. For more information email and to book email: kitchen@sculpturebythelakes.co.uk

For more information about Sculpture by the Lakes, visit https://www.sculpturebythelakes.co.uk/.