Chef Hours Continue to Tumble as Crisis Shortage Bites
It started slowly but the move to reduce chef hours is becoming a reality. More and more establishments have come to accept and realise that the only future they have is a happy one. Fewer chefs are prepared to work the hours they did before for the same money.
And, as a result, smart operators have realised that the best way to keep their staff is to keep them happy and motivated. Sat Bains reduced the number of services before the pandemic. Michel Roux stopped lunch at Le Gavroche once it was over. Simon Wood is planning to cut output to five good services a week and now Mike Robinson will stop serving lunch during the week at his restaurants The Harwood Arms, The Elder and The Woodsman.
There are few who would disagree. The move has been coming for a long time and the old-school attitude of working every hour just for the badge was never going to last. In the 1990’s/ 2000’s there were a generation of chefs schooled in the Marco Pierre White way – exhausted, bedraggled, passionate, brilliant. The mark of a young chef in those days was his or her ambition to master the craft no matter the hours. Back then it was the only way to succeed.
However, times change and with them attitudes and ambitions. American kitchens have known for a long time that the work/life balance is important for motivation and lower staff turnover. Now it’s our turn to come to the same conclusion.
Robinson told The Daily Telegraph’s William Sitwell: “If you are working lunch and dinner 5 days a week then you are exhausted on your two days off.” And this seems to be the nub of it. But, in reality it’s more than that. The exhaustion that chefs are experiencing is not only from the physical work they do but also the mental side of cooking. There is simply too much to learn in too short a time.
Robinson continued: “We want to put the focus on quality and effort in the evening and have longer evening services. Customer satisfaction is higher, our staff are so happy and you’re only ever as good as the people you work with. If we want to get the restaurant industry booming again the one thing we have to do is look after our staff.”
What that means in reality are weeks consisting of 45-55 hours – not 70. That has to be a good thing. Harness that with achievable artisan skills and the restaurant industry will be diverse, happy and strong.
Scottish Chefs Lament Banned Background Music in Restaurants
The ban on background music in restaurants and bars in Scotland, which became law on the 14th August, is being likened to a”kiss of death” by owners.
According to the Scottish Government the new rule has been enforced because music causes customers to have to “lean in” to be heard thus making social distancing more difficult.
“We don’t want the restrictions in place for any longer than is needed but in order to continue to suppress Covid-19 the clinical advice remains that pubs and bars should have no background music or volume from television,” said a spokeswoman from the Government. “This is because of the increased risk of transmission from aerosol and droplets when people raise their voices. We continue to monitor this and are working closely with the licensed trade to develop updated guidance based on the best public health advice.”
Peter McKenna, Chef and Co-Owner of The Gannet in Glasgow said
“We have always played background music. We feel it adds personality to a restaurant and gives people a sense of place. We have actually carried out an experiment into background music being switched off compared to low level background music. We found that the noise level was significantly higher with no music as people spoke more loudly to make themselves heard in their groups over a cacophony of voices, this should be taken into consideration re: lifting the ban. Low level music in our opinion moderates the level of noise and can create varying ambiances, changing with time of day and who’s in at any given time. Our favorites include ambient tracks by Bob Dylan, Zero 7 and William Orbit!”
This has brought uproar from some of Scotland’s restaurateurs and hoteliers. James Thomson, who owns The Witchery Restaurant and Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh, said:
“Having no music at all is the kiss of death in terms of atmosphere for us and there is no logic behind it. This is a nonsense. Very loud music in nightclubs could cause people to lean in to each other but in restaurants background music adds ambience! We need background music to kill the deathly hush as people feel they have to start whispering when a restaurant is quiet. Diners want to eat out in a place with atmosphere not a library.”
Dominic Crolla, of Edinburgh’s La Locanda in Cockburn Street added:
“Background music should be allowed in restaurants. The ban is a disgrace. My customers come to hear classic Italian music while enjoying Italian food but now the atmosphere is ruined. They are just guessing and it just doesn’t add up.”
Matthew Bailey, General Manager of Mortonhall Garden Centre which contains a restaurant that seats 300 said:
“Music enhances the atmosphere in the current climate where people are more uptight and sombre. It softens the mood and relaxes people. We should be allowed to play background music as it creates a feeling of harmony.”
Chefs and Industry Leaders Have Their Say on the ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ Scheme
Eat Out to Help Out has been claimed 64 million times since the beginning of August according to data released by HM Revenue & Customs. This equates to one per person for every person in the country.
The £10 per head maximum discount scheme has risen in popularity since it started. The data shows 10.5m meals were claimed in the first week followed by 35m in the second. By the end of the month this had risen to 64m.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “This scheme has reminded us how much we love to dine out. Today’s figures continue to show that diners are backing hospitality – with more than 64m meals discounted so far, that’s equivalent to nearly every person in the country dining out to protect jobs.”
HMRC said £336m had been claimed so far. This represents an average discount of £5.25 per head. The scheme runs until the end of August.
Chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL DBA said the scheme has really worked for him, so much so that he’s going to extend it at his own expense for the time being, he said
“Yes, we are indeed keeping the offer open from Tuesday to Saturday at Café Spice Namaste. Situated where we are on the fringe of London’s City district, we have sadly suffered the total decimation of our usual clientele with many offices remaining completely shut.
There is also the added drawback of the 24/7 congestion charge being in place up until 10pm, coupled with the Ultra-Low Emission Zone charge (ULEZ). This means we significantly lose-out from a double whammy. The only saving grace are diners from East London or those travelling by public transport.
The Chancellor’s initiative encouraged people to dine out, enjoying a fantastic discount, we thought this would be the best thing to encourage our customers to raise their confidence and to venture out so that our industry gets the vital boost it needs.”
The Eat Out To Help Out scheme has helped us in bringing new customers to us, as well as showing people that our industry does care and is taking precautions in making sure guests are safe and comfortable.”
Many industry leaders are calling for the scheme to be extended with some claiming that it had already been a success.
Stephen Wall, Managing Director and co-founder of Pho, told The Guardian:
“The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has really been amazing. It’s so nice to see our restaurants full of happy staff and customers again. It has certainly benefited our early week figures and seems to have encouraged the British public to dine out safely, as our restaurants are filling up and staying busy throughout the weekend, too.”
However, it has not all be plain sailing. Simon Hulstone of The Elephant in Torquay revealed on his twitter feed that guests were threatening to never come again if they did not receive the offer on other days:
“So much hate for being full on tues/wed from people. Even threatening to never eat with us again unless they can get £10 off other day !!! Very bizarre behaviour. We are operating with 30% less covers we would love to do more guests.“
Masterchef semi-finalist and South West Chef of The Year, Jamie Rogers of Restaurant Twenty-Seven, Kingsbridge, also based in Devon said that he has really benefited from the scheme saying
“The Eat Out To Help Out scheme has massively helped my restaurant so much that we are doing almost three times the covers we usually do Monday to Wednesday. It’s turned a very uncertain time into a positive for me as an owner, the staff and our much-valued customers. It has also attracted people who wouldn’t normally come as they perceive us to be expensive or fine dining, so its been a great promotion all round – Thank you Rishi and Boris!”
David Page, chairman of Fulham Shore, which owns Franco Manca and The Real Greek, told The BBC:
“Eat Out to Help Out immediately increased our restaurant customer numbers by over 50%, thus enabling us to get all our staff back to work. In fact, we are now creating new jobs.”
According to Sky News the Grosvenor Estate, one of the largest property owners in London’s West End, plans to offer discounted rents for restaurants in its property portfolio that apply £10 per head discounts until the end of September.
Overall, the comments from chefs all over the country have given the scheme a resounding thumbs-up and would like to take this opportunity to thank customers who have participated in the scheme and the government for its support of the hospitality industry at such a difficult time.
Chef of the Week: Rory Lovie – Head Chef at Bridgeview Station in Dundee
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have worked at Bridgeview Station as Head Chef for 6 years.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I would say probably watching cooking programmes on the TV when I was like 7 years old. Ready Steady Cook was always a favourite as it was always on when I came home from School. I studied at Perth College, Scotland.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
I like being able to create a piece of food that’s makes people smile. Flavour is always key.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt, Spices and I would say onions, every good base starts with one.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Dehydrator. I love it!
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Fermentation is back on the up I would say. Garums and Kojis becoming more trendy.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Too many flavours on a plate. Let the quality ingredients shine through instead of fighting with each other.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Spring. It’s when we start to see more colour hit our plates.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I loved a dish we had on last year at the restaurant. It was a Tomato Water Jelly, Tomatoes and Basil. Simple, clean and just shouted summer.
How do you come up with new dishes?
We look at what’s in season and decided as a team what we would like to do with the ingredients.
Who was your greatest influence?
Probably Tony Heath. My first Head Chef. He introduced me to kitchen life at 15 as a Kitchen Porter and I haven’t looked back.
Tell us three chefs you admire?
Marco Pierre White for being Marco, Gordon Ramsay for building an empire and Fergus Henderson for keeping traditions alive with nose to tail eating.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Essence by David Everitt-Mathias. It introduced me to the foraging side of cookery.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Tom Brown. Should definitely get a Michelin star. The food he is doing at Cornerstone is unreal.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
It’s been open more than last year but The Cellar in Anstruther is one of best I have been to recently. The food that Billy and his team are producing their is special.
Senior Chefs Have Been Reacting to the GSCE and SQA Results Day with Messages of Support
Senior chefs have been reacting to the GSCE and SQA results day with messages of support pouring in from all over the country. The Chefs’ Forum has taken an active role during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
All Academy chefs have offered dinners to groups of students at their restaurant as a reward for attending their maths and English GCSE sessions and trying their best to achieve a pass. The increase in attendance and effort applied to their courses on last year is absolutely astounding and is evident in the excellent results achieved.
Both the Chefs’ Forum YouTube Channel and Couch to College Open Day have been extremely useful for students while they were away from school. Now chefs are sending in words of encouragement for the new intake of students as they prepare for college life and a new profession.
The Chefs’ Forum and colleges are delighted with the show of strength, support and encouragement from the Academy chefs. Here are some of their lovely comments and messages they sent wishing students the very best for results day and the coming academic year.
Doug Crampton, Head Chef at James Martin Manchester said:
“Good luck with your exam results! It’s been great to support Manchester College Chefs’ Forum Academy this year. I was really impressed with all your skills and how enthusiastic you all are with our masterclasses. The masterclass sessions offered a prime opportunity to search out new talent and we’ve had a few students who have come to work with us as a result. Keep an eye out for events we’ve got coming up – we’ve got some great stuff and all the best for the future.”
Sam Fazackerley, Rosso Restaurant, Manchester added:
“I would like to wish the very best of luck to the students at The Manchester College. We’re very much looking forward to delivering more guest lecturers in the college as part of The Chefs’ Forum Academy. Huge congratulations to the college and The Chefs’ Forum for bringing us all together; it helps us find the next young talent for our kitchens and helps the students become more industry ready. We look forward to seeing you all soon!”
Joe Bartlett, Lake Country House offered his encouragement:
“We’re sending all the luck in the world from the team at The Lake. I had a fantastic time teaching you at level 1 and 2. We did two great dishes together at Coleg Gwent – a braise and a fish dish – and you all did a fantastic job. All the hard work you put in you will then get out later so fingers crossed for your results!
“A huge thank you to chef Gavin for bringing us local chefs in and bridging that gap between students, colleges and the industry. I’m always happy to help students with work placement or even a job if you are looking. Good luck and see you soon.”
Ben Purton from Off to Work said:
“It’s been really great coming down and working at the West London College over the last year or so with you. I’ve loved cooking alongside you and I look forward to coming down to see you in the next few months when all this blows over! It’s great to be working alongside The Chefs’ Forum and everything they do for students. Good luck and give us a shout if you need anything.”
The Chefs’ Forum would like to take this opportunity to thank all chefs who send messages of encouragement to the students.
Any chefs wishing to teach in The Chefs’ Forum Academies throughout the UK should contact Academy Coordinator, Rebecca Saunders: rebecca@redcherry.uk.com – We need you to inspire and ignite the aspiration in the next generation.
Top Catering Colleges and Chefs’ Forum Academies are Celebrating a Flood of Good GSCE and SQA Results
Top Catering Colleges and Chefs’ Forum Academies are celebrating a flood of good GSCE and SQA results and are preparing to welcome a new influx of students onto their hospitality and catering courses.
The results are a relief for four leading colleges running Chefs’ Forum Academies from England. Wales and Scotland after months of lockdown learning and home-schooling. They reveal how much The Chefs’ Forum initiatives have helped students in these very different times. They shared their thoughts on what the last few months have been like and what they are looking forward to as students begin to return.
Elizabeth Peters, Assistant Principal, Service and Retail Industries at The Manchester College, told us:
“We are delighted with the GCSE results from our students while they have been learning remotely at this difficult time. Resources like The Chefs’ Forum Academy YouTube recipe channel and our recent virtual ‘Couch to College’ open day with The Chefs’ Forum and Simon Wood have been extremely valuable to us.
“They maintain our links with industry to come back even stronger once we are able to invite students and chefs back into the college for the new normal.
Elizabeth went on to say: “We have really enjoyed the messages of encouragement for results day from our Chefs’ Forum Academy chefs and can’t wait to welcome them back to enrich our students learning for the new academic year to deliver cookery masterclasses, whether virtually, or in person, depending on government guidelines.”
Denise Charles, Head of Curriculum, Service Industries at Hammersmith & Fulham College said
“We have celebrated some great GCSE results across our four colleges and my hospitality and catering students have done very well indeed. We have added The Chefs’ Forum Academy YouTube recipe channel and links to our online learning platform.
“Throughout lockdown, my teaching team and I regularly participated in the Chefs’ Quiz each week to maintain contact with chefs who come into the college to teach.
“It was great to see our guest teaching chefs Michael Dutnall MCA from the RAF Club, Soham Sonawane from The Dorchester, Chanaka Fernando from Buddha Bar and Connor McAlpine of Marcus Waring Restaurants, who gave a Front of House Masterclass.
“I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks to Ben Purton from Off To Work for his kind words of encouragement to our students for receiving their exam results today, it was a lovely gesture. We very much look forward to welcoming the guest chefs back into the college again, the students really look forward to the sessions!”
Gavin George, Chef Lecturer at Coleg Gwent added
“Its been an exciting morning at the college today. Our students have been very happy with their GCSE results as they were predicted by us as their tutors. We are very proud of the relentless effort and enthusiasm they have shown over lockdown and we look forward to welcoming them back to the college. We will produce films of masterclasses with our Chefs’ Forum Academy chefs if we are not able to invite them in while restrictions are still in place. Covid-19 won’t stop us from inspiring and nurturing our students to be the best they can possibly be.”
May Donald, Associate Dean – Culinary Arts & Bakery Hospitality & Leisure at Glasgow College added her thoughts on SQA results in Scotland:
“It has been a challenging academic year all round. Students have faced a great upheaval of delivery and have taken on a new way of learning in an instant. My department and I are very proud of the response to this and the results have replicated their dedication and commitment to their learning journey.”
The Chefs’ Forum is very much looking forward to sending chefs into colleges to teach on a near-national level. Any chefs wishing to get involved in giving back to the industry and passing on their skills and expertise should email Chefs’ Forum Academy Coordinator Rebecca Saunders: rebecca@redcherry.uk.com
Areas currently running Chefs’ Forum Academies are Bath & Cotswolds, London, South Wales, West Wales and Manchester. We are also launching in Glasgow very soon – We look forward to hearing from you as all great chefs should teach!
Chef of the Week: Dougie Balish – Head Chef at The Grove of Narberth in Wales
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I’ve been at The Grove of Narberth for one year.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
Growing up on the west coast of Scotland and a vegetarian mother led to enduring under cooked broccoli as a staple dinner. My family had no interest in food and still don’t to this day so it was a bit of a mystery to them when I was obsessing over what the next meal was or associating holidays with the food we ate. I worked a few shifts in the local pub over summer and fell in love with the idea of being a chef. I quickly moved to the Michelin-starred restaurant, Bohemia, in Jersey in order to learn as much as possible.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
There’s many things to enjoy about being a chef. I love creating something new, something unique and in our own style at The Grove and I love when the seasons change and you have a host of new ingredients to play with.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt,garlic and chilli.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Thermomix – such a handy thing to have and takes the risks out of many recipes
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I think there’s been a few around for the last couple of years, with Nordic and Asian influences, leading to some very exciting food. It’s brought an increase in simplicity for dishes and a lightness using fermentation, foraging and dashi stocks.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Two things, one is for young chefs not staying in one place for a few years and getting a good overall training rather than jumping around and maybe doing a garnish section in three different kitchens. The other is something I’ve been guilty of in the past. That’s adding too many ingredients to a dish, generally adding more doesn’t necessarily let the flavours shine.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Spring! By the time winter finishes up it feels like an eternity of root veg. The first signs begin with one of my favourite ingredients – wild garlic. That’s when you know Italian peas, nettles, early asparagus and morels are just around the corner. Unfortunately this year we pretty much missed it due to COVID-19.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
My pigeon dish has become something of a signature. It’s not a meat that most people would pick as their favourite but it’s a dish that I’ve developed over the last six years to a point where I’m happy with it and wouldn’t want to change it.
How do you come up with new dishes?
I can’t really explain, I just look at whats in season and try to find something that pairs with the feel of the restaurant and does the ingredients justice. I like the guests to be able to distinguish each element of the dish which is reflected even in the way we plate them.
Who was your greatest influence?
Martin Burge. He was my chef at the two Michelin-starred Whatley Manor. He changed my thought process on everything without me even realising at the time. Challenging me to always taste and question if a little more salt or acidity or less cooking would improve a recipe. He is the picture of professionalism and would make sure everything from the deliveries to the front of house were to the standard he desired.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Mickael Viljanen, Mark Birchall, Niall Keating
What is your favourite cookbook?
Bau – its incredible.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
- Chris Eden at gidleigh park
- Fred Clapperton at Coast
- Tony Parkin at the Tudor room
- Gareth Ward at Ynyshir
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I think Lovage by Lee Smith is going to be a real hit. He held a Michelin star and was on Great British Menu, now he’s opened his own place and stamping his personality on it.
Comax UK & Sanitise This are Joining Forces to Bring their Locally Made Community Spirit Hand Sanitiser to Bars, Hotels and Restaurants Across The South!
Comax UK & Sanitise This are Joining Forces to Bring their Locally Made Community Spirit Hand Sanitiser to Bars, Hotels and Restaurants Across The South!
When COVID-19 hit the impact was immediate, it affected all businesses & services and forced everyone to find new ways to work and support each other.
Based in Ringwood, Comax UK has proudly supplied local hospitality businesses, care homes and schools with professional cleaning, catering & PPE products for over 25 years. From the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, they had to adapt rapidly to the changing market place. Due to the incredible demand, for sanitiser and PPE, sourcing stock became challenging but they were able to quickly focus the business to janitorial and PPE supplies, initially prioritising their NHS, care home and school customers, whilst working hard to ensure continuous supplies of crucial stock.
Now five months after it all began the hospitality industry is getting back on its feet and they could not be more excited to be collaborating with fellow local business Conker Spirit!
Back in April, Dorset’s first gin distillery, Conker Spirit, rapidly shifted their distillery production to help bridge the gap in supply of sanitiser for frontline workers. During the start of the epidemic, they gave away hundreds of 70cl bottles of hand sanitiser, aptly naming it their ‘Community Spirit’. Made from the waste ‘heads’ of their distillation process, it had the added benefit of being full of the oils and aromas from their gin botanicals.
This generosity prompted quite a bit of interest from the local press, and it was not long before companies all over the country flooded their inbox. “That’s when we knew it was going to take more than a gesture of a few hundred bottles of free sanitiser. There was a genuine need for us to go into full-scale production of the WHO formulation hand sanitiser, and quickly!” says Rupert. Since then, Conker Spirit have manufactured over 80,000 litres of WHO Formulation Hand Sanitiser alongside their usual distillery operations, supplying frontline services, key worker businesses and people in their homes.
Now, as lockdown lifts and businesses start to open their doors again, they have taken their sanitiser production to a completely new level with the launch of Sanitise This, a separate company within the Conker group that offers ethically priced, beautifully presented sanitiser solutions for the hospitality industry and businesses.
The partnership between Comax, as locally based distributors, and manufacturers Conker Spirit is a perfect match! Both are delighted to launch Community Spirit Hand Sanitiser into bars, hotels and restaurants across the UK.
Community Spirit Hand Sanitiser is now available to order from Comax UK in 500ml & 5 Litre containers.
Visit www.comaxuk.com now to purchase.
Walter Rose & Son: The Chefs’ Butcher
At Walter Rose & Son attention to detail is everything. From the sourcing of the best animals through their carefully curated list of farmers to the process of taking on the butchers straight from school, so that they learn the ‘Walter Rose way’ as opposed to the generic fashion taught on butchery courses, every step is given the optimum level of consideration.
“I’ve worked with Charlie and the team at Walter Rose for twelve years” Aktar Islam, Chef Patron of Michelin starred Opheem and Pulperia tells us, “We love the way that they butcher every cut to order from entire carcasses gives us the bespoke service we require”.
He’s right: Walter Rose & Son is a chef’s butcher, who recognises that each specification is different and who work through the night to have orders in the kitchen the following day.
Here’s a virtual tour of the butchers shop and cutting plant, so you can see that superb quality and excellent service chimes through everything they do to give chefs what they need, when they need it, always going the extra mile:
The butchers have been a part of the Wiltshire high street since 1847, moving into supplying the industry during the supermarket boom of the 1980s. Since then they’ve gone on to supply a large proportion of the top restaurants in the country. Luke Tipping, head chef of Michelin-starred Simpsons, has nothing but praise for them;
“As chefs we are nothing without the finest produce, so I’m always striving to select the best I can, this doesn’t happen without like minded suppliers, Walter Rose is certainly one of those. I’ve only recently started working with Walter Rose but they are definitely part of the future at Simpsons, the service that Jack and Charlie offer is second to none”.
Traceability is of huge importance so a large proportion of the meat is sourced within ten miles of the company. They know what diet the animals are on, that the farms are free from harmful pesticides, and the sustainability of each individual breed. The result is world class meat, whether that be beef, lamb, poultry, game and any cut of meat a chef may require, to their individual specification.
The recent pandemic has led to Walter Rose diversifying the business to accommodate a growing domestic requirement for meat, but this still remains a business that serves chefs and the hospitality industry at its core. With restaurants reopening to a ‘new normal’, Walter Rose will be there to provide the support and level of service which comes with over 170 years of experience.
Walter Rose would like to take this opportunity to welcome chefs back to their kitchens and let them know that its business as usual once more. Jack and Charlie Cook would love to hear from you with your requirements:
Please call on 01380 722335 or email jack@walterroseandson.co.uk or charlie@walterroseandson.co.uk
Award-winning Chef Sudha Saha Opens O.kra in Stafford
Located on Mill Street, the newest restaurant to arrive in Stafford town centre provides a unique and modern take on traditional Indian dishes.
O.kra’s dishes remain authentic to Indian recipes passed down through generations, fusing local and seasonal quality ingredients with global influences, to produce a dining experience to remember.
And at its helm – Consultant Indian Chef Sudha Saha:
“The current climate has seen a huge shift within the restaurant industry. Many restaurants have unfortunately had to close their doors, yet I believe it provides the opportunity for others to shine. O.kra is one of those, and I’m extremely excited to lead the way to launch something special there.”
Stemming from his love for authentic flavours, and innovative and imaginative techniques of cooking, Sudha is truly passionate about being able to share a fresh perspective on the cuisine. Offering a modern approach to traditional cooking, Sudha looks to break down the conventional barriers, and both inspire and educate people in Indian cuisine. Recognised by both the Michelin and Hardens Guides, Sudha has created a menu that fuses local and seasonal produce with global influences – the result of this East-West affair is spectacular, and a world away from Birmingham’s renowned Baltis,
Sudha’s culinary career spans over three decades, and he has taken part in a range of live cooking demos including Hotelympia, Grand Designs and the Food and Drink Expo at the NEC. He has also made appearances on Brit Asia TV’s ‘Culinary King’, Channel 4’s ‘Iron Chef’, ITV’s ‘Britain’s Best Dish’, BBC2’s ‘Restaurant with Alex Polizzi’, CBBC’s ‘Disaster Chef’, and Food Network’s ‘Birmingham to Bombay’.
O.kra Indian Restaurant
16-18 Mill Street
Stafford
ST16 2AJ
Opening Times
Monday to Sunday – 5.30pm to 11:00pm
