Bury St Edmunds husband and wife team to turn former Flower Hut shop on Angel Hill into Lark restaurant
A husband and wife team are cooking up a fresh venture in the form of a town centre restaurant which will celebrate local ingredients from the region.
James and Sophia Carn, of Bury St Edmunds, are the duo behind the business and will turn the former Flower Hut shop on Angel Hill into Lark restaurant.
The couple, both 32, are passionate about serving up local produce and hope to open Lark at the beginning of December.
The restaurant will be focused on producing small plates to be shared with the whole table, which will include charcuterie, hand rolled pasta, fresh fish crudo and locally-sourced game.
James said: "We will be celebrating ingredients from Suffolk and East Anglia from producers that we're really passionate about using, whether it's Suffolk pigs or venison from local gamekeepers.There will be European influences, but the heart of it will be modern British cooking.
"We can offer a unique experience just due to our size – it's a really small, intimate restaurant. And offer a really incredible dining experience for guests but in a relaxed environment without all the formalities and pretence of fine dining.
Sophia added: "We're quite hoping to create a nice balance between the adventure of quirk and discovery but then also being approachable for anyone to drop in and appreciate what we have on offer."
James has spent a number of years as a chef, working for Pea Porridge for five/six years in total and also working for The Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon and Tuddenham Mill as sous chef. But now he is looking forward to starting his own venture.
"I'm super excited to cook my own food," he said.
"I've worked in some amazing restaurants and been fortunate enough to do that. I've done my schooling and now I'm really excited to do my own thing.
"We've got four children so it's a juggling act, but it's something we're going to enjoy."
And Sophia will be using her skills from her 12 years at West Suffolk College teaching business studies.
The couple are aiming to open Lark four days a week, Wednesdays to Saturdays for lunch and dinner service and may alter the schedule as the business grows.
Even though the space is small, they hope to use that to their advantage and impress with the quality of their food and service.
"What we're trying to do is focus on the simplicity and size of the venue and compliment it with the quality of the food and service on offer," Sophia added.
"That's what we're hoping will shine through. It's a very beautiful and quaint building and we just want to compliment the area, particularly with it being on Angel Hill."
