Dinner with a difference at Adams Restaurant

The term ‘best-kept secret’ can be something of a cliché but I’d still wager a few pounds that many Nottingham locals, let alone visitors are aware of the great dining to be found at Adams Restaurant & Brasserie.

For those of you who don’t know the back story, its USP is that the food is entirely prepared by students from Nottingham College’s catering courses. So not only do you, the paying customer, get a great value meal but you can also feast in the knowledge that you are helping young chefs and restaurateurs learn their trade and possibly be eating a meal prepared by a future MasterChef winner.

Which is a neat segway into my own recent experience. Again some context; as well as opening to the paying public on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the restaurant also has “takeovers” from award-winning local chefs. Previous luminaries include Mark Anderson of the Ruddington Arms, Alex Bond from achingly cool Alchemilla and local independent chef Craig Floate.

This brings me to the most recent takeover, by some previous MasterChef finalists! I was privileged to be a guest of Phil Tomlinson, Faculty Area Manager for Catering and Hospitality at Nottingham College – basically think of him as the Obi Wan of the college, training all the young padawans.
 

 

Now I do love my food, but I’ve not sampled what you might call ‘proper fancy’ gastronomy. Think Heston Blumenthal and you should get the picture. As you’ll see from my photo of the menu this was proper off the chart stuff.

This introduction to a sophisticated dining was a real eye-opener. As you might expect, flavour combinations such as ‘cauliflower, caviar, blue cheese and white chocolate’ or ‘red curry ice cream’ are unlike anything you will ever taste. But it was absolutely testament to the skill of the young chefs (one as young as 15!) that the flavours all worked, whether to your taste or not.

The MasterChef luminaries explained each course prior to our tasting, which provided a real insight into their thought process. We were also presented with the young chefs, which was lovely to see and for them to experience the warmth of the reception from the room of 50 or so guests too.
 

 

So all-in-all this ‘takeover’ was a real treat and for foodies who want to broaden their palate, without breaking the bank, I would recommend a visit to a future one. But also, for anyone looking for a great value weekday meal out look up Adams Restaurant, we’re doing it for the kids after all!

This blog was written by Chris Hickman, Communications Manager at Visit Nottinghamshire.