Harley Young enjoys a brilliant evening of fabulous food, top talent and pure Northern hospitality
Nestled snugly in the heart of in the leafy and picturesque village of Marple Bridge sits Fold; a quaint neighbourhood restaurant and bottleshop that, since its opening in early 2023, has won over the hearts of locals and picked up a few accolades along the way including an AA Rosette.
The kitchen is helmed by head chef Jake Rossington, who joined Fold as a sous chef during its opening year and instantly proved an ‘invaluable member of the team’. This humble restaurant runs like clockwork to produce incredible, innovative dishes whilst still providing a warm, friendly, relaxed atmosphere and stellar customer service, courtesy of restaurant manager Ana Thompson and her front of house team.
Last night (Thursday 14 August), the team at Fold kindly invited me to experience their exciting collaborative dinner alongside BBC’s Masterchef: The Professionals champion Dan Merriman, where they produced and served a six-course menu - three by Jake, three by Dan - celebrating the best of both chefs’ culinary skills.
The evening began with an exceptional pair of chef's snacks, kicking the evening off with an almighty bang, before moving onto a beautiful flower-shaped tear-and-share loaf accompanied by a trio of spreads, chutneys and dips.
Our first fish dish of the evening was a beautifully presented, floral and fragrant Shetland pollock in thai green sauce with fennel, swiftly followed by course three; XO glazed hand-dived scallop with an incredibly moreish kaffir lime, chicken fat and shiitake mushroom jus - slightly salty, slightly spicy and full of rich, umami flavours.
Course four, (the main, if you will) came in the form of a beautifully cooked 54-day-aged ribeye served with artichoke, olive and whipped feta for a bit of Mediterranean flair, followed by chef Dan’s ‘Pot of Joy’ pre-dessert, filled with all the things that make him happy. Pastry, cream, tonka bean ice cream, lime jelly and a wonderfully tart raspberry gel to get the mouth watering and cleanse the palate ready for the sixth and final course.
Dessert couldn’t have been more up my alley; 70% dark chocolate deconstructed black forest gateaux served with summer cherries and a hearty dollop of cherry sorbet to cut through the richness. A bittersweet end to a wonderful showcase of talent from both chefs.
The evening was well paced, portions were generous and full-throttle flavour was in absolute abundance.
From the minute my partner and I arrived until the moment we left, we were made to feel incredibly welcome and well taken care of. The front of house team, and even the chefs themselves when they had a spare moment, took time and genuine interest in getting to know you.
They’re also so incredibly grateful for the continued support from locals, providing community-centred events like a locals BBQ later this month where the people of Marple can come down and enjoy some top-quality late-summer dining on their new outdoor terrace.
Sure, it’s fine dining - but it’s nowhere near elitist. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to come and try their fantastic food and see what true culinary passion and Northern hospitality looks like.
Fold is the sort of place where words like ‘stuffy’ and ‘pretentious’ are left at the door and aren’t even vaguely thought about, let alone uttered.
To book a table, see the current menu, or find out what other events Fold is hosting in the coming months, visit foldbistro.co.uk.
FOLD, 7 Town St, Marple Bridge, Stockport SK6 5AA
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