EDENSOR lies at the heart of the Chatsworth Estate – the very essence of tradition and heritage.

Chef Stuart Yates and his wife Sarah, an experienced front-of-house manager, took over the business five years ago and set about building up the quality of both food and service. 

The kitchen was upgraded, the menu expanded and the presence of a young family living ‘above the shop’ brought a breath of fresh air to the place. But the effect was spoiled by the starkness of bare, whitewashed walls and overcrowded counter area.

Now all that has changed… During the two-week January closure in 2020, Sarah and Stuart – who also (until recently) ran the Old Smithy at nearby Beeley – called in a specialist workforce to carry out a thorough make-over.
The result is impressive. The character is all still there, but the sterile decor has been transformed with new wooden panelling, a Farrow & Ball colour palette and a streamlined service area, complete with separate coffee kitchen. 

Rustic wooden tables and chairs are complemented by comfy cushions and an upholstered bench seat, while limited edition canvases, classic books and family photos add the finishing touch. There are also new toilets, complete with baby changing unit.

“It was very frustrating when we took it on because we knew it wasn’t as we wanted it,” says Sarah.
Stuart adds: “Chatsworth is a lot busier than it was ten years ago, but the tea room had never moved on.”

The oldest building in the village, it was originally a farmhouse, was remodelled by Sir Joseph Paxton and later served as the local post office too until that closed just over a decade ago.

Sarah and Stuart, who have a fine dining background, were asked to take it on in 2017, after impressing Chatsworth Estate managers with their success at the Old Smithy.

They moved in, with daughter Lily-May, but just as they were getting stuck into the challenge, son Charlie arrived. Now Sarah is back from maternity leave, she and Stuart are planning to step up the offer at Edensor.

“We want to stand out because we feel we offer a lot more than the other cafes around this area,” says Sarah. “It wasn’t just about the appearance, we wanted to improve service and systems too. This refurb has made it easier for our team of staff – and smoother for customers as well. We’re really happy with the result.”

The menu is large for a tea room, offering a range of breakfast dishes as well as lunches and blackboard specials, all freshly made and locally sourced.

The Tea Cottage is now licensed until 11pm, so more bistro evenings are also planned.

 Stuart and Sarah have also recently secured a horse-box that is currently being converted, and should arrive in the courtyard in August. They plan to put another coffee machine in there, and are currently coming up with other ideas of what else they could serve from there.