On Wednesday 16 July, Mark Poynton together with new enterprise companions, Gareth and Emma John will launch The Historic Shepherds in Fen Ditton, a village positioned three miles exterior of Cambridge. A restaurant with rooms positioned on the location of Mark’s former restaurant, MJP @ The Shepherds, this heralds an thrilling subsequent chapter for Mark and staff.
Established residents of Fen Ditton, Gareth and Emma have been followers of Mark’s cooking ever since he opened his then Cambridge primarily based restaurant, Alimentum in 2009. Having lived within the village for over 20 years, the pair needed to safeguard the way forward for MJP @ The Shepherds and are excited to be part of its subsequent chapter. Having run a profitable Cambridge primarily based enterprise for over 20 years, Gareth and Emma are eager that The Historic Shepherds give again to its area people and will likely be teaming up with native Cambridge charities. They plan to help the charities by internet hosting charitable occasions all year long and pledging to donate from any income the restaurant could make.
Having lately gained a Michelin star for his Norwich restaurant, Mark Poynton at Caistor Corridor, Mark will lead the kitchen alongside his new proper hand man Chris Lee whose expertise contains holding 3 AA rosettes for over decade at a number of locations round Suffolk together with the Bidleston Crown. Devoted to a tasting solely menu, it will guarantee minimal waste and maximise the shopper and worker expertise. A tasting menu ensures meals prices are tightly managed and can encourage repeat clients because of dishes being modified frequently. Simpler to handle employees too, the kitchen will likely be made up of 1 staff who will all work a four-day week and have set holidays all year long when the restaurant will shut. Attaining this work / life stability is paramount to Mark who needs to make sure he creates a contented staff and due to this fact a contented enterprise.
Mark Poynton
The menu will use as many components as attainable from the Kitchen Backyard positioned in the back of the restaurant with Mark’s long-standing trusted suppliers offering every thing else. Menus will are available choices of three, 5 or seven programs every together with bread, snacks and amuse bouche,
For summer time 2025 dishes will embrace chilled pea mousse, cottage cheese and truffle (amuse bouche), wakame cured cod, tomato and elder ponzu, lemon puree to begin; and Loin of hogget, tapenade puree, tomato, anchovy, courgette, and for dessert – candy pineapple parfait, fennel sorbet, pineapple and fennel pollen meringue.
Housed in a former pub courting again to 1580, Emma has overseen a sympathetic refurbishment which ensures the character of the constructing stays. A Farrow & Ball palate of soppy plaster pink and gray will complement the unique brickwork contrasted with furnishings full with spherical and oval formed ceramic slate topped tables. Native artists show their items on the partitions of the restaurant.
Unstuffy in its presentation, desk scaping will likely be stored to a minimal permitting for the meals to talk for itself. A lounge space will embrace tender seating for pre or publish dinner drinks and all the area will be capable of accommodate 34 covers in whole.
The 5 rooms have additionally been spruced and can be found to guide with, or with out a eating expertise. Easy and classy, they supply the proper alternative for dinner and an evening’s keep or only a room for the night time to discover the historic metropolis of Cambridge.
With Mark’s star persevering with to rise, The Historic Shepherds will little question be a restaurant to look at. A spot that can take care of its group and entice vacation spot diners alike, it will likely be a primary of its type for Cambridge and a welcome addition to its ever-improving meals scene.
