Celebrating Welsh Pasture to Plate at The Douglas Willis Farm
Douglas Willis butchers played host to the Welsh Summer Chefs’ Forum on its family farm in Monkswood, Usk. Top chefs from across Wales gathered in the balmy sunshine to see the farm in all its splendour and learn about the complex processes employed by the Willis family to produce the best possible beef for its customers.
The Chefs’ Forum sponsors Total Produce, Koppert Cress, WSET, MCS Catering Equipment and Clifton Food Range all took the opportunity to join Douglas Willis showcasing their excellent produce, services and professional kitchen equipment in a mini trade show that took place in a marquee in the garden.
Chef Carl Cleghorn, Senior Sous Chef at Epicure by Richard Davies (Celtic Manor) produced some excellent canapés in the Chefs’ Forum Field Kitchen to showcase Douglas Willis meat including steak tartar with charcoal mayo, parmesan polenta and pressed ham hock with piccalilli.
Pretentious Burger fired up the BBQ and served up delicious mini sliders loaded with garnish, boasting equally wonderful names such as ‘The Goat’ ‘The Pretentious’ and ‘The Kevin Bacon’ all available in their funky Newport restaurant. Pretentious Burger is proud to make their burgers from prime Douglas Willis Jacobs ladder, chuck and brisket – The Kevin Bacon is crowned with Douglas Willis home-cured back bacon!
Chef Carl then performed a fantastic cookery demonstration of quail, spiced lentils, asparagus and hazelnut – The flavours worked perfectly to make a wonderfully fresh dish. Carl showcased sousvide cookery in the Clifton Food Range Waterbath and finished it on Cooktek Induction hob.
Greg Willis, third generation farmer then led chefs on a tour of the farm. Greg gave a fascinating talk and tour of the mature cattle that are kept in a barn for just the last 120 days of their lives in order to control their diet, which has been devised by an animal nutritionist. The specialist diet includes a mix of molasses, straw, grass silage, maize silage and processed bred to finish the cattle off to market standard, ready for slaughter. Typically 20 to 30 months old, Douglas Willis meat is predominantly from Welsh Black, Hereford, Limousin, Aberdeen Angus and Charolais cattle to give the flavour and conformity required for truly great tasting beef. The beef is allowed to hang and mature naturally for up to 21 days before being passed onto our master butchers who take great pride in carefully preparing the vast range of cuts requested by Welsh chefs.
Next on the action-packed agenda saw Sean Willis join forces with butchery manager Tony Mould to showcase their enviable butchery skills to the chefs. The talented duo were timed by the audience as they produced expert cuts including shoulder of pork, leg of lamb and best end of lamb.
Pretentious Burger challenged Greg Willis (29) and Epicure CDP Jon Pring (22) to a ‘Man v Food-style’ burger-eating challenge. The pair were equally matched in weight so it was a fair contest. The chilli sauce proved too much for Jon and he conceded to Greg who polished off 32oz of Pretentious Burger. Greg didn’t manage to beat the 18 minute record (said to have been devoured with chips too), but he did complete the challenge in less than 20 minutes which was an amazing feat!
A great day was had by all on the farm yesterday and it was fantastic to see the provenance of such high quality meat whilst giving the chefs a chance to network and learn about Welsh Produce and ingredients. Any chefs wishing to talk to Douglas Willis Butchers about supply should contact Sean Willis on 01633 877777.
Photography by Sea Aitch Photography: www.seaaitch-photography.com
ChefFest at The White Hart was Smoking Hot!
A heat wave, fire and flames set the theme for The Chefs’ Forum’s summer ‘ChefFest’ at the marvellous White Hart in Weston-in-Gordano, near Bristol. Top chefs from Bristol and surrounds gathered in the venue’s sun-drenched, impeccably-designed beer garden for a dramatic celebration of outdoor cooking, courtesy of CCS and Walter Rose Butchers. Head Chef Miles Goodfield welcomed Courtney Curtis (17), a HIT Training learner into his kitchen to prepare canapés for the chefs who arrived at midday.
Miles, Courtney and the team produced some delicious tapas-style bites including Cauliflower Cheese Arancini, Chiceroni, Tea Cakes and Millionaire Shortbread. These were accompanied by Orchard Pig ‘Truffler’ cider and the non-alcoholic ‘Totally Minted’ which are always available at The White Hart. Jose Melim, Director of Bath-based Easy Jose coffee, took a break from serving the most delicious coffee ever, to win his height in cider in championing the a blow dart game to hit (a picture of) the Orchard Pig!
Complete with giant wigwam, The White Hart proved the perfect setting for flame-fuelled capers as Bristol chefs saw live fire cooking expert, Cornelius Veakins fire up the Alfa Pizza oven, Bradley Smoker and Grill Dome. The guests were wowed with delicious charred, smoked and grilled treats that didn’t seem to stop throughout the day.
David Negro, pizza chef at The White Hart showcased his 72 hour dough and delicious Napoli pizza recipe. David cooked the Italian delicacy for just a few minutes in the Alfa Pizza oven to produce the most deliciously light pizza, still whilst maintaining a slightly doughy consistency.
Jack Cook from Walter Rose Butchers then preformed an expert butchery demo of single muscle beef rump and pork loin. The chefs really enjoy learning how to maximise from every part of the animal. Jack’s demo not only inspired menus but also reinforced the reason why Walter Rose butchers supply more Michelin-starred chefs than any other butcher in the country, including TV chef Tom Kerridge.
T
he suitably tropical, Grand Finale to the day was a ‘CaribAsian’ cookery demo by ‘Made in Bristol’, TV Chefs, Sherrie Eugene-Hart and Pat Hart. Sherrie and Pat blend an intoxicating infusion of Caribbean and Asian food from recipes handed down by their parents. Coley fish curry proved a real hit with the chefs as they were taken on a culinary cultural adventure in the scorching heat by the highly entertaining husband and wife team. Peter Dobson of CCS was on hand to finish the naan bread in the Alfa Pizza oven.
Bristol-based veg supplier and The Chefs’ Forum sponsor, Total Produce showcased its fantastic range of fresh produce and fine foods in supplying ingredients for the canapés and demos on the day. Bristol Audi gave guests cabriolet-envy featuring the beautiful A5 with roof down in a stunning car display at the event.
A glorious day was had by all at The Whit Hart. It gave catering college lecturers, chefs and industry people a chance to catch-up, share knowledge and expertise in a relaxed and fun environment. The White Hart is the ideal event venue, available for hire and playing host to its very own beer festival from the 3-4th September, please visit www.thewhitehartwig.com for contact details.
Photography by Andrew Plant: www.andrewplantphotography.com
The Chefs’ Forum Celebrate Kentish Mackerel at the Hythe Imperial
The Chefs’ Forum summer Kent meet took place at the Hythe Imperial on Monday (12) July 2016. As a collective of top chefs joining forces to inspire each other’s menus as well as the next generation, the event saw Drew King, General Manager and Head Chef at The Marquis at Alkham join Hythe Imperial Executive Chef Steve Awcock and Head Chef, John Bingley to demonstrate to their peers who attended the event.
The day began with a delicious Hush Heath English Sparkling Wine reception accompanied by savoury and sweets canapés showcasing the skills of the hosting chefs.
Drew brought with him Adam Deal, his Commis chef, a Hit Training learner who assisted with prep of canapés and joined Drew in demonstrating to a daunting audience of professional chefs from across Kent. Adam did fantastically well, more than holding his own amongst the team and audience of culinary experts – I real testament to Hit Training and a credit to Drew’s fantastic mentoring as his head chef. Drew’s obvious patience and encouragement of Adam was plain to see as the audience witnessed his perfect recreation of Drew’s demo dish with very little, if no guidance.
First to demonstrate their culinary skills were Steve and John who talked the chefs through composition and execution of a starter of salt and pepper squid with home pickled vegetables and sweet chilli sauce and a main of Duck breast served with a spinach subric, potato rosti and Tarragon orange jus.
Drew honoured Andy Murray’s Wimbledon Victory in creating a delicious dessert celebrating Kentish strawberries. Drew employed old school techniques in creating intricate meringue swans and marshmallows surrounding a perfect soufflé.
Paul Da Costa Greaves talked the chefs through the Koppert Cress tasting garden and local butcher Salvatori showcased his top quality meat in a delicious BBQ, cooked by Paul Yates on the Monolith Kamado Grill.
The guests then made their way over to the blustery beach, just ten metres away from the hotel for a spot of mackerel fishing. Despite the wind and choppy sea, the chefs all took a rod in hand to have a go at catching some fish. Sadly, the wild elements proved too strong and it was a fruitless exercise. However, Drew’s expert instruction has meant that novice fishermen and women have been inspired to have another go on a less blowy day!
Top London Chefs Enjoyed Fabulous Fish & Chocolate Heaven at One Aldwych
Dominic Teague, Executive Chef at One Aldwych welcomed The Chefs’ Forum and over sixty top London chefs to the contemporary hotel, in London’s Covent Garden theatre district. . Dominic led a team of young chefs from Redbridge College and Hit Training in creating exquisite canapés to showcase his menu.
Dominic brings a culinary expertise that bridges respect for British tradition with gentle invention; this certainly rang true when he offered guests an array of delicious canapés including:
Pea soup with summer truffle, mackerel tartar with caper and dill, then beetroot with goats curd and crispy bacon.
Top London chefs and food industry people congregated in One Aldwych’s stylish surroundings for a day of cookery demonstrations, networking and all things ‘chef’ with a chance to meet young hospitality students from Redbridge College and learners from Hit Training in their quest to show off their skills and secure summer work placements.
Founded in 2010 by Catherine Farinha, The Chefs’ Forum now holds regular chefs conventions from the Cotswolds to Cornwall, Wales to Kent. Its tenth London event was very well received by all involved and Dominic, an excellent host!
As Executive Chef at One Aldwych for four years, Dominic has brought culinary expertise and flair to the hotel. Having recently refurbished the Indigo at One Aldwych restaurant kitchen, he was only too pleased to show it off to TV Chef and Grande Dame of Pastry, Cherish Finden who attended The Chefs’ Forum.
Dominic kindly took time out of his busy schedule to mentor five hospitality students from Redbridge College and Three from Hit Training. The students assisted Dominic and his team in the preparation and service of the fantastic canapés for the sixty top chefs in attendance. The students displayed great aptitude and professionalism and are a credit to their college.
Dominic commented: “I started my career as a young chef at the Lanesborough Hotel in 1992. I really enjoy working with young people and have been very impressed with the students today. Giving up their time to work at this event is truly admirable and shows that they are serious about a career in the industry”.
Lee-James (24) a level 3 student at Redbridge College said: “This has been an amazing experience – to work with Dominic in this beautiful hotel has really encouraged me, I am sure that the industry is for me and have really appreciated being part of this amazing event, I can’t wait to take part in future Chefs’ Forum events”.
Dominic performed a fantastic cookery demo of cured salmon with citrus fruit and avocado, and then Carpaccio of pineapple with coconut and lime. Both dishes are currently available on the Indigo restaurant menu.
The guests were also treated to a ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ afternoon tea of chocolate caramel milk, Eton Mess and Rhubarb and Custard candy floss.
Dominic added; “It has been a real honour to host The Chefs’ Forum at One Aldwych and it has been fantastic to talk to all the chefs, student and suppliers”.
The finest ingredients for the canapés and demos were donated by Chefs’ Forum Sponsors Koppert Cress, Walter Rose & Son, First Choice Produce and Shield Foods.
Other highlights of the day included a fascinating talk and tasting on sashimi grade Cobia by Open Blue, a chocolate tasting by Valrhona and a food and wine pairing master class by WSET, with fabulous wines supplied by Majestic Commercial.
Catherine Farinha, The Chefs’ Forum Founder said: “It’s been a thoroughly inspiring day – This is our tenth London event having launched the London Chapter at Westminster Kingsway College in May 2014. The Chefs’ Forum is going from strength to strength seeing 32 quarterly events staged in Kent, The Cotswolds, Bath, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Cornwall and Wales. I would urge chefs across the south of the UK to get involved in this extremely positive industry organisation that oils the wheels of communication across the various elements of the industry: Hospitality education providers, renowned chefs in professional kitchens and top quality suppliers”.
Photography by Pavlova & Cream: www.pavlovaandcream.com
Simon Addison Inspires Chefs & Students at Homewood Park
Chefs from across Bath and The Cotswolds gathered at the stunningly beautiful, Homewood Park on Monday June 27, for an afternoon of Segway fun, Gourmet Grilling and food-fuelled capers.
The event began with a canapé and Bottle Green cocktail reception, with the opportunity for the visiting chefs and suppliers to network. All the food created by Homewood Park’s talented head chef Simon Addison, with the help of students from Bath College, Gloucestershire College and HIT Training.
Simon’s mouth-watering canapés included black pudding scotch eggs, Homewood sesame prawn toast, truffle gougeres, salmon Tartare on tapioca crisp and mini shepherd’s pie.
A welcome speech then followed with General Manager, Ian Griebenow giving a fantastic insight into Homewood Park and the three catering education providers telling guests how The Chefs’ Forum benefits their students and how important it is for them to network with peers and potential employers whilst still studying.
Bridget Halford, Head of Hospitality at Bath College said:
“The Chefs’ Forum is a fantastic platform for our students to network with local employers and secure work experience. One of my students, Connor Gale (19) now has been offered a full time job at Lucknam Park as a result of The Chefs’ Forum holding a similar event there last September – This just shows how successful it is as an initiative.”
Marking exactly one year to the day that Simon joined Homewood Park, what better way to celebrate than to invite his peers to sample his cooking and menu?!
Simon said: “The students were all fantastic. The passion and talent that they showed was brilliant. It was great to invite the colleges to Homewood Park today as we would like to encourage more young people to join our team. We have put plans in place to work more closely with the colleges here today”
Following the reception Simon demonstrated some dishes from his menu including confit salmon with black sesame, radish and ponzu, he then showcased his delicious take on rack of lamb with cucumber, falafel and pink peppercorn yoghurt.
Georgina Keene of local cordial producer, Bottle Green, then gave a lovely insight into the world of delicious soft drink options and the Bottle Green Range of tasty, non-alcoholic alternatives.
Guests were then treated to a BBQ demonstration of Walter Rose meat in the impeccably-kept Homewood Park garden by Paul Yates on the Monolith Kamado Grill as well as a gourmet pizza-making demonstration on the Alfa Pizza Oven by Cornelius Veakins on the CCS Live stage.
Next, the guests took park in a spot of Segway racing where chefs experienced the joy of Segway! Bemusement turned to delight as the chefs navigated their way along the course – A great opportunity to further network and get to know each other whilst having fun and a chance to relax from the busy kitchen in beautiful surroundings.
The event finished with a Homewood Park afternoon tea. The sweet treats were accompanied by teas from Comins Tea House with Comins’ tea owner, Michelle Comins selecting Darjeeling, White and Green tea to accompany the sweet treats. Dorset-based Comins Tea has recently opened its second tea shop in Bath’s famous Monmouth Street.
For coffee-lovers there was also coffee provided by Easy Jose complete with impressive latte art to inspire front of house students at the colleges.
Founder of The Chefs’ Forum Catherine Farinha said: “This has been a brilliant event and its chefs like Simon and his team who make it all possible.
“It is so important to us to have the support of local chefs, and of course, all the wonderful Sponsors who provide the ingredients and the equipment for the demonstrations.
“It is great to see so many faces time after time, reinforcing the need for our quarterly events to keep education and industry communicating on a regular basis.
“We want to be able to keep giving the young talent the opportunity to go into kitchens and work Front of house so that we can secure the successful future of the hospitality industry.”
Photography by Andrew Plant: www.andrewplantphotography.com
Dorset Gin, Live-fire Grilling and Salmon Curing at Highcliff Marriott!
Dorset chefs gathered at the Highcliff Marriott yesterday (Monday 20th June) for a day of gin tasting, cookery demos and hospitality industry networking organised by The Chefs’ Forum. Highlights of the day included Executive Chef, Nick St.Peter demoing ‘Gin three ways’ and a fantastic Highcliff afternoon tea made and served by catering students at Bournemouth & Poole College and Hit Training.
Guests were met at midday by a fantastic Conker Gin reception accompanied by stunning canapés made by Nick St. Peter and the students including, hot smoked salmon, kohlrabi and apple, Dorset Char “cocktail”, confit chicken and smoked garlic fritter, beetroot brulee with goats cheese and grapefruit, Banoffee profiterole and mini Highcliff pavlova.
The guests devoured the delicious canapés and took the opportunity to catch up with friends old and new.
The Chefs’ Forum Founder, Catherine Farinha then gave a welcome speech with Christophe Baffos Head of Hospitality & Tourism (Bournemouth & Poole College) and hosting chef, Nick St. Peter. It was great for local employers to understand the importance of why it is so crucial that they support the next generation of hospitality professionals to lessen the National skills gap and encourage more young people into the industry.
Nick then gave a cookery demo three amazing dishes:
Chilli, lime and garlic scorched mackerel, lamb neck with redcurrant, basil and pinenut then Conker gin-cured salmon.
Rupert Hillier, producer of the fabulous local tipple gave a fantastic talk to the chefs about his unique selection of botanical to achieve such a distinct and delicious flavour.
Nick St. Peter is a great example of career progression in that he worked at Highcliff Marriott before a period and Marriott County Hall (London) and returned to the hotel as Executive Chef. This just proves the career progression opportunities within the Marriott Group and also the wider hospitality industry.
The Highcliff Grill welcomed over fifty top chefs from across Dorset and Hampshire including The Chefs’ Forum Committee members Matt Budden (Bournemouth Hilton, formerly Executive Chef at Highcliff Grill), Russell Brown (Creative about Cuisine) and Andy McKenzie (Exclusive Chefs’ Academy).
Bournemouth and Poole College learners relished the opportunity to network with local employers as well as peers from Hit Training, an organisation offering work based learning. The Chefs’ Forum encourages young people to start networking whilst still studying to make for a wider contacts base once they enter the world of work.
Bournemouth and Poole College, lauded by The World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), a global network of top cooks, has recognised the college’s culinary education programme, labelling it one of the best 20 in the world. Students from this fantastic educational facility are currently serving apprenticeships and undertaking work experience with Nick St.Peter at Highcliff Marriott. Today was all about showcasing the skills they have learnt so far!
Nick St.Peter, Executive Chef at the High Cliff Grill, Bournemouth stated:
“It was good to see students engaging with my team and I, so that they can gain a better understanding of serving canapés and afternoon tea to large volumes of guests. A room full of industry experts may well seemed like a ‘baptism of fire’ but each and every young person working with me today did a sterling job – I was very proud and impressed by both Bournemouth and Hit learners.”
Christophe Baffos added: “The College has worked with The Chefs’ Forum for the last three years. As a College, we are looking to improve our links with Dorset employers in the catering industry and The Chefs’ Forum is a perfect vehicle to do this. The Chefs’ Forum events help us to keep in touch with industry and improve communication with professional kitchens on a local level”.
The Chefs’ Forum launched five years ago and has since expanded to include highly accredited chefs, catering colleges and top suppliers from London to Cornwall and Wales to Kent.
Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum and event organiser concluded: “We have forged valuable links between the catering colleges and top chefs across the South of the UK and it is wonderful to stage another event in Dorset with Nick, who we have seen grown professionally from Sous Chef to Executive Chef in the time we have known him – This is extremely impressive. The event brought top chefs and students together with local employers. Our events are a great opportunity for the next generation of top chefs and Front of House professionals learning from the very best in the business”.
The day finished with a fantastic Walter Rose BBQ and ‘live fire cooking’ demonstration by CCS on the sunny terrace at the Highcliff – Guests were delighted that the weather brightened up beautifully for a perfect end to a perfect day, enjoying a meaty feast powered by the Kamado Joe ceramic grill.
Photography by Andrew Plant: www.andrewplantphotography.com
A Celebration of Brixham’s Bounty at The Berry Head Hotel!
They might be more used to spending time in the kitchen, but at the most recent meeting of The Chefs’ Forum, top Devon chefs were treated to a fantastic day of top class fish filleting and cookery demonstrations as well as wonderful wine pairing with WSET. Assembled chefs and front of house professionals had the chance to sit back and relax for a change as they tucked in and enjoyed a day of gastronomic greatness!
The event was held on Monday, June 6th, at Berry Head Hotel in Brixham, and it gave hospitality students at South Devon College and learners from Hit Training the opportunity to work with Berry Head chefs, Canon Vas and Noor Alam.
Guests were able to meet some top suppliers as they enjoyed a Chandon reception provided by Majestic Commercial, accompanied by some stunning canapés showcasing Kingfisher Brixham Fish prepared by Canon, Noor and the students.
The Day began with a networking session enabling Devon chefs to talk to their peers, top suppliers and education providers which is the main purpose of The Chefs’ Forum and what makes it such a vital industry communication platform.
Darren Whelan of Kingfisher Brixham then gave a talk on sustainable fish, followed by what can only be described as a ‘Ninja’ fish filleting demonstration. Chefs watched in horror and awe as Bass, Hake and flatfish were filleted to perfection in seconds – Darren put on a great show!
The students then took part in a fish filleting competition to win a day at Brixham Fish Market with Kingfisher Brixham, coupled with a day in the kitchen with Canon and the team.
Hit Training Learner, Rhys Bower (19) impressed Darren and Canon the most, winning the experiential day and a Roux Scholarship journal as a prize.
Darren then decided to invite all students from both Hit Training and South Devon College for a day at Brixham Fish market to thank them ALL for their valuable contribution to the day.
Next, it was time for Canon and Noor to take to the demo stage to showcase some fabulous Indian dishes showcasing Brixham fish powered by Cooktek Induction and the Monolith Kamado Grill.
Devon chefs were given a true taste of India in their highly entertaining and skilled demonstration – Indian gastronomy proved a real hit with the culinary experts!
WSET and Majestic Commercial then joined forces to deliver a wine tasting and food pairing showcasing beautiful wines and a new, local Salcombe Gin, due to launch next month.
Paul Yates of Que Fresco rounded up the day in laying-on a fantastic local fish BBQ cooked on the market-leading Monolith Kamado ceramic grill. Paul expertly demonstrated multiple cooking styles to the chefs and students also had a chance to try their hand at grilling and live fire cooking which they loved.
Trevor Smee, Catering Programme Coordinator at South Devon College said: “The College greatly enjoys taking part in The Chefs’ Form events. We have supported the forum at several events already and relish the opportunity to meet local employers with a view to securing work experience and jobs for our students. Having so many industry professionals at The Berry Head today gives us the opportunity to showcase the talent and professionalism of our teaching team, our students and our outstanding facility.
It is also great for our students to network with their peers from Hit Training.
As a college we continue to work closely with industry bodies and employers to develop our curriculum offer, and be proactive with industry needs working to keep South Devon College a principal training provider. Our students’ professional development is enhanced by working in Horizon’s restaurant, through partnering activities, local industry events and culinary competitions, achieving exceptional results and outstanding customer feedback.
Canapés and drinks at Chefs’ Forum events are prepared and served by tomorrow’s chefs, waiters and waitresses under the expert guidance of top chefs and a first class teaching team. This is a chance to spot the up and coming stars of the future!”
Canon added: “I very much enjoyed working with the students today. They were a credit to South Devon College and Hit Training and showed a great deal of promise. I am confident that they will all have a bright future in the industry.”
Founder of The Chefs’ Forum Catherine Farinha said: “The Chefs’ Forum was created with the aim of making a positive change in the hospitality industry. It aims to connect chefs with education, suppliers with chefs and education with suppliers to help the industry unite and work towards the shared goal of showcasing the incredible talent we have here in industry.
“Today’s event has proved just how much can be achieved when chefs, suppliers and students all work together, and I hope that everyone who attended would agree that it is inspiring to see.
I would particularly like to thank the Berry Head team for being excellent hosts and all the sponsors who supported the event, especially Kingfisher Brixham, Total Produce PLC, WSET, Majestic Commercial and Voyager Coffee who provided the ingredients, wine and coffee. Without our sponsors none of this would be possible.”
From Plot To Plate,Top Chefs Celebrate Cornish Asparagus!
Top Cornish chefs and students from Cornwall College gathered at Tregassow Manor Farm, St Erme, Truro for a Celebration of the versatility of Cornish asparagus. James Mason, Head Chef at No.1 Rock Road led the students in showcasing Tregassow’s splendid spears in delicious canapés.
The British Asparagus season is now in full swing; it started at the end of April and will run until June. Cornish chefs adore the splendid spears cultivated by elite producers of asparagus in Cornwall, John and Jennie Keeler of Tregassow Manor Farm. It is these expert growers with a farming story spanning 55 years who are behind the delicious spears chefs come to expect to create wonderful seasonal dishes on their Spring menus.
The Chefs’ Forum works very closely with and is sponsored by vegetable wholesalers Total Produce throughout the South West and Wales. This top quality wholesaler is all for promoting to top Cornish chefs, the fantastic growers who supply them with finest quality local fruit and vegetables – This event was staged in collaboration with Total Produce to do just that. Top chefs demand that the finest Class 1 fine spears be delivered to their kitchens. In visiting Tregassow Manor Farm, the chefs learned that growing Cornish Asparagus is a labour of love and that each spear is harvested by hand when it reaches just the right height.
Grower John Keeler stated:
“A couple of late frosts have meant that the crop got off to a delayed start, however our not too wet, not too dry weather means that they have yielded an absolutely fantastic crop!”
Students from Cornwall College joined South West Chef of the Year winner James Mason of No1 Rock Road to create delicious canapés, celebrating the versatility of asparagus:
- Chilled asparagus Velouté
- Asparagus tip, Soft boiled quail egg
- Apsaragus, Prosciutto,Truffle Mayonaise
- Asparagus goats cheese tart
- Asparagus and Tomato Balsamic
The college champions experiential learning, so a day on Tregassow Manor Farm learning about the provenance of Cornish asparagus was just the ticket. The students then took part in a competition to design and create an asparagus canapé of their own from the same bag of mystery ingredients. Clair Dawe-Woodings (20) impressed James Mason with her asparagus canapé. The Academy Nathan Outlaw student won a day in the kitchen with James and an ‘all expenses paid trip’ to Koppert Cress in Rotterdam, Holland!
The plot to plate story continued with James Mason performing a cookery demonstration to his peers of Sea Bass, Pea, Broad Bean, Asparagus and saffron which was delicious!
The day ended with the chefs being taken on a talk and tour of the farm by John Keeler where he expertly explained the growing, harvesting, classification and distribution processes that lead to Tregassow asparagus arriving in professional kitchens and farmers markets across Cornwall and beyond. The day was a great learning experience for all involved.
Photography by: www.fayditphotography.com
Top Chefs Enjoyed a GR8 Experience at East Kent Audi with Graham Garrett
Over fifty top chefs from Kent gathered at the East Kent Audi showroom in Chartham for a day of phenomenal Audi car and Michelin-starred cookery demonstrations. The event was staged to celebrate the partnership between The Chefs’ Forum and East Kent Audi, both sharing the same brand values of excellence in customer service and product.
Greeted with a breakfast of delicious Salvatori Butchers bacon brioche rolls and Jacobs Douwe Egberts Professional coffee, the chefs enjoyed a morning of test drives of the Audi TT, A3, A4, A5, A6 & A7 models. For many, it was their first Audi driving experience and a chance to discover revolutionary Audi Technologies encompassing intelligence, design and powerful performance, much like a Michelin-starred dining experience.
Michelin-starred Chef Patron of The West House (Biddenden, Kent), Graham Garrett, himself the proud owner of a stunning Audi RSQ3 worked with catering students at East Kent College and learners from Hit Training to inspire the next generation of young chefs. The team created canapés from The West House menu, then Graham performed expert cookery demonstrations epitomising precision, flawless design and elegance in his cuisine. Graham celebrates the finest Kentish Produce in his menu, in season and at its peak. Kent is known amongst food professionals as ‘The Garden of England’ for its abundance of excellent produce.
Cat Black, from the Guild of Food Writers said:
“Graham Garrett is a chef whose technique, pedigree and palate mean he could fuss and flourish with the best of them. But he doesn’t. There is a purity about his work which is a joy to eat.”
East Kent Audi then continued the theme of excellence in a show-around of the sublime Audi R8, showcasing it’s truly exceptional features. Chefs were then quizzed on the impressive presentation for a chance to win some fantastic Audi Merchandise:
Chris Davies from Rowhill Grange impressed East Kent Audi Head of Business Shawn Blake with his Audi knowledge retention to win a Chronograph Audi Watch, potato book author Hilary Steel came close second, winning an Audi Sport jacket. In third place was Sue Smith from Business Legacy who won a fantastic kids Audi Mini Quattro ride on car.
Shawn commented:
“I was delighted to host The Chefs’ Forum here at the dealership. It was great to gather chefs and restaurateurs from across the county to collectively boost the profile of local business. I was extremely impressed by the professionalism of the learners at East Kent College and Hit Training – They produced some excellent food. It was also an honour to have Graham Garrett perform Michelin-starred cookery in the showroom – A first for East Kent Audi!”
East Kent Audi will be sending its valued customers to Graham’s restaurant to thank them for buying the prestige cars from its dealership. The Chefs’ Forum is proud to feature an Audi Car Display at each of its quarterly events in Kent to celebrate its partnership with the prestigious Audi brand.
Photography by Manu Palomeque : www.manupalomeque.com
Welsh Chefs enjoyed Gastronomy and Golf at Cottrell Park
Top chefs from across Wales came together to enjoy an afternoon of gastronomy and golf at the latest meeting of The Chefs’ Forum on Monday (April 25).
Held at the charming Cottrell Park Golf Resort in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales the event gave Welsh culinary talent the chance to network and meet leading suppliers whilst giving hospitality and catering students from Cardiff and Vale College and NPTC Group the opportunity to work in a professional kitchen and run front of house at this prestigious industry event.
Meg Flanaghan (18), a level 3 student at Cardiff and Vale College was put forward to supervise the front of house team at the event as she currently works as a Hospitality Assistant in the Wales Millennium Centre. Meg said: “Working this event today has been great as I had the opportunity to exercise leadership skills and was able to apply my experience learnt in College. I plan to pursue a career in front of house management, so events like this are making me even more work-ready and certain that I want to do this as a career. It is also fantastic to work with my peers at NPTC Group, comparing and contrasting our courses and experience so far.”
For the last twenty years, Cottrell Park has provided a world-class golfing venue, priding itself on excellence in facilities and customer service levels.
Family owned and operated by David and Johnathan Johns-Powell, whose grandfather purchased the historic estate in 1942, the resort appointed Spiros as in-house function caterers in the newly-refurbished marquee just over a year ago which proved a major success attracting rave reviews for its fine dining food offering.
Award-Winning Spiros Fine Dining Caterers designed and implemented a mouth-watering function menu at the resort. Spiro and his team are working with The Chefs’ Forum to showcase careers in high-end event and venue catering to the students as a specialism within the industry. Spiro has also pledged to offer jobs to the learners, both as work experience and full time when they qualify across all six sites.
The afternoon began with a welcome speech by The Chefs’ Forum Founder, Catherine Farinha, accompanied by host Spiro Borg, Managing Director and Executive Chef at Cardiff-based Spiros Caterers, Mandy Carter (Senior Lecturer at NPTC Group) and Darren Greenland, Hospitality Lecturer at Cardiff and Vale College.
A drinks reception with canapés then followed, prepared by Spiro Borg (Spiros Catering) with the help of the learners from the two colleges.
Spiro said: “It was a pleasure to have these young people working with me today, all of whom showed great potential. The food that they produced was excellent and I am proud to say that we worked hard as a team to produce it. I would like to invite all students to work at my Big Fat Greek Dinner in aid of Cardiff’s Vilendre Cancer Centre on the 20th May”.
A Butchery demo by Colin Harries of Castell Howell then followed, showcasing ‘feather blade’ and ‘fillet’ cuts of Celtic Pride beef sourced from local farms, encouraging the visiting chefs to use it in their menus.
He then led the students in a butchery competition between the two colleges, where the butchery novices were tasked with boning a shoulder of pork.
The students who impressed Colin the most were Robbie Lang (18) of NPTC Group and Gabriel Claary (18) of Cardiff and Vale College, who both won a day’s work experience with him at Castell Howell’s cutting plant in Crosshands, Llanelli.
Next, Spiros Head Chef, Antonio Simone gave a cookery demonstration flash-frying Colin’s fillet and feather blade to show how tender it can be in its simplest form.
The event ended by giving guests the chance to show off their golfing talents on the resort’s golf course with a prize awarded to the chef nearest the pin on the driving range. The winning chef was Jerry Adams, Head Chef at The Swan Hotel in Hay-on-Wye who won Sunday lunch by Spiros in Merrick’s Restaurant situated within the resort and golf for four people.
Catherine Farinha said: “It is great to hear so much positive feedback on the work of the students here today. The Chefs’ Forum is all about giving opportunities to the next generation of chefs and I think everyone would agree that today was a great opportunity for them.
“I would like to thank everyone for coming today, and especially our sponsors without whom these events would not be possible. It is great that some top Welsh chefs attended today but we need more chefs and employers to show their support for the next generation in attending our quarterly events. The next event will be on Monday 25th July with Douglas Willis Butchers at their farm near Cwmbran showcasing Welsh Black beef and I would urge any chefs wishing to attend to get in touch”.
Spiros Fine Dining Caterers is celebrating 33 years of successful business in the Cardiff area by opening his sixth site at Cornerstone in central Cardiff. The site will serve as a training centre and will be an ideal work experience venue for the students.
Photography by Craig Howarth: www.seaaitch-photography.com
