Fire Kitchen-private estate Ewelme OX10

A fire kitchen in two rooms- Private Estate Ewelme

In Feb 2016 we were contacted by a project manager undertaking a complete renovation of a large house and private estate overlooking the beautiful village of Ewelme, Oxfordshire. After several lengthy site visits and discussions, we prepared a site plan and cgi for two outbuildings near the house to include a wood-fired oven in a brick enclosure, spit roast and extraction and separate smoking room for hanging and smoking game raised on the estate.

We finally began work in December 2016 installing a Four Grand-Mere 950 brick oven set in a reclaimed red London stock brick enclosure with the rotisserie spit roast set on an adjacent wall. The smoking room has hot and cold smoking cabinets specially imported from Germany with bespoke fabricated stainless steel game hanging cabinet adding the finishing touch.

When the kitchen units are finally installed, the clients fire kitchen chef will be able to prepare and cook pretty well anything raised on the estate.

Given the sensitive nature of the buildings, we took the decision to build with lime mortar as it is far more forgiving to slight movement. We are especially proud of the brick oven enclosure that goes from floor to the angled ceiling.

The Fire kitchen takes shape

All the squint bricks forming the angled face had to be cut individually, with a vertical line set out with a laser level and marked on the ceiling as a guide. The brick work was tied to the existing walls with starter ties and laid to level with a laser level set up on one side of the room making it quicker to lay the bricks in courses without resorting to an ordinary straight bubble level.

For the spit roast on the adjacent wall, we adapted a ready made stainless steel hog roast unit with built in rotisserie that just needed plugging in. The problem then was to have an adequate extraction system with a large hood to get rid of any smoke when cooking with charcoal or wood. The hood, extractor fan and ductwork was fabricated, supplied and installed by BW Fabrications in Bristol, who kindly came out and fitted everything on site.

The hot and cold smokers in the adjoining room were supplied by Beelonia, a German company specialising in commercial food appliances, smokers and cookers. Their catalogue is extraordinarily comprehensive and covers pretty well anything you can think of so it was just a matter of getting the right size and specification and ordering it. Fortunately, their sales manager speaks excellent English so no problems talking through the options!

We had the stainless steel meat hanging cabinet fabricated to our design that was agreed with the client and project manager. Our fabrication partner, Cavendish equipment, was able to survey the space, check measurements and draw up a shop drawing before fabrication. Once made and delivered, it slid into the space precisely.

We handed over in February 2017 so final finishing work can be completed by other contractors. We specialise in this type of bespoke work and can fabricate pretty well anything either in house or with one of our specialist artisan trade partners.

As with so many aspects of life, just when you think your job is all done and dusted, the clients who own the estate have gone vegan so much of the installation is fairly redundant for meat cookery. Hopefully they will find a way to turn it all to good use as vegan or vegetarian foods can still be cooked beautifully with a fire base.

Design proposal

Hanging cabinet and smokers

Oven in reclaimed brick enclosure

New rotisserie grill and extraction

Hot and cold smoking cabinets

Hog roast rotisserie and grill

Game hanging cabinet

First firing F950 brick oven