Fourth Floor Café: 10 Years Of Food Trends

Celebrating a decade milestone anniversary this autumn and having just received the news that they have been nominated in six award categories at the forthcoming Leeds Restaurant Association Award 2006, Head Chef Richard Walton-Allen looks back on the food trends that have passed through the Harvey Nichols Fourth Floor Café kitchen and the food world in general since its opening in 1996.

The 90's saw an invasion and domination by sun-dried tomatoes to the masses in sandwiches and salads. Regional cities became hot spots for gastronomic eating and most importantly food became fashionable. Customers began to appreciate food's quality, gone were the ingredient-filled tarts and chocolate mousses and in came the traditional puddings with a twist.

"Our first menu in 1996 offered a combination of Thai Fishcakes with Sweet Chilli Sauce, Loin of Lamb with Niçoise garnish and signature dishes such as Roast Cod with Pea Purée. As one of the first contemporary dining restaurants in Leeds, we were very different. I felt it was our responsibility to encourage customers about the joys of dining out" said Richard Walton-Allen.

Following Walton-Allen's time spent in Australia, the menu gradually evolved throughout the late 90's and early into 2000 with introductions of Australian infused dishes using fish roe and pan Asian ingredients such as choy sum.

The last few years have seen this importance and passion grow for great food, suppliers and provenance of produce and as a result classic dishes have been deconstructed and reconstructed. Good taste is now the only rule, and there's been no better time to be eating and cooking in Britain. "The centrepiece which drives our menu is local ingredients or products with a strong story of provenance. We recently introduced produce to the Café such as the world's first organic, sustainable cod from Shetland and Yorkshire award-winning Dexter Beef, reflecting the importance of ethically sourced produce. I want my customers to know exactly where the ingredients have come from and I can guarantee this"

Looking towards the future, Walton Allen predicts the Yorkshire palette will become more accepting of new dishes, "We provide a modern eating experience and the kitchen strives to create interesting dishes from around the world while using locally sourced produce. I see Japanese inspired dishes creating a strong following in Leeds but looking to the future I see provenance sticking strong."

Walton-Allen sums up the 10 years of Harvey Nichols Fourth Floor Cafe, "Looking back on customers to the Fourth Floor, we have served almost 2,500,000 customers; who have consumed more than 55,000 glasses of champagne, 42,560 desserts and 559,520 cups of espresso in the downstairs coffee bar - pretty impressive for the city centre Fourth Floor which plays host to the 90-seat Café and Bar."

Opening times

Breakfast:
Mon-Fri 10:00am-12noon
Sat 10.00am -11.30am

Lunch:
Mon-Fri 12noon-3:00pm
Sat-Sun 12noon-4:00pm

Afternoon Tea:
Mon-Weds 3:00pm-5:00pm
Thurs-Fri 3:00pm-8:00pm
Sat 4:00pm-6:00pm

Dinner:
Thurs-Fri 5:30pm-10:00pm
Sat 7:00pm-10:00pm

Contact the Fourth Floor Café on 0113 204 8000