CH&FS – The Centre for Hospitality and Food Studies

Award Winning Restaurant

Located in our Colchester campus, the Balkerne Restaurant offers guests the opportunity to dine in our restaurant, where every customer that walks through our doors is directly contributing towards the success of the next generation of hospitality staff – both chefs and front of house. The restaurant is open to the public during term time only.

Officially opened by its patron, Gary Rhodes, our multi-million pound purpose-built Centre for Hospitality and Food Studies provides excellent facilities and training for hospitality students and aims to give them a realistic sense of what it is like to work in the hospitality industry.

Restaurant Bookings

All meals come inclusive of beautiful breads made from our patisserie and finishing with tea/coffee.

We are card payments only but accept cash tips for servers. Under 16 year olds are not permitted.

Car registration and sign in is required upon arrival.

Wednesday to Friday Lunch 12pm, 12:15pm or 12:30pm

Please note, the restaurant closes at 2:30pm.

2 courses for £15 per person

3 courses for £18 per person

Tuesday Dinner 6:30pm, 6:45pm or 7pm

3 courses for £25 per person inclusive of a arrival drink

Thursday Dinners 7pm

Taster menu: £35 per person – 5 courses inclusive of arrival cocktail and finishing with tea/coffee and petits fours

Themed menu: £40 per person – 5 courses inclusive of arrival cocktail and finishing with tea/coffee and petits fours

Please note restaurant opening times and prices are subject to change without prior notice.

Bookings are required and can be made through the ResDiary DishCult link below or using the contact information on the page.

Please note, large tables will need to pay a deposit.

Menus

Here at the Balkerne Restaurant we endeavour to serve dishes that take seasonal produce and then give them a modern twist by pairing British ingredients with international flavours, using modern cooking techniques.

Table setting sponsored by Wilkin and Sons Ltd, Kitchen sponsored by Bonnet Hobart and Chocolate sponsored by Callebaut Chocolate.

Sample Lunch Menu

Starters

Roasted red pepper and tomato soup with pesto beignets
Pan fried chicken livers and oyster mushrooms served on toasted brioche
Creamy hot smoked salmon with fresh pasta and basil

Main Courses

Roasted Mediterranean vegetable ravioli with a herb sage sauce
Sauté chicken with chasseur sauce
Pan fried mullet with a fennel and saffron broth served with crispy herbs

Desserts

Sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce
Blackcurrant delice
Pear flan Bourdalou

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Vegetarian and gluten friendly alternatives are included in our menus. With prior notice, we will endeavour to produce dishes for other dietary requests.

Our Suppliers and kitchen handles numerous ingredients and allergens. Whilst we have controls in place to reduce contamination, unfortunately it is not possible for us to guarantee that any dishes we prepare for customers with special dietary requirement will be 100% allergen or contamination free.