Harriet Mansell

Welcome to this website for businesses connected to Harriet Mansell. Find information on Robin Wylde, Lilac Restaurant and Wine Bar, and the Garden Table. Read a little about Harriet below, and please use this website to navigate through the different parts of our business including Harriet's podcast.

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Harriet was raised in Devon, before going on to chef all over the world, in places such as London, Bristol, Copenhagen, the Seychelles, Antigua and Europe. Harriet's passion has always been to connect with her location through use of indigenous ingredients and learning of local practices. Whilst in Antigua, she entered and won the prestigious international chef de concours yacht competition, through her use of local and wild ingredients.

 

Originally a student of History and Politics at university, she has always been captivated by story and finding meaning in the details. She also trained as a yoga teacher along the way for her own balance of body and mind, and maintains a discipline of self development, alongside her work.

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Not afraid of putting herself out there, of hard work, or opening herself to risk, she single handedly opened both Robin Wylde and Lilac Restaurant & Wine Bar. Through careful and meticulous juggling of personal funding alongside a small crowdfund, she raised the revenue to open these ventures. It had been her life dream to open a restaurant and she was able to do so off her own back, something she is proud of, and here is how it all happened...

 

Harriet returned to the area in 2019 to start her dining concept under the name of  'Robin Wylde', and began serving her signature wild foods tasting menus. She was shortly thereafter approached by Great British Menu, and entered, despite feeling incredibly junior at the time. She embraced the experience and learned a lot, and went on to open Robin Wylde as a permanent restaurant thereafter in 2020. 

 

Due to a fortuitous opportunity in 2021, she was able to take on another space in Lyme Regis, a 400 year old cellar, and opened Lilac in August of that year.

 

Both restaurants went straight into the Michelin guide, and she and Robin Wylde went on to win awards and were featured in numerous best restaurant listings.

 

Harriet made a decision to close Robin Wylde in October of 2023, after achieving what she had set out to do within that location. Robin Wylde was a small 22 cover restaurant with an even smaller kitchen, and Harriet felt that to develop the concept and creatively move to the next chapter, it was right to draw a line under that location and focus on the evolution of the dining concept.

 

Harriet is now very actively developing the perfect space in a beautiful location not far from Lyme Regis, but in the meantime, so she can continue serving her tasting menus she has created a new outdoors restaurant that sits as a part of Lilac, but has the feeling of being a separate entity. Although the Garden Table tasting menu is finished for the season, the secret garden space is very much there to stay and enjoy a drink in the warmer months. 

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Harriet also hosts a podcast, which released on the 13th February 2024. Season 3 is out now along with previous season to catch up on.

Season 4 will bring even more excitement and guests.