J’AIME DECEMBER 2021

F O O D & D R I N K
A Lunar experience
LUNAR BY NIALL KEATING OPENED WITH A RED CARPET RECEPTION AT
WORLD OF WEDGWOOD IN STAFFORDSHIRE THIS NOVEMBER. KATY
EDGINGTON LEARNS MORE FROM THE TWO MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF
Staffordshire-born Niall Keating is one of just a
handful of chefs in the UK to hold two Michelin
stars right now, as Executive Chef of The Dining
Room at Whatley Manor in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
You may recognise him as the BBC’s Great British
Menu Champion of 2020.
When Ed Myhill and Craig Wilkinson of The Great
British Experience Company (the minds behind The
Great British Drive In, London experience ‘The
Murder Express’ and Stafford’s Alberts Cafe) invited
Niall to oversee Lunar, a new modern dining concept
opening at World of Wedgwood’s Barlaston site in
the heart of Staffordshire, he leapt at the chance.
With a well-deserved reputation as one of the leading
chefs in the country today, Niall has of
course had various different proposals
and opportunities present themselves over
the last few years, but he says “nothing
felt quite right as coming home”.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to
open a restaurant in Staffordshire,” Niall
says. “I’m so proud of home and to have
the opportunity to create something
special in the area is really exciting.”
Lunar takes over the former dining
hall at the historic Wedgwood estate.
The canteen-style setting has been
transformed into a sophisticated new
restaurant where guests can experience
modern British cuisine served only on
Wedgwood fine bone china. The team
hope it will bring a welcome breath of
fresh air to the local food and drink scene.
“Being so close to bigger cities such as
Manchester and Birmingham, which
have great restaurants and bars, means
Stoke often gets forgotten about as
somewhere that has great potential for
the hospitality industry,” Niall says. “A
modern dining experience like Lunar
is perfect for the area - and what has
been missing. It’s a great chance for people to try
something new and for both the staff and guests to
get excited about local produce and celebrate the
history that’s always been here.”
The opening comes in the wake of a very tough
period for the whole hospitality industry, but Niall
for one has clearly not been resting on his laurels for
the past 18 months. The Paradise Carriage started
life as a street food trailer at the Exchange Bar and
Kitchen in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Niall began
using it during the first lockdown in 2020 to cook
and deliver meals to key workers, before taking it to
Whatley Manor as a drive-through takeaway venture.
He explained that it played a really important role
STAFFORDSHIRE-BORN NIALL
KEATING, LEFT, IS OPENING LUNAR
AT THE WORLD WEDGWOOD
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