LUXE Serendipity magazine

Donna Richardson had a taste of the high life last week at an exclusive event in London to showcase Silverstone’s VIP most exclusive hospitality package. The Vale introduces an elevated trackside experience designed to redefine how guests eat, gather, and engage with the British Grand Prix.

At Formula 1® Pirelli British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit between 3 and 5 July, and diners will be introduced to a very special VIP hospitality package – part members’ club, part design-led dining destination, and entirely immersed in the rhythm of race weekend.

Labombe at The Vale was unveiled through an exclusive tasting at Trivet in London, where guests were guided through a Michelin-starred menu created by Jonny Lake and his team for the paddock at the corner of Vale. The evening was shaped by precision and restraint, with Isa Bal, Master Sommelier and partner, curating a wine programme that mirrored the pace and structure of the food.

The exclusivity of the evening was evident from the moment guests arrived, as they were welcomed by the Silverstone team with free-flowing Champagne and an atmosphere of understated glamour. Editors and journalists from titles including The Sunday Times, British Vogue and The Guardian, alongside contributors from leading luxury publications, gathered for an intimate first look at Silverstone’s newest hospitality concept. Hosted by the circuit’s senior leadership team, the evening offered a carefully curated preview of a space designed to exist at the intersection of motorsport, contemporary design and elevated dining.

The opening courses set the tone immediately: warm Comté gougères, rich and molten at the centre; crisp lamb sweetbread gilda; and wild sea bass with orange ponzu and quinoa, light yet sharply defined. What followed was a progression of layered, seasonal dishes—farinata with mortadella; farinata with summer leaves and pecorino – a chic pea based dish; halibut “picchio pacchio” with white beans and basil – a nod to my earlier career in Italy a tomato sauce with the fish; and grilled lamb rump with bulgur wheat – more of a Turkish influence paired with baby gem, and peas.

Dessert arrived as a composed finale rather than a conclusion: hibiscus macerated strawberries with goat’s curd and sumac, whisky gelato in brioche with candied pecans, and a butter tart to take away, extending the experience beyond the evening itself.

Chef Jonny Lake reflected on the evolution of the partnership and why the collaboration with Silverstone felt like a natural progression.

“We’re standing in Trivet, which Isa and I founded together after first meeting at The Fat Duck in 2005,” he said. “Over the years, we developed a very particular relationship between chef and sommelier. Labombe became our interpretation of a wine bar — somewhere with exceptional food, but approached in a more relaxed way. Then last September we opened at the Metropolitan Hotel in Mayfair.

“When Silverstone approached us, it immediately made sense. Labombe offers the same quality of food and depth of wine knowledge as Trivet, but expressed in a different style, and that fits perfectly with what The Vale is trying to create. Tonight’s menu is a smaller expression of that — every dish guests are tasting will appear at The Vale during the Grand Prix weekend.”

Wine pairings shifted from celebratory flutes of Dom Pérignon to a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and a textured red from Turkey, reflecting the menu’s international breadth. Isa said: “We have a unique approach to listing wine from AC to BD and estimating that there will be wine on Mars in 3000.  We have sparkling wines, Champagnes, and white and red wines. Trivet was opened in November 2019, and Labombe by Trivet in September 2026, which has gained a Michelin star. iSA stocks over 750 wines available, from the earliest civilisations to the future, when he believes there will be wine on Mars.

Director of Sales Hannah Grosvenor said, “We are on an amazing journey, and we have created the Vale Experience this year. This is a really exclusive high-end experience; they want fine dining, elegant décor, accessibility, and they want it all to be easy. We cater to every demographic, and we are unbelievably proud and can’t wait to unveil it in 50 days.

“It is part of a long-term journey; we did this with Levi of the creative design agency, who came on the journey from the get-go. A big moment for us at Silverstone.”

Levi, the creative force behind the project’s visual identity and interiors, described The Vale as an opportunity to rethink the aesthetics of modern race hospitality.

“I run a young design studio in Amsterdam, and this has been an extraordinary brief,” he said. “The ambition is to redefine the future of race experiences while establishing an entirely new brand language. We’ve designed everything — from the architectural structure through to the smallest details, including the napkins. From a design perspective, it’s a dream project. There is still a long way to go, but bringing that level of ambition to life is incredibly exciting.”

Within the wider framework of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, The Vale positions itself as a new kind of trackside destination. Terraces overlook the pit lane entry and final corners, while guests move between relaxed racing decks, private networking suites, and curated after-hours parties. With helicopter arrivals, panoramic views towards Parc Fermé, and immediate proximity to the most decisive moments of the circuit, The Vale is not simply about watching Formula 1 -it is about fully immersing yourself in the glamour and prestige that Formula One affords – if for one weekend only.