Adam Wood to head up Garden House restaurant at Graduate Cambridge

Chef Adam Wood is to take the helm at Garden House, a new restaurant within the Graduate Cambridge hotel, which is scheduled to open in July.

The 148-key Graduate Cambridge will comprise Garden House and Garden Bar, as well as a café and flexible gathering space, all developed in partnership with White Rabbit Studio, the creative arm of White Rabbit Projects known for Lina Stores, Kricket and Island Poké.

Wood, who was previously sous chef at the award-winning Perilla restaurant in London will focus on open-flame cooking and seasonal East Anglian produce.

The chef and his team will source seasonal and local produce to create menus that draw on the rich agricultural history of the area.

The summer menu will feature dishes such as native oysters with gooseberry and jalapeño; cured chalk stream trout with green almond dressing; Norfolk quail, pickled cherry and dandelion; and Flourish Farm tomato tart, with goat’s cheese and preserved wild garlic.

At the heart of the restaurant is the open grill kitchen and interior design takes inspiration from the local landscape; textures, patterns and tones that provide an intimate setting within the restaurant and the adjacent private dining room.

There will also be an exterior terrace which extends onto the garden overlooking River Cam. The garden itself offers a lighter, more informal Garden House menu.

Nestled in the centre of the hotel, a large, oval bar provides a focal point as the Garden Bar and lounge. Here, the drinks programme focuses on a wide range of British, European and new world wines, together with cocktails which speak to the history of the locality of Cambridge.

The café and flexible work and gathering spaces offer dining options from breakfast through to dinner. The menu takes its inspiration from the Garden House and provides a variety of dishes from signature burgers to seasonal salads, partnering with local makers for fresh breads and pastries.