A tasting-menu restaurant that combines three of the hottest cooking trends – hyper-localism, Japanese and Middle Eastern cuisine – has launched this summer in Lancaster under the name Now Or Never.

Jeff Marshall, a former private and development chef, and his wife Nichola, a keen forager who acts as sommelier and runs the front of house, say their aim at Now Or Never is to “cleverly challenge the culinary norm” by applying Japanese and Middle Eastern flavours and techniques to seasonal ingredients from Lancashire and Cumbria.

The couple have already made their mark on Lancaster with their Journey Social Kitchen, an all-day coffee and brunch venue. Their new venture, in a Grade II-listed building in the old town centre, serves just 20 guests a night from Thursday to Saturdays, with a 10-course menu at £80 a head. The name reflects its ethos – “You’re very likely to never see the same menu twice… If you see something that you want to eat and drink on our menu, then it really is Now or Never…”

Jeff said: “Nichola and I have always wanted to add a fine dining venue to our offer, and we’ve been fortunate in being able to do that by opening Now Or Never. We’re both massively excited about adding a very different offering to Lancaster’s dining scene and can’t wait to welcome guests to experience our hyper-seasonal menu, created using the very best produce from across the old county palatine of Lancashire alongside ingredients sourced from the very best producers in their respective fields from across the UK and Europe.’’

Hyper-seasonal locally sourced ingredients include asparagus from Claremont Farm on the Wirral, late-season rhubarb from Greenbank Farm in Carnforth, lamb from the southern Lake District fells, and fruit and vegetables from The Plot, a growers’ co-op based near Garstang in Lancashire.