Peterborough chef cooking up a treat for people who deserve it

“It is as bad as I have ever known it here,” said John, who has run the riverside Dog In A Doublet - home to his Smoke and Embers restaurant - for close to a decade.

“We are shut completely. The covid restrictions and now Lockdown means we could open for takeaways but there is no point - we have just lost so much trade with the roads to Peterborough and Whittlesey forever flooded and closed. I have given up financially - we are not going to make any money, it is a hopeless situation.”

John grabbed a few headlines last month when he announced he was temporarily relocating to the Ivy Leaf Club a mile or so away in Whittlesey (then in Tier 2) to do Christmas Day and Boxing Day lunch.

The new Tier announcements saw Boxing Day cancelled which meant he lost out financially, but John says the experience gave him the inspiration to help people in need.

“We had some older people come and I didn’t have the heart to charge them,” said John, “and I did not know there were so many people out there struggling.

“Deliveries for Christmas meant we had a load of stock which I put in the freezers as I couldn’t return it. Then I mentioned on social media that I would be happy to cook meals - our famous Sunday roasts or street food from KokKo LoCo - if people wanted to get in touch and nominate someone.

“So far we have done between 30 and 40 - a NHS worker’s family of four, a pensioner whose oven was broken, someone’s uncle living alone and fed up of cooking, all sorts. I Find out what they want and deliver it. Someone even asked for a Shepherd’s Pie I used to have on the menu - so I made one, took some round and me and the family had the rest.

“But people did so much more than nominate, they have been in touch wanting to sponsor meals too, to help fund me. Four or five people have been in with £100 in an envelope, one handed over £180, and even a friend in Spain saw my blog and sent money over. The generosity was unexpected and I now have a big pot to use for this cause, so I am appealing for people to nominate those that need help the most.” (see the Dog in a Doublet facebook page to nominate)

Despite the difficulties the much-travelled chef said he is going nowhere, adding: “It is the hardest time I have ever known here with lockdown and the flooding, but I am a survivor and I will still be here for years to come.”

Never one to stand still, though, John has turned his attention to his street food van, KoKo LoCo, based on the Ivy Leaf Club car park, which is going down a storm - and he says “keeping me busy and keeping the cashflow ticking over.”

He added: “I am basically doing the kind of thing that has been on the street food menu at the Dog - great burgers and proper lamb kebabs - as well as roasts on a Sunday which we deliver free. I think the street food scene has a big future and I am already working on a second van.”

Chris Newman, chef patron at Homme Nouveau in Whittlesey Market Place, had already taken the decision not to open throughout January, but has conceded it will now probably be March before he reopens the doors.

He will however be offering a ‘valentines banquet’ for delivery on valentines weekend in February, available to pre order the week before only.

Adebola Adeshina, at the Chubby Castor in Castor also decided to take a break once Peterborough moved into Tier 3 before Christmas, reopening on January 20.

With lockdown brought in this week, he now says he can’t see the restaurant reopening until March or April.

In the city centre, Gurkha Durbaar, in Broadway, will be continuing with its takeaway and delivery service - stepped up to every day of the week, 4pm to 9pm, with 25 per centre discount if collected.

Elsewhere in the city centre, Bombay Brasserie, Embe, Pizza House, Pizza Parlour, XOXO, The Ladz. Inari and German Doner Kebab - which only opened on the day Tier 3 restrictions were announced - will continue to offer takeaways, as will Gurkha Lounge and Mattoni at Hampton Vale.

2020 Wold Buffet in New Road won’t be joining them, though, and will remain closed - and planning for the Spring.