Restaurant Interlude: A One-Night Collaboration with Chef Jean Delport & Chef Kate Austen
On Wednesday 2 April 2026, Restaurant Interlude welcomes guests to an exceptional one-night dining experience, uniting two of the UK’s most celebrated culinary talents: Chef Jean Delport and Chef Kate Austen.
This exclusive collaboration brings together two chefs who have both claimed victory in the Main Course at the Great British Menu Banquet. For one evening only, they will create a bespoke tasting menu that reflects their distinctive styles while celebrating a shared commitment to seasonality, storytelling and flavour.
Chef Jean Delport
Executive Chef of Restaurant Interlude, Chef Jean Delport has held a Michelin Star since 2019 and four AA Rosettes since 2020, firmly establishing Interlude as one of the UK’s most celebrated dining destinations.
A Great British Menu Banquet finalist, Jean’s journey began in the Cape Winelands of South Africa, continued with training in Ireland, and ultimately led to the creation of Restaurant Interlude, realised within the woodland landscape of Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens.
His cooking draws on British and French technique alongside his South African heritage, with a deep focus on local, seasonal and foraged ingredients. Each tasting menu reflects the gardens that surround the restaurant, guiding guests through flavour, texture and narrative inspired by the land itself.
Chef Kate Austen
In 2024, Chef Kate Austen made history on BBC Two’s Great British Menu, becoming the first woman in the programme’s 19-year history to win the Main Course. Her achievement marked a significant moment in modern British dining.
Kate’s career spans some of Europe’s most acclaimed kitchens. She previously worked as Senior Development Chef for Gordon Ramsay, exploring creativity at the highest level while shaping a more sustainable approach to professional cooking.
Her formative years were spent in Scandinavia, including time as Sous Chef at the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Frantzén in Stockholm. Prior to that, she worked in Copenhagen at Restaurant AOC, where she became the youngest female head chef of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in the world.
Her cooking is defined by precision, clarity and a deep-rooted love of flavour, shaped by experience across countries, cultures and disciplines.
An Unmissable Evening at Restaurant Interlude
This collaboration is more than a shared service. It is a meeting of two distinctive voices, united by craft, creativity and a respect for ingredients at their peak.
Taking place within the intimate setting of Restaurant Interlude at Leonardslee, the evening promises a thoughtful and immersive tasting journey available for one night only.
Spaces are limited. Early booking is strongly recommended.