INTERVIEW: James Hodgkinson, Oaks Restaurant and Bar

In a crowded Nottingham restaurant scene, the people behind the scenes are sometimes forgotten. That’s why we’ve spoken to one of the new wave of food whizzkids, James Hodgkinson, head chef at Oaks Restaurant and Bar.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your experience of the sector

I’ve always worked in the hospitality industry, beginning at the Rutland Square Hotel and Eastwood Hall as a commis chef while taking my NVQ 1, 2 and 3 at Clarendon College full time.

I left college and quickly became a chef de partie at the Victoria Club, a move that helped me gain more experience working in a kitchen environment. I then made the choice to go into contract catering, joining Capital One for 12 years. I was working as a sous chef, catering for large groups of people every day. It was a great job but I was itching to get creative again in the restaurant scene, so in May 2015 I made the decision to join OAKS.

Oaks was an obvious choice for me. I loved the idea of working with local suppliers and cooking on the unique cast-iron grill. I started as a sous chef but after proving my skills and passion, was soon promoted to head chef, a job I’ve dreamt of since first starting out 15 years ago.

Working in the hospitality industry is fast-paced and intense but it genuinely is rewarding to create a menu that customers rave about. I’m really proud of the team here and the great food and drinks we serve. To be the head chef is a brilliant experience.

What inspired you to join Oaks?

I was looking for a new challenge, something I could really get stuck in to. Being a new restaurant, Oaks gave me the perfect opportunity to really help craft a new menu.

The custom-built cast-iron grill was also a real draw for me. There’s nothing like it in Nottingham and just a few restaurants in the whole of the UK cook in this way. There’s just something about cooking over fire that creates an intense flavour that is really satisfying. We even use it to grill the tomatoes for our Bloody Marys!

I understand your menu is based on local produce. What’s the thinking behind this?

Working with local suppliers is massively important to us. It’s good for the county’s economy, better for the environment and helps to create more jobs in the area. It really makes us stand out, especially in the city centre.

We use as much local produce as possible – the wood we use for the grill is sustainably coppiced by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, our sausages are made by Tuxfords Butchers in Netherfield, even a lot of our drinks are local, Castle Rock Beers and Starkey’s apple juice for example. It’s great to work with local suppliers and it does genuinely make a difference by working together with smaller businesses to carry on traditions. Every producer we work with is incredibly passionate about their products and that care is seen in every meal and drink we serve.

The Midlands is often forgotten, stuck between the North and London so we’re really trying to put Nottingham on the map as a great food destination. There are obviously a lot of places to eat in the city but the county also produces some great quality food and drinks that should be celebrated, so that’s exactly what we’re doing!

What’s next for the restaurant?

Oaks will be celebrating its first birthday soon so we’re really building on the brilliant things we’ve been able to achieve so far.

We’re one of the first restaurants in the city to offer up to two hours of unlimited Prosecco and Bloody Mary with our Bottomless Brunch on Saturdays so we’re looking forward to more of our customer’s experiencing this.

We have had some great feedback on our cracking Sunday Roast which has an added bonus of letting kids eat for free. We are also really proud of our #RumpDay steak offer from £10 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays which we know the diners love.

Ultimately, it’s all about serving great quality, local food and drinks at reasonable prices. Whether it’s a family meal, date night or after work drinks.

Why do you think the food and drink sector is booming in Nottingham? What does the area have to offer that’s unique?

The hospitality industry has really grown in Nottingham and it can feel like there’s a new restaurant opening every week. If anything, the competition is a good thing as it keeps everyone working even harder to serve the best food and drinks around.

As a head chef, it’s a really exciting city to be cooking in. Every restaurant is serving up something unique and Nottingham is building a great reputation for its food and drink scene. People here are always keen to try something new but they want quality too. Our menu really focuses on classic food done really well with a fresh spin, it’s exactly what our customers are looking for and a pleasure to cook.