Spilling the beans on a HIDDEN culinary gem

AWARD-WINNING chef Cris Cohen has returned to Stokeon-Trent's culinary scene to make his mark once again.

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His latest fine-dining venture - H I D D E N - welcomed its first diners last month. More on that intriguing name later, it may be that I've broken a golden rule.

Tucked away in the heart of the Spode Works Studios, H I D D E N has taken over the show from Cris' former restaurant, The Chef's Table.

The intimate venue seats just 10 guests, with Cris preparing the food at the table side with the help of his brother and son.

The restaurant is serving up nine-course meals on Thursday and Friday nights, along with a five-course lunch service on Saturday afternoons. Cris says bookings are running out fast in the restaurant's first limited-time run, with more spaces only becoming available when it reopens again next year.

I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to the opening night to see what all the fuss was about.

The evening started with a series of warm introductions to the other guests as we sat around the table.