A Great Opportunity to Purchase an Established Restaurant in North Somerset with Accommodation

Franks is a family run restaurant with 32 covers specialising in modern/European cuisine, situated at the foot of the Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, UK.

The restaurant has been open since 2003 and has gained a reputation for good food, and a wine list to complement.

This is a great opportunity to purchase an established restaurant in North Somerset, with accommodation for a family or guests.

Set in the heart of Cheddar this wonderful property offers a selection of opportunities. The property is currently used as a restaurant and houses on the ground floor a restaurant capable of comfortably seating 34 people. There are a ladies and gents toilet with wash basins and WC, a fully equipped commercial kitchen which is fully fitted with ovens, fridges and work surfaces with a separate area used for washing up with space for dishwashers/glass cleaners.

There is also a fully equipped, licenced bar with a seating area.

The first floor currently houses a L shaped front and rear aspect living room with space for a dining room table. There is also a well designed kitchen with space for white appliances with a selection of wall and base units. There are also two front aspect bedrooms with one currently used as a business store. There is also a good sized family bathroom with sink, toilet and shower cubicle.

The top floor houses three further bedrooms and could quite easily be used as a B and B. The larger bedroom benefits from its own toilet, basin and shower cubicle along with storage facilities whilst the further two bedrooms both benefit from a shower cubicle. There is also a handy cloakroom.

The property benefits from a courtyard garden which provides parking for a couple of vehicles. There is a handy outside store area and steel steps leading up to a decked area which is perfect for enjoying the evening sun.

Asking price: £525,000

Please contact Frank on 07884 288427 or email him frank@franksrestaurant.co.uk to arrange a viewing.

Entries Closing Soon for Tilda Chef Team of the Year 2021

The entry deadline for Tilda Chef Team of the Year is drawing closer, with teams encouraged to enter before the 28^th May 2021 deadline.

With a two night trip to Italy to win, as well as the famous Tilda blue trophy up for grabs, chefs can register for the prestigious title of Tilda Chef Team of the Year now by visiting Salon Culinaire’s website https://internationalsalonculinaire.co.uk/salon-live/.

Along with joining the Tilda Chef Hall of Fame, the winning team will bank an all-expenses paid two-night trip to Italy*, visiting Vercelli and the Piedmont region, for when restrictions are lifted. They will have the opportunity to visit the impressive paddies and mills responsible for the world-famous Tilda rice and discover one of Italy’s oldest cities. Whilst there, the winning team will also experience the fantastic food festivals and delicious local produce that Vercelli has to offer.

Speaking about the upcoming deadline, Annette Coggins, Head of Foodservice, Tilda UK says:

“There is a buzz of anticipation for the final and we’re urging those last few teams to throw their hats into the ring for the chance to be crowned this year’s Tilda Chef Team of the Year and join our winners’ circle! This is a fantastic competition that allows chef duos to really show off their craft and see the full potential of rice.”

Chefs can register for the competition now by visiting https://internationalsalonculinaire.co.uk/salon-live/ by 28^th May 2021, with the live final taking place on Wednesday 9^th June, at the University of West London.

The judging panel will be looking for the chef team who will embrace global cuisines, inspiring trends, exquisite flavours that appear on today’s menus and celebrate creativity, whilst using Tilda rice at their heart of each dish. There will be 45 minutes in the final for teams to prepare four portions of a main and dessert.

Annette adds:

“We can’t wait to see what the competing chef teams come up with this year and how they’ll use our rice! The speciality range is so versatile and will enable chefs to experiment with such a huge variety of flavours and techniques – we’ve seen fantastic entries over the years and we’re so excited for what this year will bring!”

With the deadline looming, chef teams are encouraged to seek Tilda’s speciality range which hosts a wide variety of delicious rice, starting with chef favourite – Easy Cook Basmati with its elegant and natural appeal. The range also includes the nutty and aromatic Easy Cook Basmati and Wild, the naturally Fragrant Jasmine Rice and the deliciously creamy Arborio from Po Valley. The extensive selection offers great tasting rice every time, with the natural ability to absorb and enhance the flavour of a dish.

Tilda’s independent research has found that three quarters of consumers would pay more when seeing a named rice on the menu, versus a non-named variety. To learn more about elevating your plate, visit https://www.tilda.com/professionals/article/make-menu-work/.

Badge Up Your Home Delivery Service

Badge up your home delivery service with bespoke food delivery packs by Global Vending Solutions

Are you doing local delivery from your business or kitchen? If so then there may be an opportunity that you are missing. The new food delivery packs created by Global Vending Solutions (GVS) can be ordered in your colours and feature your logo. That means that whoever is doing the deliveries for you will be visible en route.

Managing Director Joseph Burke said: “It’s an exciting time. We were getting more and more enquiries for delivery systems and so we designed a new version but using new technology to produce a drier kind of heat where the food does not sweat as much.

“But then we started to get enquiries about bespoke packs. The questions we were being asked were about how they can be customised? How can we have our logo? Our brand colours? Interchangeable advertising on the product? It was at this stage we began to speak to our product development team, who came up with a fully customisable range, with an option available for businesses of any size’.

“In recognition of the changing landscape of recent times, this product offers businesses the chance to facilitate their own food delivery service with fully-branded equipment. Not only this but each product from Global Vending Solutions is rigorously tested and approved to ensure the food transportation does not result in a compromise on quality.

‘We have always dealt with our customers directly as what we offer is so bespoke. We listen carefully to their requirements and make it happen – regardless of how challenging it might be. When one client spoke to us about this product we started the development process – and since then the enquiries have kept increasing!’

“In addition, the food delivery sector includes a huge range of specific requirements. Insulated pizza delivery packs need to be a completely different size and shape to one that is designed for burgers or smaller items. Using our experience in this area we were able to produce something to suit every end user – all with diverse customisation options to ensure a professional finish.

‘Restaurants today have the power to accept orders online or over the phone with no problem at all, and this is true today for all cuisine, not just the more ‘traditional’ takeaway items. It’s important that when restaurants do offer this service, the food that arrives has no impact on its quality – and our delivery packs are the perfect solution to achieve this.’

To view the new range of delivery packs from GVS contact Joseph directly on: joseph@thirstsolution.com for help or advice on any vending-related solutions.

The Chefs’ Forum Celebrates a Great Week of Virtual Taster Days

The Chefs’ Forum was very proud to deliver two interactive School Taster Days this week with our Chefs’ Forum Academies at The Manchester College and Pembrokeshire College.

On Tuesday, we started in Manchester with Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum, welcoming the students, schools, and all participants to the taster event. Maxine Gunning, Head of Curriculum for Hospitality & Catering and Travel & Tourism at The Manchester College, introduced the students to the Hospitality and Catering department and its staff. A detailed overview of course options was provided, outlining the opportunities for students to enrol onto study programmes at an appropriate level.

The event started with a cheese tasting from South Caernarfon Creameries with artisan cheesemaker, Trystan Povey. All the schools participated in the cheese as samples were sent prior to the event. They compared a Welsh Slate Cavern Aged Cheddar and a Smoked Mature Cheddar cheese.

We then went live to the kitchens of Exose Grant Lopo-Ndinga, Chef Consultant & contestant and finalist on Masterchef: The Professionals 2019 and Dipna Anand (Owner of Brilliant Restaurant in London and regular guest on TV cookery shows – Dipna’s latest appearance was on ‘James Martin’s Saturday Morning’ programme last week!)

Rotating from one kitchen to the next, Exose produced his version of ‘Mac & South Caernarfon Creameries Cavern Aged Cheddar Cheese’, while Dipna made her famous South Caernarfon Creameries Smoked Mature Cheddar Cheese & Onion ‘Stuffed Parathas’. Both dishes looked delicious!

After her demonstration, Dipna said:

“It was great to be taking part in the college’s taster day alongside The Chefs’ Forum, who are always so supportive of students pursuing hospitality and catering. Students got a first-hand virtual experience of what to expect on the course and found the session extremely useful and encouraging. I showcased a recipe video of stuffed parathas which went down a storm. It’s satisfying to know that through my skills and words of encouragement during the online session, students are convinced and positive to join our brilliant industry.”

After a break, we moved onto Cwmfarm Charcuterie with artisan producer, Ruth Davies. Alongside Ruth’s engaging talk from ‘Salami HQ’ as she refers to the company’s manufacturing base, the students sampled Welsh salami and ‘nduja’ – a delicious, spreadable rich and spicy sausage.

We then travelled virtually to the kitchen of Doug Crampton, Head Chef at James Martin, Manchester. Doug demonstrated a great way to utilise the nduja by making a dish of ‘Baked Cwmfarm Nduja, Hen’s Eggs & Wild Garlic’ The dish looked so vibrant and tasty with striking colours, a beautifully simple dish suitable for a breakfast treat or brunch!

The final dish of the day was a sweet treat. The students were sent samples of Wickedly Welsh Chocolate, in which they compared its quality against a highly reputed Belgian chocolate. Chocolatier, Mark Owen took us through the production of the chocolate and the differences between the methods deployed. They were both delicious.

Pastry Chef Laurian Veaudour (Bake Off: The Professionals Winner 2020) provided us with the last dish of the day, producing a delicate ‘Orange & Wickedly Welsh Milk Chocolate Shortbread’. It’s such a shame we couldn’t try one but recipes cards were provided, so there was no excuse for not having a go at making them at home!

On Wednesday morning we travelled, virtually, south-west to the coast of Pembrokeshire to deliver a Taster Day on behalf of The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Pembrokeshire College, Wales.

Catherine again welcomed all the participating schools before passing to Wendy Weber, Head of Health, Childcare and Commercial Enterprise, to introduce the lecturing staff at the college, who provided a talk about the various courses available and the fantastic opportunities for students following their studies.

The students were then provided Marketing bags from Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, alongside an inspirational talk and accompanying video from meat expert, Rhys Llywelyn. Rhys spoke about the fantastic natural environment in which Welsh meat is reared to create truly world-class produce. Somewhat surprisingly, we learnt that Welsh meat is exported all over the world with only a small percentage of the meat being consumed by the people in Wales. Rhys would like to see this change!

Following the talk, we were treated to simultaneous demonstrations from highly renowned chefs Dougie Balish (Head Chef at The Grove at Narberth) and Matt Waldron (Head Chef at The Stackpole Inn). Dougie took us through his ‘Spicy Welsh Beef, Avocado & Goats Cheese Tortilla’, a mouth-watering fusion featuring great Welsh meat and flavours of Mexico.

Switching from one kitchen to the other, Matt produced a spectacular dish of ‘Welsh Lamb Rump with Potato Puree, Roscoff Onion, Shallot, Peas & Wild Garlic’. Matt discussed the processes he used to produce such fine purees and delicate flavours. The dish looked amazing, if only we could have tasted it!

After a break, we were treated to the sweeter side of the kitchen, although one of the magic ingredients used was salt! Salt is an essential natural mineral we can’t survive without. It also has amazing properties as a flavour enhancer, taste modifier and suppressant of bitterness. That’s why the addition of a little salt makes sweet foods taste even better!

Pembrokeshire Sea Salt samples and jars of salted caramel were again sent to the schools for the students to sample. Josh Wright from Pembrokeshire Sea Salt showed us the methods in which salt is produced and dried from sea water and the award-winning artisan salt from Pembrokeshire is regarded as one of the most flavoursome in the world.

Showcasing the salt and caramel, Lisa Fearn, Chef Proprietor of The Pumpkin Patch Kitchen & Garden and Y Sied Cookery School, produced Brownie Cookies with Pembrokeshire Sea Salt & Salted Caramel, whilst a group of Professional Cookery students from the college baked alongside Lisa. The results were fabulous, getting the thumbs up from Lisa!

The final demonstration was provided by Chef, Laurian Veaudour (Bake Off: The Professionals Winner 2020). Laurian hosted a chocolate tasting of three chocolates from Valrhona, France, one of the world’s leading single-plantation chocolate producers. The students shared their views on which style of chocolate they preferred, while Laurian produced an exquisite Valrhona Chocolate & Hazelnut Brownie with a Chocolate Whipped Ganache.

At the end of the two days, Laurian said:

“It is such a pleasure to be a part of the taster days so we can inspire the new generation of chefs and bakers around the country, especially with the wonderful produce with can find on our doorstep.”

A real treat to finish the taster days and what a refreshing and inspiring way to spend three hours on a Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

Miss Palmer – Hospitality & Catering Teacher at Ysgol Greenhill School, Pembrokeshire added:

“Our students found it extremely beneficial to see the wonderful facilities at the college. They were inspired by the live demonstrations and the use of technical terminology was useful for their upcoming exam.”

Participating schools at the Taster Day at The Manchester College were:

• Co-operative Academy of North Manchester
• East Manchester Academy
• Manchester Academy
• Manchester Communication Academy
• Middleton Technology School
• Sale High School
• Stockport School

Participating schools at the Taster Day at Pembrokeshire College were:

• Ysgol Caer Elen
• Ysgol Bro Gwaun
• Greenhill
• Portfield School
• Haverfordwest High
• ysgol y preseli
• Ysgol Harri Tudur
• Milford Haven School

New HCC Chair Sets Out Priorities

At her first Board meeting as the new chair of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), Catherine Smith has laid out the levy board’s priorities for the new financial year.

The Chefs’ Forum was delighted to welcome Rhys Llywelyn to a virtual Hospitality Industry Taster Day (12) May, with Pembrokeshire College today, which showcased Welsh Beef and Lamb.  180 prospective college students from local feeder secondary schools all received a goody bag packed with information and merchandise promoting Welsh produce and farmers.

The board meeting with the new chair, also held virtually due to COVID restrictions – welcomed two new Board members in Jack Evershed and Emlyn Roberts, received analysis of consumer trends as Britain emerges from lockdown, and confirmed the organisation’s priorities for the coming year, the first following the long-awaited reform of the Red Meat Levy in April to secure a fairer deal for Wales.

The levy reform, enabled by the passage of the Agriculture Bill in Westminster and discussions between the three governments, means that producer levy on animals reared in Wales but slaughtered over the border will be transferred to HCC and no longer be lost to Wales.

Catherine Smith said: “The change in the Levy has been long awaited, and will provide greater transparency and equity for farmers here in Wales.

“We have exciting plans for the year ahead, building on the very positive work that HCC has undertaken in responding effectively to the twin challenges of COVID and Brexit.

“Central to our plans are building on the successful consumer engagement and brand building work that’s seen increases in sales of red meat over the past year, and new listings for Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef in major retailers.

“We also plan to work closely with governments and with our partner organisations in England and Scotland to secure access to new markets for our respective products and develop trade.

“HCC will also give a very high priority to promoting the world-leading environmental credentials of how we produce lamb and beef here in Wales, building on our ‘Welsh Way’ vision. We will also undertake crucial work alongside partners elsewhere in Britain to defend and enhance the reputation of our industry. Key milestones are coming up this year such as the COP26 summit in Glasgow. It’s vital that the public understands that not all methods of farming around the world are the same, and that we have a positive contribution to make to sustainability and global food security.”

The Chefs’ Forum Tackles the Shortage of Pastry Chefs – National Finalists Announced

In response to the much-publicised shortage of skilled pastry chefs and the concern over the numbers coming through, The Chefs’ Forum recently launched a national competition to highlight the issue and showcase the great work currently taking place in UK colleges, alongside the opportunities for young people to thrive in this creative and rewarding sector of the industry.

It is well documented that there is a shortage of chefs, especially pastry chefs. Talk to the owners, managers and chefs in industry and it is highly likely they will tell you the same thing. During the lockdown periods, many chefs returned to their home countries and may not return anytime soon, if ever. The implications of Brexit have not helped matters!

A skilled pastry chef is an asset to the kitchen for the good reason that pastry items often have the highest profit margins. However, it is easy to forget that the skills set of a pastry chef goes beyond the dessert menu.

The pastry chef is the scientist in the kitchen and right now food science is of immense value. A pastry chef measures everything down to minute proportions. The temperature of the oven is critical. Volumes, relationships between ingredients and much more all need to be measured. The art of pastry is the last detail. Underpinning everything is the science.

It’s not always the same in the main kitchen, where the chefs are often not so clinical, having more room for interpretation and adjustment, and seasoning is applied to taste. In the pastry kitchen, the opposite is true. From a lack of precision and measurement, poor results follow.

The Chefs’ Forum Young Pastry Chef of the Year, 2021, competition aims to celebrate the creativity of highly skilled young pastry chefs and the abundance of fantastic commodities and produce they have at their disposal to develop mouth-watering products. The first-round entries were collated on Friday 7^th May and were judged over the weekend by Jamie Houghton, Pasty sous-chef at Le Manoir aux quat’saisons and President of the UK Pastry team, and Neil Rippington, Director of Education at The Chefs’ Forum.

Jamie said:

“After reviewing all the entries with Neil, it was great to see that the level of each student’s work was so high. This is going to make a very exciting semi-final. I’m really looking forward to seeing what the students come up with during this stage and reviewing their entries to select those that go through to the final in June.”

The semi-finalists have now been sent details of the next challenge, which will see them design a multi-layered entremet using Valrhona chocolate. The young pastry chefs have been sent samples of five chocolates to choose from and the small equipment they need in a pack, supplied by sponsors Mitchell and Cooper. The students will select one chocolate to take forward to produce the entremet for digital submission. Whichever chocolate the students select to make their entremet, they will be sent the chocolate required, with great thanks to sponsors, Valrhona.

Neil said:

“It was great to see so many colleges enter the competition. We have entries from all corners of the UK and it was reassuring to see the calibre of the entries at this point. We want the competition to be accessible and fair to all students, which is why we designed the semi-final task with tight boundaries but also with great scope for creativity. There are some great prizes, opportunities, and experiences available to the young pastry chefs, so I wish them good luck in the semi-final task over the next few weeks and I look forward to meeting the eight finalists at the final in June.”

The 20 finalist are:

The semi-final task submission deadline is Friday 28^th May at 17:00, with the eight finalists competing for the title on Tuesday 15^th June, live at the West London College.

Judges are:

• Jamie Houghton – Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and President of the UK Pastry Team
• Luke Frost – L’Ecole Valrhona
• Chris Underwood – Belmond Cadogan Hotel
• Thibault Hauchard- Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
• Michael Kwan – Hotel Café Royal
• Daniel Pearse – The Savoy

Making Meals that Matter: Rational Launches Care Homes Live online Demonstration

Expert chefs show how iCombi Pro and iVario can enhance care home catering.

Rational’s latest programme of Live online events has been developed specifically for care homes.  The events look at how Rational’s cooking systems can enhance kitchen operations, increase menu diversity and help chefs prepare the variety of special dietary requirements needed in a care home.  During Care Home Live online a Rational chef with specialist knowledge of the market will prepare a wide-ranging care home menu while an expert host is on hand to answer any questions from attendees.

The Rational chefs show how the iCombi Pro combi steamer and iVario multifunctional cooking system can increase a care home’s productivity and reduce cooking times, while producing consistently high quality results.  They’ll also demonstrate the superior energy efficiency of both cooking systems and show how they can deliver a fast return on investment.  And for any operators looking to save time and effort, they’ll show how easy both systems are to keep sparkling clean.  In addition, Care Home Live online will briefly cover Rational’s ConnectedCooking platform, showing how it maximises operational efficiency.

“Our online events are a hit with customers,” says Adam Knights, marketing director at Rational UK.  “The format allows participants to experience the cooking systems, albeit virtually, and is a very efficient use of their time.”

He adds, “We’ve seen a big increase in interest from care homes for both the iCombi Pro and the iVario cooking systems, so we decided to make a Live online specifically for them.  Nutritional meals are incredibly important for care home residents, and we have ensured that all the content is relevant to a care home’s operation.”

The food cooked during the Care Home Live online features a typical day’s menu – including breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.   For example, highlights for the breakfast menu include porridge, pancakes, croissant and a full traditional breakfast.  Meanwhile the lunch features lentil soup, cottage pie, macaroni cheese, accompanying vegetables and a pudding.

In a special promotion, anyone attending a Care Home Live online and then buying a Rational cooking system will receive free snack & bake starter-kit accessories worth £274.

Each Rational Care Home Live online lasts about 45 minutes.  They are free to attend and can be booked at rational-online.com.  To find out more, talk to your Rational representative or visit the Rational website.

The following dates are available:

• Tuesday 11^th May – 10-11am
• Thursday 13^th May – 2.30-3.30pm
• Monday 17^th May – 2.30-3.30pm
• Friday 28^th May – 2.30-3.30pm
• Wednesday 2^nd June – 2.30-3.30pm

To register for this FREE event please email rebecca@redcherry.uk.com

RATIONAL is the leading provider in hot food preparation equipment and, with the iCombi Pro and the iVario multifunctional cooking system, the company delivers 95% of all conventional cooking applications.  Rational’s ConnectedCooking allows operators to monitor, manage and update their Rational appliances remotely, from a PC, tablet or smartphone.  iKitchen is the combination of the iCombi Pro, iVario Pro and ConnectedCooking – iKitchen delivers the best kitchen management and the best cooking solutions.

Rational Hospital Catering Sector Seminar: A Huge Success

On the 28^th April, The Chefs’ Forum partnered with RATIONAL to deliver a Virtual Hospital Sector Catering seminar, covering the key points raised in the recently published ‘Independent Review of NHS Hospital Food’, chaired by Philip Shelley. The review highlights the essential developments required to ensure a sustainable food provision and service of the highest possible quality over the forthcoming years.

A professional panel of industry experts and stakeholders came together to form a panel of experts discussing headline topics with the aim of providing the vision, the insight and expertise required to meet the objectives of the review.

Over 130 NHS catering managers, chefs, dieticians, clinicians and facilities managers signed up to and attended the virtual event and the feedback was that was expertly planned and executed, paving the way to bring about radical change in hospital menus to improve the patient food offer and enable hospitals to create delicious, locally-sourced menus for patients, visitor and staff 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

Adam Knights, Marketing Director, Rational UK comments,

“We were not only very pleased with the way in which the hospital seminar was delivered by the experts, but also the extremely positive way it was received by the audience. We have successfully worked in partnership with The Chefs’ Forum to provide a platform for individuals from the hospital sector, including buyers, chefs, kitchen designers, equipment manufacturers, chief executives and catering managers who together can make a change for better hospital catering standards.  We plan to build on this and deliver a series of Hospital webinars and future events to galvanise and support all involved in changing hospital menus for the better”.

A special message by Prue Leith CBE (Industry icon, restaurateur, chef, TV presenter and food writer) making the introductory speech opened the event, then seminar panellists discussed a range of topics covered in the Food Review of areas in the current offer needing special attention, support and improvement.

Dr Rupy Aujla (GP, Founder of Culinary Medicine UK and author of The Doctor’s Kitchen) was very much of the opinion that ‘Food is Medicine’ and the need to engage staff members, especially nurses as they are the ones linking face-to-face with patients.

Mike Ridder (Kitchen Consultant at Dragon Catering Consultancy, Denbigh) has worked in the hospital sector for many years prior to opening his consultancy.

He said

“We need to look at how our hospital kitchens are designed and the sort of equipment that hospital chefs are expected to cook on.  If they call people in like myself in the early stages, they can save a lot of money in terms of wasted energy, reducing carbon footprint and reducing waste – We really need to look after the bottom line, reducing carbon footprint for future generations and waste reduction is of paramount importance.”

This message was reinforced by Colin Parry, Sales Director at Rational UK who said that service and back-up of equipment and integrating the latest energy-saving equipment is crucial to bolstering hospital caterers in hospital kitchens and that Rational UK can absolutely provide them with this level of support.

Nicola Strawther, Chief Dietetic, Nottingham University Hospital echoed Dr Rupy’s comments on ensuring that hospitals can offer fresh and quality food as when people are unwell, as their need for healthy and nutritious food is greater than ever.

Philip Shelley (Chair of the NHS Hospital Food Review) and Craig Smith (Outgoing Chair of the Hospital Caterers Association) both stressed the importance of liaising with the trust as they hold the budget and the need for ensuring that there is enough money in the pot to fulfil all of the objectives identified in the review.

The Seminar was hosted and chaired by Neil Rippington (Director of Education at The Chefs’ Forum and Instructor in Culinary Psychology, Harvard University) who led the debate topics such as the future design of hospital kitchens and how design can contribute to areas such as food quality, sustainability, efficiency and food safety.

Colin Parry, Sales Director at Rational UK concluded,

“We are delighted to have gathered together some of the leading professionals in hospital sector catering for a meeting of minds on how best to action the objectives identified in the recent NHS hospital Food Review.  We very much enjoyed hearing from the various specialists on how the topics discussed related to their various roles and how we can work as a collective to support hospital food and catering operations.”

Discussion topics included: Food as medicine; Tomorrow’s kitchen; Integrating technology; Sustainability; Food & drink standards; Healthy & nutritious menus; Working in partnership and Planning the future.

The Seminar also acknowledged the fantastic contributions of our NHS Food Heroes to date and how the review proposes to ensure the evolution of future Food Heroes by providing the training, development and qualifications to support hospital caterers and their career development in the future.

The event concluded with a clear plan outlined and how these objectives could continue to be measured and reviewed; It is imperative that all stakeholders must work together in partnership to provide the quality of provision that all within the NHS deserve. Rational and The Chefs’ Forum will continue to report on changes made as a result of the seminar and plan to stage future events for the sector.

Any Hospital Sector Caters wishing to know more about the latest Rational technology can register for a Hospitals Live online webinar here.

Top Devon Chefs Hooked on Fabulous Fresh Fish at Dart Fresh!

On Tuesday (27) April, Dart Fresh HQ in Exeter played host to a series of socially distanced, Covid-safe, cookery demos to showcase their top quality, fresh, local fish and seafood as chefs prepare to reopen their restaurants.

Dart Fresh has always aimed to be a one-stop-shop for chefs; to be able to give them everything they need to make their lives easier with making just one order and therefore one delivery.  Now, chefs and home delivery retail customers can rest-assured that they are getting the freshest possible fish and seafood, straight from Devon and Cornwall prepared delivered to their kitchens and front doors!

The turnaround time is around 24-48 hours, to ensure that Dart Fresh customers are getting the best possible product, in the best possible condition – straight from the boats in Devon and Cornwall!

Anita-Clare Field of La Petite Bouchée kicked-off proceedings, making a delicious Bouillabaisse – a traditional provincial fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille.  Anita used monkfish tails, mussels, crevettes, and red mullet to create this classic French dish, served in a delicious saffron broth.

The Blue Sea Food Company attended the day and gave the chefs samples of their fantastic crab claws and hand-picked white crab meat.  As well as starring in the dishes of such renowned chefs, it is also perfect for the local delicacy of a crab sandwich, so popular with tourists and locals alike!

Mark Dodson, Chef Patron at The Michelin-starred Masons Arms, Knowstone, North Devon, joined forces with his Head Chef, Olivier Certain, to create a wonderful lobster thermidor and two versions of a Brixham crab risottos, one produced in the traditional method and the second using a ‘HotMix Pro’, an innovative thermal blender and mixer, providing professional kitchens with an extremely versatile and capable tool.

In addition to the HotMix Pro, equipment supplier, Mitchell and Cooper, also demonstrated the use of the ‘Crustastun’, the world’s first and only crustacean stunner. As consumers show a growing concern for animal welfare, as well as increasing legislation being written by countries around the work, the Crustastun is proven to be the most effective and humane way to stun lobsters, crabs and other crustacea, within 0.5 of a second.

Following the demonstration of the crab and lobster dishes, Mark said

“I really enjoyed the chance to see all the fantastic fresh fish available at Dart Fresh.  It was great to cook with the wonderful, locally sourced crab and lobster supplied.  The Crustastun and HotMix Pro machines also provided an insight as to how such technology can help develop the industry in the future.

To complement our dishes, I particularly liked the sea herbs from Koppert Cress as well as top quality, locally-sourced vegetables from Dart Fresh – The Koppert Cress was fantastic.  I used the salty fingers, oyster leaves, blinq blossom and sea fennel on my dish.  It’s something we’ll definitely use at The Masons Arms and great news that we can get it from Dart Fresh!”

Next was James Checkley from Paschoe House with an impressive scallop dish with cucumber and caviar butter sauce.  The dish was delicious and really showcased the fresh scallops in their best light.

Jack Cannell, of Tytherleigh Arms, finished a day of tantalising demos with his signature dish of Newlyn hake, River Fowey mussels and perfect pillows of charred gnocchi.  Having worked with a number of top chefs including Michael Caines and Andrew McLeish, it was clear to see that Devon is well on the way to having another Michelin-starred chef!

Second generation costermonger and Director, John Pritchard, had diversified the business as he wants to offer chefs a complete foodservice solution, including a fantastic fresh and frozen fish offer and now a full-service butchery unit on site, showcasing Dartmoor beef and lamb!

Throughout the day John invited the crème de la crème of chefs over to Dart Fresh to cook with his top-quality produce in preparation for the restaurants, pubs and hotels reopening.

Paul Da Costa Greaves from Koppert Cress showcased his fabulous range of micro greens and cresses and how they can be used as fortifiers in food to boost health and flavour.

John was delighted to host a day of fishy culinary excellence and really enjoyed working with the visiting chefs who created some really delicious dishes, using classic techniques, he said

“This was a great chance to showcase the journey of where we’ve come from as a fruit and vegetable company in 1957, working with the supermarkets, to becoming an all-encompassing foodservice company and now introducing an online home delivery offer with the onset of the pandemic, which is proving really popular.  Our fresh fish and seafood is simply the best money can buy, sourced locally from Devon and Cornwall and delivered to order within 48 hours for minimal food miles.”

This was the fourth in a series of culinary focus days to be held by Dart Fresh, in association with The Chefs’ Forum, to showcase the vast range of meat, fish, fresh fruit and veg, fine foods and cooks’ ingredients available to top chefs and now, retail customers, online.

John and the team are delighted to be supporting chefs at this difficult time and keeping them up to date with all the latest moves at Dart Fresh, and in the industry, to enhance and

enrich the vast product range in preparation for the return of hospitality, as chefs set to work on menu planning and sourcing fantastic produce for their kitchens.

New additions to the impressive range of over 3000 products already offered include Koppert Cress microgreens and cresses, Santa Maria herbs and spices as well as a full range of gluten free bakery products.

For more information on Dart Fresh, ingredients for chefs and the new online home delivery service, visit www.dartfresh.co.uk

Photography by John Blackwell

The Chefs’ Forum Academy launches Virtual College Taster Days

In a move designed to help local colleges attract the next generation of school leavers, the Chefs’ Forum is helping catering colleges with virtual open days.

The first event was held yesterday at Coleg Gwent in South Wales, with another event being held at The Manchester College on 11th May.

Coleg Gwent’s Taster Day was a huge success, with Great British Menu Contestants, esteemed Welsh chefs and top artisan producers all joining forces to give a fantastic insight into becoming a chef or hospitality professional.

Helen Lawless, Head of School – Services to People at Coleg Gwent said

“It was a fantastic event and I’d like to say a huge thank you to all involved.  It was great to welcome Chefs Tom Westerland (Crockers Henley), Cindy Challoner (Great British Menu), Joe Bartlett (Lake Country House Hotel), Tommy Heaney (Heaney’s Cardiff) and Matt Waldron (The Stackpole Inn) all gave fascinating talks and demos and were full of tips for success in the industry.”

Neil Rippington, Director of Education at The Chefs’ Forum then introduced the students to the various text books he has written for culinary students over the years, so it was great for them to meet the author of the books they will actually be using on their courses.

Tom Westerland talked the students through his journey as a chef and the importance of taking part in culinary competitions for professional development and his success in winning regional and national finals and titles, including National Chef of Wales in 2018.

Next, Cindy Challoner made a fantastic dish of Welsh Cakes using locally-produced cheese from South Caernarfon Creamery.

Joe Bartlett then followed with a fantastic talk of foraging, showcasing wild garlic which he then used to make a delicious cavern-aged cheddar cheese tart with chopped green sauce.

Tommy Heaney and Matt Waldron then cooked in tandem on a split screen to create two more recipes showcasing local charcuterie from Cwm Farm and Wickedly Welsh Chocolate.

The Students were given tasters of Cwm Farm Charcuterie – A lava bread salami and a nduja. Proprietor Ruth Davies introduced them by video tour to her production facility, which she calls ‘Salami HQ’ in Ystradgynlais.

“I love working with young people and showcasing our product.  It’s great to be able to show the students all the different things you can do with meat.  It was also great to work with such esteemed chefs and fellow artisanal producers, Wickedly Welsh Chocolate and Caernarfon Creamery.”

Tommy Heaney made a fantastic croquette recipe using the award-winning Nduja and wild garlic that he foraged himself.  He told the students

“This charcuterie is stunning, and it really makes this tapas dish.  This is a fantastic industry and there is just so much opportunity for you if you get your head down and work hard.”

Meanwhile, Matt Waldron was just waiting for his Stackpole Chocolate fondants to finish cooking.  While we waited for his perfectly gooey-centred dark globes of indulgence, Matt (a past student of Coleg Gwent) told the students what he’s looking for in young chefs looking to join the team.

Remaining events with equally compelling line-ups will also take place with the following colleges:

• Pembrokeshire College – 12th May
• West London College – 19^th May
• Bath College – 16^th June

We’ll let you know how they go and how they were received nearer the time!

The format, that lasts a morning and is watchable via Zoom, will see local chefs joining in with the college staff to promote a career in catering and hospitality.

The Manchester College’s Taster Day will see Chefs Doug Crampton (James Martin Manchester), Dipna Anand (Brilliant Restaurant), Exose Grand Lupo-Ndinga (Granted Cakes) and Laurien Veaudor (Cocorico).

For the Pembrokeshire College event, four chefs will give 15-minute demonstrations and answer questions from the school teachers and prospective college students from year 8 upwards. Dougie Balish from The Grove at Narberth, Matt Waldron from The Stackpole Inn, Lisa Fern from The Pumpkin Patch Kitchen and Laurian Veaudour from Cocorico will all join forces to cook recipes live and use the finest ingredients.

Samples of Valrhona Chocolate and other fine foods will be sent out to the schools for the budding young chefs to taste, to give more of a three-dimensional experience.  Recipe cards will be provided for the students to recreate the dishes at home.

The events are being set up to allow up to 200 students to attend from approximately 8 schools.

Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum concluded:

“The event at Coleg Gwent was a great success. A true celebration of Welsh produce and talented Welsh chefs. It’s so important to welcome the next generation into the industry – more so than ever now Brexit is done!”