The Secret Table – Partners
Our Mission
We are on a journey to showcase the incredible stories, ingredients, and personalities that define the Lake District food scene.
The Secret Table is dining with a difference, showcasing the very best culinary talent that the Lake District has to offer. Each chef brings a distinctive style, flavour, and story to the table, curating dishes that tell a tale of heritage, passion, and place.
ABOUT US
What began as a spark of inspiration to breathe new life into The Bistro at Underscar has grown into a roaring success. We have had the privilege of collaborating with renowned chefs such Peter Sidwell, Jon Fell, George Cherian, and Forest Food Studio with many more to come…. hosting sold-out experiences which are not just about the food. But every tale behind it.
Timeline
Congratulations, you are confirmed to do an event with us! We will begin with a warm welcome and onboarding at Underscar, followed by finalising event dates. We will then gather imagery, videos and menus as well as your story to create your experience page. Once we have created the experience we will move onto the ticket system page (pricing, dietary forms etc) and set it up we are ready to start selling tickets. Around 5 weeks before the event, we will release the tickets to our owners at Underscar first via email and then to the general mailing list/ social media a few days later. We will provide regular updates on ticket sales and work closely with you in the lead-up to ensure everything is ready for a memorable evening- we will set up a WhatsApp group chat for quick and easy updates! We will then will close ticket sales approximately one week before the event- confirming final numbers, dietaries and then we can create menus for the tables with dietaries to make sure service is seamless!
Marketing
We take care of all things marketing-from creating your experience page and sending targeted emails to our owners and general mailing list, to running a variety of social media campaigns. We also encourage you to film a short video introducing your menu, which you can share on your own platforms as well. This helps bring a personal touch and gives your audience a direct connection to your offering.
Ticketing & Revenue
For your first 1-2 events you will receive 100% off the ticket revenue. Thereafter, a flat £180 contribution to Underscar covers marketing/operations (equivalent to 7.5–15% based on pricing). Tickets for the event can be purchased via your experience page!
VAT REGISTERED? We encourage chefs to become VAT registered if possible as this avoids fees from external ticket systems either absorbed by the chef themselves or the customer. For VAT registered businesses we will use our internal booking system Trybe to sell and manage tickets therefore this avoids these fees!
NON VAT REGISTERED? If you are not VAT registered, we use ticket tailor to sell the tickets. We ask that you create an account, add in your bank details and share the login with us so we can manage the setup of the ticket system and monitor it. All logins will be protected in a vault.
Insurance
Yes, all chefs are required to have public liability insurance in place before hosting an event at The Secret Table. Your insurance should match the level of our own coverage, which is up to £10 million. This is to ensure that everyone — including guests, staff, and chefs — are properly protected.
Allergen and Dietary Information
We ask all of our chefs to let us know which dietary requirements they are happy to cater for beforehand so we can make this clear on our ticket pages. Guests will have to fill out a compulsory form to let us know if they have any dietary requirements for the evening We will download this information and use it when creating menus to ensure every guest has a safe and comfortable experience.
Crockery and Equipment
You’ll have full access to the venue’s kitchen and equipment — from ovens and hobs to pans, plating tools, and everything in between. If it’s in the kitchen, it’s yours to use.
We also provide a wide selection of beautiful crockery, but if you have signature pieces that better complement your style or menu, you’re more than welcome to bring them along.
Feel free to add your own personal touches to the table — whether that’s decorations, place settings, or printed menus. If you’d like support with printed materials, our marketing team is happy to assist and can create custom menus for you on request.
FAQ's
We have compiled common questions from our onboardings and events to make things straightforward. If something is unclear, reach out!
We have plenty of beautiful crockery available for you to use, but if you have your own pieces that suit your style or menu, you’re very welcome to bring them along.
You will have full access to the venue’s kitchen and all its equipment — from ovens and hobs to pans, and plating tools. If it’s in the kitchen, it’s yours to use.
Each chef at The Secret Table designs their own menu and decides which dietary requirements they can accommodate. When guests book, they will be asked to share any allergies or restrictions. Then we will pass this onto you.
Yes, all chefs and vendors are required to have public liability insurance in place before hosting an event at our venue. Your insurance should match the level of our own coverage, which is up to £10 million. This is to ensure that everyone — including guests, staff, and vendors — is properly protected.
Absolutely! We love when our chefs share more of their work with our guests. You’re welcome to bring and promote your cookbooks, merchandise, or any other products that reflect you.
You can commit to as many events as you like — whether it’s just one or several. It’s completely up to you and your schedule!
We handle all the marketing for The Secret Table events — from social media campaigns to email outreach — making sure each event gets the spotlight it deserves. You’re welcome to share and promote the event on your own channels too, but the marketing is taken care of, so you can focus on creating an amazing experience.
We can provide up to a maximum of 30 covers for each event!
We believe in keeping our events personal, exclusive, and truly memorable.
That’s why we intentionally keep numbers small – to create an intimate evening where every guest feels part of something special.
Smaller groups allow our chefs to step out from behind the scenes and personally present each course, sharing the story, ingredients, and inspiration behind the dishes. It’s more than a meal – it’s an experience.
Yes-we require all chefs who join us to host an event, to have completed a food hygiene certification!
We can provide FOH (Front of House) staff for your event, but we also recommend that you bring a couple of your own team members. This ensures you’ll have the flexibility to step away and connect with guests without worrying about service. We’re here to support you however we can!
The ticket prices for our events range from from £55- 95pp however the average is around £60pp- which we have found sell well!
Yes! If this is something you would like to do, we can help you create the perfect wine pairings for your menu.