Adam Degg, head chef and host at Rudding Park’s new immersive dining experience, FIFTY TWO, has worked in some of London’s best restaurants before moving to wife, Emily’s Yorkshire homeland. The pair, who have two-year-old Jacob, live in Sheriff Hutton. ‘He is my biggest food critic,’ says Adam. Here, the 35-year-old shares his food loves. fiftytworuddingpark.co.uk
Tell us a little about FIFTY TWO
Inspired by the 52 raised beds in the Rudding Park kitchen garden and the incredible produce it provides over the 52 weeks of the year; we wanted to create a sense of theatre and an immersive experience. All the guests face the kitchen and are served by the chefs. We don’t have any printed menus; so, like a dinner party with friends, guests are asked to put their faith in myself and the team to deliver some delicious food.
A childhood food memory?
My step-mum’s lasagne was always my favourite, with extra garlic bread!
Your most memorable meal?
My wife and I sat and ate toast in the delivery room after our son Jacob was born, it was magical. My favourite restaurant meal was at Core by Clare Smyth with my two best men before I got married. It was absolutely flawless and everything was bursting with flavour.
Who in the industry inspires you the most?
Tom Kerridge, an absolute legend of the industry. Really looks after his team, and all of his pubs and restaurants are such fantastic places to visit. I learnt so much working for him.
How would you describe your cooking style?
Seasonal and flavour driven, I was a pastry chef for years, so I like to bring the precision and creativity from that aspect into my savoury dishes.
What is the flavour of the moment in your kitchen?
Emma, our kitchen gardener has grown absolutely loads of lemon verbena. We’re using it to infuse gin, make a lemonade and to flavour our madeleines.
If you were a guest visiting FIFTY TWO, what stand out dishes would you order?
It’s a ‘carte blanche’ style- blind tasting menu, so guests don’t see a menu to order from. But I’d certainly recommend finishing the evening with an espresso martini flavoured with sweet woodruff!
Your guilty food pleasure?
If there’s any potato bread leftover at the end of service at the moment, it makes the best cheese toasties! Failing that it’s salt and pepper ribs from Paddy Fields in Haxby.
Who are your Yorkshire food heroes?
Tommy Banks and Andrew Pern are obviously such great ambassadors for Yorkshire and have really been at the forefront of cooking up this way for a long time. But also, the new generation of chefs such as Will Lockwood at Roots and Josh Overington at Myse are doing some really exciting things at the moment.
What is your favourite local ingredient?
Forced Yorkshire rhubarb is just incredible, really packs so much flavour and is such a versatile ingredient. We’ve made ferments, jams, cordials and even an oil from the root to really make the most of it.
You’re hosting a fantasy dinner party, who would you invite and what would you cook for them?
Marco Pierre White – I bet he’d have some awesome kitchen stories to tell; Freddie Flintoff – I have always admired him, a big character; Jacob Banks – he has an incredible voice, hopefully he’d sing for us and my wife Emily – I’ve not had much chance to see her lately with FIFTY TWO launching.
I’d barbecue a brisket, with some salad and vegetables from Rudding Park’s kitchen garden.
Adam’s favourite dish
Our potato, smoked eel and parsley dish takes me back to my time in London and the pie and mash restaurants where I thought the mash, jellied eels and parsley liquor sometimes outshone the pies. Here, we confit the potatoes in a seaweed butter, before finishing them over charcoal. These are topped with smoked eel with a garden chilli glaze, malt vinegar jelly and crispy fried potatoes. The sauce is made with the smoked eel bones, seaweed butter and split with a vibrant parsley oil.
