Listen up! Chefs’ Education is Changing
We’ve just written a book for chefs. It’s called The Chefs’ Knowledge. It contains everything a student or junior chef needs to get a great start in the world of restaurants, hotels, pubs and catering. It’s stuffed with advice and recipes that really give any chef a cutting edge.
But, that wasn’t enough. We wanted to go further following the revelation of how many chefs live with debilitating dyslexia which makes reading hard and sometimes impossible. That made us ask the important question: how can we best serve these chefs with the education they need? The answer: an audio version of The Chefs’ Knowledge.
How does that work, exactly? Well, we thought about that and realised we couldn’t just have someone read out the recipes as they were written. We needed to go further and create something that would be interesting and educational to listen to. The result was a unique set of 100 scenes that bring the recipes in the book to life.
Our editor Chandos Elletson created the scenes, set in imaginary kitchens but based on real life, so that students could get a feel for the sort of scenarios chefs might face when they enter the profession.
“It was important to reflect real kitchens and real issues,” Elletson told The Chefs’ Forum. “I realised that reading a recipe out wasn’t the way. I needed something that got at the essence of the recipe so that listeners could get a sense of why it was important to learn this particular recipe and get a sense of the techniques behind them.”
To achieve this we teamed up with the Arden School of Theatre at The Manchester College, where we also have a Chefs’ Forum Academy on the catering side. 3rd year acting students took the scripts and rehearsed them before we recorded them in the new state-of-the-art studio facilities on campus.
“The results are amazing,” Catherine Farinha, publisher of The Chefs Knowledge, said. “The actors were incredible, and we’ve created something new, exciting and different that will enhance The Chefs’ Knowledge and give anyone who struggles with dyslexia an added bonus.
“However, it will also act as another resource for our Chefs’ Forum Academies and another reason for Colleges to get behind what we’re doing which is effectively building a bridge between learning and industry.”
Not only did this exercise set out to benefit junior chefs, but it also gave valuable ‘live brief’ work experience to the students at UCEN.
Rachel Austin, Acting Lecturer and Audio Producer at the Arden School of Theatre managed the project brilliantly. She cast the recipe scenes to her entire class of 3rd year BA Hons Acting students and guided them through recording and producing the audiobook, step by step.
“This has been a fantastic opportunity for my students to see the whole process of creating an audiobook from start to finish. As actors, they may normally only see the finished scripts and not the work that goes into writing them. The fact that we’ll be benefiting the hospitality and catering department within The Manchester College and in colleges across the UK, makes this work even more worthwhile.”
Please register your interest in purchasing a recording of the audiobook to accompany the printed version of The Chefs’ Knowledge by emailing catherine@redcherry.uk.com
5 Chefs. 1 Great Cause – Chefs Dinner at Deer Park Country House in Devon
4 of our Chefs’ Forum Academy female chefs are taking part in an early celebration of International Women’s Day in March. Cindy Challoner of Coleg Gwent; Lisa Goodwin-Allen, of Northcote; Charlotte Vincent, Indigo Hotel and Elly Wentworth of the Angel in Dartmouth will be part of a five-strong female brigade cooking a special dinner to raise funds for Hospitality Action.
The chefs will be supported by female students from Coleg Gwent and Exeter College in honour of International Women’s Day.
The 6th March evening event at Deer Park Country House in Honiton, Devon also features chef Olivia Barry of Adelina Yard and is being hosted by Great British Menu alumni Jude Kereama, Chef Owner of Kota and Kota Kai.
Guests will be treated to a canapé and drinks reception and a six-course meal with wine whilst hearing from the chefs first-hand during an entertaining Q&A.
The six course exclusive dining experience includes a delicious homemade cheese course prepared by the award-winning brigade from The Newt in Somerset.
For more details visit the Hospitality Action website: CLICK HERE
Hospitality Welcomes the Launch of Registration for HRC 2023
Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC), the UK’s largest and most prestigious business event for the hospitality and foodservice sector, has opened visitor registration for its 2023 edition, taking place on 20-22 March at ExCeL London.
Hospitality business owners and managers will have the opportunity to explore quality suppliers from across four distinct show areas – food & drink, professional catering equipment, hospitality tech, design & décor – providing everything needed to update and elevate their front- and back-of-house offering.
The Pub Show @ HRC will return bigger and better for 2023, featuring an all-new partnership with the British Institute of Innkeeping, who will be offering drop-in sessions and presentations providing much needed and valuable expert advice as part of ‘Helpline Live’.
Steve Alton, CEO of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), comments: “We are hugely looking forward to attending the show and meeting industry colleagues to share the BII’s passion for our vital and vibrant pubs.”
HRC will once again be taking place alongside IFE, International Food & Drink Event and IFE Manufacturing, giving visitors the opportunity to discover thousands of innovative food & drink products and learn about the latest trends in food production, packaging and NPD.
Plus, the show will be partnering with IFE to launch ‘Drinks @ HRC & IFE’, a single, central location for visitors to source drinks products from alcohol and low/no to soft drinks to hot beverages.
Cumulatively, the co-located shows will welcome more than 25,000 leading industry buyers and over
1,500 innovative suppliers across a wide range of product categories.
A new addition for 2023 is Chef HQ, curated by Chef Publishing: a networking hub and demo kitchen where leading chefs from the UK and Europe will be taking to the stage to demonstrate culinary tips and techniques, host deep dives into key dishes and cuisines, and discuss the latest trends and challenges affecting commercial kitchens in 2023 and beyond.
Confirmed chefs for the stage include Andrew Wong of Restaurant A. Wong, Tom Phillips of Restaurant Story, Launceston Place Chef Patron Ben Murphy, and legendary pastry chef Frédéric Bau, with many more due to be announced in the weeks to come.
Jonny Dillon, General Manager of The Great Shefford, comments: “HRC is a fantastic day to enjoy. The brilliance of meeting new suppliers, seeing new trends in the market, finding innovative new products, learning from the biggest and best in hospitality with shows and talks. I can see me and my team there every year.”
An industry-leading seminar programme
Visitors to HRC 2023 will have access to over 100 free-to-attend content sessions, discussions, demonstrations and more, covering some of the latest industry trends and topics and featuring leading figures from the worlds of foodservice and hospitality.
The show’s Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design, will highlight trends and all-important issues impacting the hospitality and foodservice sectors, with must-attend sessions with dynamic industry leaders and an exclusive keynote with HRC’s 2023 Chef Ambassador Monica Galetti.
Meanwhile, the Tech X Stage will be a focal point for everything hospitality tech, with discussions on how front- and back-of-house technology can increase profits, provide key insights and enable a more seamless experience for both employees and customers.
Alongside the industry leading seminar programme, visitors to the show will have the opportunity to learn from key association partners and hospitality professionals with features like Ask the Expert from the Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) and Helpline Live from the BII, a chance for pub, bar and hospitality business owners to meet with a range of industry experts and consultants to gain bespoke advice and solutions for their business.
Keith Warren, Chief Executive of the FEA comments: “The FEA are delighted to be the official sponsor and to be partnering with HRC once again for 2023. All types of equipment have a critical role in ensuring effective foodservice delivery, the Professional Kitchen section is vitally important as the leading UK exhibition for the sector.”
Celebrating talented chefs
HRC will once again take place alongside historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire, which sees chefs putting their talents and knowledge to the test across a number of live and skills competitions across the three days of the event.
Salon Chef Director Steve Munkley comments: “Next year’s event is set to be another fantastic edition of HRC and International Salon Culinaire, attracting everyone from the UK’s leading chefs to the next generation of culinary superstars. Live competition is a great way for chefs to challenge themselves, meet industry peers and stand out from the crowd and I can’t wait to see what this year’s competitors produce.”
Alongside popular returning competitions like the Mystery Basket Grand Prix, the Alaska Seafood Masters competition, the Apprentice Challenge, the Stadia team event, and Salon’s mainstay pasta and cheese challenges, next year’s edition will see a new challenge for the Craft Guild of Chefs Team of the Year, in partnership with Waitrose & Partners, new official meat partner in the form of Alliance NZ, which will be bringing its prestigious Lumina Lamb Competition to the show, and a new online training competition for chef lecturers in partnership with The Grande Cuisine Academy.
Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) will return to ExCeL London on 20-22 March 2023 alongside IFE, International Food & Drink Event, IFE Manufacturing, The Pub Show @ HRC, and International Salon Culinaire. To learn more about everything happening at the event, and to register for your complimentary trade ticket, visit hrc.co.uk.
Chefs Spill the Beans for Christmas
If you’re looking for some last-minute inspiration for the big day, then we’ve found three chefs who have emptied their Christmas lockers and given the lowdown on the traditional Christmas lunch.
Whether it’s a turkey brine, a classic roast spud or a brilliant Yule log you’ll never look back with these top tips.
First up its chef Aaron Middleton from MasterChef: The Professionals 2021. His Insta channel is celebrating 25 days of Christmas with a whole bunch of great videos that really help with those basics. Take look at Aaron’s Instagram feed here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmbpM9EoaMa/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Alexandra Duncan, our National Business Manager has already nailed the Spiced Orange and Honey Glazed Gammon and will set to work on the Maple Glazed parsnips and Honey Glazed carrots tomorrow!
Or, you can head to 2 Michelin Star chef Daniel Clifford of Midsummer House in Cambridge. His seasonal series of Christmas vids contain brilliant tips on brining, veg cooking and pimping up mince pies. Our own editor Chandos Elletson has already sworn that these roasties are the best he’s ever cooked. You can find all the deets here:https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl29xvrNJxp/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Finally, we must pay tribute to the incredible sensation that is Poppy Cooks. The former chef is all over Insta and TikTok with her potato recipes and now some really top Christmas turkey recipes. Chefs’ Forum Director Catherine Farinha has gone for the dry brine by Poppy (and by all accounts its looking good). Check out Poppy’s Instagram feed here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmZr_69sZuw/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
She’s also spreading the love in plumping for MasterChef Winner and restauranteur Simon Wood’s roast potatoes as spotted on Instagram, which sound and look absolutely delicious!
He’ll no doubt be serving up mountains of the bronzed and boogie beauties at Wood Restaurant Manchester!
All that remains to be said is: HAPPY CHRISTMAS from us all. See you in the New Year. 2023 looks really exciting with new additions to our new publishing division, loads of lunches, more academies and more chefs for our students to learn from.
Spare a Thought for Homeless Chefs
Yes, it does happen. Paul, pictured, was one of them. Two years ago he lost his accommodation in the pub where he was working closed during lockdown. He slept rough for a few “scary” weeks.
However, Paul was one of the lucky ones. He was helped and supported by two charities: The House of St Barnabas and Only A Pavement Away. Through their help and assistance Paul got back on his feet and has been working at The Ivy Asia for the last two years. His life is now steady.
We spoke to Karen Wallin, head of marketing and fundraising at Only A Pavement Away. She told us:
“There are thousands of others just like Paul who are at risk of becoming homeless right now as the cost of living soars. They may not be sleeping rough as homelessness can take many different forms.
“One of those is when you are forced to “sofa surf” moving from one friend’s put-up bed to another. Or living in a shelter, hostel or temporary council accommodation. The saddest extreme is when someone has no option but to sleep outside on the street.
“Only A Pavement Away is a charity which provides pathways out of homelessness into purposeful employment within hospitality. As part of their programme they also help members find a smooth transition from homelessness by providing short term financial assistance to ensure a successful and stable return to work.”
Paul remarked: “Since Only A Pavement Away helped me back into full time employment, I’ve got money, I am able to pay my bills, buy myself clothing, and have found myself a place to live. My life is very stable and secure now which it had not been for a very long time.”
Karen continued: “With many having to make difficult choices about paying for food, heating and rent right now Only A Pavement Away will ensure any member facing these unthinkable decisions have the extra support they need.”
Homelessness can happen to anyone – If you are able to contribute to help people just like Paul, find Stability Through Employment this winter, please CLICK HERE to donate THANK YOU.
The Season of Good Will
We reflect on what this time of the year means and how we can all play our part during a very stressful time.
Kindness costs nothing but is often rewarded in beautiful ways. Up and down the country, right now, businesses are wondering how much longer they can stay open. Some have already closed like Bao Baron in Folkestone which closed its doors on Monday. A family run business that just couldn’t make it work. The business has been overwhelmed by the support is has received on social media.
Christmas is so often a stressful time but this year it runs deeper. Strikes, energy costs, soaring food prices and the costs of keeping staff are all prevalent this year. Everywhere you look there’s bad news. And yet, look a little deeper and you’ll find extraordinary acts of kindness going on in hospitality even from businesses that are teetering on the brink.
Many restaurants, such as London’s Pied a Terre, have embraced a new culture by inviting staff to come in for a meal on their days off. Owner David Moore told The Telegraph it was important to offer extra support this winter because workers “don’t want to be seen to be needing it” and he doesn’t see the cost-of-living-crisis going away anytime soon.
Other restaurants have opened emergency larders for their staff. These acts of kindness and consideration go a long way to promoting a sense of bonding in a team and demonstrate the commitment and responsibility of managers and owners.
Hospitality is a giving business and it’s true that the more you give, the more you receive.
Hospitality Mourns Paul Kitching
Much loved chef Paul Kitching passed away last week at the age of 61 leaving many who knew him in shock. Kitching ran popular restaurant 21212 in Edinburgh which held a Michelin star for a decade.
However, for many he is remembered for his Greater Manchester restaurant Juniper in Altringham which he opened in 1997. Juniper was the first restaurant in Greater Manchester to hold a Michelin Star.
The news of his passing was announced by his partner in an email. Katie O’Brien told her customers it was: “A total shock”. Later, on Twitter, she revealed: “My love has gone. But what a love x.”
Many chefs, including Tom Kerridge and Jason Atherton, have spoken of their affection and praise for Kitching who will be much missed.
Kerridge said: “A wonderful man and incredible cook…”
Jason Atherton said: ”I first met Paul Kitching in his new restaurant back then in ’95 in Altringham in Manchester and was taken aback by the passion and the quality of food he was cooking. It was food that should have been in Paris or London or NYC. He was a genius – so passionate about restaurants and food.”
Michael O’Hare, chef-patron at the Michelin-starred The Man Behind The Curtain in Leeds, wrote on Instagram: “A true avant-garde and free thinker. What a guy.”
Why We Will Miss Chef Legend Richard Shepherd
On Friday of last week the hospitality industry last week lost another of its chef legends: Richard Shepherd. What few obituaries there have been have focussed on Shepherd being one of the first British chefs to receive a Michelin Star while he was at the helm of The Capitol Hotel in the early 1979’s. However, great though that achievement was, we will remember him for a different reason and one that we included in our new book The Chefs’ Knowledge.
At Langan’s Brasserie which opened in 1977 and became one of the best-known celebrity restaurants in London Shepherd perfected a menu that broke all the rules and wrote some new ones.
With his unique experience of working in France, in Provence, Shepherd brought new ideas to Langan’s and fused them with the classic repertoire he learned at The Savoy Hotel. Soon, the menu at Langan’s was the envy of London and the wider world. It would be much copied. It still is.
The one sheet menu that also contained the wine list and was printed every day has still never been bettered and from that evolved a method of menu writing that is worth study.
Because Langan’s was so busy at peak periods Shepherd realised that customers read menus in a unique way. Language was important but so was where a dish was positioned on the menu. Chefs don’t pay much attention to this today but both things are very important.
At Langan’s if Shepherd wanted to sell a dish he put it at the bottom of the starters or at the top of the main courses. And, furthermore, if he got the language of a dish wrong it wouldn’t sell and this is where a sort of hybrid menu language evolved.
Once upon a time soupe de poisson would have been written on a classical menu. But that didn’t sell. Shepherd translated it and simply called it Provençale fish soup. It sold. But, the reverse was also true. Some translations didn’t work. Chilled leek soup, for example, never sold as well as Vichyssoise. Apple tart sold better as Tarte Tatin. On a typical Langan’s menu you might find Entrecôte béarnaise on the main courses next to cold ham and potato salad.
To Shepherd the menu was romantic and customers had understanding and were familiar with parts of the classical menu but not others. We will miss Richard Shepherd but always celebrate his unique vision and understanding of what made good food – and the way to sell it.
WIN a Foie Royale Christmas Hamper – Including the NEW Entier Truffle Foie Royale
We are delighted to share the news that Foie Royale Entier, their ethical and sustainable alternative to foie gras, was awarded Innovative Product of the Year at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards 2022, demonstrating creativity and innovation at the heart of its concept.
The Foie Royale team with Ambassador Chef Dan Moon celebrating winning ‘Innovative Product of the Year’ at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards 2022
Foie Royale Entier is produced by merging different batches of the Classic range which delivers the textural variation and density that you get from foie gras. Not only does it taste great and feel like a natural product in the mouth, but there is also the visual difference where the different layers’ colour and density are visible, creating a much more natural looking product.
The Entier range will undoubtedly satisfy many foie gras consumers out there; especially those who worry about how their food was made, as Foie Royale is both sustainable and produced to the highest ethical standards in Europe.
The awards are a key element of the Speciality & Fine Food Fair – the UK’s leading showcase of artisanal food and drink. Recognising and celebrating the individuals and businesses driving excellence and product innovation in the fine food & drink community, the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards champion all that makes the industry such a remarkable and inspiring place.
The judges for this year’s awards were Scott Winston, Buying Manager, Mindful Chef; Adrian Boswell, Food Buyer, Selfridges; Bruce Langlands, Management Consultant; Stephen Minall, Owner, Moving Food and Vhari Russell, Managing Director, The Food Marketing Expert.
Mike Logut, Managing Director of Sapphire Foods Ltd – Foie Royale commented, “It is fantastic to receive this award. After 7 years of research to create Foie Royale, the development of the Entier range was born out of consumers loving the flavour and asking for a more natural textural taste. We are very proud to have a created this product, that does indeed beg the question why any animal now needs to be gavaged or indeed even having its liver enlarged at all.”
Foie Royale New Product – Truffle Version
Following the success of the Entier range, we combined earthy Italian black truffles with our ethical and luxurious Foie Royale product, adding richness and depth to your dishes.
Perfect for the festive season.
Foie Royale Entier Goose with Truffle was launched in Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly last week and is also available either directly at foieroyale.com or through our approved distributors.
*WIN* a Royale Christmas Hamper Worth £100
Do you fancy winning a festive hamper containing Foie Royale award-winning Entier and their newly launched Foie Royale truffle product, together with a magnificently paired Royal Tokaji Blue Label 5 Puttonyos Aszú?
This year, Foie Royale are running a ‘Win a Christmas Hamper’ every Friday, up to 16th December – 4 ROUNDS!
How to Enter the Competition
- Like the post on Instagram or Facebook.
- Follow @foieroyale on Instagram or @FoieRoyaleUK on Facebook.
- Tag your chef friends that would love to win, each tag is a new entry.
- Share to your story and tag Foie Royale for a bonus entry.
Every Friday (2, 9 and 16 December) the competition will start and announce the result of the previous round. For each round, the competition will end on Thursday, except the last round (16 December). The final round will end on Sun, 18 December and announce the result on 19 December. The winner will receive the hamper before Christmas.
Terms & Conditions
- The delivery address must be mainland UK (Excluding Scottish Highlands and Northern Ireland due to shipping limitations – sorry).
- Please only enter if you are happy for Foie Royale to announce on their story that you have won and to contact you via DM.
- If no response in 24 hours, another winner will be chosen at random.
The prize is the same for all 4 rounds – including their award-winning product – Entier and the brand-new truffle product plus Royal Tokaji (best matching with Foie Royale) and other festive items.
The competition is being held solely by Foie Royale, and promoted via The Chefs’ Forum.
ENTER NOW at either Foie Royale IG or Facebook pages.
For more information on the Foie Royale range of products please visit foieroyale.com, call them on 0800 368 7777 for a chat or email enquiries@foieroyale.com
Supplies of Foie Gras are Under Threat this Christmas
France, the main producer of foie gras, is already facing shortages of this controversial product. More than 16 million birds have been destroyed dating back to November last year because of bird flu, according to the French Ministry of Agriculture. It has plunged the industry into crisis and is threatening to create a shortage of foie gras this Christmas after the disease wiped out millions of poultry across France. In addition to that, the Ukraine war has pushed up the cost of production, warns Marie-Pierre Pe, director general of the Interprofessional Committee for Foie Gras (Cifog), who expects a 30-40% drop in supply coupled with a rise in prices this Christmas.
As of 18 October 2022, infections are six weeks ahead of where they were this time last year, according to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). There are currently 47 ongoing outbreaks across the UK, 30 of which have been confirmed since the start of October.
It is not surprising that foie gras is now disappearing from some menus as a result of this unprecedented crisis.
The dilemma for chefs – should we keep this French culinary jewel on our menus this Christmas and risk letting our customers down?
There is an ethical and sustainable alternative available to chefs that has guaranteed availability this Christmas – Foie Royale.
It’s Ethical
Foie Royale is made from the healthy and normal-sized livers of ducks and geese that live free range on some of the highest welfare farms in Germany. Our birds are reared for their meat, their livers and surplus fat are by-products of meat production and are brought together post-life, eliminating the need to engorge their livers during their life. The main goal of the product development was to create a replacement to foie gras in which animal welfare took top priority.
It’s Sustainable
Rather than cruel force-feeding, the birds are raised for their meat, fed naturally, targeted to each have up to 25 square metres of space to roam outdoors, far beyond typical free-range standards. We use the by-products of their meat production which would have otherwise been wasted.
It’s Diverse
It is an extremely versatile product, that can be seared, roasted, poached or blitzed as an ingredient in many dishes to enhance flavour, or simply used as is.
It’s Convenient
The product requires no soaking, no de-veining, or membrane removal. It is ready to use, involves less waste and has a long shelf life. There is no stress about shortage of supply.
True Alternative to Foie Gras
Foie Royale is luxuriously smooth with a distinctive rich flavour to match. Our new Entier range has the natural marbling, texture and density that you get from foie gras, and last month won Innovative Product of the Year at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2022.
“What chefs need to understand is the versatility of Foie Royale. You can pan-sear it, you can monte sauces with it. Like any pastry chef knows with different couvertures of chocolate, sometimes you may have to tweak just a little to get the result that you want. But the product is super to work with, the performance is great and the feedback from diners is so rewarding.” Dan Moon, Ambassador Chef of Foie Royale.
To purchase Foie Royale please visit www.foieroyale.com
