Garden House

Garden House Graduate

CAMBRIDGE

Words: Jenna Campbell

IN A BITE Owner: AJ Capital Partners Operator: Schulte Hospitality Group (hotel), White Rabbit Projects (F&B) Architecture: SHH Interior Design: Graduate Hotels in-house Executive Chef: Adam Wood F&B Manager: Natascha Laksono Bar Manager: Ben Lees www.gardenhousecambridge.co.uk

Located on the banks of the River Cam within walking distance of Cambridge’s famous colleges, Garden House is a new waterside restaurant from chef Adam Wood, focusing on open-flame cooking and seasonal East Anglian produce.

Set within Graduate Cambridge – the first European outpost for US-based Graduate Hotels – the venue honours the original Garden House Hotel that stood on the same site for much of the 20th century. It now incorporates a restaurant, bar and café with flexible gathering areas and an al fresco terrace, all developed and operated in partnership with White Rabbit Projects, the group behind UK dining hotspots such as Kricket, Lina Stores and Island Poké.

At Garden House, interiors are the work of Graduate Hotels’ in-house design studio, and take inspiration from the pastoral English countryside with colour palettes, patterns and textures reflecting the surrounding landscape. The restaurant pairs natural materials such as timber and stone with upholstery in rich shades of forest green alongside floral prints, while the bar takes on a more intimate ambiance thanks to a leafy mural overhead.

The cuisine is driven by the seasons and celebrates the best of East Anglian and British produce cooked over fire. Drawing on the rich agricultural history of the area, there’s a focus on hyper-seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers and gamekeepers; fruit and vegetables come from nearby Flourish Produce for example, while meat is provided by Huntsham Court – a specialist in traditional breeds and high welfare farming. The evolving menu features dishes such as raw longhorn beef with soured cream, salted blackcurrants and coriander alongside grilled Norfolk quail with pickled cherry and chicory.

The drinks programme also takes inspiration from local nature and history, with cocktails – such as River Cam Fix – mixed using homemade cordials. Partnerships with the likes of Cambridge Distillery will also see locationspecific events hosted onsite.