New owners hope to restore the pub near the Northamptonshire border to its former gastronomic splendor

The Pheasant in Keyston and Martin and ZoeThe Pheasant in Keyston and Martin and Zoe

A once award-winning pub just outside the Northamptonshire border is reopening tomorrow (Friday) after more than a year of closure – and its new owners have high hopes for it.

The Keyston Pheasant, located only in Cambridgeshire but a few miles from Raunds and Thrapston, closed its doors in April last year during the first national Covid lockdown.

But it now has new owners hoping to bring it back to its former gastronomic glory, which included two AA rosettes and a bib connoisseur.

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Head Chef and one of the new owners, Martin Russell, said, “The Keyston Pheasant has been known as a popular foodie destination in the past and that is our intention for the future.

“That’s why we focused on re-establishing ourselves by just opening again.”

“We’re going to be great dining experiences, not gimmicks, but great food and people from all over the county and beyond.”

Both Martin and his partner Zoe have experience in some of the best hotels and restaurants in the country.

Martin began his career with renowned chef Paul Heathcote in his restaurants in Manchester. It was there that he discovered his love for modern British cuisine.

He was then appointed head chef at the popular The Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon, where he met Zoe and shortly thereafter began her next adventure, which included the popular, if not oddly named, Grumbley’s Bistro in the Peak District.

For Zoe, the Keyston Pheasant is kind of homecoming as she began her career as a pub waitress as a teenager and gained experience that led her to work at the Grand Osbourne Hotel in Torquay and then back to Cambridgeshire to the Old Bridge Hotel.

They promise a daily menu of dishes that showcase the best aspects of locally sourced ingredients.

Martin added, “We will look at the changing seasons and the sea, rivers, forests and hedges for inspiration to create unique dishes that speak of our providence.

“The Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire countryside has so much to offer our guests and we love to share all the exciting flavors all year round.”

At the time of opening, The Pheasant at Keyston will have created more than 20 new full and part-time jobs for the area.

It is hoped that as the food offering grows and the expanded garden area opened, the team will continue to expand and create more job opportunities for the local people.

Zoe, who leads the Front of House team, said, “The past year has shown all of us how much we value experiences like going to a pub and dining with friends and family, so we strive to provide the best possible experience to offer.” to our guests.

“We can do this while providing on-the-job training for the future service superstars.”

The Pheasant in Keyston will be open for lunch and dinner starting tomorrow, May 28, Wednesday through Sunday.

The owners say guests are encouraged to pre-book their visit using the booking link on their new website. They say visitors can drink in the bar without a reservation, but they are asked to check the website for hours of operation.

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