Chef of the Week: Mark Kempson, Head Chef at Kitchen W8 in London
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I started at Kitchen W8 in September 2009.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I was an early starter – I began part-time cooking work in a local hotel whilst still at school and the buzz of the kitchen spurred me onto go to Basingstoke College of Technology to train properly.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Working with amazing produce and getting the best out of each ingredient.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt, butter and the humble onion.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
A good quality heavy based pan.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
More than ever people are turning to source the best local/seasonal UK produce.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Many try to run before they can walk.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
I enjoy every new season as it brings a new larder of ingredients to work with. I particularly enjoy autumn as it game season.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
My grilled Cornish mackerel. It has been on the menu since Kitchen W8 opened and has evolved to become my signature dish.
How do you come up with new dishes?
New dishes always start with a list of the finest new season’s produce. There is nowhere else to start… ingredients are the key to any great dish.
Who was your greatest influence?
Marc Wilkinson, my first serious head chef was a huge influence, along with my college lecturer Ian Pitt who had such passion for great food and doing things correctly.
Tell us three chefs you admire
I admire all the chefs I have worked for, but Marc Wilkinson, John Campbell and Phil Howard are worthy of a special mention!
What is your favourite cookbook?
There are too many great cookbooks to choose just one! It depends on mood and what you are looking for. I find any cookbook an inspiration. If you were twisting my arm, I’d say The Dairy Book of Home Cookery (my granny loves it and we used it a lot as children), and – my first serious cookbook – Essential Cuisine by Michel Bras.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
The young students coming into hospitality are the ones to watch and nurture. They are the future of our industry.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I particularly enjoyed a meal recently at Sucre Restaurant by Fernando Trocca.
Photo credit: @GBCHEFS
Free Culinary Boot Camp for School Students Set to Launch this Summer
A new initiative, launched by The Chefs’ Forum, will see three Colleges open their doors for two weeks during the summer holidays for school students between 14 and 16. Called a “Culinary Boot Camp” the specially designed programme, endorsed and backed by top chefs in London, Pembrokeshire and Manchester will introduce young people to the world of professional cookery and work experience will be guaranteed at the end.
Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum said “This is a tremendous plus for the whole industry,” explained Chefs’ Forum director Catherine Farinha. “Three of our Academy Colleges – West London, Manchester and Pembrokeshire – are going to open their doors for two weeks and invite school students between the ages of 14 and 16 to spend some time being inspired by guest lecturing chefs, already teaching in our network of Chefs’ Forum Academies.”
Denise Charles of West London College said: “I’m really excited by this new initiative from The Chefs’ Forum. We want to inspire the next generation of school students to come to college. This is a great way for students to get a real taste not just of what being a chef is all about but also find out what attending college is like. The fact that there are also job opportunities as well is amazing.”
Wendy Weber of Pembrokeshire College said: “At the end of the two weeks of lessons and demonstrations there will be work experience offers and college places (for those in year 11) in principal offered to all that attend. Those who are leaving school at 16 will be able to get placements with local employers and those younger can get valuable experience in kitchen, both working entry level sections as well as the pot wash at weekends or after school.”
Sue Hadfield of The Manchester College said: “We are looking forward to welcoming The Chefs’ Forum Academy chefs to the college and delivering the introductory course, which is has been specially designed by chefs to give a fantastic introduction to cookery and a basic knowledge of ingredients.”
The culinary boot camp will also see The Chefs’ Forum Academy chefs galvanise the initiative, going into colleges and delivering the introductory course, which is has been specially designed by chefs to give a fantastic introduction to cookery and a basic knowledge of ingredients.
Any chefs or schools wishing to get involved in The Chefs’ Forum’s Culinary Boot Camp in London, Manchester or Pembrokeshire this summer should contact alice@redcherry.uk.com
Chef of the Week: Daniel Hyams, Head Chef at The Barley Sheaf in Gorran, Cornwall
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I came on board at the Barley Sheaf 10 months ago in the head chef position under the ownership of Tim Kendall.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My career started at a young age I have always been in love with food and the trade from a child in the kitchen cooking with my nan and just loving food. I studied in the midlands and the first place I really worked was a tiny little country pub called the Whitestone from there I grew my knowledge was better, and it was time to move on.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
I like being creative! Using all the senses and the buzz of a busy service getting ready with the team and just serving good quality food using the ingredients from around me it brings a great feeling of passion doing what I love.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Maldon sea salt, salted butter and thyme.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
My kitchen equipment I couldn’t do with out is as simple as a spoon I couldn’t do anything without that tool and a thermomix brilliant piece of equipment.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Food trends seem to be something which we aim for here is simple and delicious food does it taste great and is it value for money. A dish I keep seeing is pan perdu.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Most common mistake is being their own worst enemy and getting inside there head when they don’t need to stand back breath and get the job done with your team.
What is your favourite time of year for food?
Autumn.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Previously I had a confit leek dish on and for me it has hit all my briefs I wanted it to be a secret delight so from looking at you go hmmm okay doesn’t look like much but when you eat it hits all the notes, and you want another one or a sneaky lick of the plate.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Walking with my partner and the dog is often when I come up with new ones, I’m in my happy place looking at my surroundings and thinking what I could make with that forged product.
Who was your greatest influence?
For me it was most of the great chefs looking through cookbooks watching clips of them cook they all brought something that made me push and feel like I want to cook like that I want to be the best I can be.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
My choices would be Daniel Clifford, Magnus Nilsson and Chris Eden.
What is your favourite cookbook?
That’s a hard decision I have a big collection I often re read anything by Daniel Clifford his out of my tree midsummer house is an amazing book and delicious recipes.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months
The chef for me to watch is Tim Kendall. This is why I have come to work with him and push for someone who gives back to the chefs that work for him so this makes us want to work that much harder for him.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
For me it would be our sister property the rising sun in Altarnun as we have created two teams and brought people onboard who are as passionate as both of us are.
Gill Adds Amber to Birch
The rise and rise of young chef Amber Francis has gathered pace with a new appointment as head chef at The Zebra Riding Club at Birch in Hertfordshire.
The young chef is enjoying a promising career so far and fast becoming a leading light in young chef circles.
Chef Robin Gill, who runs The Zebra Riding Club restaurant, chose Francis to run the kitchen at the Birch community hotel. The restaurant, open to non-residents, uses the farm, woods and produce of the hotel surroundings throughout the year.
Francis has been working her way up the ranks in recent years having started out doing work experience at The Hand and Flowers and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. From there she went to The Ritz as an apprentice whilst studying for a diploma with The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (she won a distinction) before teaming up with Gill at The Dairy and later at Bermondsey Larder.
This is her first head chef role.
Chef of the Week: Lloyd Hesom, Chef Consultant in the North West
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I’ve been working for myself for the past 6 months, in this time I have worked in many kitchens around the North West.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I grew up in a pub where my mum was the landlady and my grandad was a butcher. After school I would work for my mum, collecting and washing glasses and at weekends I would help (and get in the way of) my grandad – jobs like sweeping, sanding the block and making the brews for a handful of coppers!
As I got older I would start doing bits in the pub kitchen. I didn’t really do well at school so I left with no grades – hospitality gave me a chance to learn an industry without having to be academic. I worked in a small number of pubs hotels and even a slaughterhouse after school, but I really learnt my profession at The Imperial Hotel in Torquay.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
What I love most about being a chef is the people. I have met some amazing people throughout my career, people I hold very close to my heart. Secondly, I love how the industry keeps pushing you (most the time to your limits) on a daily basis. There are always challenges that you need to get over and make it work. And thirdly, I LOVE cooking it’s all I know, love it!
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Onions, garlic and salt – with these three ingredients you can make anything taste better and complete any dish.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
A pastry knife – it’s a really versatile knife to have.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Plant-based meats and meat alternatives.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
A common mistake I feel lets some chefs down is lack of team work. Everyone has their part to play in the kitchen if one person isn’t pulling their weight, the rest of the team have to pick up their workload. Another mistake is young chefs not giving themselves time to enjoy and learn as much as they can before jumping into their first Head Chef role. Yes, it’s better money and the title makes you feel proud, but it also adds a lot of pressure and can take the fun out of it.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
I really enjoy winter for food. I hate the cold, dark early mornings but I love the winter dishes, the slow and lows, the big deep earthy flavours. Proper home comfort foods.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I wouldn’t say I have a single dish I’m proud of but each time I change a dish on a menu and it out sells any other dish or, even better, sells out and gets good feedback from customers, that’s a proud feeling that you got it right! I am that chef that watches what’s coming back on the plates into the kitchen!
How do you come up with new dishes?
When I come up with new dishes I firstly write it from the stove and work to the table, can we do it consistently? How much work is going on? How many elements to the dish? How will we store everything? Have we got the right equipment? I also think about the seasonality, and presentation.
Who was your greatest influence?
My greatest influence is a very close friend of mine Mark Hearnden who I have known for 25 years. He took me to Torquay with bin bags full of clothes in a clapped-out old Nissan at the age of 17 to start my chef adventures. He taught me everything I know. I owe a lot of my career to him.
Tell us three chefs you admire
I couldn’t just give three chefs I admire as there so are many, but 6 non-celebrity statues would be Mark Hearnden, Rick Ashworth, Mark Bizley, Philip Olivent, Lee Harry and Delroy Smith. All chefs I have stayed close to over the past 25 years of my career all great chefs and family men. They are great role models for the industry.
What is your favourite cookbook?
The Practical Cookery – best cookbook ever for chefs.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
I couldn’t tell you who the next star will be but we are having a really good influx of good chefs coming into the industry of late so I hope they will continue making it great.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
My favourite restaurant would be the restaurant that treated their staff fairly and have done all they could to retain chefs and front of house staff over the past 18 months – WELL DONE to them! The general public has seen this and I am 110% sure these restaurants will feel the rewards of it.
Cherish Gets All Shook Up with New Launch
Cherish Finden, host of Bake Off: The Professionals is launching her first patisserie on the 16th June at the Pan Pacific Hotel in London – which she joined ahead of opening in 2021.
Called Shiok! – pronounced “Shook” – the new venture will open in Devonshire House next door to the hotel and will have 25 covers that will open for breakfast and pastries all day every day.
One of the trademarks of the new patisserie will be a new chocolate teapot which is inspired by memories of drinking tea with her grandfather and a chocolate handbag flavoured with lemon and raspberry.
Finden promises a selection on chocolate bonbons with various flavours and as well as cookies in tins and a special take on pineapple tart.
“In Singapore the word Shiok! conveys a feeling of pure pleasure and happiness and this is what I want to capture,” Finden explained. “The pâtisserie is going to be somewhere you will want to bring your loved ones, any time throughout the day for an out-of-this-world pastry. I’m so looking forward to Londoners experiencing what we have in store.”
Oxford Students Get 10/10 for Thyme Lunch
Local students from Activate Learning at City of Oxford College and Reading College cooked up a storm yesterday at a special 10th Anniversary lunch in the Cotswolds.
The event, part of a year of 10th Anniversary lunches to celebrate 10 years of The Chefs’ Forum, featured top local chefs working with students to create an unmissable 5 course lunch at top honey-stone Cotswolds destination Thyme on the family-run Southrop Manor Estate.
A mini tradeshow and ‘Velfrey’ Welsh Sparkling Wine reception took place, where the guests could network and talk with sponsors, finding out about the latest catering equipment and ingredients.
Taylor UK showcased the Orved Idea vac packer machine and the new Teddy stand mixer, both of which garnered a great deal of interest from the culinary professionals who attended.
The menu:
Amuse-bouche by Foie Royale – Dan Moon, Chef Ambassador
Tomato and onion Foie Royale tartlet
Velfrey Sparkling Wine
Starter by Lucknam Park (Hywel Jones) & Crockers Henley (Tom Westerland)
Cauliflower Cooked Over Coals – Wild Garlic, Smoked Almond, Truffle Honey, “Cauliflower Cheese”
by Tom Westerland
New Season morel mushrooms, hazelnut and Wiltshire truffle pesto, Pedro Ximenez
by Hywel Jones
Monty’s Brewery Sunshine
Fish Course by The Calcot Collection – Richard Davies & Jamie Mccallum
Roast cod, fermented ramsons, Isle of Wight tomatoes, lobster bisque
by Jamie Mccallum
Ravioli of Loch Duart salmon, English asparagus, peas, broad beans and wild garlic
by Richard Davies
Gwinllan Conwy Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
Main Course by Thyme – Charlie Hibbert & David Kelman
Bavette, asparagus, tropea and anchoiade
White Castle Vineyard Regent 2019
Dessert by The Kingham Plough – Ashleigh Farrand
Tiramisu, chocolate soil, blood orange, white chocolate aero
Aberfalls Distillery Salted Toffee Liqueur
The Chefs’ Forum director Catherine Farinha was overwhelmed by the level of expertise amongst the students and the chefs who created the dishes. She said
“It was very special to be celebrating our 10th Anniversary with some of our longest-standing members. The Cotswolds is where it all started for us and it was a joy to see so many old friends including our unbelievable suppliers. And it was also incredible to be at Thyme. This is a special place, and I am so thankful to Charlie Hibbert and the team for welcoming us to his family’s estate and gorgeous restaurant.”
The students joined forces with seven top chefs to cook a delicious menu, with some courses served alternate versions to spark real culinary conversation among the fifty chefs who attended, celebrating the fantastic produce from sponsors including Foie Royal, providing the Foie Royale for the delicious amuse bouche, New Wave Seafood, providing the fish, Hanks’ Meat & Game for providing the sensational Longhorn beef, Lovejoys providing fresh produce and ingredients use in all the courses and the Welsh Drinks Cluster for supplying the amazing drinks paired with each course.
The event couldn’t have been possible without our equipment sponsors Taylor UK and longstanding supporter Adande.
Andrew Slater, Director of Lifestyle from Activate Learning College Group said
“What an incredible event! It just shows that when you connect education and industry the magic happens. Out students were thrilled to be involved and work with such renowned chefs and it really gave them an insight into the profession they have chosen, and I am so grateful to The Chefs’ Forum for making it happen.”
Dan Moon, chef ambassador of Foie Royale, who cooked the amuse bouche, said: “We were very excited to produce a course for The Cotswolds & Bath Chefs’ lunch. We have a strong relationship with The Chefs’ Forum and it was great to be able to get students working with our product and see it shine.”
This 10th Anniversary lunch was the third in a series of ten Chefs’ Lunches set to take place throughout 2022 to mark ten fantastic years of The Chefs’ Forum, now national and spanning across eleven areas.
Any chefs wishing to get involved in The Chefs’ Forum events or Chefs’ Forum Academies should contact alicia@redcherry.uk.com
Photography and film by Gareth Davies Media.
Chef of the Week: Manuel Monzon, Chef Consultant
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I am currently the interim Head Chef at The Hythe Imperial as consulting and development work has slowed down since the pandemic and there is a massive shortage of chefs throughout the industry.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
From the love of food and back in the mid 80’s watching a series on Channel 4 “Take Six Cooks” and the likes of Pierre Koffmann, Nico Ladenis and Raymond Blanc on the programme just completely mesmerised me. So then I decided to enrol at Stafford College of Further Education and did my City & Guilds 706 1/2.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
The freedom of creativity, self-expression, exploring different food cultures, trends, innovation, how you can re-create the classics.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
That’s a difficult one because there are so many. But basic fundamentals because of my upbringing in the Canary Islands until I was nine has to be… extra virgin olive oil, garlic and of course tomatoes as we grew them on my dad’s farm.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
I was introduced to a Konro Grill, a Traditional Japanese Hibachi BBQ grill about five years ago and honestly I absolutely love the flavour it creates on everything, equally if you would have asked me prior to that I would have said a Bradley Smoker as I still hold them equally as an asset in your tool kit.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Obviously the biggest one that keeps repeating itself is the whole vegetarian/vegan movement and when we had The Chefs’ Forum lunch at Chotto Matte with Redefine Meat that was a serious head turner and its going to be around for some time.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Forgetting to cook in the present. Doing too much and over complicating. Side tracking from your vision and original intention. Forgetting to enjoy what you do and becoming stagnant in your culinary journey.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
It has to be the summer because of the variety and the vibrant colours you have in your larder.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
After 37 years of being in the industry and you do tend to bank a few, but they also tend to evolve somewhat over time with different techniques and approach depending on your equipment. Roasted lightly spiced scallops, oriental pork belly, lotus crisps, tamarind ketchup and fresh turmeric butter bean puree stands out for me.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Through books, articles and client requests no matter how nutty they maybe!
Who was your greatest influence?
In the kitchen probably the chef at the time at the RAF Club Chris Watts and then David Cavalier, through media and books Raymond Blanc, Thomas Keller, the Late Charlie Trotter (RIP) to name a few. More recently I have worked a lot with Patrick McDonald and he has shown me a different approach to managing teams, constructing menus and designing kitchens.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay and Jason Atherton.
What is your favourite cookbook?
This is a really difficult one as I have nearly 2,000 books and I can’t just choose one, everyone from Thomas Keller, Alan Ducasse, Ramsay, El Bully, to “Too Many Chiefs Only One Indian” Sat Bains… I just can’t choose, sorry!
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Tom Booton at The Dorchester Grill.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
The Ledbury, but I’ve not been since it has re-opened and it’s on my list.
The Chefs’ Table at its Best
Normally it’s the other way round – we’re the ones doing the hard graft at our popular chefs lunches and events so you can enjoy yourselves. But recently we were treated to a full-on chefs’ experience at The Dorchester by our friends at Redefine Meat and we wanted to share what we discovered.
Of course, The Chef’s Table is nothing new. And yet, in a position overlooking the main kitchen at The Dorchester and with Dorchester Exec Sous Chef Soham Sonawane and Pastry Chef Michael Kwan in charge of the cooking and serving we were quite literally, bowled over.
We were joined at the table by Redefine Meat superstars Louise Wagstaffe and Callum Braddock, Mano Mayfair chef Luciana Barry and Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Exose Grant for a special dinner and it really was a treat.
It was great to give chefs some downtime in advance of a full house booked the following day, where they would be cooking for industry legend Marco Pierre White at London’s Carousel event venue, plus fifty more industry peers.
This was a once in a lifetime experience and a celebration of months of hard work planning and executing yet another bespoke event for a high profile customer.
Here’s what was served on a special menu, printed just for us, with fine wines expertly paired to each course:
- Chef’s choice of Amuse Bouche
- Fresh homemade sourdough with Dorset butter and apricot harissa (yum)
- Ahi Tuna
Tuna tartare and caviar (delish) - Wye Valley Asparagus
Blue lobster salad and caviar casserole (seriously excellent) - Black Angus dry aged beef
Wellington of beef fillet, duck foie gras, wild mushroom and truffle (amazing) - Saffron panacotta with textures of citrus (so refreshing)
- English Strawberry Eton Mess
Earl Grey tea ice cream (gorgeous) - Truffles and candy (couldn’t get out of our chairs)
The team at The Dorchester were superb and it really demonstrated to us how good the chefs table is at bringing you close to the action and enjoying an intimacy with chefs that the dining room can’t deliver.
The chefs’ table at The Dorchester really is an opportunity to see how it should be done and experience one of the hottest tickets in town.
The Chefs’ Forum would like to thank Soham and Michael for a truly magical evening and for their ongoing support for the next generation of chefs.
Their parting gift to us was a chocolate model of The Dorchester to celebrate its 90-year anniversary, such an amazing finishing touch to the perfect culinary experience.
For more information on how to book CLICK HERE.
Chef of the Week: Begonya Sànchez, Head Chef at Chotto Matte in Marylebone, London
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have had the opportunity to take part in the opening of the Restaurant (Chotto Matte) in 2013. This was one of my first jobs in London. I then went to discover other London restaurants, acquire more experience and I finally came back to Chotto Matte in 2019.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I started my cooking career at a pastry shop in Barcelona. We made a lot of wedding cakes and delivered them to venues, mostly restaurants. That was when I first was exposed to large restaurant kitchens. I think the passion started there with the vibrancy and energy I was witnessing in these large kitchens. It was like I had discovered an unknown territory, a new world and wanted to experience it.
I was already familiar with kitchens, albeit a bit more tranquil in the pastry world and so had acquired some technical skills. Cooking is a passion and so the skills are acquired with feeding the desire to discover and experience.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Believe it or not, what I enjoy the most about being a chef is working under pressure. Restaurant kitchens are typically fast paced and every service is like a mission from start to end. I think this is what I enjoy the most about being a chef, every day is a mission with a different challenge.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Garlic, Miso, and chillies (hot)!
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
A Thermomix in good kitchen jargon (food processor). Emulsification is a must.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Plant based everything. Really, everything has, or will have, a plant-based version, even bacon. We have recently, at Chotto Matte, introduced plant based meat alternatives in our dishes.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
I think the portrayal of chefs in media and reality tv is something that lets chefs down. We are not all short tempered and dramatic. Success in our world is massively founded on virtues like patience and time management.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Autumn is the best time of year. You can put your hands on amazingly fresh produce from around the world.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I can’t single out a dish I am proud of. I can say that every dish I make I am proud of. Every one of them are a combination of different experiences, skills and elements of cooking I have acquired throughout the years.
How do you come up with new dishes?
New dishes are a reflection of a chef’s kitchen and life experiences. Travelling, working with different chefs from different cultures, discovering new ingredients and techniques in different geographies. These are all components that unite in one person and bring out new dishes. Simply put, I had no clue what Jackfruit was until I moved to London.
Who was your greatest influence?
My greatest influence was and still is Carles Carreras. Carles is an admirable pastry chef I had the opportunity to discover the culinary world in Barcelona with. He is an example to follow.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Of course, Carles Carreras is a chef I admire. But, I have always admired the revolutionary Ferran Adria and his brother Albert Adria. These two are the pioneers of molecular gastronomy, ground-breaking!
If we look at traditional cuisine, it would be chef Santi Santamaria, he was truly the best.
What is your favourite cookbook?
I don’t have a particular one but, I go for food cultural books rather than cook books written by chefs.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Everyday new talents come to light.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
The last year was very difficult for the industry and so were new openings during an uncertain time. But, my favourite upcoming new opening this year will be Chotto Matte Marylebone, which opens on 20th May.
