Berkshire


<p>Chef Patron at <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/restaurants/review-seasonality-maidenhead-restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Seasonality</a> in Maidenhead, Wesley Smalley is the king of big flavours, pretty plates, and sustainable cooking, with a dedication to building dishes based around seasonal, locally-sourced produce. He&#8217;s been running the show alongside his wife Francesca at his Michelin Guide restaurant for the past four and a half years, steadily building a cult foodie following of people who can&#8217;t get enough of the goods. </p>



<p>Me? I&#8217;m obsessed. Turns out so are a fair few people, with the restaurant recently named one of the Top 100 Best Neighbourhood Restaurants in the UK by the Good Food Guide. We caught up with Wesley to find out more about his cooking ethos and the local bakery he loves to frequent.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="562" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_APR23_-050.jpg" alt="chef Wesley Smalley" class="wp-image-72819" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_APR23_-050.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_APR23_-050-800x450.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_APR23_-050-400x225.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_APR23_-050-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-first-job-in-a-kitchen">Your first job in a kitchen? </h3>



<p>I was an apprentice at Hadleigh’s Brasserie, Sunningdale.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-have-your-experiences-cooking-abroad-helped-influence-the-dishes-at-seasonality">How have your experiences cooking abroad helped influence the dishes at Seasonality?</h3>



<p>My travels and experience abroad have influenced everything in my cooking, especially Thailand where the cuisine flavour profile is made up of sweet, sour, salt and spice, so this is the levels of flavours and balance I use in all cookery.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-career-highlight-nbsp">Career highlight?&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Opening our own restaurant has been the highlight, to enable us to express our vision of connecting farmers, growers and producers to our customers through seasonal produce and menus is what it’s about.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-you-do-a-lot-of-cooking-for-the-rich-and-famous">Did you do a lot of cooking for the rich and famous?</h3>



<p>I have been lucky enough to have cooked for quite a few celebrities and UHNW individuals and in the royal estate.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impressive-any-goss">Impressive! Any goss?</h3>



<p>No, goss that I can tell&#8230;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-would-you-sum-up-your-cooking-style-and-food-philosophy">How would you sum up your cooking style and food philosophy?</h3>



<p>My cooking style reflects my travels and cooking abroad but also a definite sense of flavour first. Acidity is paramount in all the dishes we create, and each dish is well thought through and tasted to make sure the balance of flavour profiles work. My philosophy is great produce cooked simply and interesting technique to enhance flavour.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-sustainable-and-seasonal-cooking-so-important-to-you">Why is sustainable and seasonal cooking so important to you?</h3>



<p>Using seasonal and sustainable ingredients not only allows us to work with the best produce at its peak, but also to support the farmers and growers to manage the land efficiently and ethically to look after the precious natural resource being the soil.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="647" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_FOOD-10.jpg" alt="seasonality restaurant maidenhead" class="wp-image-72833" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_FOOD-10.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_FOOD-10-800x518.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_FOOD-10-400x259.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/seasonality-SEASONALITY_FOOD-10-768x497.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-memorable-moment-at-work">Most memorable moment at work?</h3>



<p>I probably have to say when <em>The Guardian</em> critic Grace Dent came in as it changed absolutely everything at Seasonality.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-re-tired-starving-and-impatient-what-do-you-cook-for-dinner">You’re tired, starving and impatient: what do you cook for dinner?</h3>



<p>Beans on toast.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-would-you-cook-to-impress-a-date">What would you cook to impress a date?</h3>



<p>Steak Tartare followed by main course of Hake and finished with a Fresh Vanilla ice cream Affogato.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-is-your-favourite-chef">Who is your favourite chef? </h3>



<p>Simon Rogan.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-local-cafe-restaurant-hotel">Favourite local café? Restaurant? Hotel? </h3>



<p>Bakedd in Maidenhead.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-have-a-favourite-cookbook-nbsp">Do you have a favourite cookbook?&nbsp;</h3>



<p><em>Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat</em> by Samin Nosrat.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/wesley-seasonality-copy.png" alt="Wesley Smalley chef at seasonality maidenhead" class="wp-image-80418" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/wesley-seasonality-copy.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/wesley-seasonality-copy-800x800.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/wesley-seasonality-copy-400x400.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/wesley-seasonality-copy-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/wesley-seasonality-copy-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-your-favourite-type-of-cuisine">What’s your favourite type of cuisine?</h3>



<p>Anything with spice.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-things-to-eat-when-you-re-on-holiday">Favourite things to eat when you’re on holiday?</h3>



<p>Lots of seafood, salads &amp; fruit and Pastel de Natas.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-kitchen-gadget">Favourite kitchen gadget?</h3>



<p>Thermomix.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-ingredient-and-why">Favourite ingredient and why?</h3>



<p>Salt, couldn’t go without it to enhance flavour, cure and preserve.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-overrated-ingredient">Most overrated ingredient?</h3>



<p>Lobster.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-your-best-ever-cooking-tip">Tell us your best ever cooking tip?</h3>



<p>To read the recipe and method in full before starting to prepare and cook. It’s a really simple tip, but you wouldn’t believe how many people don’t (my wife included)! &nbsp;</p>



<p><strong><em>Get a taste of Wesley Smalley&#8217;s exceptional cooking at <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/restaurants/review-seasonality-maidenhead-restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Seasonality</a> in Maidenhead now.</em></strong></p>


What’s Cooking? Wesley Smalley of Seasonality in Maidenhead

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