A dish at Fifty Two, Rudding Park, in Yorkshire
Shipping containers may not be most people’s first choice when it comes to a fine dining restaurant, but chef Adam Degg isn’t one of those people.
At his newly opened restaurant Fifty Two in Harrogate, he does things differently: he swaps white tablecloths and predictably sophisticated menus for 20 chairs in front of an open kitchen (like Netflix’s The menu(without the sinister undertones) and food that’s so unexpectedly – and affordably – amazing that you’ll want to come back again and again. All in repurposed shipping containers.
“We want to bring fun into fine dining! Fine dining can seem stiff and pretentious,” says Degg. “Creating a relaxed, convivial atmosphere with elements of a ‘dinner party at home’ was something we really liked when developing the concept.”
“The space is also small – only 20 covers per night – so I can talk to every guest. There’s literally nowhere to hide!” he jokes.
Degg, who has worked at Horto and graced Michelin-starred legends such as Tom Kerridge, doesn’t opt for the typically rigid menus of haute cuisine either. Instead, guests are asked to trust Degg and his small team as they are guided through a menu full of surprises; perhaps a snack of artichoke chips and dip one day and smoked eel with parsley and malt vinegar the next. Everything is prepared seamlessly and presented in the room with flawless culinary choreography.
This approach is closely linked to the restaurant’s kitchen garden. With over 500 different edible plants, the garden provides ingredients that change with the seasons. “All new dishes have to be developed, so if you have an ingredient like cherry blossoms that may only be in season for a few weeks, that means that until we have perfected a dish, only a limited number of guests will have the opportunity to try it,” says Degg.
“Similarly, next month’s guests might get a dish with lemon verbena that other guests might not try.”
In the shipping containers of Fifty Two in Rudding Park
However, there is a lack of knowledge about what Exactly They may have made a reservation, but that hasn’t deterred diners. The restaurant has been fully booked for weeks, and rave reviews from influencers and word of mouth are making it one of the most coveted restaurant openings outside London this year.
The secret to the instant success may lie in the care and attention Degg and his team put into not just the food, but the details too. At each service, guests can opt for pre-dinner cocktails in the garden, don aprons if they want to help in the kitchen, and even choose songs for the restaurant’s playlist during dessert.
“We just want the experience to be fun: great food, great drinks, entertaining and interactive – just like you would expect from a dinner party at home with friends.”
Of course, the food is also sensational. “I worked for many years for the Michelin-starred chef Anthony Demetre, who now runs Wild Honey St James in London,” says Degg. “He taught me the importance of looking at a kitchen not just from the point of view of a cook or chef, but from the point of view of a business owner.”
Many creative chefs have learned the hard way that making the best food in the world is no use if you can’t make a profit.
“Anthony’s cooking is all about minimising waste and using sometimes less glamorous cuts of meat or fish such as ox tongue or hake throat – which, if treated with respect and attention, can sometimes outshine a beef fillet or a fish fillet.”
Fifty Two takes a nose-to-tail approach to its own dishes, often using discarded ingredients – like cod throats and cheeks – to enhance a dish (in this particular case, the bouillabaisse).
“During my time working for Tom Kerridge (multi-Michelin-starred chef), I learned how to build repeat customers by providing the best hospitality possible. Getting to know your guests so you can tailor your product or offer to their needs creates an unforgettable experience that they will want to experience again,” he says.
A selection of one-dish treats at Fifty Two in Rudding Park
Degg also has big plans for the future. The restaurant will adapt its offerings to the seasons, offering preserved garden produce and special hot toddies in winter, for example. To meet local demand, the premises will also be used for private events (such as birthdays, anniversaries and small weddings).
“I have an incredibly talented team around me who give their best every day,” he says. “I am confident that I will make my employees feel good and provide them with a positive and collaborative work environment so that our guests can continue to have an outstanding dining experience.
“If we can maintain the momentum of the first few months, it would be great if the guidebooks took notice. I would love to bring a Michelin star to Rudding Park and really put Fifty Two on the map.”
