My experience at Harrogate luxury hotel's 'immersive dining experience' at Fifty Two restaurant
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Attracted by the promise of an "immersive fine dining experience", I'd noticed The Guardian no less had already beaten a path to Fifty Two at Rudding Park with its open kitchen overseen by its talented and very personable head chef Adam Degg.
Fortunately, my predecessor in the queue of reviewers wasn't Jay Rayner whose shoes, it has to be admitted, are big ones to fill.
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Hide AdThe first thing to mention about Fifty Two which is tucked in nicely next to Rudding Park's carefully-tended kitchen garden - more on that later - is that the restaurant itself has been made from reconfigured shipping containers.


Not that you would really notice that in the welcoming glow of the seven metre-long kitchen island where Adam Degg, the star of BBC2's Great British Menu 2024, TV's toughest professional cookery competition, is beavering away amid the stylish1960s Habitat decor with happy efficiency in front of your eyes.
It's all very up close and personal in a casual fashion without the point being laboured.
There is only one sitting per evening and the small number of covers; there are only five tables, guarantees you feel that you are, indeed, in select company.
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Hide AdAs food theatre, Fifty Two is an instant hit but what is the food itself like?


Well, until the very moment heads chef Adam or one of his team of four wander across in a friendly fashion to talk about each course, you really have no idea.
But it soon becomes clear that each of the ten different dishes, whether small or more substantial, has been put together with a huge amount of thought, much like every other part of the experience at Fifty Two.
Favourite moments come thick and fast.
Roscoff onion sable, yoredale cheese custard, garden alliums.


Trout rillettes, honey soda bread, remoulade, mustard.
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Hide AdSalt aged fallow deer, saddle and haunch, onion tatin, parsnip, sauce Robert.
The work in the galley kitchen, Adam informs me, begins each day at noon.
By the time guests such as myself are arriving in early evening, the whole Fifty Two machine is purring like a well-oiled machine in whisper mode.
Excellent service with minimum fuss.
A key ingredient of each dish is the Rudding Park's Kitchen Garden where Kitchen Gardener, Emma Pugh and her team grow over 500 different edible plants in 52 raised beds.
Nothing that arrives is anything except delicious.
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Hide AdImportantly, everything boasts those impressively quirky little flavour details that only the truly gifted chefs manage to bring to the plate.
That welcome characteristic extends to the series of fantastic pairing drinks, unusual at times in a tasty way, which are optional but well worth splashing out for.
The miracle of all this hard work by everyone involved with Fifty Two is that there is nothing intimidating about the experience, no feeling that this is some sort of test you need to pass.
No pretension, no pomposity, no feeling of 'us and them.
In fact, and this is, perhaps, the most surprising aspect of Fifty Two, it is all great fun. Adam and the rest of his happy crew conjur up the atmosphere of a relaxed dinner party at home with great food and drink, great company and great conversation with almost effortless ease.
High quality has never been this low key.
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Hide AdAt one point I find myself donning an apron to join the crew in the galley.
Not that I dare try to contribute to the evening's proceedings.
That would be like scribbling on a Ming vase.
Fifty Two is not a cheap night out but I've never had so much fun or such a great time at any previous tasting menu fine dining with all the trimmings experience.
It's as if for just one night, the chefs at this fantastic new Harrogate restaurant are your's and your's alone. Unless you choose to go again.
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Hide AdDining at Fifty Two, Rudding Park, Harrogate Friday and Saturday 10 servings, 5 drinks pairings. £115 per person / £50 per person drinks pairing. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday We offer a wallet-friendly experience with a few less dishes than you'll find on other nights of the week. 6 servings, 5 drinks pairings. £85 per person / £50 drinks pairing per person.
One sitting 7pm, arrival drink included.
More information at: https://fiftytworuddingpark.co.uk/