Welcome back to Nottingham for Orange tree head chef

Chef Ian Martin at the Orange Tree

Chef Ian Martin has returned to his roots in Nottingham and is back in the kitchen he helped to establish more than 12 years ago when he became the first head chef at the Orange tree pub in the city.

Ian has once again taken charge in the kitchen of the popular bar after returning to the city following a spell working abroad.

It’s a venue he knows well. He spent four years there as head chef when the pub opened in 2003.

Ian, 45, said: “It’s great to be back running the kitchen where I was the original head chef when it first launched back in 2003. It was very satisfying to be the launch chef and help to build up the good reputation for food that the Orange tree still has today.

“There’s been a lot of change in Nottingham in that time. There’s much more choice for eating and a much stronger presence from the chains, but there are fewer strong independent pubs, like the Orange tree, in my view.”

Coincidently, there’s another link for Ian to the building that houses the Orange tree on the corner of Shakespeare Street and North Sherwood Street.

Before he joined the Orange tree first time round, he had previously been head chef to Nottingham Forest Football Club, and the Orange tree sits on the site of the building in which the football club was born 150 years ago, in 1865. Then known as the Clinton Arms, it was the venue for a meeting of shinney players – who played a sport similar to hockey – and, when they decided to begin playing football instead, it was the start of Nottingham Forest Football Club.

During Ian’s first spell at the Orange tree, more than a decade ago, the menu was very much targeted at the student market. Now, however, the pub attracts a much wider clientele and the new Spring menu, which has just launched this month, has been designed to reflect that.

His appointment at the Orange tree marks a home-coming for Ian, who grew up in the city where his dad ran various pubs. Classically French trained, he undertook his chef’s training in Nottingham before working at a variety of positions in the region including at Nottingham Forest, where he travelled all over the world with the football team. He also worked as head chef at the county cricket ground at Derby.

After four years at the Orange tree, he moved on to run a bistro restaurant in the Canary Islands, and later became the head chef at a four-star hotel on the islands.

Ian, who is also head chef for Orange tree Weddings and the Orange tree group’s events side of the business, said: “Styles and fashions in food have changed over the years, but I’m really pleased that the Orange tree still has a good reputation for quality food and for a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. It’s good to have returned to the kitchen here.”

The Orange tree in Nottingham, part of the East Midlands-based independent Orange tree group of bars, serves food daily from noon until 7pm.

Group managing director Gareth Smith said: “We’re delighted to have Ian back at the helm in the kitchens in Nottingham. He knows the group, he knows the Nottingham pub, he knows the kitchen very well, and what’s really important is that he knows our customers.”

For more information, visit www.orangetree.co.uk/nottingham

Press release issued by Nottingham based pr company Perfect 10 PR http://www.perfect10pr.co.uk 

Wedding service launched by the Orange Tree in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire

East Midlands pub group the Orange Tree has launched a new weddings service as an extension to its outside bar facilities.

The group has hosted weddings at its Nottingham venue for some time, and has more than 12 years’ experience of running bars at events and festivals across the region.

Now the company is bringing its expertise together with the launch of Orange Tree Weddings, which will operate in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

The service aims to transform village halls and spaces into romantic wedding venues – creating a vintage-inspired, unique wedding venue.

As well as providing the bar, the Orange Tree Weddings service will offer catering, stylish decoration and a host of other items that make a wedding day special.

One of the first brides to choose the service was Mel Adams, who until recently was the general manager at the Orange Tree pub in Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, and whose quest for something a bit different for her wedding was the inspiration behind the launch of Orange Tree Weddings.

Mel, who is now running the new service and is also marketing assistant for the Orange Tree group, married Peter Adams in October, with an Orange Tree-style reception at Quorn Village Hall.

Orange Tree Group managing director Gareth Smith said: “As the former general manager at the Orange Tree in Nottingham, Mel has been involved in hosting many wedding receptions. She’s also played a key role in managing the bars at several festivals and events for the Orange Tree.

“She knew exactly what she wanted for her wedding reception, but discovered that no-one was offering this type of service, so she’s inspired us to launch our own. It means that brides and grooms across Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire will be able to have stylish and affordable wedding receptions in local village halls.”

Mel, who has a passion for vintage curiosities, is joined by head designer Julia Harwood.

Mel said: “No matter how basic the chosen village hall looks in the cold light of day, we can turn it into a romantic decorated scene using our decorations, drapes, bunting and lighting. We can provide hand-painted signage and props with personalised messages, and have collected attractive vintage cutlery and crockery and crisp white table runners with Jules’ homemade table runners made from vintage materials.

“Real cask ales and cocktails are a speciality on our bars, and we can offer a range of different food options to suit different party sizes and budgets.”

The Orange Tree Group, which has bars in Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham, has built up a reputation for the weddings it hosts at the Orange Tree in Shakespeare Street, Nottingham.

The new service means that Orange Tree-style weddings can now also be held elsewhere.

“We have an amazing range of vintage decorations that completely transform a village hall-type venue to provide a really unique, one-off experience for the happy couple and their guests,” said Mel. “The same quality of drinks and catering that we provide in-house will also be offered at these outside venues.

“It’s bringing together all the expertise we have in food, catering and design, and creating something different for couples who want a personal wedding that’s within their budget. Couples can leave all the planning, organisation and set-up in the hands of ourselves to enjoy their day to the fullest extent.”

Visit www.orangetreeweddings.co.uk for more information.

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk