Portsmouth dockyard restaurant reopens with award-winning chef from The Ritz designing new menu

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard’s Boathouse 4 is open again for lunches and afternoon teas and with plans for a new Supper Club to launch early in the new year. It boasts a new, innovative menu, created by celebrated chef Ruth Hansom, who has a rich pedigree and a penchant for using locally sourced ingredients, producers and suppliers whenever possible.

Following five years at The Ritz, trained by executive chef John Williams, Ruth became the first female to win Young National Chef of the Year in 2017 and reached the final of the 2020 BBC Great British Menu. She joined The Princess of Shoreditch in London as head chef in 2021, and has achieved 3 AA rosette status, making it the only pub in the capital to hold the award.

Dishes from her new menu include south coast cod served with warm tartar sauce, lemon and scraps and lamb rump served with Autumn squash, pickled mushroom and juniper sauce. Among the drinks, suppliers include the Gosport-based Powder Monkey brewery and Explorer Coffees. Mini dishes from the new menu were served to guests at a launch event earlier this month.

Ruth said: ‘It’s really important to me that wherever a restaurant is you really engage with the community you work in and with the suppliers. So that is where most of the influence for my menu is going to come from. It will also change seasonally as it is important to use the produce when it is at its best and it makes our job easier in the kitchen as you don’t really have to do much to it.

‘Hampshire is renowned for incredible local produce, and Boathouse 4’s position on the waterfront provided plenty of inspiration.’

Boathouse 4 is located in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with views across the harbour and is open from noon to 2.30pm for lunch and 2.30-4.30pm for afternoon tea. Reservations can be at tables.hostmeapp.com/restaurants/30795.

The Boathouse 4 Supper Club, coming in February 2023, will be monthly, intimate ticketed events which will provide an opportunity for guests to sample themed menus.