Sushi, Sake, Spice and All Things Nice at The Chefs’ Forum in London!
Monday (29) January saw high profile hospitality professionals and young chefs gather at Ricker Restaurants’ second of four sites, Eight Over Eight on the famous King’s Road, Chelsea. The Pan-Asian restaurant proved the perfect venue to host this prestigious event showcasing world food to the next generation.
Young chefs from West London’s College joined forces with learners from HIT Training to produce some excellent canapés, showcasing the Eight Over Eight menu as well as taking part in a sushi masterclass delivered by Executive Chef Aaj Fernando and Head Chef Jose Caetano. Level one students did a fantastic job of working front of house and serving the canapés.
Aaj said
“As Executive Chef I am all about encouraging young people to see this industry as a career choice and hosting today’s event allows me to do just that. I have been very impressed with the students from West London’s College and HIT Training today. Based on their performance today, I would be delighted to invite them for work experience and trial shifts across the four sites of the Ricker Restaurants Group.”
The Chefs’ Forum launched its London chapter in 2014 and has since staged twenty industry events in the capital both in quarterly Chefs’ Forum events and showcasing The Chefs’ Forum demo stage at 
the London Produce Show for last four years. It was fantastic to welcome catering and hospitality students to Eight Over Eight for a day of employer engagement, networking and new skill acquisition.
Denise Charles, Head of Hospitality at West London’s College joined Bernadette Charters from HIT Training and Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha in welcoming the guests to the prestigious hospitality industry event.
Denise said:
“I am extremely proud of my students today – It’s great to see them networking with employers and receiving offers of trial shifts and learning the art of sushi. This is the fifth Chefs’ Forum event at which my students have helped out and it is a lovely venue in which to hold the meeting. 
Bernadette added
HIT Training works with The Chefs’ Forum on a national level to promote work-based learning to employers both via apprenticeships and the HIT Chefs Academy. It is great for our learners to work with Aaj and the team and network with their peers from other colleges. Today has been about learning new skills and enjoying different culinary experiences for HIT Training staff and learners alike. Continual professional development is a big part of what we do at HIT to ensure we are keeping up with the latest industry trends and techniques. It was great to show employers what we do to train and inspire young chefs.”
The Chefs’ Forum is all about bridging the gap between education and industry and giving young hospitality professionals the chance to engage with employers and secure work experience and training opportunities. Yesterday’s event saw guests from Hakkasan, Royal Lancaster London, Sketch Restaurant, Zuma Restaurants and many more offer the young participants the chance to apply for various vacancies, inviting them to drop their CVs into the various high-profile venues.
The very best suppliers to industry also attend Chefs’ Forum events and showcase their tried and tested products and services. Santa Maria showcased its market-leading spice and herb range and Clifton Coffee invited industry professionals and students to take part in Coffee tasting, which proved a real hit! World-leading micro cress producer Koppert Cress also gave a mini ‘Cressperience’ promoting cresses and micro greens as ingredients instead of a garnish. The visiting chefs loved experimenting with new flavours and species of cress!
Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha organises thirty-six Chefs’ Forum events every year across nine areas. She said:
“When young people come up to me of their own volition and thank me for letting them take part in Chefs’ Forum events, it makes my job so worthwhile. Aaj and Jose did a great job of working with the students and performing brilliant demos today. A great deal of work goes on behind the scenes to make these events happen on an almost weekly basis throughout the y
ear. I am delighted that young people are securing employment opportunities on the back of our events.”
Another highlight of the day included a student’s sushi-making demo by Aaj as well as sushi-rolling competition won by Gewyn Pelegrino (19). Led by Aaj, Gewyn beat three peers to win himself a day in the kitchen with Aaj and Jose.
Gewyn said
“I have never really eaten sushi before and never learned how to make it at college, but today has completely changed my mind about it. I really like making and eating sushi and am very much looking forward to coming back here for my day in the kitchen with Aaj.”
Photography credit: www.fayditphotography.com
The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Gloucestershire College – One Year On!
Three top chefs and an award-winning butcher joined forces to inspire and enthuse young chefs at Gloucestershire College on Monday (16) October. The Chefs’ Forum Academy brings prolific chefs from Cheltenham, The Cotswolds, Bath and beyond into the college every Monday to deliver cookery masterclasses in their individual cooking styles.
The Chefs’ Forum Academy was launched last year to enrich the learning of students at the College. It is really important that students engage with local employers and industry experts to gain real insight into the world of work whilst still training so they are work-ready on leaving college. Today’s event saw Jon Howe (Lumiere, Cheltenham), Daniel Moon (The Gainsborough, Bath), Richard Davies (Calcot Manor, Tetbury) and award-winning butcher Jack Cook (Walter Rose & Sons, Devizes) stage a fantastic day of demos. The Chefs also worked with the students to create some fantastic canapés showcasing their individual menus.
Mark Hyde-Catton, Chef Lecturer and Coordinator of The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Gloucestershire College stated:
The students have really enjoyed their sessions with the visiting chefs this year and have given very overwhelmingly positive feedback on their experiences with the visiting culinary experts. The Chefs’ Forum Academy is a valuable platform that offers employer engagement and a fantastic opportunity for them to build relationships with local chefs and employers and secure work experience placements with them.
The move to bring local chefs and experts into the college to work with the students serves to galvanise existing relationships with local employers and further-reinforce industry links for the college.
Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha commented:
I am delighted to celebrate a hugely successful first year of The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Gloucestershire College. I see this project rolling-out to other colleges we currently work with. It was highly rewarding to see so many Executive Chefs, Head Chefs, Restaurant Managers and key HR personnel at the college today – A show of strength and support of this fantastic college and the staff and students who make it great. The Chefs’ Forum prides itself on sharing industry knowledge and best-practice in catering colleges and The Chefs’ Forum Academy ensures top chefs continue to pass on their skills to the next generation, inspiring young chefs.
This past year has seen industry experts, suppliers and top chefs working with students at the College to impart knowledge on diverse specialist subjects including butchery, pastry, seasonality, pastry, CV Skills, world food, game and foraging. In addition to the chefs taking part in the event, experts from industry-leading properties including Lucknam Park, Cowley Manor, The Feathered Nest, Berwick Lodge, The Lazy Dog and Brinda’s Mauritian Delights have all pledged their time and involvement in The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Gloucestershire College.
The Chefs’ Forum and the College are very much looking forward another successful year that is already underway with curriculum enrichment sessions timetabled to take place every teaching Monday of the academic year 2017/18.
In addition to this fantastic scheme of learning, local secondary schools will also be invited to an industry taster event at the Forest of Dean campus on the 20th February 2018 in an attempt to encourage 14-16-year olds from surrounding schools to enter into the hospitality industry, also helping combat the national chef shortage.
The Chefs’ Forum Academy also acts as a feeder to The Cotswold Star Academy which offers just fifteen places a year to the cream of the level three students at the college. This initiative serves as a finishing school for the top performers on the course showing great promise. It will guarantee them employment at one of the partner employers: The Calcot Collection, Farncombe Estate, Ellenborough Park and The Lucky Onion Group, all of whom were represented at today’s event at the college.
Sushi, Students and Sugar Work Stole the Show at The Chefs’ Forum in Birmingham!
Monday (9) October saw high profile hospitality professionals and young chefs gather at Rofuto Japanese Sushi Restaurant at the top of Park Regis Hotel in Birmingham’s bustling city centre. This was the highest Chefs’ Forum ever to have taken place on the 16th floor with a 360-degree skyline view of Birmingham and beyond.
Young chefs from University College Birmingham (UCB) joined forces with learners from HIT Training to produce some excellent canapés, showcasing the Rofuto menu as well as taking part in a sushi masterclass delivered by Japanese Sushi Chef Antonio (Tony) de Garcia. Level one UCB students did a fantastic job of working front of house and serving the canapés.
The Chefs’ Forum launched its Birmingham chapter last February at UCB and it was fantastic to welcome its students to Rofuto for a day of employer engagement, networking and new skill acquisition.
Neil Rippington, Dean of the College of Food at UCB joined Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha in welcoming the guests to the prestigious hospitality industry event.
Neil said:
“I am extremely proud of my students today – It’s great to see them networking with employers and receiving offers of trial shifts and learning the art of sushi. This is the third Chefs’ Forum event to take place in Birmingham and it is a stunning venue in which to hold the meeting. I look forward to welcoming The Chefs’ Forum back to UCB as we stage a further Chefs’ Lunch in early 2018.”
The Chefs’ Forum is all about bridging the gap between education and industry and giving young hospitality professionals the chance to engage with employers and secure work experience and training opportunities. Yesterday’s event saw guests from Tom’s Kitchen, Harvey Nichols and Park Regis Hotel offer the young participants the chance to apply for various vacancies, inviting them to drop their CVs into the various high-profile venues.
Regional Chef Academy leads from National Chefs’ Forum Sponsor, HIT Training performed a compelling patisserie demo, enlisting the help of two potential learners from the audience. The young chefs were invited to try their hand at ‘sugar spinning’ and cream piping for the first time in front of a room full of their peers from UCB and professional chefs as they created a Gateau St Honoré.
Ian Williams, Regional Chef Academy Lead very much enjoyed participating in the day, he said
“Today has been about learning new skills and enjoying different culinary experiences for HIT Training staff and learners alike. Continual professional development is a big part of what we do at HIT to ensure we are keeping up with the latest industry trends and techniques. It was great to show employers what we do to train and inspire young chefs.”
The very best suppliers to industry also attend Chefs’ Forum events and showcase their tried and tested products and services. Santa Maria showcased its pepper and spices and Clifton Coffee invited industry professionals and students to take part in Coffee Cupping, which proved a real hit!
Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha organises thirty-six Chefs’ Forum events every year across nine areas. She said:
“We when young people come up to me of their own volition and thank me for letting them take part in Chefs’ Forum events, it makes my job so worthwhile. Adrian Enescu and Tony did a great job of working with the students and performing brilliant demos today. A great deal of work goes on behind the scenes to make these events happen on an almost weekly basis throughout the year. I am delighted that young people are securing employment opportunities on the back of our events.”
Another highlight of the day included a student’s sushi-making demo by Tony with the help of Mark Walsh (Harvey Nichols) and Jean Michel Dupin (Cherington Arms) as well as sushi- rolling competition won by UCB level 3 student Tom Rix (18). Led by Antonio, Tom beat three peers to win himself a day in the kitchen with Rofuto’s Sushi Chef.
Tom said:
“I have never really eaten sushi before and never learned how to make it at college, but today has completely changed my mind about it. I really like making and eating sushi and am very much looking forward to coming back here for my day in the kitchen with Antonio.”
Photography by www.fayditphotography.com
Salcombe Gin and Glorious Gastronomy Enjoyed by Devon Chefs at Salcombe Harbour Hotel
Brilliant sunshine kissed the stunning Salcombe estuary on Monday (25) September. Top chefs from Devon and beyond gathered at the superb Salcombe Harbour Hotel for a day of culinary celebration and networking.
The Chefs’ Forum holds four events per year in Devon and it was fantastic to see so many loyal supporters from across the county and beyond!
Head Chef Jamie Gulliford welcomed eleven students from South Devon College into his kitchen to cook and serve canapes from his menu with ingredients supplied by Two Brothers Foods, Rex Down Fish Merchants, Arthur David Foodservice, Koppert Cress and Dart Fresh.
Jamie said:
“From my experience, you don’t know what to expect from students when they arrive in the kitchen. Today, however showed me that the South Devon College students were more than capable of rising to the challenge. Once I showed them what to do, they created and served the canapes with very little intervention from me. I am delighted with their attitude and results produced.”
Jamie opened the show with a fabulous demo of goat’s cheese quenelle in bread crumbs with pickled beetroot. He announced that it would be going on the menu next week, so today’s event was a great opportunity to test it on his chef peers.
Next up, was Gavin Roberts of Two Brothers Foods who gave an impressive butchery master class on how ‘clever cooks use cheaper cuts’. He showed the chefs how to save huge money of their bottom line through substituting more popular cuts with less well-known delicious alternatives. Beef shin, chuck steak and flat iron steaks, King Arthur/Faux Rib roast were all promoted as ‘the way forward’ whether they bought from Two Brothers or otherwise.
Gavin said:
“Of course, I would love you to use Two Brothers for all of your butchery needs, but if you ask any butcher for Bucco (shin), Blade roast, or any other of the other cheaper cuts I have demonstrated today, they will probably kiss you!
We as an industry need to recognise, that there is only a finite amount of prime cuts on any animal. In terms of sustainability, every kitchen only using fillet, rump, ribeye or lamb chump (examples) is simply unsustainable.
Not only are we morally obligated to use more of the beast having taken its life, but in not embracing these lesser known cuts we are truly missing out on deliciously different gastro adventures with strong USP & robbing ourselves of some absolute GP% legends… Were all on the same side…Oui chef!”
Keith Rowland of Webilt cooked-up the delicious beef cuts on the Inducs induction grill, then finished them in the Convotherm mini oven – A fantastic space-saving, single phase combi oven – a brilliant little cousin to its larger three phase editions in the Convotherm range – The chefs were suitably impressed with the meat as well as the technological brilliance.
Angus Lugsdin, Founder of Salcombe Gin then took the floor to give a tasting of his delicious handcrafted gin, distilled with thirteen carefully selected botanicals.
Rikki Down of Rex Down Fish Merchants led the students in filleting some local plaice. The students did a great job with Liam Hope-Brown, level two student securing himself a day of fish filleting at Rex Down HQ to really hone his skills.
Paul Griffiths, Wholesale Manager at Clifton Coffee rounded-off the day with a coffee cupping demonstration, encouraging chefs to ‘slurp’ his ti
med brews in order to truly experience different tasting notes in his speciality coffee. This was accompanied by yet more delicious afternoon tea canapés prepared by the students.
A great day was had by all and the event was extremely well-received by all who attended.
The Chefs’ Forum will hold a Chefs’ Lunch on the 13th November at South Devon College featuring Mitch Tonks and Mark Dodson cooking with the students to raise money for The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation. Anyone wishing to secure their place, please contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com
Photography by: www.fayditphotography.com
Kent Chefs Celebrate Game at Hythe Imperial
The Chefs’ Forum returned to Hythe Imperial for a second time on Monday 4th September. The fantastic venue saw forty top chefs convene to inspire each other’s menus, share knowledge and best practice in terms of game meat sourcing, butchery and cookery.
The four-star hotel situated on the Kent coast has been undergoing an extensive £1m refurbishment since December 2016, with its bedrooms, housekeeping and hospitality given an impressive upgrade. The management and kitchen team were delighted to see so many hospitality professionals gather at the hotel. They took the opportunity to showcase the great work they are doing and show-off impressive progress developments since they last hosted The Chefs’ Forum in 2016.
Marie Long, Sales Manager stated:
“We are so honoured to be hosting this exciting event in our magnificent ballroom, overlooking the stunning Kent coastline. We have previously hosted this prestigious industry event and are delighted to be doing so again. With the amazing multimillion pound investment in renovations throughout our iconic hotel, we are excited to be able to finally showcase what we have been working so hard to achieve.”
The day started with a presentation by Clifton Coffee as Sam MacCuig and Josh Clarke introduced the chefs and front of house professionals to their E1 Espresso Project, talking chefs through the supply chain, unique values and ethical practices that make Clifton Coffee a market-leading coffee supplier in the UK. Josh, Head of Coffee, explained the provenance of the fantastic single origin coffee being at sampled at the event produced by Ricardo Lima in El Salvador. The flavours of marmalade, damson plums and caramel proved a real hit with the industry experts and perfectly complimented indulgent platters of canapés and petit fours produced by John and his team.
Next, was fantastic game butchery demonstration by Jack Cook of the multi-award-winning Walter Rose & Son. Jack expertly broke down a saddle of venison to create a flawless loin of venison that was used in chef demos by John and his sous chef Andy Holden.
John and Andy impressed their peers with his demo of venison loin, carrot puree, carrot fondants, potato crisps and blackberry jus.
John said:
“Today has been brilliant, it was a great opportunity to network with chefs from the Kent area, catching up with friends old and new. Incorporating butchery into our chef demos worked really well and it was a proud moment seeing my sous chef Andy cooking in front of all those people. He’s with me full time in the kitchen, so it’s only right he should take the stage with me -We are a team.”
Jack then showed the chefs the best way to prepare a wood pigeon and fondly talked them through the reasons why game meat is so interestingly inconsistent. He explained that the location on the body where the beasts or birds are shot has a real effect on the quality and eating of the meat. He also talked about constraints in availability and seasonality of game meat as well as the importance of sourcing game meat responsibly, from reputable, licenced dealers as Walter Rose does.
At the same time, the chef theatre was enhanced by an expert demo by Keith Howland utilising Jack’s freshly butchered venison, showcasing the Convotherm Mini Combi oven and the Garland INDUCS griddle – Two great pieces of equipment for the professional kitchen.
Keith seared the venison on the griddle then finished in in the oven. He then plated delicious taster dishes of venison saddle, savoy cabbage, pancetta with a sherry vinegar dressing which the chefs greatly enjoyed.
To add to the culinary mix, Master Chef of Great Britain and Koppert Cress UK Sales Manager Paul Da Costa Greaves expertly paired some Koppert Cress varieties to the demo dishes; Shiso Purple® with its taste reminiscent of cumin and Tahoon® with its strong beechnut taste. Both cresses are perfect for game dishes and make a fant
astic integral ingredient as opposed as a garnish as cress has been historically utilised. Koppert Cress has launched a world-wide campaign to educate chefs and catering students on the use of the varieties of cress and microgreens as healthy ingredients in innovative and progressive menus.
John and Andy will join The Chefs’ Forum once more on the 20th November at East Kent College when they will mentor the students in cooking a four course Chefs’ Lunch for their peers to raise money for The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation. Any chefs or suppliers wishing to attend should contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com
Photography: Fleur Challis
Top Cornish Chefs & Students Gather at The St Ives Harbour Hotel for the ‘Cornish Summer Cheftival’
St Ives Harbour Hotel hosted a Cornish Summer Cheftival that saw over 40 top chefs from across the county gather to celebrate the finest Cornish produce and culinary flair. Catering and hospitality students from Cornwall College and Truro & Penwith College joined Head Chef Anthony Hinds and his team to create a selection of delicious canapes and serve them to the industry experts who attended.
Mark Devonshire, chef lecturer at Cornwall College spoke of his overwhelming pride in his students, he said:
“It is amazing to watch the development of our students throughout the course of their studies. We do our best to nurture them and help them grow their confidence, and be the best they can possibly be. I am very impressed with their performance today – A proud moment for me as their mentor”.
Head Chef Anthony was very pleased with the way students from both colleges pitched in and helped from the moment they arrived. He said:
“The students coped very well with all the tasks set and produced some excellent food as a result. In this industry if you get your head down and work hard you will do very well, and I’m sure these students have a bright future ahead of them”.
General Manager, Peter Holgate welcomed the chefs to the hotel, and as an ex-student of Cornwall College himself felt the day was a great success, binding together the Cornish hospitality sector.
Highlights of the day included a cookery demo by Anthony and his Chef de Partie Rosie Stone, also an ex-student of Cornwall College. They joined forces to showcase their deconstructed fish and chip dish: scallop, pea purée and game chips.
Darren Whelan of Kingfisher Brixham then gave a masterclass on filleting various round and flat fish including gurnard, plaice and sea bass. The chefs and students learnt some excellent filleting tips to minimise wastage and maximise profitability.
VRQ student, Kelynen Hedges (17), of Cornwall College impressed judges Darren Whelan and Anton Buttery of Langmans Restaurant with her mackerel filleting skills. She won herself a fantastic prize of a Flint & Flame Santkou knife, kindly donated by Adande Refrigeration.
The first thing Kelynen said on entering the competiton was:
“I’ll enter the competition, but I’ll never win it”.
She ended up beating three of her peers and bagging herself a wonderful prize. This just exemplifies the fantastic confidence-building opportunities afforded to students by The Chefs’ Forum at its quarterly events.
Kelynen greatly impressed Chef de Partie Rosie Stone and Head Chef Anthony who would like to explore the possibility of her joining their team on a more permanent basis.
Brindisa Spanish fine food and Sharp’s beer proved perfect bedfellows in a beer and food pairing session, a real treat for the chefs on their day off. If that wasn’t enough, expert butcher Gavin Roberts of Two Brothers Foods joined forces with BBQ aficionado Phil Oakes of The Griffin Inn (Newquay) to lay-on a fabulous ‘surf and turf’ BBQ, showcasing the finest cuts of Cornish beef, Kernow sausages and Kingfisher Brixham monkfish and prawns. Total Produce supplied delicious sweetcorn and Tregassow asparagus as the perfect accompaniment.
The chefs gave nothing but positive feedback on the day, and said that they greatly enjoyed the skilful demos, whilst supporting the next generation of chefs.
Many of the students who attended received fantastic job opportunities and an abundance of work experience opportunities – An inspiring and successful day was had by all.
Photography by www.fayditphotography.com
THE CHEFS’ FORUM GOES FORAGING FOR NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2017
Foraging has been popular for some years now, and professional chefs’ enthusiasm for gathering food from wild and natural places is only increasing. On Monday 6th March, over sixty top chefs from Devon and Cornwall flocked to fascinating forage led by wild food expert David Harrison.
Glistening with spring rain, Hotel Endsleigh’s impressive grounds were slightly moist, but that didn’t dampen chefs’ spirits as they embarked on a flora and fauna adventure. Harrison is Michelin-starred chef Simon Hulstone’s personal forager and sources wild ingredients exclusively for Simon and his small team of talented chefs at The Elephant, Torquay.
Today’s event involved Hotel Endsleigh’s Head Chef Jose Graziossi working with eight apprentices from the Rick Stein Academy at Truro and Penwith College and Hit Learner Vicky Taylor from HIT Training to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2017.
Vicky, a HIT Training learner at Britannia Navel College said:
“Today has been really great, I really enjoyed working with the Rick Stein apprentices and they really made me feel part of the team today. It has been really different to what I normally do at work but wonderful to learn about other chefs’ menus and cooking styles.”
Hotel Endsleigh, a Grade I historic house owned by Olga Polizzi in the Tamar Valley is shrouded in beautiful gardens and fairytale woodland, follies and grottos. It perfectly lent itself as the perfect venue for the cheffy wild food hunt!
Jose showcased his menu in preparing stunning canapés for around forty of his peers from across Devon and Cornwall. The chefs really enjoyed the chance to get a snapshot of this popular chefs’ menu, who has, at some point or another worked with most of the chefs in the room.
Jose said:
“I’m really lucky to have these beautiful grounds on my doorstep – I am truly spoilt for choice. I thought the event today was brilliant and it’s great to be able to educate and enthuse fellow chefs and the next generation. Foraging makes up a big part of my menu here at Hotel Endsleigh – Last year I picked 40kg of wild mushrooms!”
The culinary experts went on a tour of Endsleigh’s impressive grounds, learning to find and identify the abundance of edible plants, seeds, nuts, flowers and fungi that grow wild in the beautiful Devon countryside. They learnt that provided you are furnished with a permission from the land owner (in this case the Polizzi family), the only real cost of foraging is time, a valuable resource for chefs. Most foraged produce is perishable and requires picking for service daily or every other day.
Forager David Harrison told chefs:
“Once you pick something, it immediately starts to lose its peak flavour and texture. So we do not store for that reason; we forage every day. Its great to see so many chefs in attendance – I hope that foraging with the young apprentice chefs today spikes and interest in foraging and encourages them to bring this old skill back into the kitchen”
Jose then showcased the plethora of delicious ways that David’s foraged ingredients could be incorporated into his restaurant menus in two demos of turbot and venison. BBC Spotlight turned up to film the whole event which was a real coup for The Chefs’ Forum, Jose and the entire Devon and Cornwall chef scene. It is cookery demonstrations like these at Chefs’ Forum events that inspire young chefs and make for constant updating of skills and expansion of culinary skill sets. The televising of Chefs’ Forum events will hopefully encourage more young people into the industry by showing exactly how exciting chef life can be!
The event was a great chance for chefs and students to learn about foraging for their menus and the copious amount of amazing wild ingredients growing all around them.
Catherine Farinha, The Chefs’ Forum Founder and event organiser concluded:
Hotel Endsleigh was the perfect venue to hold an unusual and absorbing day of foraging. It is great to see that the chefs are so keen on foraging and trying new cooking techniques with wild ingredients. Chefs’ Forum events provide a great opportunity for them all to meet up, touch base and share expertise.
The Chefs’ Forum launched in Devon in 2012 and has gone on to see many young chefs find work placements and apprenticeships in the best professional kitchens across the county and beyond!
The Chefs’ Forum Forage in Milton Abbot can be seen on BBC Spotlight:
Photography by www.fayditphotography.com
University College Birmingham hosted Midlands Chefs’ Forum Launch!
The Chefs’ Forum launched its Birmingham & Midlands Chapter at University College Birmingham on the 20th February 2017. Roux Scholar 2016, Harry Guy, Michelin-starred, Simpsons Restaurant Head Chef, Nathan Eades and Masterchef Professionals finalist Mark Stinchcombe with his wife, Sue Stinchcombe, joint Head Chefs at Eckington Manor (Pershore) all worked with the UCB students to produce a magnificent banquet for the top chefs who attended.
This event signified a huge event in the Birmingham Hospitality industry, a bringing-together of the very best professionals in the business to inspire and enthuse the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals at what has been described by Marco Pierre White as the “Ferrari of catering colleges!” The college of food has benefited through annual refurbishment and upgrades to ensure that it remains a state of the art facility.
The Brasserie Restaurant at the University proved the perfect venue for the very first Chefs’ Forum event – A fund raising lunch in aid of industry charity, Hospitality Action.
Neil Rippington, Dean of The College of Food at University College Birmingham stated:
“The teaching team and I are delighted to host this inaugural event and hope to catch up with friends and local industry heroes old and new. It was great to see so many enthusiastic chefs and high quality 
suppliers in attendance today. The students have greatly enjoyed working with such high calibre chefs and we look forward to being involved in quarterly Chefs’ Forum events in Birmingham from now on – Moving forward, we would like UCB to be a hub for The Chefs’ Forum in Birmingham”.
The brigade of acclaimed chefs cooked a fantastic four course lunch comprising of a Brindisa Spanish Fine Foods Sharing Platter to start, then Harry Guy’s fish course of Confit Loch Duart Salmon, Turnip, Granny Smith Apple and Tarragon.
Nathan Eades, Head Chef at Michelin-starred Simpsons Restaurant (Edgebaston) relished the opportunity to cook the main course with the young chefs at the college saying, “It is great to work with the young people at the college. I want to show them that we are very approachable and that as a result of a successful trial shift, a job as a chef in a Michelin-starred is absolutely achievable. The team of students working with me today were very talented and had a great attitude. Based on their performance today I would love to welcome them to Simpsons on work experience.”
Lasharna Miller (18) was one of the students working with Nathan to produce his delicious main course of ox cheek, parsley root puree, confit leeks, fermented mushrooms and beef sauce. It is Lasharna’s ambition to work in a Michelin Kitchen one day and today’s event gave her a real insight into the level of skill required in such high-level cookery.
Lasharna said:
“It was really inspirational to work with Nathan today. I am really pleased that he has invited me to come into his kitchen for work experience. We talked about different menus that they do at Simpsons and I really got a great insight as to what to expect from working in a fine dining Michelin-starred restaurant which is my dream I hope to realise one day.”
Mark and Sue Stinchcombe rounded of a fabulous day with their excellent dessert of Poached Rhubarb and Hibiscus, Egg Custard with Rhubarb and Gin Sorbet. This amazing dessert looked too good to eat and the room fell silent as the guests tucked in and polished it off! Mark and Sue already have Scott Wilkinson (18) a Level 3 UCB student working in their cookery school.
Sue said:
“It’s great to be at the college today with Scotty and his peers, it gives us a chance to work with the students and show them what we’re doing in industry. I see it as a fantastic opportunity to build that bridge between what they are learning at college and coming into the real world of work.”
The Chefs’ Forum will hold quarterly events in Birmingham from now on and any chefs or front of house professionals wishing to get involved should contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com
Photography by www.fayditphotography.com
Watch us on Made in Birmingham TV:
Roux Scholar Meets R8 at Bristol Audi
Over fifty top chefs from the Bristol area gathered at the Bristol Audi dealership, Cribbs Causeway on Monday (10) October for a day of phenomenal Audi driving experiences and Roux Scholar cookery demonstrations.
The event was staged to celebrate the partnership between The Chefs’ Forum and Bristol Audi, both sharing the same brand values of excellence in customer service and product. The Chefs’ Forum demo stage was installed into the dealership for the day to showcase culinary excellence to an audience of professional chefs, local hospitality employers and trainee chefs.
Greeted with delicious Easy Jose coffee and Luscombe Drinks reception, the chefs and front of house professionals enjoyed a morning of test drives of the Audi R8, TT, A3, A4, A5, A6 & A7 models. For many, it was their first Audi driving/brand experience and a chance to discover revolutionary Audi Technologies encompassing intelligence, design and powerful performance, much like a fine dining experience with a Roux Scholarship winner!
Roux Scholarship Winner 2013, Head Chef Paul O’Neill of Hattusa Restaurant, Berwick Lodge (Bristol), worked with catering students from Weston College and learners from HIT Training to inspire the next generation of young chefs. Paul is currently working with The Chefs’ Forum Academy at Weston College to hone the skills of catering students in a series of masterclasses throughout October 2016. Today’s event at Bristol Audi put the students’ canapé-making skills into practice, whilst event management and front of house students got real event work experience under their belts as they were mentored led by Berwick Lodge’s owner and front of house management guru, Sarah Arikan.
Level 3 student Georgia White joined The Chefs’ Forum Founder, Catherine Farinha on the demo stage to tell professional chefs, local employers and her peers about her experiences so far as part of The Chefs’ Forum Academy.
“It has been great fun here at Bristol Audi today and it’s really important that we get this amazing industry experience prior to getting a job. We have worked with Lucknam Park’s chefs doing fish and shellfish, chocolate choux buns and Michelin-starred main courses, now with Paul, we’re learning about menu planning and development with the chance to get one of our dishes onto his menu at Hattusa for a week – I’m really looking forward to joining him in his kitchen for work experience”.
Paul and the students created canapés from the Hattusa menu, then Paul performed expert cookery demonstrations epitomising precision, flawless design and elegance in his cuisine as he created a dish of beurre noisette, poached skate, almonds, cauliflower and smoked bacon. Paul celebrates the finest local produce in his menu at Hattusa, making it a must-visit dining destination in Bristol.
Bristol Audi then continued the theme of excellence in a show-around of the sublime Audi R8, showcasing it’s truly exceptional features. Chefs then had to grab their phones and ‘tweet’ @thechefsforum @monmotorsaudi that the origin of the name ‘R8’ came from the Le Mans concept race car for a chance to win some fantastic Audi Merchandise.
Freelance chef Ashley Haskins impressed Bristol Audi Head of Business Steve Smith with his Audi knowledge retention to win an Audi Sport Watch; Sean Horwood of the Centurion Hotel came close second, winning an Audi Sport pen!
Steve commented:
“I was delighted to host The Chefs’ Forum here at the dealership; we have been working with the organisation for five years and look forward to doing so for many more. It was great to gather chefs and restaurateurs from the Bristol area to collectively boost the profile of local business, whilst giving them the chance to have an Audi driving experience. I was extremely impressed by the professionalism of the learners at Weston College and HIT Training – They produced some excellent food. It was also an honour to have Paul O’Neill, Jay McMillan (Total Produce) and Stewart Williams (Castell Howell) perform cookery demonstrations on The Chefs’ Forum Demo Stage in the showroom!”
Bristol Audi will be offering work experience to Weston College business and event management students. The Chefs’ Forum is proud to feature an Audi Car Display at each of its quarterly events in Bristol to celebrate its partnership with the prestigious Audi brand.
Photography by Andrew Plant: www.andrewplantphotography.com
Top 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
