I drove down to Castor to meet Ade on a bright summer’s morning. The restaurant looked perfect in its setting, with its quaint thatched roof and roses trailing up the front of the building. Sound from within came of food preparation and table setting, in anticipation of what was going to be a full house at lunch. I was here to discuss Ade’s ambitious plans for the future.

The fine dining offering

Since opening in 2017, The Chubby Castor has become a destination for fine dining, and the food never fails to impress. ‘We are thrilled to be awarded a Michelin plate three years in a row by Michelin’, Ade told me, ‘and also named by Hardens and Square Meal.’

And, with the addition of a sizeable vegetable garden out the back, the emphasis will be still more on local, ultra-fresh ingredients. Ade describes his cooking stye as ‘clean, fresh, seasonal and light’. A signature dish is the monkfish with Blue Bay mussels, kohlrabi, sea vegetables, curry velouté.

The decor

The bar and dining area have had a refresh, with a new service bar, new chairs and pictures, and a more intimate layout. An antique mirror has been added in the far room. Very charming indeed, and a little more intimate than before. The route to the kitchen has been opened up, so that you can admire the hive of activity in the kitchen during service and get the feeling of how much effort and energy goes into every dish. The space in front of the restaurant is quaint and well kept, now with new granite-and-marble tables.

Ade and his team

Early in his career, Ade started working with the Aubergine team under Gordon Ramsay. He remained with Ramsay for six years, cooking at the three Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay restaurants and at Petrus under Marcus Wareing. Ade has also worked under Philip Howard and Eric Chavot.

He then decided to move to our patch, as the Michelin Guide explains: ‘Having spent most of his life in London, Adebola Adeshina found a new home in this 400-year-old thatched pub. Inside it’s surprisingly modern, with a smart lounge and an intimate linen-laid dining room. Time-honoured recipes are reworked, with flavourful dishes presented in a restrained modern vein.’

Many of his team of 15 have been with him since then and are very committed to the continuing success of the establishment. All the staff have a passion for what they do and offer a highly professional yet informal service.

A dining destination

People keep coming back and back to The Chubby Castor for the quality of the food and the informal friendliness of the service. This is an establishment worth travelling for. We expect great things going forward, and it is already firmly in our list of ‘Top 5’ eating establishments in our region.

NEW The new bistro offering: The Yard 

Ade has put a lot of time and energy over the last few months into creating a new space and a relaxed dining offering in the garden area behind the restaurant, which he will be calling ‘The Yard’. This is a bistro offering that he hopes to have up and running by the start of August. 

Dishes here will include a classic Caesar salad and calves’ liver, plus a BBQ offering. Whilst more informal, it will retain the same high standards of The Chubby Castor fine dining in the main restaurant.

Ade has created a stunning patio area with views over the vegetable garden and an outside kitchen. It’s a really exciting addition to The Chubby Castor.

34 Peterborough Road, Castor, Peterborough PE5 7AX, 01733 380801, www.thechubbycastor.com