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hough the latest incarnation of the University Arms hasn’t yet reached its first birthday, it – and Parker’s Tavern, the restaurant at the heart of the new hotel – has already made quite the positive impression. Cambridge-raised head chef Tristan Welch returned to the city with his young family three years ago to preside over the rebuild of the hotel’s kitchens, and after opening the doors in the summer of 2018, he now directs proceedings throughout the restaurant and bar. Growing up just outside the city meant Cambridge was the place to go: Tristan spent his early years visiting the Botanic Garden, wandering through the museums and swimming in the Cam – all the key elements required for a Cambridge childhood. “I remember standing on Parker’s Piece, looking up at the old University Arms, and imagining it was a castle rather than a hotel,” he recalls, nestled in one of the library’s sofas for a snatched conversation on a busy midweek morning. Tristan has fond food memories of Browns – and Sweeney Todd’s in particular: “I loved it there,” he says, “mainly because we’d go for family birthdays or celebrations. I remember having a burger with sweetcorn chilli chutney and it just blew my mind – but obviously, the biggest food memory I have is the Rupture Rapture.” For those of us not raised in the city, Sweeney Todd’s ‘Rupture Rapture’ gargantuan ice cream sundae has become the stuff of legend, and features in many a Cantabrigian’s recollected restaurant experiences. “It used to be served on a platter with fourteen different scoops of ice cream, sparklers, sauces – and it was just breathtaking,” Tristan enthuses. “You never forget those moments at restaurants, just a little something special – and actually, it was also quite affordable.” Nowadays, the chef is focused on creating those moments for hundreds of visitors every single day. With breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and evening service to deliver for the hotel’s residents (plus guests from the local area), it’s understandable that his time is precious. “Every day is completely different – you never quite know what’s going to happen,” Tristan says – though there is a WELCH CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS TALKS TO THE MAN BEHIND ONE OF CAMBRIDGE’S HOTTEST RESTAURANTS, PARKER’S TAVERN AT THE UNIVERSITY ARMS HOTEL T EDITION MEETS TRISTAN
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