RUDDING Park, the luxury resort in Harrogate, North Yorkshire is to open a new immersive dining experience. FIFTY TWO will open on Thursday 16 May and fresh from his appearance on this year’s Great British Menu, Adam Degg has been appointed Head Chef and Host.
Previously Head Chef at Horto, the contemporary fine dining restaurant at Rudding Park, Adam was awarded 3 AA rosettes and has worked with multi-Michelin starred chefs including Tom Kerridge.
Inspired by the number of raised beds in Rudding Park Kitchen Garden, FIFTY TWO will take its cue from ‘mother nature’ with dishes created using the highest quality ingredients cultivated in the kitchen garden or selected from trusted local producers and purveyors,
whilst carefully selected wines, freshly made juices and garden-inspired cocktails complement the food.
Adam explains: “We have been developing the concept for some time and want guests to feel as though they are at a relaxed dinner party at home with great food and drink, great company and great conversation.
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Given “the best parties always happen in the kitchen”, the space is literally an open kitchen, featuring a bespoke seven metre kitchen island. Five tables with social seating offer prime views of the action. Like a dinner party with friends, you don’t see a menu in advance and guests place their faith in the cooking skills of the host, so in this case, me and my team!
From the moment guests arrive they will be immersed in the Kitchen Garden which they can explore with a drink and snack before making their way through an espalier hornbeam hedge linking the Kitchen Garden to FIFTY TWO.
Here the evening continues with a series of dishes starting with a selection of snacks, freshly-baked bread and an assortment of plates leading up to our signature sharing dish, followed by desserts and treats.
A key part of the concept, we want guests to feel at home! We’ll have aprons on hand for those who are keen to get involved, a pack of cards to spark the ‘art of conversation‘ and over pudding, we couldn‘t resist ‘dessert‘ island disc – the chance for guests to select a track for the FIFTY TWO playlist.”
The building is made up of five shipping containers. In the spirit of its industrial beginnings, steel elements have been incorporated into the scheme with oversized raw steel window reveals to retain the industrial character of the containers. Large picture windows and sky lights have been cut into the containers to bring the outside in and add a light and airy feel.
The Kitchen Garden is quite literally a key ingredient of the FIFTY TWO dining experience where Kitchen Gardener, Emma Pugh and her team grow over 500 different edible plants. Using organic and no-dig principles, the gardeners enrich the soil with a variety of organic matter so the crops are packed with nutrients giving the freshest seasonal flavours and textures on your plate.
Karen Tyson, Resort General Manager comment: “The importance of providing amazing experiences, memorable for all the right reasons, continues to grow. FIFTY TWO is just that – an innovative concept and one we believe will become a Yorkshire destination dining experience. Adam is an extremely talented Chef and certainly one to watch – a star in the making!”
