When he left school, he studied food at Henley College. At nineteen, he worked with Anton Mosimann OBE for eighteen months at The Dorchester, London and he also worked in France at Restaurant Guy Lassausaie and Restaurant Marc Meurin.
Adam then spent a few years working at country house hotels including Mallory Court. At 35, he went to work for chef and restaurateur Andreas Antona at Simpsons, at the original site in Kenilworth. When they moved site in 2005, Adam moved with the restaurant and worked his way up to the role of head chef at Simpsons in Edgbaston, Birmingham. In 2005, Adam was awarded the title of Midlands Chef of the Year. In 2010, he reached the final of the National Chef of the Year competition.
Image Credit: Jodi Hinds
The Cross at Kenilworth
After the success of Simpsons, Andreas Antona opened The Cross at Kenilworth. Originally established in the 19th century as an inn, the newly refurbished gastro pub and restaurant opened in 2013. Adam was appointed head chef, whilst in training for the Bocuse D’Or.
Shortly after opening, The Cross at Kenilworth was awarded its first Michelin star in 2014, making it the only restaurant in Warwickshire with the award. It has retained this feat in the Michelin Guide 2018. The restaurant also holds two AA Rosettes and was featured on the AA Notable Wine List 2017-18.
Bocuse d'Or
In 2013, Adam became Britain's youngest UK representative in the renowned Bocuse d'Or championships. Adam and the UK team reached the Bocuse D’Or final and his meat dish of truffled blue-legged chicken with mushrooms and tarragon was marked ‘best in class’.
Also on his team was commis chef, Kristian Curtis. At the main event in Lyon, they finished fourth and won the ‘Best Meat Course’ prize, achieving Britain's best result to date. Kristian was also awarded the ‘Best Commis’ prize. Adam returned to the Bocuse D’Or in 2015, where the UK team finished in sixth place in the European finals and tenth place overall.
Adam’s unique modern pan-European food style takes inspiration from his diverse culinary background. Current dishes from his produce-focused menu include loin of venison served with potato terrine, crushed roots, lingonberries, kale and Laphroaig sauce and braised fennel with giant cous cous, citrus butter sauce, endives and tarragon. They offer vegetarian and vegan menu options and dishes are expertly paired with wines from around the world.
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
1 Michelin Star Chefs: Adam Bennett, Chef Director, The Cross at Kenilworth
You may also like...
#chefstowatch
Ollie Bridgwater, Executive Head Chef, Gilpin Hotel: “It’s an inspiring place for me and the team to be”
#heroesofthehotplate
Francesco Dibenedetto: Brooklands by Claude Bosi is like ‘travelling in your Napier-Railton car all around the country to discover the best of British produce’
#news
The Staff Canteen Live 2024: Networking lunch at Lyla
#onthemenu
Elliot Hill: “It’s not just perfection on the plate; it’s perfection before the plate”
#news
The Staff Canteen Live 2024: Front of House Networking lunch at City Social
#chefstowatch
Robert Taylor, Chef/Owner, Tallow restaurant: “To stay busy, stay consistent and stay relevant”
#whatsinseason
April seasonal update
#editorials
Member of the Month March 2024: Jack Bond
#pastrychefs
Devin Jones: “Pastry just made sense to me. I enjoy it and I like the challenge of it.”
#news
Great British Menu 2024: Everything you need to know, which chefs are competing, who are the national finalists, when is the banquet and more
