Top Chefs Gathered in the Late October Sunshine for ‘A Game of Guns’ at The Kent Cookery School
Late October sunshine continued to be kind to The Chefs’ Forum as fifty top chefs from across Kent gathered at Kent Cookery School in Ashford for a day of game cookery and clay shooting. The event enabled the chefs to learn about the conservation of game meat whilst forging links with their peers, young chefs and aspiring front of house professionals at East Kent College.
Annette Cole from The British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) gave an educational speech to the culinary experts on sourcing game meat responsibly whilst warning against buying it ‘through the back door’ from poachers as it is often shot incorrectly.
Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum commented: We held this event to showcase the connection between the sport of game shooting and game meat and hopefully increase the use of game meat in the chefs’ repertoire for next season. It is great that chefs and students were able to learn about the versatility of game meat and the whole process of its conservation and shooting.”
Eden Allsworth, a level 2 student at East Kent College joined Dan Kennedy and Ollie Mills in their kitchen to prepare game canapés for an audience of top local chefs at Kent Cookery School. Eden was able to demonstrate the great skills that she has acquired on her course with a view to securing an apprenticeship to further her career.
Dan and Ollie were delighted with the level of skill and professionalism demonstrated by Eden and she was an asset to the team.
Dan Kennedy then performed two brilliant cookery demonstrations of hot smoked pheasant, then Tandoori wood pigeon with apple, mango and chicory salad.
Great chefs should never stop learning and will no doubt draw inspiration from peers sharing knowledge and their best recipes.
Expert shooting coaches from the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) tutored the chefs and catering students in clay pigeon shooting on a neighbouring farm with a view to inviting them to take up shooting as a sport. With further coaching they will then have the necessary skills to shoot their own game meat to incorporate it into their menus.
Game meat is delicious and there are many different species to enjoy and different times of year due to its seasonality – This event showcased its versatility in the various ways it can be prepared.
The Chefs’ Forum aims to enhance the skill sets of top chefs in industry through updating them with the latest techniques being used by their peers – This time, promoting the use of seasonal, responsibly-sourced game meat in restaurant menus.
Photography by Manu Palomeque: www.manupalomeque.com
