James Cross

Chef James Cross's culinary philosophy is rooted in a profound appreciation for exceptional quality ingredients, transforming them into wholesome and delicious dishes that intimately reflect their locality. He sources produce meticulously from across Northern Europe, complementing it with ingredients foraged from the pristine Cumbrian coasts, fields, and forests. This dedication to origin is evident in his use of specific, high-quality items such as aged Comte from France, dry-aged Belted Galloway or Herdwick beef, seasonal Norwegian Skrei cod, and Orkney scallops, all dictated by the dynamic rhythm of the seasons. His early experiences managing an organic farm and foraging for wild mushrooms instilled in him a deep, foundational respect for produce, a principle further solidified during his pivotal tenure at Noma, where he embraced a philosophy of local ingredients, freedom, creativity, and innovation. At Lake Road Kitchen, Cross extends this ethos into a vision of diverse tasting menus that emphasize distinctive dining experiences. His overarching goal is to create dishes that, while seemingly simple, are in fact refined, complex, and creatively executed, continually pushing the boundaries of modern dining. This commitment to flavour, quality, and meticulous attention to detail, from initial sourcing to final presentation, underpins the restaurant's acclaimed reputation. His ambition is to maintain this high standard, ensuring continued guest satisfaction and the vibrant success of his proudly independent establishment. Chef James Cross's technical mastery is a culmination of rigorous training at some of the world's most esteemed culinary institutions, including Simpsons, La Pergola under Heinz Beck, Per Se with Thomas Keller, and a pivotal two-year tenure at Noma with Rene Redzepi. This pedigree manifests in a highly refined and innovative approach, deeply influenced by traditional cooking methods. His kitchen at Lake Road Kitchen is a testament to techniques like cooking over fire, sophisticated fermentation processes, meticulous dry aging, and precise pickling, all employed to achieve "exceptional flavour and creativity." His culinary style marries global influences with a commitment to local ingredients, resulting in dishes that are often "deceptively simple to the eye, but are refined, complex and creative" in their execution and flavor profiles. This intricate balance is exemplified in his legendary signature dishes: * The Slow-Cooked, Roasted Octopus Tentacle: A dish famed for its precise preparation, where tentacles are cooked for an extraordinary 56 hours at 63 degrees before being pan-finished. It's then plated with a vibrant fermented wild garlic purée, rich hung yoghurt, and a meticulously selected array of seasonal wild herbs such as nasturtium, sweet cicely, pickled pine, or archangel nettle, reflecting the time of year. * Smoked Shetland Monkfish: This dish showcases his command of smoke and delicate flavor pairing, with the fish smoked in-house over sweet oak for five hours and served alongside creamy burrata, all brought together by a complex sauce crafted from golden beetroot, stem ginger, and mace. * LRK Fried Chicken: A popular Korean-style rendition, fried twice for ultimate crispness, then coated in a distinctive glaze made from agave nectar and a blend of four different Mexican chilli peppers, demonstrating his flair for global fusion and bold flavors.

Career

• Chef at Simpsons Restaurant, Birmingham
• Chef at La Pergola, Rome
• Chef at Per Se, New York
• Chef at Noma, Copenhagen
• Owner and Head Chef at Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside

Mentored by Luke Tipping, Heinz Beck, Thomas Keller, Rene Redzepi.