Award winning chef Adam Jackson is about to launch a new destination restaurant in North Yorkshire, saying ‘I’ve achieved Michelin stars in my career, now the priority is to make people happy with good food’. RORY BUCCHERI reports

Following a long history of successes, Chef Adam Jackson is about to embark on another exciting venture at The Old Deanery in Ripon. Teamwork and creativity will take centre stage at the new destination restaurant opening its doors in November 2023.

"The mission for [the Old Deanery] is to serve some very nice food at a decent price point, not too expensive, and to make the food as good as it can possibly be," he told The Press.

When attending local events, Adam is passionate about sharing with people the inspiration behind the food - something that is harder to convey on Instagram posts and online marketing.

The business concept is to have a destination location at the Old Deanery, with the hotel rooms and the restaurant functioning together. At present, they estimate 60 per cent of diners will be staying at the hotel, but approximately 15-20 covers will be open to people coming just for the restaurant.

This new project has a new meaning for Adam, who wants to put food before fame.

York Press: Chef Adam JacksonChef Adam Jackson

"My goal is to serve food that is exactly what I want, and what my chefs want," the chef said.

"Michelin stars are always on every chef’s mind," he confesses. "I’ve achieved that before. Now I am thinking: the primary thing for me is to make people happy, and for the food to be good."

For the food to be the best it can be, Adam is counting on a team effort, and on the creative trialling and tasting process to be in the hands of his small team of chefs.

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"I have a team of very food-oriented, talented young chefs and I want them to have ownership of the food we make," he said.

"I don’t want to be the only person having input on the food. If my chefs don’t have any ownership, how can they love it, and produce it every day 12 hours a day?"

We can expect the menu to consist of approximately 12 to 13 courses varying in size, with three game snacks, one fish snack, one bread course, one fish course, one meat course, a fruit-based palate cleanser, chocolate dessert, optional cheese course, and final course.

York Press: The Old Deanery, RiponThe Old Deanery, Ripon

The price tag is currently set at £85-£95, cheaper than most of its kind according to the chef’s own words, because of the lack of accolades such as Rosettes or Michelin stars.

"We don’t want to pigeon-hole ourselves, and it’s exciting to have a different audience. On the hotel side, people can come and have a couple of glasses of wine without the thought of driving back home.

"At the end of the day it becomes a destination experience, a high-street restaurant in a well-known hotel."