life | style
Yarmouth, hugs the curve of the building where the entrance had been.
The place makes such a statement you hardly need to ask what he’s setting out to achieve. “It was key that this was more laid back than places I was in before, accessible to more people. I wanted to price it so it’s not just a special occasion place: you can’t go to many places and spend less than £80 to £100 for dinner for two. During the building stage the food was almost an afterthought, but now getting it right for the right price is paramount.”
The menus, worked out with sous chef Simon and the team, did slot almost miraculously into place. “There’s a whole mix of stuff, I’ll go from the classics and work from that, but there could be influences from Japan, Thailand and many other cuisines.” It will be local where possible but for Robert, seasonal food is key.
That much hasn’t changed: he has always been known for his classic cuisine with ingenious twists, but also wants to give the customer the complete experience. As the proprietor he is able to make this happen. When he was working for other people he often felt his hands were tied.
“If there were complaints about lack of ambience, lighting, music, sound quality – these were all things I struggled to change. So when I came here I wanted it to be bang on.”
There were many reasons why he left The Hambrough Group – “I’m not going to lie, the Winter Gardens was a difficult situation,” he says. But he learnt a huge amount from it all and looks back fondly on his time at The Hambrough. He famously left the Island that he loved, and was in the process of seeking his own place when he was introduced to the owner of The George Hotel in Yarmouth, and was pleased to return, bringing, incidentally, his sous chef Simon as well as James, both ex-Hambrough.
Things didn’t work out and the following 18
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months were a blur of cooking on cruise ships and private chef interviews in London.
It was at this point that he considered doing street food, looking at those iconic French catering vans. “I was sick of it, run ragged, I just thought ‘How can I get my own place?”
Now he can look back at all those experiences and take from them. Because he worked where there was no atmosphere he has created a place with both theatre (the kitchen) and intimacy (upstairs). Because he had little contact with his customers he is on hand for them: “With the taster menu each customer’s paying £62 for the food and £45 for the matching wines. You can’t just serve the food and not have the time to talk to them.”
Does he hanker after another Michelin star? “The awards and stuff, they’re not the only reason I do it of course but it would be good to get back in the Good Food Guide and the guide books, and if an award comes along that’s great for me and the team. Then people can come and say: ‘You can eat at a Michelin Star place for £12’, or go at night time and spend a shade more than you do at other restaurants and brasseries. I’d like that.”
Robert clearly has an instinct for business, (he laughs when asked if that’s something taught to training chefs) turning round the fortunes of The Pond despite its out of the way location, as well as those of The Hambrough and The George while he was there. But even so, ownership is a double-edged sword. “This is my baby. Businesswise I’ve got to make it work, I’ve got to pay back what I owe to family and friends. But I’m glad I’ve bought it: I’ve got nobody to answer to.”
The Great British Public might not see it that way. Robert’s head has long been above the parapet and to some he is fair game. “There are a lot of people who will criticise for the fun of it, who will take you to task because they want to have their say. That used to hurt quite a bit. But now I’ve learnt to take the positive and the constructive and use that. And smile.”
‘A log burner is ready to do its welcoming thing in cold evenings and a window seat, made from a storm-felled tree in Yarmouth, hugs the curve of the building’
A taste of excellence
Robert Thompson says he is never going to shake off the ‘posh’ label, but his prices have come down from where they were in the past. Starters are from £7 to £12, main courses from £15 going up to around £30 and desserts go from £7 to £9. He also has a tasting menu, £62 a head, and lunchtime menus at £17 for two. “I tried to make it within the reach of a lot more people. In terms of presentation I’ve brought it down a little, but it’d be wrong if I started to do paninis and baguettes, it wouldn’t be what I do.”
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