A ‘Chefs’ Lunch’ at Cornwall College Kick-Starts The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation
The Chefs’ Forum held a four-course Chefs’ Lunch for sixty guests at Cornwall College on Monday (21) November. The ‘Pay What You Can’ event showcasing top Cornish chefs generated £750 to kick start new Industry CIC, The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation, incorporated by The Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha and Alexandra Duncan last month to support young people making their way in the hospitality industry.
The Chefs’ Forum elected to stage a ‘Pay What You Can’ event in order to give all Cornish chefs the chance to sample the very best in local cooking, at a price they could afford whilst making as much money for The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation as possible. It was also a fantastic opportunity for Cornwall College students to work with professional chefs in industry and the food produced was outstanding.
Through its work with colleges and education providers over the last six years, The Chefs’ Forum has learnt that there are some funds available through student welfare for essential equipment and resources in order for learners to complete their qualification e.g. uniforms, knives, transport etc. However, these funding pots are ever-shrinking year on year and finite, in that when all the money has been allocated, there is none left to deal with emergencies throughout the year.
A further issue is that Student Support Funds in colleges are means-tested, meaning some deserving young people who do not qualify for these funds find themselves in situations during their study where they struggle financially.
Yesterday’s lunch at Cornwall College raised £750 to contribute to this cause and was the first of many fund-raising initiatives to be staged by The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation to generate valuable funds to help young people in the Hospitality industry.
The newly decorated Brea Café at Cornwall College was the perfect space to hold the event, large enough to hold a mini trade show for members of the Cornish hospitality industry as well as a banquet-style lunch for them to come together and support the next generation as well as each other and browse the very best in produce and equipment.
Nine tables were laid up to the highest standard in Brea, all named after seasonal fish. The lunch enabled Cornish hospitality employers, chef and suppliers to trade to network, whilst enjoying some of the very best local cookery in four delicious courses cooked by top Cornish chefs, helped by Cornwall College students.
Cornwall Life Awards Chef of The Year, Arty Williams of The Cove in Maenporth cooked a delicious starter of scallops, saffron & chervil cream and crispy Cornish sea spaghetti.
2AA Rosette Chef Nick Hodges of The Greenbank Hotel then impressed industry guests with his rolled fillet of lemon sole, sea trout and samphire, shellfish broth, lobster, crab, mussels and clams.
Award-winning 2AA Rosette Chef Patron Anton Buttery of Langmans restaurant then showcased Two Brothers belly pork with fennel, mixed cabbages and roots, crackling and apple. Anton’s dish was hearty and delicious and very warming on what was one of the wettest days of the year so far!
What’s On Cornwall Awards ‘Best Chef in Cornwall’ Ken Symons, Chef Patron of Oliver’s Restaurant in Falmouth served the perfect finale to a day of excellent cooking with his famous Chocolate caramel bar, fennel and peanut. The County-renowned, yet down to earth and kind-hearted chef told the guests about his plans for a ’12 chefs, 12 nights’ charity fundraising project and his impressive goal to raise £20,000 for charity to run from 9th January-27th March. The Chefs’ Forum guests all promised to buy tickets and if today’s generosity was any anything to go by, Ken’s target should be smashed by the great industry people of Cornwall. Full details will be available on www.oliversfalmouth.com by the end of the week.
Phil Oakes, Chef Lecturer at Cornwall College said: “Today’s Chefs’ Lunch was a fantastic experience for the students and I think they have done exceedingly well – It was a real privilege for them to work with such talented chefs from across the County and a fabulous opportunity for the students to showcase their skills to local employers. Anton Buttery has offered to come back to the college during our Industry Week this January to work with our learners, which is a real coup for the college and a great result from today’s fundraising lunch.”
Curriculum Lead for Hospitality, Grant Mathers, reinforced Phil’s comments: “Events like this are crucial for the college. I’m sure the visiting chefs would have been impressed with the students at the college and may well have eyes on their next Commis Chef! The College would welcome applications from chefs and industry experts wishing to come in and work with the students during industry week in the first week of January. The Chefs’ Forum supports the college in an extremely positive way, specifically in terms of bridging communications between education and industry.”
The Chefs’ Forum sponsors including Total Produce, Kingfisher Brixham, Two Brothers Foods and Koppert Cress all donated ingredients for the lunch, driving down the food cost, allowing The Chefs’ Forum to raise vital funds for young people in industry.
Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum concluded: “The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation was well and truly launched today and it was humbling to see such a show of support from Cornish Industry people and Cornwall College. It is great that The Chefs’ Forum can use its industry links to provide a safety-net to learners in terms of financial support, career opportunities and equipment. I am proud to say that the money raised by today’s Chefs’ Lunch will go towards helping those in need. This lunch was a fabulous chance for current and future chefs and front of house professionals to witness first-hand, industry-leading cookery and first class service where cost was not an obstacle to them doing so. We are delighted to announce that we now welcome applications for support from colleges and education providers”.
Photography by www.fayditphotography.com
Top Chefs & Students Cook ‘A Chefs’ Lunch’ at Bath College
The Chefs’ Forum held a four-course Chefs’ Lunch for eighty guests at The Shrubbery Restaurant, Bath College. The ‘Pay What You Can’ event showcasing top chefs from Bath & Cotswolds generated £1000 for Industry Charity, Hospitality Action.
The Shrubbery Restaurant in Avon Street is one of Bath’s most celebrated culinary destinations, representing exceptional value for money. Here, diners can enjoy delicious three-course lunches and fine dining banquets prepared by some of Bath’s best chefs with the help of hospitality and catering students at the college. This was certainly the case on Monday (7) November. Eight tables of ten, all named after varieties of Autumnal squash filled the room and guests were treated to a four-course lunch to showcase the culinary skills of the most acclaimed local restaurants.
David Campbell, Executive Head Chef at The Royal Crescent, Bath, was joined in the college kitchen by Lucknam Park chefs Elly Wentworth & Dean Westcar, Head Chef Daniel Moon from The Gainsborough Hotel and Michael Topp & Martin Blake from The Manor House Hotel. The Students from Bath College joined forces with the visiting chefs and learners from HIT Training to finish and plate each of the four courses.
Elly Wentworth, Junior Sous Chef at Lucknam Park will appear on BBC’s Masterchef: The Professionals in the new series which will air on Tuesday (8) November on BBC2 at 8pm.
The Chefs’ Forum elected to stage a ‘Pay What You Can’ event in order to give all chefs the chance to sample the very best in local cooking, at a price they could afford whilst making as much money for Hospitality Action as possible. It was great for the next generation to work with professional chefs in industry and the food produced was outstanding.
Bridget Halford, Head of Hospitality at Bath College said:
“Today’s Chefs’ Lunch was an amazing experience for the students – It was a real privilege for them to work with such talented chefs from across the Bath area and a fabulous opportunity for the students to showcase their skills to local employers. Every seat in our restaurant was filled and an impressive £1000 raised for industry charity, Hospitality Action, we are delighted with this!”
The new Principle of Bath College, Laurel Penrose echoed Bridget’s comments:
“I have been really impressed with the food and organisation of today’s Chefs’ Lunch at the college. The Chefs’ Forum supports the college in an extremely positive and productive way, specifically in terms of raising the profile of our learners and fantastically equipped facility to potential employers in Bath and the surrounding area. The meal was delicious and it was an excellent opportunity for our students to network with top chefs, suppliers and learning peers.”
The Chefs’ Forum sponsors including A.David, Total Produce, Kingfisher Brixham, Walter Rose & Son and Easy Jose as well as the participating chefs all donated ingredients, driving down the food cost, allowing The Chefs’ Forum to raise vital funds for industry people who fall on hard times. Hospitality Action helps chefs and hospitality professionals overcome problems with stress, debt, drug and alcohol issues.
Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum concluded:
“The work Hospitality Action does is vital in offering support to hospitality people when they fall on hard times. It is great that The Chefs Forum can help in raising the profile of Hospitality Action to chefs on a regional level, highlighting the work it does. It is great to know that the money raised by The Chefs’ Lunch will go towards helping those in need. This lunch was a fabulous chance for current and future chefs and front of house professionals to witness first-hand, industry-leading cookery and first class service where cost was not an obstacle to them doing so.”
Photography by www.andrewplantphotography.com
Top London Chefs Enjoyed Cocktail Innovation and Culinary Capers on board The Yacht London
Halloween, 2016 will certainly be remembered as one of the warmest, most glorious, Autumnal days in living memory! It will also be remembered by top London chefs as a fantastic day of knowledge sharing, menu inspiration and a show of support for the next generation of hospitality professionals on board The Yacht London, the perfect venue for The Chefs’ Forum’s quarter four meet in the capital.
As the weather was so brilliant, events manager Ross Keown took the executive decision to remove the canvas sides of the upper deck, creating an open-air setting for The Chefs’ Forum on the beautifully-restored 1920s luxury steam yacht. The Yacht London is permanently moored between Embankment and Temple on the north bank of the river Thames, in what is known as “The Mayfair of the River”.
The Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha, John Hyde CBE FIH (HIT Training) and Sadie Highham (University of West London) welcomed the culinary experts on board the Yacht for a day of cooking, cocktails and collaboration.
The Yacht Head Chef Craig Ian McAlpine (probably the most Dapper chef in the UK) worked with students from the University of West London and Hit Training to produce some excellent canapés showcasing seasonal delicacies Fenland Celery and Parsley Root. Ian then performed a duo of cookery demonstrations to emphasise the delicious taste and versatility of the Autumnal produce. Ian was very impressed with the learners from both training providers and congratulated them on their enthusiasm and professionalism
“It is great to host The Chefs’ Forum today. I have really enjoyed working with the young people from the University of West London and Hit Training. They turned up early, got stuck in and produced some excellent food today. I have also been really impressed with the students working front of house today and they should be very proud of themselves – A great sign for the future of industry”.
Paul Da Costa Greaves then took the floor to give the guests a Koppert Cress ‘Cresperience’ with the help of expertly selected taster cups of cress and a highly ‘memorable’ Szechuan button ‘mouth-watering experience’ thrown in for good measure. Extraordinarily talented, witty and inventive, Masterchef of Great Britain, Da Costa Greaves could be described as a culinary alchemist in his innovation of explosive flavour combinations made from his delicious Dutch cress, edible flowers and micro herbs.
Stephanie Hennion from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) then led chefs in a wine tasting to establish the sensitivity of their palate and the effect different foods have on the flavour of wine. Koppert Cress acted as a fantastic palate-cleanser.
The day ended with a presentation and tasting by Fenland Celery and Chase Distillery on the relationship between vegetables and the production of alcohol, specifically vodka, gin and elderflower liquor. Growers are increasing looking for ways in which to maximise on their crop and are adding spirits and liquors their product range.
The students then tried their hand at creating cocktails with the Chase range of products, impressing industry experts to win a visit and tour of the Chase Distillery in Hereford.
The Chefs’ Forum effectively links education with industry and quality suppliers to top chefs, the next London event will take place at the University of West London on the 6th February where students will cook a four course lunch for local employers led by top chefs and industry experts.
Photography by www.pavlovaandcream.com
Specialised Chefs Talk Sustainable Fish with Matt Budden at Schpoons & Forx
Matt Budden, Executive Chef, Hilton Hotel Bournemouth hosted The Chefs’ Forum at the hotel’s Schpoons & Forx restaurant to celebrate Hilton being the first hotel chain to be Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified in using sustainable fish in its menus across the UK.
Matt joined Hilton Bournemouth just over a year ago and brought with him his passion and personal crusade for using only sustainable fish in his menu. Hilton has announced that over 50 of its UK hotels are now certified to the MSC chain-of-custody. This Chefs’ Forum was held to showcase responsibly-sourced seafood to forty professional chefs and thirty Specialised Chefs Scholarship students who attended The Chefs’ Forum quarter 4 event from Bournemouth & Poole College.
The day commenced with a canapé and fizz reception which showcased Matt’s menu and allowed the visiting students to network with potential employers, chefs to meet up and compare notes and suppliers to showcase the latest chef equipment, top quality produce and services to the hospitality industry.
Matt Budden said
“It is great to host The Chefs’ Forum here today. I hope the students and chefs now have a better idea about sustainable fish and conserving our environment. More than 30% of our oceans are over-fished and we can all play a part in tackling this issue through supporting more sustainable fishing methods. I can see a couple of students who have worked with me here at the hotel before and it is fantastic to see such a great number of you here today talking to employers and opening doors of opportunity”.
The Chefs’ Forum is a really useful quarterly for the chefs as they need not take time out of their busy kitchens for meetings; rather, The Chefs’ Forum brings everything into one place under one roof saving everyone time whilst sharing knowledge and expertise – A very valuable and useful event for all involved.
Holly Bailey, Apprenticeship coordinator for Catering and Hospitality at Bournemouth & Poole College added:
“We are very grateful for the opportunity to bring our students to Chefs’ Forum events as it is great exposure for them and a chance for them to network. We hope that meeting the professionals here today inspires them in their future careers. Our Specialised Chefs course has been running for 28 years in partnership with the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and aims to help address the shortage of young chefs in industry”.
First year Specialised Chefs Scholarship students Robbie Blake and Annie Ryder joined Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha on the microphone to tell the chefs and students how much they were enjoying their day at Schpoons & Forx.
Annie concluded:
“Today has been really useful in enabling me to talk to local employers and realising that it bodes well for us to just introduce ourselves and network with industry professionals. I really enjoyed the fish filleting demos and meeting all of the suppliers, it’s all really interesting”.
Matt used Induced Energy Induction and showcased his top of the range kitchen (complete with integral tandoor oven) in performing a trio of cookery demonstrations:
- Tandor Roasted Monkfish on the bone, saffron risotto, salsa verde
- Tandor roasted whole chesil beach mackerel, chermoula dressing
- Charred Guinea fowl, pomegranate, ,basil and mint salad
The WSET then educated the guests on why various wines go better with foods and how each part of the tongue can affect the way wine tastes. The guests learned a great deal about their individual palates as they sucked on a ‘sour strip’ then slurped a white, sipped red wine after rock salt and munched on a meringue prior to drinking dessert wine.
A sustainable fish demo and fish filleting competition was then held by Kingfisher Brixham as they showcased various filleting techniques to the chefs and students. Five Specialised Chefs Scholarship students then tried their hand at filleting a plaice. It was 1st year Specialised Chef Bailey Drew who impressed fish Ninjas Tom Allerton and Steve Hoare with his knife skills to win a day in the kitchen with Matt Budden and a day at Kingfisher Brixham.
Photography by: www.andrewplantphotography.com
Welsh Chefs Inspire the Next Generation at Cardiff’s 5 Star Hotel!
St David’s Hotel, Cardiff saw over fifty top chefs from across Wales gather for a day of cookery demonstrations, a celebration of Welsh produce and networking whilst inspiring the next generation. Executive chef Martyn Watkins led a team of students from Cardiff and Vale College in creating canapes and afternoon tea for the culinary experts who attended.
The Chefs’ Forum sponsors Castell Howell, Douglas Willis, Total Produce, Koppert Cress, WSET, Induced Energy and Clifton Food Range all took the opportunity to showcase their excellent produce, services and professional kitchen equipment in a mini trade show that took place in the beautiful Tempus at Tides Restaurant which looks out onto Cardiff Bay.
Martyn and the students produced some excellent canapés including Grass fed Douglas Willis Welsh beef carpaccio & hazelnut dressing, Plump prune and Carmarthen ham skewers, Beetroot & Pants Ys Gawn goats cheese bruschetta and Mini Welsh rarebit & home cured tomatoes. He then performed a cookery demo of Welsh Goats curd & braised leeks pomegranate seeds & chervil dressing, and Pan-fried Sewen, smoked bacon lentils curried Gower mussels to an audience of professional chefs, sharing his knowledge and inspiring seasonal menus.
The Chefs’ Forum Founder, Catherine Farinha then interviewed various Welsh producers from Welsh wine to Welsh tea, Welsh cheese to Welsh charcuterie. The WSET then led a tutored wine-tasting to really compliment the locally sourced delights.
Four Cardiff & Vale students went ‘pan to pan’ to produce a winning canapé with the same box of mystery ingredients that was sourced from the sponsors and given to each of them. It was 17 year old VRQ level 2 Hospitality and Catering student Ellis Demournay who reigned victorious with his winning trio of canapes of fillet beef with soy sauce and julienne of carrots, beetroot cream and Welsh rarebit. Ellis beat his colleagues to win a day in the kitchen with Martyn Watkins and his Senior Sous Chef Cepdia Schrouder who judged the competition and crowned him the winner. He also bagged a box of fabulous Welsh produce for his efforts. To reward all students who took part in the event, Nic Banner of Induced Energy then invited them all to visit the factory in Brackley for a tour and lunch to learn about the technology behind British-made induction hobs.
A great day was had by all at St David’s Hotel and it was fantastic to such a great level of support for young chefs and front of house professionals from the very best in Welsh hospitality business. It was brilliant to showcase such high-level suppliers whilst giving the chefs a chance to network and learn about Welsh Produce and ingredients.
The next Welsh Chefs’ Forum event will take place on the 13th February 2017 at Cardiff & Vale College.
Photography by Faydit Photography: www.fayditphotography.com
Roux Scholar Meets R8 at Bristol Audi
Over fifty top chefs from the Bristol area gathered at the Bristol Audi dealership, Cribbs Causeway on Monday (10) October for a day of phenomenal Audi driving experiences and Roux Scholar cookery demonstrations.
The event was staged to celebrate the partnership between The Chefs’ Forum and Bristol Audi, both sharing the same brand values of excellence in customer service and product. The Chefs’ Forum demo stage was installed into the dealership for the day to showcase culinary excellence to an audience of professional chefs, local hospitality employers and trainee chefs.
Greeted with delicious Easy Jose coffee and Luscombe Drinks reception, the chefs and front of house professionals enjoyed a morning of test drives of the Audi R8, TT, A3, A4, A5, A6 & A7 models. For many, it was their first Audi driving/brand experience and a chance to discover revolutionary Audi Technologies encompassing intelligence, design and powerful performance, much like a fine dining experience with a Roux Scholarship winner!
Roux Scholarship Winner 2013, Head Chef Paul O’Neill of Hattusa Restaurant, Berwick Lodge (Bristol), worked with catering students from Weston College and learners from HIT Training to inspire the next generation of young chefs. Paul is currently working with The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Weston College to hone the skills of catering students in a series of masterclasses throughout October 2016. Today’s event at Bristol Audi put the students’ canapé-making skills into practice, whilst event management and front of house students got real event work experience under their belts as they were mentored led by Berwick Lodge’s owner and front of house management guru, Sarah Arikan.
Level 3 student Georgia White joined The Chefs’ Forum Founder, Catherine Farinha on the demo stage to tell professional chefs, local employers and her peers about her experiences so far as part of The Chefs’ Forum Academy.
“It has been great fun here at Bristol Audi today and it’s really important that we get this amazing industry experience prior to getting a job. We have worked with Lucknam Park’s chefs doing fish and shellfish, chocolate choux buns and Michelin-starred main courses, now with Paul, we’re learning about menu planning and development with the chance to get one of our dishes onto his menu at Hattusa for a week – I’m really looking forward to joining him in his kitchen for work experience”.
Paul and the students created canapés from the Hattusa menu, then Paul performed expert cookery demonstrations epitomising precision, flawless design and elegance in his cuisine as he created a dish of beurre noisette, poached skate, almonds, cauliflower and smoked bacon. Paul celebrates the finest local produce in his menu at Hattusa, making it a must-visit dining destination in Bristol.
Bristol Audi then continued the theme of excellence in a show-around of the sublime Audi R8, showcasing it’s truly exceptional features. Chefs then had to grab their phones and ‘tweet’ @thechefsforum @monmotorsaudi that the origin of the name ‘R8’ came from the Le Mans concept race car for a chance to win some fantastic Audi Merchandise.
Freelance chef Ashley Haskins impressed Bristol Audi Head of Business Steve Smith with his Audi knowledge retention to win an Audi Sport Watch; Sean Horwood of the Centurion Hotel came close second, winning an Audi Sport pen!
Steve commented:
“I was delighted to host The Chefs’ Forum here at the dealership; we have been working with the organisation for five years and look forward to doing so for many more. It was great to gather chefs and restaurateurs from the Bristol area to collectively boost the profile of local business, whilst giving them the chance to have an Audi driving experience. I was extremely impressed by the professionalism of the learners at Weston College and HIT Training – They produced some excellent food. It was also an honour to have Paul O’Neill, Jay McMillan (Total Produce) and Stewart Williams (Castell Howell) perform cookery demonstrations on The Chefs’ Forum Demo Stage in the showroom!”
Bristol Audi will be offering work experience to Weston College business and event management students. The Chefs’ Forum is proud to feature an Audi Car Display at each of its quarterly events in Bristol to celebrate its partnership with the prestigious Audi brand.
Photography by Andrew Plant: www.andrewplantphotography.com
‘Top Chefs Take a Shot at Game with Glorious Devon Fungi at The Chefs’ Forum’
Forest Fungi mushroom farm in Dawlish Warren was the venue for this quarter’s Devon Chefs’ Forum event held on Monday (26) September. Over 90 top chefs from Devon enjoyed a day of clay shooting and Michelin-starred cookery demonstrations by Michelin-starred chef Michael Wignall (Gidleigh Park ).
The Chefs’ Forum stages quarterly events at various venues in the area and enables chefs to forge links with their peers, young chefs and aspiring front of house professionals from South Devon College and Hit Training. Michelin-starred Michael Wignall led the students in producing delicious mushroom and game canapés for an audience of industry experts.
Scott Marshall, Proprietor at Forest Fungi stated:
“It is amazing to see so many local chefs here to celebrate and support their industry whilst motivating and supporting the next generation. I am honoured and humbled to see our mushrooms used in brilliant and impressive recipes, crafted by such a high profile chef as Michael Wignall – I am delighted that he has come to Devon to fly the flag for excellent local cuisine using top quality local ingredients. Michael has asked me to install a mushroom ‘growing room’ at Gidleigh Park, which will enable him to crop and cook mushrooms in the freshest possible way.”
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 shooting season. Forest Fungi produces the finest gourmet mushrooms from its ‘Shroom Room’ in Dawlish Warren which perfectly compliment game meat. This pairing was demonstrated in fantastic Michelin-starred standard cookery which has no doubt inspired their culinary peers and the young chefs. It is great that the students learned about the versatility of game meat and the growing and harvesting of various mushroom species whilst training to be chefs – They will take this knowledge on into industry with them.”
Hospitality students from South Devon College and Hit Training joined Michael Wignall in the Induced Energy Induction kitchen at the Forest Fungi cafe. They produced stunning canapés showcasing top quality produce from Chefs’ Forum suppliers Walter Rose & Son (Game), Total Produce (Veg) and Majestic Commercial (Wine) .
The Michelin-starred morsels from The Gidleigh Park Menu comprised:
- Deer Tartare with Coal Oil, Parsley Emulsion and Coal Powder
- Shitake Mushroom cooked in seaweed tea, mushroom ketchup and beer bubbles with wet walnuts
Wignall then performed two cookery demos, which wowed his peers:
Enoki, Watercress, Beer Bubbles, Fermented Garlic, Puff Potato, Wet Walnut and Wiltshire Truffle. Then, hare cannelloni of kohlrabi, best end and loin, baked chocolate, Maitake mushrooms, young parsnips and curry spice.
The students demonstrated to Michael and other prospective employer chefs who attended the event, the great skills (both kitchen and front of house) that they have acquired on their courses with a view to securing apprenticeships in restaurants to further their career. Some of the students said they aspire to join prestigious properties like Gidleigh Park.
Michael Wignall, Executive Chef of Gidleigh Park said:
“I was delighted with the level of skill and professionalism demonstrated by the hospitality students whilst they were working in the kitchen with me at Forest Fungi – I enjoy working with young chefs from local colleges and I’m consistently very pleased with the standard of the learners. It was great to see them enjoying themselves today; having a go at clay pigeon shooting and cooking and finishing canapés with me. I am very excited to be working with Scott in the creation of my own growing room at Gidleigh Park”.
Expert shooting coaches from BASC tutored top chefs and catering students in clay pigeon shooting with a view to inviting them to take up shooting game as a sport under the ‘Taste of Game’ initiative, headed up by Annette Cole who gave a very informative speech on sourcing venison responsibly from dealers with a DSC1 deer stalking licence. With further tuition the chefs and students will then have the necessary skills to shoot their own game meat and incorporate it into their menus.
Mark Provan, Programme Coordinator for Hospitality & Catering (South Devon College) said:
“The students had a great day today. The Chefs’ Forum events are a great opportunity for them to meet employers, gain new knowledge and network with peers from Hit Training – We all enjoy taking part in the quarterly events – We’re also looking forward to hosting our second Chefs’ Forum event at the college in 2017 with our Academy leader, celebrity chef Mitch Tonks – Again, this will be great work experience for the students making them even more industry-ready on leaving college”.
Maria Cooper, Business Consultant for South Devon & Cornwall added:
I find The Chefs’ Forum events very effective for catching up with existing employers with whom we work as well as letting new employers know about our work-based learning programmes. We have had four learners in kitchen today working alongside students from South Devon College. Everyone had a great day and we’re truly honoured to work with such an acclaimed food hero as Michael Wignall.”
Tom Mackins, Chef Proprietor at Restaurant Chapter One, Newquay enjoyed last week’s Chefs’ Forum Big Brunch for Hospitality Action so much that he kindly offered to ‘come up country and out of county’ to showcase Venison Loin on the Monolith Kamado Grill to further demonstrate the ‘hand in glove’ partnership of the Autumnal flavours of venison loin and mushroom.
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 game meat with locally-produced gourmet mushrooms in chefs’ menus – This also motivates and inspires students.
Photography by www.fayditphotography.com
Cornish Chefs’ Big Brunch for Charity
Chefs, restauranteurs and hospitality professionals descended on Porthleven this week (Monday 19th September) for the Kota Kai Big Brunch, hosted by The Chefs’ Forum, to raise funds for industry charity Hospitality Action.
Featuring a menu devised by Kota Kai proprietor and Great British Menu South West finalist Jude Kereama, dishes were prepared by chefs from fellow Porthleven eateries Kota Kai, Amelies, Rick Steins, The Square and The Ship Inn, assisted by students from Truro & Penwith College, Cornwall College and HIT Training.
Jude said: “Today’s been a great day, with a fantastic turnout despite the Cornish weather! It’s been brilliant to work with The Chefs’ Forum and put on a great show for the rest of the industry, with everyone getting involved.”
Zachary Donovan, 18 from Helston and studying a VRQ Level 3 Catering qualification at Cornwall College Camborne, said: “I’ve really enjoyed today, making connections and networking with professional chefs. It’s worked out really well for me too, as I’ve been asked to chat with one of the head chefs afterwards!”
Combining networking opportunities with a mini trade exhibition and a wine tasting session run by WSET and Ellis Wharton Wines, paired with delicious Spanish delights from Brindisa, the event also included a cookery masterclass from Jude, who demonstrated some of his favourite dishes using the finest local produce. Induced energy provided market-leading, British-made induction hobs, coupled with Contacto Induction Pans.
The event also garnered plenty of support from the local community, with Porthleven Gig Club, Porthleven BID and Porthleven Village Hall donating electricity, gazebos and seating for the day, set up by staff from Nauti But Ice Café. Produce was kindly donated by Total Produce, Kingfisher Brixham, Brindisa, Aval Dor Vodka, Global Koffi and Two Brothers Butchers.
In total, the event raised over £900 for Hospitality Action, which will now be used to support chefs and anyone who works in the industry who finds themselves in crisis, by providing grants, counselling and coaching or signposting them to other sources of support they may need.
Catherine Farinha, founder of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “It’s been a great day; it’s shown how the industry can come together to raise vital funds for chefs that have fallen on hard times, supporting the next generation and each other.”
Ellie Gressett, EAP Business Development Manager at Hospitality Action, said: “Today’s been a fantastic success and it’s been great to see everyone pull together, including the local restaurants and even the public, to show their support, so I’d just like to thank everyone that came and gave so generously.”
Photography by www.fayditphotography.com
Gloucestershire College Students Get Eco-Friendly at Ballihoo Restaurant on Lower Mill Estate!
Top chefs from Cotswolds and Bath gathered at the beautiful Lower Mill Estate. Students from Gloucestershire College joined Executive Chef Rod McCormick in The Ballihoo Clubhouse and Restaurant to create mouth-watering canapés for the chefs and local hospitality employers who attended. Rod McCormick showcased his menu to his peers in a celebration of seasonal local produce and Cotswolds provenance through canapés and a cookery demo powered by an Induced Energy invisible induction hob. This event was a great example of Gloucestershire College working seamlessly with local employers ahead of the launch of The Chefs’ Forum Academy this January at the college.
Rod McCormick and Restaurant Manager Katy Booy, proved the perfect hosts as they welcomed the chefs and front-of-house professionals to this breath-taking modern eco-friendly estate, set on the Cotswolds Water Park. Ballihoo Restaurant is exclusively for Lower Mill Estate Homeowners and holiday makers and offers a fantastic breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and take-away menu. Rod also owns and runs McBaile Exclusive Catering, specialising in high-end event catering.
The event kicked-off with a fabulous demo by Nic Banner of Induced Energy, showcasing the British-made ‘Invisible Cooking Suite’ which is the latest advance in Induction Technology and the most eco-friendly method of cooking, minimising carbon footprint and waste heat in the kitchen. It allows the chef to prepare, cook and hold food, both front and back of house, on one lava stone surface. The chefs were treated to a chicken Nasi Goreng garnished with Shiso Purple from Koppert Cress. The chicken was vac packed in a Multivac P200 chamber vacuum packer, then immersed in a Clifton Food Range water bath at 65 degrees for 45 minutes and finished on the Induced Energy Lava Stone showcasing the synergy and functionality between the market-leading equipment on show at the event.
Next was a canapé and Majestic Commercial Cava Calamino wine reception where the guests enjoyed stunning bites of Ballihoo delight made by the students:
- Wiltshire pork and leek sausage, duchesse potato and caramelised red onion
- Prawn, Sesame and lime fishcakes with sriracha mayo
- Black Pepper Gougeres, pancetta, tomato and parmesan
All ingredients for the canapés and demos were kindly supplied by The Chefs’ Forum market-leading sponsors Walter Rose, Total Produce, Castell Howell and Koppert Cress.
Rod then took to the Induced Energy demo stage to create an impressive dish of home-smoked seared duck with beetroot puree and fennel orange slaw. He expertly segmented fresh orange which cut beautifully through the rich smoked duck breast.
Next the guests enjoyed a wine tasting and pairing by WSET and Majestic Commercial showcasing the importance of wine education in writing menus. Brindisa Spanish delights were matched with a selection of Spanish wines.
Cornelius Veakins then invited the chefs outside for a pizza demo on the Alfa Pizza oven, available from Continental Chef Supplies. Ballihoo Afternoon tea was then made and served by the students to round off a fantastic day of culinary inspiration and greatness. The sweet canapés included coconut Bakewell tart, lemon & orange polenta cake and chocolate and coconut cake.
Chef Rod McCormick said:
“Today was brilliant – I really enjoyed engaging with the students who exceeded my expectation and created some fantastic food. I’m very much looking forward to developing my relationship wigth Glpoucester College as a result and look forward to welcoming its talented students into my kitchen both here at Balihoo and also at McBaile Exclusive Catering”.
Katy Booy, Restaurant Manager added:
The Front of House students were extremely helpful, enthusiastic and a credit to their college. It was lovely to see them just get on with tasks without complaint – A great example of the next generation of hospitality professionals – They just kept going all day and worked very well as a team”.
Mark Hyde-Catton, Chef Lecturer at Gloucestershire College was very proud of his students. He said:
“I personally ensure that they put themselves forward for industry events like this to ensure they get valuable work experience prior to leaving college and at the same time, forging employer links that will benefit them later on in industry, I’m very much looking forward to the launch of The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Gloucestershire College in January 2017, I think it’s a very positive project for the college that will enrich the learning of our students.”
The Students echoed Mark’s comments,
Lauren Samson (18) Level 3, year 2 student at Gloucestershire College said:
“This has been the 4th Chefs’ Forum event at which I have helped out. I really like the opportunity to talk to employers whilst gaining real event experience. I worked in the kitchen today – It was a great atmosphere and I especially liked the canoeing and mountain biking laid on for us to unwind at the end of the day!”
Nathan Murfitt (17) Level 3 year 1 student at Gloucestershire College said:
This is my first Chefs’ Forum, I worked front of house under Katy’s direction – She was a great manager! I really enjoyed serving the canapés and talking to the chefs. It was really useful learning how to pour sparkling wine with Majestic Commercial and barista skills with Easy Jose coffee – I gained valuable experience throughout the day! I’m looking forward to the next Cotswolds and Bath event at Beechfield House with Martin Baker on the 7th November and urge local employers to come and meet the students from Gloucestershire College!”
Photography by www.andrewplantphotography.com
Dorset & Hampshire Chefs do Trout on The Test!
Top chefs from Dorset and Hampshire gathered at Test Valley Trout Farm, the perfect venue to learn about the story behind Fjordling Smokehouse’s smoked delights whilst road-testing market-leading chef equipment and produce. Masterchef Professionals 2013 winner, Steven Edwards, showcased the trout to his peers in a celebration of its provenance through canapés and a cookery demo powered by Induced Energy induction hobs.
Trout Farm proprietor, Christopher Saunders-Davies welcomed the chefs to his breath-taking property, set on the bank of the river test. His idyllic home and its beautifully manicured gardens framed by the River Test overlook the trout farm.
Steven showcased Fjordling smoked chicken and trout in stunning canapés. His third canapé, a vegetarian option was a beetroot tatare with horseradish cream. Steven led two trainee chefs in preparing and assembling the canapés, Daniel Smith (18) a HIT Training learner, currently working at The Winchester Hotel and Pengxiong Li (33), who has just finished his course at South Downs College.
Pengxiong won the Institute of Hospitality (Southern Branch) Young Chef of The Year Student Award which was sponsored by The Chefs’ Forum in the awards ceremony at Lainston House last May. Steven Edwards hosted the awards, so it was great that Pengxiong had the opportunity to work with him at the trout farm, further adding to his work experience portfolio.
In his cookery demo that followed, entitled ‘Trout and Lettuce’, Steven showed the chefs how he cured the trout himself by rubbing the fish in equal amounts of sugar and salt.
Steven said: “This is a unique twist on ‘Big Mac lettuce’. Everyone knows what I mean by the shredded moist lettuce found in a popular fast food restaurant – In my cooking, I like to make a feature out of the vegetable as well as the main ingredient, which on this occasion is fabulous Test Valley trout – The humble baby gem lettuce, cooked with white wine and shallots makes a great accompaniment to this fresh summer dish. It’s a real treat to have fish caught just hours before cooking and a pleasure to cook with Induced Energy induction hobs and Contacto Induction pans!”
CCS installed its Alfresco Kitchen under the canopy of a huge cedar tree at the event. The Alfa Pizza oven was used by BBQ expert Cornelius Veakins to produce fabulous pizzas showcasing Fjordling smoked duck and ‘dirty’ (cooked on the coals) onions, mushrooms and Walter Rose single muscle rump. A whole trout was also oven-baked by piling hot coals either side of the fish. A real crowd-pleaser was a baked camembert with garlic served on rocket salad. One of the chef guests, Peter Fiori, Head Chef of Coutts Bank (London) then suggested that the dirty beef be paired with the baked camembert for an ideal flavour combination that went down a storm.
Cornelius then served a delicious dessert of flambéed Jamaican Spiced rum peaches and pears, served on brioche, toasted on the Kamado Joe ceramic BBQ. It was then drizzles with salted caramel sauce (warmed in the Alfa Pizza oven) and finished with mascarpone cheese.
All produce for the canapés and demos was kindly provided by The Chefs’ Forum sponsors Fjordling Smokehouse, Walter Rose Butchers, Koppert Cress and Total Produce. The Coffee Bean Company and local brewery, Southbourne Ales kept guests refreshed throughout the day with delicious coffee, hot chocolate and beer – Very necessary in the changeable British weather! Demo equipment showcased on the day included a Unox Oven, Induced Energy Induction Hobs, Contacto Induction Pans, Douwe Egberts CAF400 back of house, bulk brew coffee machine and Clifton Food Range Waterbath.
The day culminated in a fascinating tour of the trout farm and Fjordling smoke house where the chefs got a unique insight into the world of top quality trout farming, harvesting and smoking. The guests also got a chance to try their hand at fly fishing with James Mercer, experienced angler and assistant manager at The Winning Post landing a 2lb brown trout, straight out of the River Test!
The Chefs’ Forum continues to hold 32 chef events per year across eight areas. Any chefs, colleges or suppliers wishing to get involved should contact Catherine Farinha on 07585 700030.
Photography by Andrew Plant: www.andrewplantphotography.com
