Tickets for the lunch are priced at £45, with diners offered a menu designed around seasonal produce and Mark’s modern British cooking style.
The meal will begin with a Fen Ditton Jerusalem artichoke velouté with smoked duck and sherry vinegar jelly, followed by cured chalk stream trout served with cucumber, yoghurt and dill. The main course will feature 70-day aged sirloin with red onion, apple, horseradish, celeriac and red wine.
Dessert will see one of Mark’s signature dishes return: an apricot and almond ice cream sandwich with Amaretto.
Ongoing fundraising beyond the event
The charity lunch forms part of a wider, ongoing fundraising effort at Ancient Shepherds. Since opening, the restaurant has encouraged diners to purchase a £5 “invisible dish”, with the full amount donated directly to its partner charities.
The team has also donated a seven-course menu with wine pairing to Jimmy’s thirtieth anniversary gala auction and pledged to raise £2,500 for Centre 33 as part of the Big Give Christmas Campaign.
Supporting vulnerable communities in Cambridge
Jimmy’s Cambridge highlighted the impact of the restaurant’s continued support. Cat Strawbridge, head of fundraising and communications at Jimmy’s Cambridge, said: "The generosity shown by The Ancient Shepherds team is truly inspiring. Their support will have a direct, life-saving impact on people experiencing homelessness in our city by enabling Jimmy’s Cambridge to offer much more than just a bed.
"It is donations like this that gives us the means to provide the essential safety and long-term, tailored support needed to help people move from street floor to their own front door.”
Centre 33 also said: "The new early support hub for young people in Cambridge will allow us to reach double the number of young people every year, providing them with support for their mental health, practical issues and caring responsibilities, all under one roof.
"Every donation, big or small, takes us a step closer towards opening its doors. We are very grateful to The Ancient Shepherds team and their customers for their incredible contribution through this new initiative. It means so much to have the support of our local business community to help provide vital services and improve the lives of young people in Cambridgeshire.”
Booking information
Places for the charity fundraising lunch are limited, and guests are required to contact Ancient Shepherds directly to reserve a space.
