Food for thoughts

On one side John Hudgell, once sandwich entrepreneur and now smart restaurateur, is a man on an ethical mission, albeit a softly softly one. Snappily dressed, businesslike in his dealings, this is not your average eco-warrior in dreadlocks and sandals, but John’s environmental pitch and the verve of that message is a convincing one. On the other, on an epicurean crusade, is head chef David Williams who has run some of the best kitchens in the UK from Kent to East Lothian after training in the near godly kitchens of Joel Robuchon in Paris. Technically skilled, his experience cooking top class ingredients and a natural flair for perfecting flavour, texture and presentation have convinced John he has found the ‘right man for the job’.

Together they are making Alimentum the most talked about address on the Cambridge foodie scene. Already after just 14 months from opening, the AA Restaurant Guide has rewarded Alimentum with three AA Rosettes for culinary excellence, putting them in their select top ten of restaurants in East Anglia. Accolades and fame come well down the list of priorities for John, clearly motivated to do the best for his guests, valued team and the environment but which in turn brings the recognition and rewards.

The eco message rather like that of local food is often a glib one in the case of restaurant marketing, loose speak easily banded about to get the interest of press and potential guests rarely backed up with dedication and provenance. Here the green credentials are deep rooted and impressive, their actions do speak louder than just words – fully inspecting farms for animal husbandry, sustainable sources of safe fish stocks, GM free suppliers, ethical despatching of shellfish, energy efficient equipment including hydro carbon refrigeration, recycling of grease from waste water for bio fuels, even the bones bought in to boil down for stocks are all free range, the ‘reduce, re-use and recycle’ mantra demonstrates results. Now if being green conjures up visions of rice crackers, lentils and cabbage soup, Alimentum is as epicurean as they come notwithstanding a focus on origins and principles.

The local small production food use is admirable too, rare breed beef comes from Tilbury Meadow in north Essex, and pork from the ‘plum pudding’ black and sandy pigs roaming nearby woods, their foraging acting as a purposeful woodland management tool. In fact Alimentum are in the running for the upcoming RSPCA Good Business Awards 2008 as one of five finalists in the Independent Restaurant Category, so watch this green space. But if foie gras is to you manna sent from heaven, then one won’t be disappointed but no product of Gallic gavage and their force-feeding geese here. John tracked down farmer Senor de Sousa and his free-ranging greedy flock near Seville in south-west Spain, observing their entirely natural gorging on acorns and figs sin interferencia de mano, who intuitively fill their bellies seasonally in preparation for the winter.

The first restaurateur in the UK to have welfare friendly foie gras on the menu, John’s happy diners can just as contentedly graze on what is their most popular starter entirely guilt free. David’s repertoire is reassuring and broadly French influenced – his menu language might be simple, the multi-faceted food delivers on many layers, evident in honey roast quail, Alimentum ‘coleslaw’ or roast pig’s head, poached duck egg, crispy risotto at starter. His piggy main course is a mainstay, four hour roast pork belly, crispy pig parts, Pink Lady apples while another seasonal offering is day boat caught hake, crushed potatoes, Scottish girolles and carrot purée. The cheese board is well chosen, small in number, big on different tastes, while a sweet tooth is well catered for, perhaps Manjari Valhrona chocolate tart with new season cherries or crème brûlée, strawberry and raspberry salad.

If all the gastronomic and ethical prowess is not enough, there is sufficient chic in the interiors to impress even the most stylish of sophisticates. And finally music being the food of love, their Tuesday night jazz club feeds the senses, combining supper with new wave and trad performances from some of London’s rising stars.

The AA Three Rosettes award states that it is “awarded to outstanding restaurants that demand recognition well beyond the local area”, I think Alimentum should stay our own little secret…

Alimentum, 152-154 Hills Road, Cambridge, Cambs.
T: 01223 413000  W: restaurantalimentum.co.uk