A Visit To The Secret Dinner Club In Sheffield
Published On Sunday 13 Jul 2025 by Sticky Beak
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His Nibs and I felt like secret agents recently! A few months back, we’d won a competition for a pair of tickets to The Secret Dinner Club, held in and around Sheffield; as the name would suggest, everything is kept hush-hush until 24hours before, when the location, and directions, are revealed to diners. The subterfuge and last-minute details took me right back to my raving days of the 1990’s when directions/clues to illicit gatherings were given in all manner of ways – you had to know what you were looking for!
This particular evening, we were to be dining in the impressive Grade II* listed ‘Portland Works’ building, often referred to as the birthplace of stainless steel cutlery manufacturing. During the interval between the second and third courses of this five-course feast, one of the volunteers gave us a really informative, interesting over-view of the history of this marvellous building. It’s thanks to the sheer hard work of the volunteer team that the building is in the condition it’s in today, which permits lots of individual ventures to work within its walls: Robin of Loxley Gin is made here, there’s an engraver, a silver-plater, a knife maker (rather aptly), and a cabinet maker, among others.
The Secret Dinner Club began in March 2025, the brain-child of Chef Chris Hanson and his company Chef’s Counter, which was founded in 2023. Offering innovative, tasty dishes in venues that are a little ‘extra’, The Secret Dinner Club aims to make dining out fun and sociable again, whilst also raising funds for local charities and community groups from the monies raised by the ticketed events. You take along your own alcohol, and the corkage charge is a mere £3 per person.
Whilst we were all being seated at the long, white cloth-laid banquet table (there were 26 diners at this event), Chris set-to assembling our first course: Spinach, Smoked Cheddar and Mushroom Arancini. A short time later, the lovely Saul (the lone server for the evening) began serving the table and everyone tucked in eagerly.
Presented on a simple white side plate, the Arancini balls were halved to showcase the colours and textures that lay beneath the crisp, golden outer. The rice itself was perfect, with that hint of bite left to its grains, and the flavours of the filling elements swirled beautifully together. As an introduction to the evening, this was super.
Up next was a baked Salmon Fillet with Tomato [Henessey Cognac-pimped] sauce and wilted Greens, served in an off-white, shallow bowl. Not going to lie, it was a bit of a tussle to cut through the stem of the greens, but the reward of that clean, grassy sweetness made the effort worth it. The Salmon was just sublime, and the fact that His Nibs (fish- and salad- dodger extraordinaire!) ate all his fillet – and enjoyed it – speaks volumes as to its quality. A nicely unctuous sauce based around Tomato was robust and rich, accentuating the silky fragrance of the Salmon, and there was a pleasant warmth from the Hennessey at its finish.
Glasses of wine were being topped up around The Man and I and, as is usual when alcohol begins to loosen inhibitions, folks began yapping to their neighbours; a nice bubble of conversation and laughter soon filled the high-ceilinged space, making it feel very cosy. Saul was clearing away the plates between each course, quietly and unobtrusively, with a smile; the lad never stopped: as soon as he’d cleared away one course, the next was ready to be served. If he did have a spare moment, he went to assist Chef Chris in putting the finishing touches to the dish about to be served.
I have nothing but admiration for professional Chefs, the skill and adaptability they show when out of a conventional kitchen has me amazed. Clearly, there was no kitchen at Portland Works, so Chris was using portable equipment to finish cooking (and keeping warm) the food he was serving – and he was doing a bloody fantastic job of it, too.
The main course was Marinated Chicken Kebabs with Shoestring Fries and Salsa Verde, but even this had a twist to it. In keeping with Chris’s philanthropic outlook, Chef’s Counter often works with local schools to teach students cooking skills – including how to butcher meats and poultry. On this occasion, our Chicken had been prepared and marinated by young people, and bravo to them: it was delicious! A flatbread was carpeted with shredded, crisp Lettuce and piled high with the pieces of tender, juicy breast meat. Vibrant, bold Salsa Verde was accompanied by wickedly fiery slices of Jalapeno; there may only have been a couple, but by golly, they more than made their presence known! The shoestring Fries were a rich, deep brown colour and had a fabulous taste to them, without any greasiness at all – this was a gorgeous main course, and there were appreciative murmurs around the room as folks made their way through the dish.
As a complete ‘fromage-o-phile’, I was ecstatic when it was announced that our next treat was the ‘Ode to Cheese’ course. Not just any old cheese either; Lincolnshire Poacher. Classified as a hard cheese, made from unpasteurised cows’ milk, Poacher has a smooth, creamy texture that is dense (i.e. not crumbly) but not ‘hard hard’. I love how this cheese manages to be curiously savoury and sweet simultaneously, and paired with coarse Derbyshire Oatcake Crackers and a sticky, jammy Onion Chutney, this was a joy to eat.
Our fifth, and final, course was pudding: Lemon Ricotta with Granola and Berries. Creamy, soft Ricotta was lifted on the palate with the addition of Lemon tempering its richness. Citrus acidity balances the creaminess of the Ricotta and prevents it from being overly heavy in the mouth or tummy. Further brightening the flavour profile of this final course was a jewel-toned multitude of compote-style summer berries, and a zhuzh of crunch and texture came the Granola with its grains, seeds and chocolate chunks for a bit of indulgence. What a marvellous end to the meal.
If you like uncomplicated, tasty food that changes with the seasons and you enjoy a bit of mystery as to where you’ll be dining, then The Secret Dinner Club will be right up your alley! We had a marvellous evening, so Hot Wings more than happily given. Expect to pay around £50 per person for the Secret Dinner Club tickets.
To book your tickets and for more information behind the concept, head to www.chefscounters.com or email chris@chefscounters.com. You can also get the latest on the Facebook page Chefs Counter – black background with Chef’s Counter in white lettering.
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