J’AIME DECEMBER 2021

in keeping his team motivated when the hotel was
closed and they didn’t have any guests to feed.
“Getting the Paradise Carriage up and running in
the car park, and then taking it on the road in the
summer gave us all an opportunity to enjoy cooking
some great food that was totally different to what
we usually do, and to entertain guests outside of the
restaurant was just great fun.”
Lunar is something altogether different again - a
modern dining concept based around contemporary
small plates and larger sharing dishes. In their
approach to menu design and development, Niall
and Craig have taken inspiration from the rich
history of Staffordshire, aiming to represent the
local heritage of the Potteries on a plate, as well as
drawing on their own experiences.
“The idea is for everyone to enjoy sharing food
family style, in a relaxed yet elegant setting,” Niall
adds. “The menu is inspired by both mine and
Craig’s travels, with Asian influences and flavours
that showcase new techniques and give guests the
chance to try something new.”
From upcycling furniture to working with sustainable
suppliers, Lunar has strong environmental and
ethical standards running through its veins. There
is a prominent focus on nurturing local talent and
the team are clearly passionate about using suppliers
local to the restaurant as much as possible.
“I’ve already got a great relationship with Perry’s
Butchers in Eccleshall, who supplied the geese for
WEDGWOOD CLAY HAS EVEN BEEN
USED IN ONE OF NIALL’S DISHES
NIALL, RIGHT, HAS BEEN INSPIRED
BY HIS POTTERIES HERITAGE
one of my dishes on Great British Menu. They are
on board and have already stocked our meat aging
fridges ready for opening,” says Niall. “Lymestone
Brewery in Stone, who make my favourite beer -
Einstein - and own a pub called The Borehole, where
I always go when I’m back home, are also involved.
A close family friend, George Dyke, rears beef a few
miles away from home so we are hoping to serve his
excellent grass fed beef in the restaurant soon.”
As well as these existing relationships, they have met
other new suppliers in the area such as Smith’s Milk
Churn, a dairy farm between Stone and Stafford,
and Courtyard Coffee Roasters in Eccleshall,
during the planning process. The ingredients are
transformed with great skill and care into an exciting
and intriguing menu.
“My favourite dish on the menu has got to be the
Staffordshire Clay-Baked Chicken,” says Niall.
“Craig had an idea to use clay from Wedgwood in
the cooking methods somehow, and we’ve developed
a dish that is perfect for sharing at the table: a whole
chicken stuffed with treasured rice, that is baked in
the clay and then carved for everyone to share.”
Josiah Wedgwood’s influence is apparent throughout
your dining experience at Lunar, from the
carefully chosen interior palette inspired by his
experimentations with colour, down to the industrial
aesthetic as a nod to Wedgwood’s place in the
industrial revolution.
“The richest part of Stoke’s heritage is the Potteries,
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