Westcountry Cookbook to launch this Summer

Talented photographer David Griffen has worked tirelessly over the last year to produce a stunning cook book that celebrates not only the South West’s top Chefs, but also the incredible produce we have right here on our doorstep.

Whether because the region’s food scene has, on occasion, been dismissed as provincial, pasties or simply Padstow, or because of its geographical isolation, there’s a special camaraderie amongst the community of cooks in the South West. This book is testament to this collective spirit.

The New West Country Cook Book is a showcase: not of the top names in the business, although it has them; not of expensive or extraordinary ingredients – as the South West can grow, rear or catch them all; but, more, a celebration of the simple beauty and fantastic taste of the best ingredients artfully combined.

With over 250 pages of beautiful photography by David Griffen, this book will make a great present for any Chef or foodie.

Andrew James Butchery

BUILT ON QUALITY
What can we do to make that difference for you?

We understand the art as well as the science when creating that special dish. We see ourselves as a valuable contribution to the image of the chefs we supply.

Developing a partnership that’s based on trust and integrity, we focus on the overall product and service experience that is moulded around their individual vision and concept.

We pride ourselves on excellent meats, delivered to order and on time with excellent levels of customer service. We listen, advise and then deliver.

Charity dinner in aid of Devon school

Catering students at The King’s School, Ottery St Mary; in conjunction with The Salty Monk of Sidford, Sidmouth are to host a charity dinner.

After attending the students restaurant night at the school Mr Andy Witheridge and his wife Annette offered Mrs Capon and her students his hotel for one night only. Andy and his wife were very impressed with the quality of food and the professionalism shown by  such young students (14/15 year olds) and felt they deserved the opportunity to develop their skills and work in a “professional kitchen environment”. The menu has come completely from the students, and the majority of it from their own menus set, by them, for the Restaurant night in school.

Since the idea was muted the concept has grown and they are now pleased to be able to add top chef Peter Gorton to their guest list. Peter is very excited by the whole idea of youngsters getting involved with a working restaurant and being able to show off their skills.

Others have also become very excited by the whole venture and we would like to thank the following suppliers for getting behind us and providing products for us to use on the night. Christopher Piper Wines of Ottery St Mary, who are kindly donating wines for the evening, Forest Produce of Broadhembury who will also be donating  the majority of the ingredients for the evening and Channel Fisheries of Brixham who will be donating the fish. We are very grateful to these companies, it is always fantastic when outside agencies offer support to such a venture. As well as this support the staff, at The Salty Monk have asked to be involved on the night and will be on hand for expert advice and guidance for free – thank you.

Mrs Capon, the teacher behind the initial “Restaurant for one night only” concept says “it is an opportunity to raise a positive profile for food in schools. So often the public are led to believe that food teaching in schools is of a poor quality and even the government seem to value it less and less. It is important for people to see that a good job is being done in some schools and the good that food can bring to students, and their future is recognised. We are very proud of our students and what they produce and this is a fantastic opportunity for us.”

The students will be raising money for two local charities The Devon Free Wheelers and The Baton. Money will also go to the school Catering department, and the partner school in Ethiopia. The students menu will consist of seven courses and will all be home made from the canapés on arrival to the petit fours with coffee.

Tickets are available at a cost of £40 a head to include wines. To reserve your space and experience a night to remember “come dine with Kings” please call Andy and Annette at The Salty Monk who will be pleased to take your booking and send out your special tickets. 01395 513174

Our Menu 

Canapes and drinks on arrival

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Muse course of tomato soup and fresh bread rolls

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Cheese tartlets on a bed of leaves

OR

Pan fried pigeon breast with caramelised red onions and baby leaf salad

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Herb crusted Pollock on a fish cake with seasonal vegetables

OR

Home made mushroom and olive ravioli with red pepper sauce

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Poached pears with baby meringues

OR

Crème Brule with winter compote and shortbread

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Cheese and home made biscuits

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Home made petit fours and coffee

More awards for Pipers Farm

It’s not only athletes that win gold! Pipers Farm based in Cullompton, Devon has been awarded a slew of Great Taste Awards. Scooping four Two Star Gold Great Taste Awards for; Green Back Bacon, Lamb Steak, Rump Steak and Saddleback Pork Loin, making Pipers Farm one of the most decorated food producers in the country.

Pipers Farm is a traditional family business run by Peter & Henri Greig, they started the business over twenty years ago with the aim of producing the finest quality, healthy meat for their family to enjoy with complete confidence. Since then Pipers Farm has grown considerably, now sustaining 30 local farming families in Devon & Somerset, picking up a slew of awards including; BBC Food Producer of the Year, The Times Top Ten Butchers, BBC Radio 4 Food & Farming Award, and have even attracted the attention of some of this countries most recognized celebrity chefs including; Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Michael Caines.

The Awards’ organiser, the Guild of Fine Food constantly refines the judging mechanics and this year was no exception. Before gold is awarded, a minimum of 20 judges must unanimously agree an entry has achieved absolute perfection. Over 350 experts including key buyers, retailers, chefs and food writers blind tasted entries to ensure they are fairly and independently assessed. Every entry starts with 25 points and marks are deducted when faults are identified and constructive feedback offers suggestions to the producers how entries could be improved.

Pipers Farm Green Back Bacon was awarded two stars, and was described by judges as “Full bodied bacon flavour, very tasty, the judges all wanted more!” and further praise for the popular Saddle Back Pork Loin “Lovely appearance, superb crackling, excellent flavour of professionally produced meat from a very good farm”.

Mr Greig said “We’re particularly proud of the judges comments, it’s great to see the results of all of the hard work and love that goes into producing each product and making it extra special”

Pipers Farm are currently seeking a select group of Chefs to work with. Please contact abby@pipersfarm.com to enquire.

www.pipersfarm.com

Chef Spotlight 22nd May 2012

Chef Spotlight 22nd May 2012 from The Chefs’ Forum on Vimeo.

Simon Hulstone takes part in first online cookalong

Join Ocado and Simon Hulstone for a UK first online cookalong

What is shaping up to be a huge summer for Great Britain, there will be another UK first. Ocado will play sous chef to some of our biggest culinary stars, bringing the nation exciting and interactive cooking experiences.

As part of the online grocer’s new taste partnership with the premium recipe website, Great British Chefs, three of the UK’s finest chefs have featured in a live Mealtime Masterclasses via a pioneering online streaming method.

With esteemed food writer and critic, Matthew Fort, compering proceedings, the masterclasses will see the chefs, all of whom have been awarded Michelin Stars, creating new takes on classic British dishes:

• Galton Blackiston, Morston Hall, Norfolk – Quail Scotch Eggs
• Simon Hulstone, The Elephant, Torquay – Curried Chicken Kiev
• Josh Eggleton, The Pony & Trap, Bristol – Pimm’s Jelly

For those who simply want to sit back and watch the chefs in action can visit Ocado’s YouTube channel www.youtube.com/ocado where the Mealtime Masterclasses will be streamed live in a UK first.

Ocado founder Jason Gissing comments on the Ocado Mealtime Masterclasses: “The partnership with Great British Chefs allows Ocado to use innovative and new technologies to provide shoppers with a top quality service that is truly five-star.

“By helping customers to create inspirational meals of their own, we’ll not only deliver a broad range of great value ingredients, but also bring expert knowledge from the professional kitchen to our customers’ homes. It’s all about making life even easier for our customers and now cooking an award-winning meal is only a click away!”

Great British Chef CEO Ollie Lloyd comments:  “We are delighted to be working with Ocado as they are the only retailer that really caters for the home cook.  Our chefs’ recipes are full of interesting ingredients that your average supermarket does not stock. Ocado does and is making a point of expanding its range. We are looking forward to providing its consumers with inspirational recipes and exciting cooking experiences to make this a British summer to remember.”

The full Great British Chefs Ocado recipe collection will be available at: http://www.ocado.com/webshop/recipecategory/great-british-chefs/19685 and www.greatbritishchefs.com/ocado

Nathan Outlaw opens new academy

Academy Nathan Outlaw at Cornwall College was launched at Trevenson Restaurant on the Camborne campus on 13th June, marking the start of a partnership which will see twice Michelin-starred chef Nathan, who runs establishments in Rock, taking an active role in training local students.

The partnership will see the highly experienced Catering & Hospitality team at Cornwall College joining forces with renowned chef Nathan Outlaw to deliver a new initiative that gives budding young chefs, restaurateurs and hospitality personnel the chance to study professional qualifications, with first-class training and tuition from Nathan himself, together with other leading industry experts and the College team.

Combining practical and theoretical workshops with industrial visits, high-profile work experience and master classes from industry experts, plus the chance to work in Nathan’s restaurants or kitchens, the new Academy aims to equip students with the skills and experience they need to become outstanding professionals in their field.

The first Academy courses will start at Camborne and St Austell campuses this September, with courses at Saltash starting the following year.

Speaking at the official launch event, Nathan said: “I’m immensely proud and excited to be part of something so special. Academy Nathan Outlaw is all about adding a little bit extra to something that is already very good, making sure the students get the most out of their education and hopefully creating chefs that are extremely talented, who will go on to be successful in the industry. This project is something that I’ve been really passionate about, ever since I started employing Cornwall College apprentices in 2004. Currently, seven out of the 10 chefs that work for me have studied with Cornwall College, so it felt really natural to work together on a project like this.”

The launch event, attended by a number of prominent South West-based chefs, local hoteliers and restaurateurs, saw the students from Camborne and St Austell campuses who are currently studying Level 3 catering courses, prepare a number of Nathan’s canapé recipes, which were served by Cornwall College Camborne’s current cohort of Professional Food and Beverage Service students.

Daniel Ballett, 18 from Truro and currently studying the Professional Cookery Diploma (Kitchen and Larder) VRQ Level 3 course at Cornwall College Camborne, helped prepare the canapés. He said: “Today has been great and a good opportunity to do some high end work. It’s been different from what we usually do and I’ve enjoyed working with someone who is already successful in the industry because it’s given me more of an insight of what it’ll be like when I qualify.”

Fellow student Hannah Rowe, 18 from St Stephen and studying the Professional Patisserie and Confectionery City & Guilds Diploma Level 3 at Cornwall College St Austell, added: “It’s been a really good experience and I’ve learnt a lot from it. I plan to enrol on the VRQ Level 3 course with the Academy next year because I think it’s a great scheme and it’ll give me even more great experience. I think it’ll also make people realise how much work goes into becoming a chef.”

Nathan commented: “The canapés today were great; the students worked with recipes they’d not used before and I thought they did an excellent job as the canapés tasted and looked fantastic. I didn’t physically get involved much, so it just goes to show the level of talent that’s already there!”

Paul Ainsworth, owner of the highly revered Number 6 restaurant in Padstow who also competed against Nathan in BBC2’s Great British Menu competition recently, attended the event. He said: “This is a fantastic venture and supporting education is important and why we’re here today. It’s the future and I’m a big supporter already as I work quite closely with Fifteen and employ their chefs, so I’ll happily do the same with Academy Nathan Outlaw.”

Nathan added: “The support I’ve had from my peers has been fantastic. Over 10 of the top chefs based in the South West came to the launch and offered their support for the Academy, through work experience placement offers and contacts for suppliers who might help. I think they can really see the benefits to be had from something like this and my example has shown how working with apprentices can be a successful way of running your business, so I think they want to be a part of that.”

Following the official speeches, guests also had the opportunity to tour the catering facilities at the Camborne campus and watch a short demonstration given by Nathan, where he prepared a summer vegetable nage, one of the dishes from his new book which incorporates seasonal vegetables with scallops, mackerel and poached oysters in a broth.

Dave Linnell, Principal of Cornwall College, said: “This has been a fantastic event, and we are really proud to be working with Nathan Outlaw on such a high-profile project as the Academy, which will not only have a huge impact on the catering and hospitality industry in Cornwall, but will have far-reaching benefits for the industry as a whole. I am sure that Academy Nathan Outlaw will be a huge success and will help nurture and inspire some already talented young people in the early stages of their careers.”

City College Plymouth hosts education event

Devon Chefs’ Forum member City College Plymouth hosted a ‘sharing of best practice’ event for South West College. Forty representatives from City of Bath College, City of Bristol college, Exeter College, Cornwall College and South Devon college as well as staff at City College Plymouth attended.

The event was supported by City and Guilds, with the focus was on exchanging ideas on the delivery of level 1 and 2 Professional Diploma qualifications. Following a demonstration by Chef Lecturer Iain Baillie from South Downs College, the participants were put through their paces by becoming students themselves and having to carry out an assessed task from the level 3 Advanced Professional Cookery Diploma.

Chefs were given a magic box of ingredients and had to design and cook a dish that was then assessed by Iain. They benefited from receiving feedback and a grade from Iain and were able to benchmark each others dishes so that there was a consistency to the assessment. All thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the opportunity to discuss the qualification together and how to enrich the learning experience at level 3 with industry involvement for masterclasses and supplier visits.

The demonstration took place in CCP’s new Demonstration Theatre Kitchen and recently refurbished practical kitchens. Colleagues who teach Food and Beverage Service all gathered for sharing best practice workshops at the same time with a focus on the level 1 and 2 Diploma in Professional Food and Beverage Service and updates to the qualification provided by Miriam Garstang from Bristol City College.

There was an opportunity to discuss the new level 3 qualification in Advanced Food and Beverage service and an exchange of ideas on restaurant standards and procedures followed by colleagues in their respective restaurants. Helen Marshall from the Devon Chefs’ Forum and Miriam Garstang from Bristol Chefs’ Forum members shared their experience of the Forum benefits and the proposal for future forum events with a front of house focus.

City College Plymouth will be having their training restaurant refurbished over the summer to give it a more contemporary feel that reflects industry trends. A fully fitted bar will be installed that will enable the development of Barista and cocktail making skills as well as full drinks service. The 75 seat restaurant will be designed with flexibility in mind to enable both a fine dining and brasserie operation as well as enabling larger functions to be catered for.

The new facilities will provide the very best learning environment for student training and reflects the college’s commitment to developing the hospitality industry workforce of the future.

Helen Marshall says “ I am delighted that CCP is is a member of the Devon Chef Forum and we look forward to working with suppliers and members in the future to host networking events and take forward initiatives that will benefit all parties, but particularly our students to give them the best possible start to their careers in this industry”.