Fox’s bright start earns Michelin recognition

There was unexpected joy at The Fox at Folksworth with a surprise listing in the coveted Michelin Restaurant Guide for 2018, which was published last Thursday.

The pub/restaurant only opened in April - effectively relocating the former Clarkes and Cafe Clarkes restaurants from Peterborough city centre.

It offers modern British cuisine in a traditional pub setting, following a massive refurbishment of the redundant building which had been falling into rack and ruin for four years.

The Guide Inspectors said: “The Fox’s dining room is hung with chandeliers and its light, bright bar is filled with designer furniture and has sliding doors which open onto a huge terrace. Dine on pub favourites or more creative modern dishes.”

Dinesh Odedra, one of the team behind the venture, was caught a little unaware by the entry, saying: “We didn’t submit an application, so it’s been a pleasant surprise.

“It’s reinforced our belief that trying to cook great food will get recognition without having to try and ‘cook for the inspectors’.”

The Fox was the only new entry from the Peterborough patch, with a number of others reinforcing their places in the coveted publication

The Blue Bell at Glinton made it five years in a row since Will Frankgate took over in the kitchen; and it was a similar story for The Beehive off Bourges Boulevard in the city centre, which recently converted to a fish and chip restaurant, and The Crown at Elton, which have been featured for even longer.

Fine dining venue Prévost, in Priestgate, a new entry in the 2017 Guide, rounded off a great year for Lee Clarke and the team cementing their place in the 2018 Michelin Guide, weeks after debuting in the Good Food Guide as Peterborough’s sole representative.

Stamford is once again well represented. Town centre favourites The George, The William Cecil and its sister pub/restaurant The Bull and Swan all retain their listing in the new edition of the red book.

So too does last year’s surprise inclusion, the popular Turkish restaurant Zada on St Mary’s Hill, which has gone from strength to strength since being recognised by the guide.

Zada manager Iva Banyalieva said: “I am really excited and proud for our second year listing in the Michelin Guide. It definitely means we are keeping the same standard as the last year.

“All the team work really hard to provide good service and quality food at an affordable price. Being in the Michelin guide doesn’t necessarily mean you are an expensive, over the top restaurants and I think our restaurant proves it. “We are working on a new menu and presentation in order to celebrate our second year anniversary in the Michelin Guide.”

Further out of town The Six Bells at Witham-on-theHill and The Wicked Witch at Ryhall have further enhanced their credentials with their continued place in the guide for 2018 as have Rutland’s The Olive Branch at Clipsham and the Michelin starred Hambleton Hall.