FIFTY TWO Rudding Park, Harrogate: Michelin-starred chef shares cooking process for ‘proper Sunday roast’
Adam Degg is the head chef at Rudding Park’s FIFTY TWO restaurant and has shared his cooking process for a ‘proper Sunday roast’.
Adam Degg, who is originally from Birmingham, carved himself a reputation in Yorkshire since he opened the Rudding Park restaurant FIFTY TWO in May 2024.
However, his culinary career began when he was 16 years old by accident when he stumbled into a commercial kitchen after missing the train home from playing football.
Adam has since worked for various restaurants in London, as well as a hotel in Birmingham.
Since establishing FIFTY TWO, he has been inspired by the produce grown at the Kitchen garden at Horto at Rudding Park.
FIFTY TWO achieved Michelin status this year.
A Sunday wouldn’t be complete without a ‘proper roast’, Adam said.
“Most weeks it’s a roast chicken; it’s simple but when it’s done well it’s hard to beat,” he said.
“Nothing goes to waste either, which is something we’re very conscious of at FIFTY TWO as well.
“I’ll always use the carcass to make a broth or bone soup as we call it at home! Which turns into something really comforting the next day.
“If I’ve got a bit more time, I’ll do a braised lamb shoulder and cook it low and slow until it’s just falling apart.
“The leftovers nearly always end up in my son Jacob’s school sandwiches the next day, so it’s a meal that keeps on giving!”
While at his Michelin-starred restaurant, cooking is very precise and considered with a lot of thought going into each ingredient, for Adam cooking at home is more casual.
“At home it’s much more relaxed and instinctive; I still care about good produce but I don’t have my team running doing hours of prep!” he said.
“I cook a lot of pasta at home because it’s quick and comforting, and you can make something really good from just a few ingredients.
“I also cook quite a lot of Asian food; I love those punchy flavours and the balance you get in things like broths, noodles or quick stir-fries. It’s the kind of cooking that feels quite natural after a long day in the kitchen.
“Lunch is usually something simple or leftovers, but dinner is when I’ll properly cook if I’ve got the time.
“I don’t get to see Emily and the boys as much as I’d like so it’s important to me to make something nice for them when I can.”