Owners Michael and Imogen North’s Oxfordshire freehold the Nut Tree, Murcott, was closed for six weeks whilst the kitchen was given a £350,000 overhaul, including the building of an extension and replacing equipment.
Michael North, who previously worked as head chef at acclaimed eatery the Goose, Britwell Salome, said: “The kitchen we had before had performed really well but it was very small and cramped and difficult to work in – it was tired and old and nearly everything needed replacing.
“We’ve gone all electric and the extension was done to accommodate the new equipment - it was a huge investment but we felt it was the right thing to do. Hopefully this will prove more cost efficient than just replacing things every few years would have been.”
New additions to the kitchen include a bespoke Athenor island suite, two Rational combination ovens – one in the main kitchen and another for the pastry section, under-counter Eco-Pro refrigeration from Fosters, freezer units and a new stove supplied by Grande Cuisine.
North said: “The actual construction itself was undertaken by one of our locals, a contractor, who drinks and eats with us regularly. He got his guys in to do the job and they’ve done fantastically.”
Award-winning eats
- The Nut Tree has held a Michelin star for seven years as well as two AA rosettes.
- It ranked 28th in this year’s Budweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastropubs.
- Last year the pub featured on BBC’s A Taste of Britain with Brian Turner and Janet Street Porter.