5 minutes with... the head chef of The Old Deanery, Adam Jackson

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Adam Jackson is the head chef at The Old Deanery in Ripon. The Stray Ferret chats to him about his inspiration, what makes for a memorable meal and how he plans to keep on building on the restaurant's success...

When did you know you first wanted to be a chef?

I was about 10 years old. My cousin had gone to catering college and had started working as a chef, and I was fascinated by what he was doing.

Tell me your favourite parts of working where you work.

My favourite part of working at The Old Deanery is the people that I work with who give me the freedom to be able to serve the food that I love to really nice guests!

What would you say are the highlights of your tasting menu?

All of it! If I had to choose, then I’d say the links between the produce and the people who work here; we all go foraging on our days off, and the gardens at The Old Deanery are also rich in ingredients too. 

We have what we call an “Eddie Card”, which we give to guests as part of the meal experience. It has a photo of my son, Eddie, foraging in the garden, and inside it lists all of the ingredients that we pick and use on the menus.

Where do you find your inspiration?

The seasons, classic cooking techniques and food from all over the world.

What produce do you enjoy working with the most? And how often do you change your menu?

I enjoy working with the local, well-reared meats and British fish. The seasonality and availability of these ingredients dictate much of our menu. 

Our menu usually notably changes seasonally, but there are always small changes most days as and when the ingredients dictate.

What, in your opinion, makes for a memorable meal?

For me, I believe that it is the entire experience, not just the food. It is as much about the story of the meal as the food itself. At The Old Deanery, we have a small and very friendly team who each have a part to play in your evening experience.

What are the best and worst things about being a chef?

The best thing is getting to be creative and working with other creative and interesting people. Plus, the reaction from guests at the end of their meal or stay. The worst is the sleep deprivation and sore feet!

Tell me about any standout moments working as a chef.

For me, it was attaining a Michelin Star at The Black Swan at Oldstead in 2013.

What’s your favourite bit of kitchen kit?

My 10-year-old Thermomix – it is hugely versatile and indestructible.

If you weren’t a chef, what other career would you have chosen?

Probably a DJ - I DJed a lot from the ages of 21 to 30 years old.

What kinds of food do you eat at home?

Really simple stuff like simple pasta dishes, or I also eat a lot of steak. Plus things that I cook for the kids.

Other than your restaurant, what are your favourite pubs and restaurants?

Pubs-wise, I love the Durham Ox in Crayke or The Star Inn at Harome. Restaurants-wise, I love Forge at Middleton Lodge and Mýse in Hovingham.

If you could invite a famous person to a dinner party, who would you choose and why?

All the people that run the football podcast The Overlap – Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Ian Wright, and Roy Keane – because I think they are hilarious.

What’s next for you?

The Old Deanery is still only young; we have been operating as a restaurant with rooms for 18 months, and in that time, we have achieved 3 AA Rosettes and a Michelin recommendation. The next steps are to keep The Old Deanery current and progressive and to keep building on our great start.

Do you have anything else that you’d like to add?

I’d like to encourage people to eat out in local restaurants and support small businesses. And also, to keep buying British!

The nine-course tasting menu is available from Thursday to Saturday for £95 per person, with wine pairing at £60 per person. The Old Deanery, Minster Road, Ripon, HG4 1QS. To find out more and to book, visit this link.