Yes.
You can do 100 for lunch and 100 for dinner, that’s what we were doing plus the room out the back for 50 and it was a constant, constant push. But to thrive on that; that’s why you go there.
Do you ever see your self running something like that? In that type of role? Or do you always see yourself in a Danesfield House type role? What are you aspiring to?
Obviously, everyone has goals and ambitions.
Sure.
First of all my goal here is to achieve the star.
Yeap.
From there, hopefully we can push it forward. Providing we can get the star and maintain the rosettes. I’d like to think we can go further in the Good Food Guide hopefully further than when I was at Ynyshir Hall in Wales. I think we have a fantastic opportunity here not only with the Oak Room but Danesfield House too. The Management are fantastic and they are very, very supportive.
Who inspires you now, as a chef? Who do you look at?
I suppose, it is some of the Spanish boys…
OK, yes.
Like Magaritz because of some of their modern techniques. I don’t think you can get too carried away with it though. Here in the UK you’ve got people like Simon Rogan at L’enclume, Daniel Clifford at Midsummer and Shane Osbourne at Pied a ’Terre all those are great Chefs, they are fantastic places.
You say you have simplified your food style, how have you felt over the years has your food style evolved? You said before you have worked for Marco; with RB and obviously it is your name above the door. What would you say is the Adam Simmonds 4 Rosette style of food? If you could pigeon hole it, I know it is difficult …
Modern, clean flavours, clean presentation – that’s it I think. The style I have is nothing in relation to the training I had, which for me is brilliant. In Wales it was simple or simpler because of the situation we had up there. Here I have a stronger team and in the first 2 years I pushed it further and maybe that’s the reason I pulled it back. Because the formula in Wales worked; there is no reason why that formula can’t work here. But it is a bit more innovative than it was in Wales, but I think that is a natural progression.
Absolutely. Are you happy with what you are doing in the kitchen? I mean, obviously, everyone always wants to improve… it’s never the finished article. Like the Manoir is still pushing for the 3rd star – it’s been 25 years, but are you happy with the food that you are doing?
Yes, I think there is a lot more mileage in the food that we do here – without question. It is just a case of how we develop it and how we bring it on…
