Chef of the Week: Jonnie Ferguson, Junior Sous Chef at The Glenturret & Roux Scholar 2022
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have been at the Glenturret Lalique Restaurant as a Junior Sous since January 2022.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
A lot of inspiration came from TV shows to be honest. I used to spend my free time after school watching Rick Stein, Keith Floyd and Gary Rhodes, to name a few.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Eating in other restaurants! It’s great to make new connections with other people in hospitality, and we always try to look after each other.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt, vinegar and butter.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
A good blender.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Charcuterie seems to be more common in restaurants now, and that’s not a bad thing.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Cooking what they think people want to eat, rather than just cooking something they would sit down and eat.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
I love late summer into autumn. I think Scottish produce is at its best around then, and it excites me every year.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
It’s not “my dish”, but I’m proud of what I served in the final of the Roux Scholarship Final this year. Chaud- froid of duck a l’orange with asparagus. That was a very special thing to cook.
How do you come up with new dishes?
I like to cook what I want to eat, that’s where it all has to start and end for me.
Who was your greatest influence?
Andrew Fairlie is someone I looked up to while I was lucky enough to work for him, and his legacy is something I’m hugely proud to be a part of.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Mark Donald, Stephen McLaughlin and Grant Achatz.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Ma Cuisine Francaise by Yannick Alleno.
Why We Will Miss Chef Legend Richard Shepherd
On Friday of last week the hospitality industry last week lost another of its chef legends: Richard Shepherd. What few obituaries there have been have focussed on Shepherd being one of the first British chefs to receive a Michelin Star while he was at the helm of The Capitol Hotel in the early 1979’s. However, great though that achievement was, we will remember him for a different reason and one that we included in our new book The Chefs’ Knowledge.
At Langan’s Brasserie which opened in 1977 and became one of the best-known celebrity restaurants in London Shepherd perfected a menu that broke all the rules and wrote some new ones.
With his unique experience of working in France, in Provence, Shepherd brought new ideas to Langan’s and fused them with the classic repertoire he learned at The Savoy Hotel. Soon, the menu at Langan’s was the envy of London and the wider world. It would be much copied. It still is.
The one sheet menu that also contained the wine list and was printed every day has still never been bettered and from that evolved a method of menu writing that is worth study.
Because Langan’s was so busy at peak periods Shepherd realised that customers read menus in a unique way. Language was important but so was where a dish was positioned on the menu. Chefs don’t pay much attention to this today but both things are very important.
At Langan’s if Shepherd wanted to sell a dish he put it at the bottom of the starters or at the top of the main courses. And, furthermore, if he got the language of a dish wrong it wouldn’t sell and this is where a sort of hybrid menu language evolved.
Once upon a time soupe de poisson would have been written on a classical menu. But that didn’t sell. Shepherd translated it and simply called it Provençale fish soup. It sold. But, the reverse was also true. Some translations didn’t work. Chilled leek soup, for example, never sold as well as Vichyssoise. Apple tart sold better as Tarte Tatin. On a typical Langan’s menu you might find Entrecôte béarnaise on the main courses next to cold ham and potato salad.
To Shepherd the menu was romantic and customers had understanding and were familiar with parts of the classical menu but not others. We will miss Richard Shepherd but always celebrate his unique vision and understanding of what made good food – and the way to sell it.
WIN a Foie Royale Christmas Hamper – Including the NEW Entier Truffle Foie Royale
We are delighted to share the news that Foie Royale Entier, their ethical and sustainable alternative to foie gras, was awarded Innovative Product of the Year at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards 2022, demonstrating creativity and innovation at the heart of its concept.
The Foie Royale team with Ambassador Chef Dan Moon celebrating winning ‘Innovative Product of the Year’ at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards 2022
Foie Royale Entier is produced by merging different batches of the Classic range which delivers the textural variation and density that you get from foie gras. Not only does it taste great and feel like a natural product in the mouth, but there is also the visual difference where the different layers’ colour and density are visible, creating a much more natural looking product.
The Entier range will undoubtedly satisfy many foie gras consumers out there; especially those who worry about how their food was made, as Foie Royale is both sustainable and produced to the highest ethical standards in Europe.
The awards are a key element of the Speciality & Fine Food Fair – the UK’s leading showcase of artisanal food and drink. Recognising and celebrating the individuals and businesses driving excellence and product innovation in the fine food & drink community, the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards champion all that makes the industry such a remarkable and inspiring place.
The judges for this year’s awards were Scott Winston, Buying Manager, Mindful Chef; Adrian Boswell, Food Buyer, Selfridges; Bruce Langlands, Management Consultant; Stephen Minall, Owner, Moving Food and Vhari Russell, Managing Director, The Food Marketing Expert.
Mike Logut, Managing Director of Sapphire Foods Ltd – Foie Royale commented, “It is fantastic to receive this award. After 7 years of research to create Foie Royale, the development of the Entier range was born out of consumers loving the flavour and asking for a more natural textural taste. We are very proud to have a created this product, that does indeed beg the question why any animal now needs to be gavaged or indeed even having its liver enlarged at all.”
Foie Royale New Product – Truffle Version
Following the success of the Entier range, we combined earthy Italian black truffles with our ethical and luxurious Foie Royale product, adding richness and depth to your dishes.
Perfect for the festive season.
Foie Royale Entier Goose with Truffle was launched in Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly last week and is also available either directly at foieroyale.com or through our approved distributors.
*WIN* a Royale Christmas Hamper Worth £100
Do you fancy winning a festive hamper containing Foie Royale award-winning Entier and their newly launched Foie Royale truffle product, together with a magnificently paired Royal Tokaji Blue Label 5 Puttonyos Aszú?
This year, Foie Royale are running a ‘Win a Christmas Hamper’ every Friday, up to 16th December – 4 ROUNDS!
How to Enter the Competition
- Like the post on Instagram or Facebook.
- Follow @foieroyale on Instagram or @FoieRoyaleUK on Facebook.
- Tag your chef friends that would love to win, each tag is a new entry.
- Share to your story and tag Foie Royale for a bonus entry.
Every Friday (2, 9 and 16 December) the competition will start and announce the result of the previous round. For each round, the competition will end on Thursday, except the last round (16 December). The final round will end on Sun, 18 December and announce the result on 19 December. The winner will receive the hamper before Christmas.
Terms & Conditions
- The delivery address must be mainland UK (Excluding Scottish Highlands and Northern Ireland due to shipping limitations – sorry).
- Please only enter if you are happy for Foie Royale to announce on their story that you have won and to contact you via DM.
- If no response in 24 hours, another winner will be chosen at random.
The prize is the same for all 4 rounds – including their award-winning product – Entier and the brand-new truffle product plus Royal Tokaji (best matching with Foie Royale) and other festive items.
The competition is being held solely by Foie Royale, and promoted via The Chefs’ Forum.
ENTER NOW at either Foie Royale IG or Facebook pages.
For more information on the Foie Royale range of products please visit foieroyale.com, call them on 0800 368 7777 for a chat or email enquiries@foieroyale.com
Chef of the Week: Chef Jolly, International Chef Consultant
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I am a consultant for restaurant operations globally and have been doing the same for over 5 years now.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I learnt my skills through my culinary journey, which began during childhood, growing up watching my mother and grandmother cook on clay ovens for large gatherings of family and friends. I am still intrigued with the ways and nuances of traditional cooking followed by the most skilled cooks of India, and my curiosity and inquisitiveness only helped me to dive deeper and learn from the real sources.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
It’s very gratifying when we can touch the souls of people who enjoy good and honest food. This is an artform that can be very comforting when done right. It’s an immediate reflection of the efforts put in and every second of that experience is a moment to be cherished. The camaraderie within the team is worth a big appreciation and only by the team’s collective effort is the true recipe of success achieved.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
I could not manage without Acids (lime/lemon/tamarind), Seasoning (salt) or Garlic.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
A Spice Blender … I am lost without one.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Far eastern (Korean/Vietnamese) and Nikkei cuisine.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Inconsistency in delivery, Dropping the ball on small details and specificity of technique and recipe execution.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
It depends on the region of the world I am in. Broadly I love Autumn and Winter because of the produce available. This allows me to slow cook and braise which I love to do (apart from bbq/roast).
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Well! it’s a tricky one, but I take pride in my Braised Lamb Shanks with saffron and select aromatic spices, my Dal Makhani is world famous with-out doubt and my Kulcha breads are a total soul food amongst others.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Inspirations, intrigue & love for travel drives me to experiment and craft.
Who was your greatest influence?
I have been fortunate to be born in a family who love great food and cook it too. It started there my experiences along the way through travel and exploration have become very influential in my cuisine.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Rick Stein has to top my list followed by anyone who can connect nature with the art.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Do not have one at the moment, as all of them have something interesting to learn from.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
I would say that there is a lot of new and young talent in the world these days who are pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible with food, surprising us with their connection of culture and science in their amazing creations. Technology has also made it accessible and more fascinating for all to be exposed to the ever-evolving nature of cooking in general.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
That would have to be Shikar, meaning “hunt” in Singapore. https://shikar.sg/
Supplies of Foie Gras are Under Threat this Christmas
France, the main producer of foie gras, is already facing shortages of this controversial product. More than 16 million birds have been destroyed dating back to November last year because of bird flu, according to the French Ministry of Agriculture. It has plunged the industry into crisis and is threatening to create a shortage of foie gras this Christmas after the disease wiped out millions of poultry across France. In addition to that, the Ukraine war has pushed up the cost of production, warns Marie-Pierre Pe, director general of the Interprofessional Committee for Foie Gras (Cifog), who expects a 30-40% drop in supply coupled with a rise in prices this Christmas.
As of 18 October 2022, infections are six weeks ahead of where they were this time last year, according to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). There are currently 47 ongoing outbreaks across the UK, 30 of which have been confirmed since the start of October.
It is not surprising that foie gras is now disappearing from some menus as a result of this unprecedented crisis.
The dilemma for chefs – should we keep this French culinary jewel on our menus this Christmas and risk letting our customers down?
There is an ethical and sustainable alternative available to chefs that has guaranteed availability this Christmas – Foie Royale.
It’s Ethical
Foie Royale is made from the healthy and normal-sized livers of ducks and geese that live free range on some of the highest welfare farms in Germany. Our birds are reared for their meat, their livers and surplus fat are by-products of meat production and are brought together post-life, eliminating the need to engorge their livers during their life. The main goal of the product development was to create a replacement to foie gras in which animal welfare took top priority.
It’s Sustainable
Rather than cruel force-feeding, the birds are raised for their meat, fed naturally, targeted to each have up to 25 square metres of space to roam outdoors, far beyond typical free-range standards. We use the by-products of their meat production which would have otherwise been wasted.
It’s Diverse
It is an extremely versatile product, that can be seared, roasted, poached or blitzed as an ingredient in many dishes to enhance flavour, or simply used as is.
It’s Convenient
The product requires no soaking, no de-veining, or membrane removal. It is ready to use, involves less waste and has a long shelf life. There is no stress about shortage of supply.
True Alternative to Foie Gras
Foie Royale is luxuriously smooth with a distinctive rich flavour to match. Our new Entier range has the natural marbling, texture and density that you get from foie gras, and last month won Innovative Product of the Year at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2022.
“What chefs need to understand is the versatility of Foie Royale. You can pan-sear it, you can monte sauces with it. Like any pastry chef knows with different couvertures of chocolate, sometimes you may have to tweak just a little to get the result that you want. But the product is super to work with, the performance is great and the feedback from diners is so rewarding.” Dan Moon, Ambassador Chef of Foie Royale.
To purchase Foie Royale please visit www.foieroyale.com
It’s Black Friday at The Chefs’ Forum!
We love a deal and since everybody’s doing it we thought we’d join in with a cracker of our own. Get a copy of our new bestseller The Chefs’ Knowledge with £5 off when you buy though the website. Details of the offer code and the link are at the bottom of this article.
What is The Chefs’ Knowledge? Well, in a nutshell, it’s the first ever book written for student and junior chefs that is neither a college textbook or out-and-out recipe book. It’s a hybrid volume containing The 100 Dishes Every Chef Should Know.
However, it also contains page after page of excellent advice from some of the most well-known chefs in the country, as well as real working recipes that contain never-seen-before techniques that few ever learn. What’s not to love about that if you know a junior chef in need of an industry handbook?
The Chefs’ Knowledge has been well-received by the industry so far:
Hywel Griffith, Chef Director at Beach House Restaurant, said: “It’s beautifully put together and well thought-out. Top marks.”
Paul Gayler MBE, Chef Consultant said: “A great addition to the chefs library.”
Allister Bishop, Chef Consultant said: “Stunning. Every young chef should have a copy.”
Kitchens and colleges are stocking up on copies for their junior and student chefs. Why not take advantage of our Black Friday offer here:
To purchase The Chefs’ Knowledge CLICK HERE – Use voucher code BFRI5 at the checkout to redeem £5 OFF – Valid until midnight on Friday 25th November 2022.
The Chefs’ Forum 10 Year Tour Bows Out in Cornwall
Take a bow, please. A year of celebration ended on Monday with a final lunch at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow to commemorate 10 years of The Chefs’ Forum.
The special event capped a long year of The Chefs’ Forum on Tour with lunches and celebrations taking place across England, Scotland and Wales. Over the course of the year there were 10 lunches, close to 1000 guests with 200 students from 20 colleges.
Chefs Dan Moon, Charlotte Vincent, Pete Murt, Dan Bowden, Lucy Watters and Andrew Durham wowed the guests in Padstow with a special menu. Students from both Truro & Penwith College along with Cornwall College received valuable industry experience in the kitchen.
The menu:
Wines sponsored by Ellis Wines:
Welcome Drink – Chandon Garden Spritz NV
White wine – Cantina Gorgo Bianco di Custoza 2021
Red wine – Chateau Maledan Bordeaux Superieur 2019
Beer sponsored by Birra Moretti
Amuse Bouche – Dan Moon (Foie Royale)
Prawn Tea, Kimchi and Foie Royale
Starter – Charlotte Vincent (Hotel Meudon & Great British Menu 2022)
Wild Mushrooms Parfait, Sherry Roasted Onions and Crispy Enoki
Fish Course – Pete Murt (The Seafood Restaurant)
Roasted Cod Casserole with Baby Shallots, Serrano Ham and Girolle Mushrooms
Main Course – Dan Bowden (The Bay Hotel, Coverack) and Lucy Watters (The Paris Hotel)
Jack’s Creek Australian Wagyu & Ragu
Dessert – Andrew Durham (MasterChef: The Professionals Finalist 2019)
Pistachio Tart, White Chocolate and Strawberry
Catherine Farinha said: “We went out with a bang! What a year it’s been. We’ve been up and down, round and round, and everywhere we’ve been everyone has been so complimentary and happy to share in the success.
“It’s been quite a year for other parts of our business, as well. We’ve continued to work in the game sector with a bespoke guide for Welsh Game – The Welsh Game Guide – and our new student book, The Chefs’ Knowledge has just come out and the feedback from chefs, students and suppliers at the lunch was incredible.
“Next year will see a new series of nationwide lunches as we go on tour with The Chefs’ Knowledge. Each lunch will feature dishes from the book and we’re hard at work on a new, innovative, Audio version that will be released soon. With many chefs suffering with dyslexia it’s important that they don’t feel left out.”
To purchase The Chefs’ Knowledge CLICK HERE.
Photo and film credit: www.johnscottblackwell.co.uk
Anatomy of a Dessert – The Chefs’ Forum Interviews Franciane Tartari
Brazilian pastry chef Franciane Tartari created a special dessert for The Chefs’ Forum 10th Anniversary lunch in Edinburgh on Monday. She talked to editor Chandos Elletson about bringing the flavours of Brazil to an updated rum baba utilising the Silikomart Curveflex SF164 mould for the baba and Curveflex Truffles mould for the sorbet.
Franciane has just been accepted into the World Masterchefs Society (spanning 54 countries) and this dessert was absolute endorsement of such a prestigious accolade.
Daniel Ayton, Senior Vice President of the World Masterchefs society is a real fan of Franciane’s work he said
“I’ve known Franciane for over a decade and judged internationally with her across Europe. To be awarded this accolade, chefs need to have demonstrated quality craftsmanship and culinary excellence. The medal that she was awarded The Culinary Order of Merit and to my mind this is wholly deserved and I am proud to have Franciane as a member of the World Masterchefs Society to help us in our mission to continually advance the culinary arts.”
Franciane really enjoyed cooking with the students from Edinburgh College and West Lothian College at Edinburgh’s iconic Caledonian Hotel – She really enjoyed teaching new pastry skills to the students and was really impressed with the way they all rolled up their sleeves and worked brilliantly as a team, she said
“I was thrilled when Catherine asked me to create a dessert for the lunch at The Waldorf Astoria – The Caledonian on Monday. I wanted to bring the flavours of Latin America with me and the best way to do that, I thought, was to make a rum baba except infuse it with the flavours of pina colada – Brazilian rum and pineapple.
“One thing I knew, thought, was that I couldn’t make the baba dessert in the traditional way – it would have been to large and too rich. So, I worked with a special mold to make half spheres and these were arranged on the plate with spheres of coconut sorbet and a rum syrup made with pineapple purée.
“Getting the balance between richness and size was my main focus. There were also contrasting flavours like a coconut Chantilly and a pineapple, chilli and vanilla compote. Finally, the whole dish was pulled together by a hot passion fruit tequila consommé.
“The dessert was a fitting end to the meal and was very well-received. I had such great help from the students in the kitchen and from the hotel. It was a great occasion. Plus, the new moulds from Mitchell & Cooper were great!”
To find out more about the fantastic range of pastry moulds on offer by Mitchell & Cooper visit www.mitchellcooper.co.uk
Chef of the Week: Eduardo Barsotti, Executive Chef at Omnino Steakhouse in London
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have worked as an executive chef for 8 years.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My passion of cooking came from my childhood, when I was a little boy at my uncle’s farm, we would do weekend BBQ for the whole family and friends. He would allow one of the nephews to pick a cow, I understood very early that the cows with a round rump would do the best BBQ, they always would have much more flavour and marbled meat.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Creating new dishes, experiment with unique ingredients, making guests happy and sharing my knowledge with young chefs.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Meat, salt and butter.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
My grill.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Vegan and grilling, of course.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Lack of communication.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Summer, I love outside cooking.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
A signature from Omnino, Ancho a la pimento, ribeye covered with black pepper herb butter and fried chilli (medium rare please).
How do you come up with new dishes?
I find many ideas eating out.
Who was your greatest influence?
My Uncle John.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
- Luciana Berry
- Francis Mallmann
- Netao
What is your favourite cookbook?
Larousse Gastronomique.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Rafa Cagali.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Sucre.
International Salon Culinaire 2023 Opens for Entries
Historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire has opened for entries for 2023.
Taking place alongside Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) on 20-22 March at ExCeL London, Salon Culinaire offers chefs of all ages and skillsets the opportunity to compete in over 80 live and static competitions, from meat, cheese and plant-based challenges to desserts and sugarcraft.
Next year’s edition of the competition will see the return of popular categories including the NHS 4 Nations Chef Challenge, the Alaska Seafood Masters, Stadium Experience Chef Team of the Year and Country Range Student Chef Team Challenge, along with popular 2022 additions such as the Apprentice Challenge and Pub Chef of the Year.
Craft Guild of Chef’s National Chef Team of the Year competition, in association with Waitrose & Partners, will also have a new format at the competing chefs are challenged to construct delicious bowl food dishes.
New for 2023 is the prestigious Lumina Lamb Challenge from Official Meat Partner Alliance NZ and a new online training competition for chef lecturers in partnership with The Grande Cuisine Academy.
Steve Munkley, Salon Chef Director, comments: “Next year’s event is set to be another fantastic edition of HRC and International Salon Culinaire, attracting everyone from the UK’s leading chefs to the next generation of culinary superstars. Live competition is a great way for chefs to challenge themselves, meet industry peers and stand out from the crowd and I can’t wait to see what this year’s competitors produce.”
Among the over 70 esteemed chef judges returning for 2023 are Cyrus Todiwala OBE of Café Spice, Gary Devereaux of the House of Lords, Dennis Mwakulua of the Lexington, Nick Vadis of Compass Group UK & Ireland, Matt Owens of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Martyn Nail of the Dorchester Hotel, Yolande Stanley MBE of The Pastry Training Company and Candice Webber of Thomas Franks of London.
“We have seen our students flourish and gain massive confidence to face the world,” says Todiwala “To all chefs: be bold, be brave, face challenges and be competitive, as it is facing an audience and creating the magic that is within you that what will make the difference for your rise and future achievements, and will give you the confidence to succeed.”
New additions to the judging panel include Terry O’Riordan of Ketochefs, Shona Sutherland of the Tastyful and Scottish Culinary team and Wayne Roberts of the Royal Lancaster London.
International Salon Culinaire is working with a number of Official Equipment Partners, including combi ovens from Unox, refrigeration from Liebherr, and induction from Induced Energy. Compass Group UK & Ireland is returning as Headline Partner for 2023, continuing a long-standing partnership with the competition.
Unox will once again be taking all the Live Theatre Best-in-Class winners for on an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to explore Venice and Padova and enjoy a guided tour around the Unox global headquarters. Read about the 2022 trip here.
International Salon Culinaire will take place on 20-22 March 2023 at ExCeL London. To find out more about all the competitions and challenges at next year’s event, and for information on how to enter, head to internationalsalonculinaire.co.uk.
