from the ground up
Introducing an exclusive tasting menu in collaboration with the British Ceramics Biennial to celebrate the relationship between food and ceramics
From 23rd September to 3rd November we will be serving an incredible menu curated to celebrate the themes of this year's Biennial.
The themes of storytelling, playfulness, risk-taking and activism have been considered and infused into each dish.
Ladies and Gentlemen we bring you ‘From The Ground Up’ a menu that celebrates the rise of clay from the ground to Mars.
Clay and food are symbiotic. The need to make vessels to hold water and food has led to exploration and creativity that transcends either need. But, we return to the relationship of food and clay.
Pottery or ceramics provide a unique plane for flavour and can help an experience be playful and unique. The ceramics we use for each dish is as important as the dish itself. It’s the relationship of both.
Throughout this menu we have explored storytelling. Storytelling is something that is present in all the dishes we create. From the first dish to the height of the last we have carefully considered the narrative we share to give a compelling experience for our diners. Playfulness, risk-taking and activism are also intertwined into the dishes. Dine and explore these themes with us.
storytelling
We have focused on how things are finished, affecting texture and form, just as if we have worked with clay. It’s an exciting opportunity for a chef to consider the way we engage in the cooking process. It provides different approaches and ultimately leads to more experimentation. Something that really drove the processes that Cris and Alex explored when creating these dishes.
THE PROCESS
When creating dishes chefs go on a discovery that extends way beyond flavour. Although this is the core of every creation. Texture, aroma, acidity, colour, form, proportion and foundation are some of the practical considerations. But if we explore the process we uncover geography, history, culture, heritage, the arts, science, maths and English contained within the language of how a chef realises a new creation.
This process is very much one aligned with an artist. A great chef considers all these things when in the process of their art. When a chef invites guests to experience these dishes, they become a producer, repeating those processes. A chef does not do this blindly as they look to develop the dish further while every guest waits with anticipation.
“Best dining experience in Stoke on Trent”
— Natalie, TripAdvisor
We invite you to share this experience in our unique setting…
Hidden away in the depths of the Spode heritage site we have a table for just 10 guests. Book as a couple or bring friends, we are here to welcome you to one of the most unique dining experiences in the UK. This autumn we have collaborated with the British Ceramics Biennial to bring you a very special menu. Join us for lunch or dinner and celebrate the incredible ceramic creativity here in the Potteries and around the globe.