Orlene’s Kitchen up and running at new-look Guildhall
Orlene’s Kitchen opened last month in the new-look Guildhall and is now serving a variety of Jamaican and Caribbean food from the premises which is open to the public via the Peas Hill entrance.
The ground floor of the iconic Guildhall on market square is now operated by Allia, the social enterprise whose HQ is on King’s Hedges Road. The premises – previously the Tourist Information Centre – is run by proprietors Orlene Williams and her son Leon Williams.
The team initially developed their approach at The Pharmacie Cafe in Waterbeach in 2020 – where they first met Lauren who is now an integral part of the team – before setting up at the Cambridge FootGolf Centre on Ely Road in Milton.
“We hired the kitchen and did takeaways,” says Orlene, “and Leon is still doing that.”
The family arrived in Cambridge from London in the 1980s, and when Leon was younger he adopted a role in the family kitchen.
“I’ve got two younger brothers,” he said, “and I got dragged into the kitchen a lot when I was young to chop things up, but I never thought I’d make a career out of it.
“I learned how to cook from this lovely lady: I rarely use a recipe – it’s like playing music by ear instead of reading music.”
When Covid first struck Leon was in the UK for a visit and couldn’t get back to Atlanta, Georgia, where he was working in music management, so he started putting his culinary skills to use and, as well as working in the Guildhall and at the FootGolf Club, he also chefs at the Wagon & Horses in Milton – “it’s mostly fried chicken and Jamaican food”.
He says the Guildhall-based café, which seats up to 30 people, is the big focus for 2023, having secured the tenancy for the food outlet from Allia.
“The plan is to get the café established and running, we can allow people into the building up to 9pm so I want to be able to offer people food later in the evening but also invite pop-ups in, hire the place out, and get some live music in here.”
The menu at the Guildhall includes coffee, tea, herbal teas, cakes and pastries – mostly homemade – plus Jamaican patties (the chutney is incredible), toasties, salads and specials such as curry goat. More information here.
Laura Rose, Allia’s head of marketing and communcations, said: “One of the reasons that Allia has worked with Cambridge City Council to form one of its Future Business Centres at the Guildhall is to bring a new lease of life to the city centre after the pandemic left many towns empty.
“The thriving market place, surrounding colleges and shops will always mean that Cambridge is busy – and having a business centre bringing ethical local companies, meeting rooms, community events and a café is helping to ensure that this space stays vibrant.
“The Peas Hill side of the Guildhall is now open. Where there used to be the visitor information centre is now an impressive exhibition hall, plus the old courtrooms which are available to hire for events and exhibitions.
“Orlene’s Kitchen, a Cambridge family-run café serving home-cooked Jamaican food with a suitably cool and soulful vibe, opened in December. Leon and his mum Orlene have transformed the space into a vibrant funky café adding new life to that side of the old building.”
The opening hours are 9am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, and 10am-4pm on Sunday.
