Three reasons that make this Chichester festive meal an extraordinary dining experience

Forget your traditional pre-Christmas meal out. If you want something that is mouth-wateringly different and utterly sustainable then Goodwood’s supreme festive farm board is a treat.

Well, it’s a treat unless you are vegan or vegetarian – in which case other options are available.

But the Festive Farm Board is all about meat from the Goodwood estate and the roast potatoes, parsnips, and sprouts are the closest you will get to veg on the plate.

Apricot stuffed lamb saddle, venison loin, roast partridge, venison ragu, and pigs in blankets, dominate the board.

Not only are they beautifully presented, there are three qualities which distinguish them from other Christmas meals.

First, all the meat and poultry comes from the estate which sets the highest animal welfare standards – so the sourcing is impeccable and the provenance is without peer. This truly is field to fork.

Then there is the ethos in the kitchen. Every animal should be treated with respect – which means not wasting any of it.

Thirdly, the whole approach is quite different from what you might expect – with flair combined with extraordinary creativity, as senior sous chef Ollie Joell explained to us.

Take the pulled venison ragu. This utilises the trim from the venison loin and is minced into ragu with some game stock and game sauce which is then quenelled on the plate.

The lamb shoulder has been cooked for two days at 60 degrees with a lamb stuffing and orange and apricot delicately drawn through the middle.

The venison loin is not only enhanced by the restaurant’s own game rub of juniper, orange, brown sugar and salt but it is smoked for a mere ten minutes in the indoor barbecue in the kitchen before it is quickly sous vide very quickly.

Even the humble bread sauce is designed to take any wastage from their sour dough – and its creamy texture perfectly complements the cranberry compote. Whole orange peel and raspberry red wine vinegar gives the compote a slight bite and a nice bit of acidity.

The roast potatoes are as good as you could hope, and in our video Ollie explains the secret of their texture and flavour – so you can attempt to replicate them in your own kitchen.

The Festive Farm Board is priced at £90 for two to share. Not the cheapest Christmas meal, perhaps, but given the surroundings and the very high animal welfare standards if you are going to eat meat then this is most honest, respectful and enjoyable way to do so.