
A new partnership between Levy’s event catering arm Payne & Gunter and Garsington Opera will deliver bold new flavours for opera lovers attending the summer festival of operas on the Getty’s Wormsley Estate in Buckinghamshire.
Payne & Gunter will curate diverse menus ranging from fine dining and picnic hampers to afternoon tea and canapés. The focus will be on local, seasonal, organic and ethically sourced ingredients, with dishes celebrating the rich variety and abundant flavours of homegrown produce.

The collaboration also marks the launch of Payne & Gunter’s exciting new collaboration with Will Devlin, who leads the restaurant and farm teams at his Michelin green-starred restaurant The Small Holding in Kilndown, Kent, part of the Acre hospitality group. Will’s menus, specially created for the Garsington Opera Festival, will showcase seasonality while improving the sustainability of operations, using fresh produce from his own one-acre farm and producers local to Wormsley.
We are incredibly fortunate to have our home in an exceptionally beautiful setting and this new partnership enables us to offer a quality dining experience to match the renowned opera productions on our stage.
Advertisement
Will’s commitment to farm-to-fork dining and a sustainable and environmental ethos is matched by his culinary expertise in the kitchen where he crafts beautiful and nuanced menus that impress guests with their creativity. Coupled with Payne & Gunter’s depth of experience and operational skill in delivering exceptional events, guests will enjoy a truly innovative dining experience equal to the quality of the opera productions on the stage.
Bethan James, Managing Director of Payne & Gunter, tells FM Magazine, “Payne & Gunter is thrilled to work alongside Garsington Opera for the Opera Festival, one of the cultural highlights in the summer calendar. Our shared pursuit of artistic excellence will elevate the experience, bringing bold and inspiring dishes that captivate, inspire, and engage seasoned opera lovers and newcomers alike.”
Nicola Creed, Executive Director of Garsington Opera, says, “We are absolutely delighted to be embarking on a partnership with Will Devlin and the Payne & Gunter team. We are incredibly fortunate to have our home in an exceptionally beautiful setting and this new partnership enables us to offer a quality dining experience to match the renowned opera productions on our stage.
Devlin adds, “I’m delighted to be working with Payne & Gunter to deliver our summer series of event dinners at Garsington Opera, bringing a taste of our farm and restaurant at The Small Holding in Kent to Buckinghamshire.”
Garsington Opera joins a prestigious list of Payne & Gunter clients, including the BRIT Awards, the Longines Global Championship Tour London and LIV Golf, who sit alongside a portfolio of venues that include The Natural History Museum, Old Billingsgate and Hampton Court Palace.