Winter Botanical Pop Up at Cambridge Distillery

Collaboration is fun. It creates a crucible of creativity that can lead to unexpected circumstances, results and locations.

Earlier this year - over midsummer - as the country was sweltering and enjoying a run of form in the World Cup not seen since 1990, we popped up and created a fully functioning restaurant in the space occupied by The Cambridge Distillery in Grantchester. The menu, based on the range of botanicals used by the Distillery in each of their gins, was a huge success and each of the ten services was a complete sell out.

Dishes were all true originals, created to exist for a brief two week window before disappearing forever. Japanese steamed custard with nettle and red wood ants. Hay-aged barbecued duck with cherries and salsify. Strawberry soup with blackcurrant leaf and rose cream.

By the time the final plates had left the temporary kitchen, we’d already decided we wanted to repeat the project, but with the focus firmly on the winter rather than the sunny warmth of summer.

So, I’m delighted to say that we are once again taking up residence in The Distillery for another two week run from November 27th to December 8th.

The menu, once again, will be taking inspiration from the amazing botanicals used to make Cambridge Distillery’s award-winning gins, but we will also be making a few little nods to the festive season in several of the dishes.

As always, we will be using only the finest seasonal produce, with as much sourced from as close to Cambridge as possible. Fenland celeriac, wild mushrooms, Mersea oysters, Lincolnshire Brussel sprouts and locally-shot venison are all set to feature on the menu. Of course, there will also be a few old favourites from The Hole in the Wall: black treacle sodabread, freshly churned butter and chocolate truffles will all be making an appearance. And there might even be one or two doughnuts to complete the evening.

This will be Lawrence and myself’s final pop up event before we move into our permanent home at Vanderlyle in Mill Road early next year and we couldn’t think of a better way to close the chapter of 2018 than by working with so many great friends once again.

Most of the tickets for this exclusive event have already been snapped up by those who dined in the summer, but there is limited space left during the fortnight. They can be purchased through Eventbrite, right here

We can’t wait to see you there