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MICHELIN-STARRED RESTAURANTSA LIST OF THE UK AND IRELAND’S MICHELIN-STARRED RESTAURANTS.

THREE STAR ★★★

LONDONAlain Ducasseat the DorchesterMayfair, LondonJocelyn Herland 020 7629 8866 www.alainducasse-dorchester.com Gordon Ramsay Chelsea, London Clare Smyth 020 7352 4441 www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad

ENGLANDFat Duck Bray-on-Thames, Berkshire Heston Blumenthal 01628 580333 www.thefatduck.co.ukThe Waterside Inn Bray-on-Thames, Berkshire Alain Roux & Fabrice Uhryn 01628 620691 www.waterside-inn.co.uk

TWO STAR ★★LONDON

Darroze at The Connaught Mayfair, London Hélène Darroze 020 7107 8880 www.the-connaught.co.uk/ mayfair-restaurants-bars Dinner by Heston BlumenthalKnightsbridge, LondonAshley Palmer-Watts020 7201 3833 www.dinnerbyheston.com GreenhouseMayfair, London Arnaud Bignon020 7499 3331www.greenhouserestaurant.co.ukHibiscus Mayfair, London Claude Bosi 020 7629 2999 www.hibiscusrestaurant.co.uk Le Gavroche Mayfair, London Michel Roux Jr 020 7408 0881 www.le-gavroche.co.uk Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley Belgravia, London Marcus Wareing 020 7235 1200 www.marcus-wareing.com Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) Mayfair, London Pierre Gagnaire 020 7659 4500 www.sketch.uk.com The Greenhouse Mayfair, London Arnaud Bignon 020 7499 3331 www.greenhouserestaurant.com The Ledbury Notting Hill, London Brett Graham 020 7791 9191 www.theledbury.com The Square Mayfair, London Phil Howard 020 7495 7100 www.squarerestaurant.com

ENGLANDMidsummer House Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Daniel Clifford 01223 369299 www.midsummerhouse.co.uk Gidleigh Park Chagford, Devon Michael Caines 01647 432367 www.gidleigh.com Le Champignon Sauvage Cheltenham, Gloucestershire David Everitt-Matthias 01242 573449 www.lechampignonsauvage.co.uk Whatley Manor Malmesbury, Wiltshire Martin Burge 01666 822888 www.whatleymanor.com Le Manoir aux Quat’Sainsons Great Milton, Oxfordshire Gary Jones 01844 278881 www.manoir.com Restaurant Nathan Outlaw Rock, Cornwall Nathan Outlaw 01208 862737 www.nathan-outlaw.com/nathan-outlaw-restaurant Restaurant Sat Bains Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Sat Bains 0115 986 6566 www.restaurantsatbains.com The Hand and Flowers Marlow, Buckinghamshire Tom Kerridge 01628 482 277www.thehandandflowers.co.ukL’enclumeCartmel, CumbriaSimon Rogan015395 36362www.lenclume.co.ukMichael

Wignall at The LatymerBagshot, SurreyMichael Wignall01276 486150 www.pennyhillpark.co.uk/ EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/eating_and_drinking/the_latymer.aspx

SCOTLANDAndrew Fairlie at GleneaglesAuchterarder, Perth & KinrossAndrew Fairlie01764 694267www.gleneagles.com

EIREPatrick GuilbaudDublinGuillaume Lebrun01 6764192 www.restaurantpatrickguilbaud.ie

ONE STAR ★LONDON

Alyn Williams at The WestburyMayfair, LondonAlyn Williams020 7078 9579www.alynwilliams.co.ukAmayaBelgravia, London Karunesh Khanna020 7724 2525www.amaya.bizAmetsa with Arzak Instruction at Halkin HotelChelsea, LondonElena Arzak020 7333 1000www.comohotels.comAngler at South Place HotelFinsbury, LondonTony Fleming020 3215 126www.southplacehotel.comArbutusSoho, LondonAnthony Demetre020 7734 4545www.arbutusrestaurant.co.ukBarrafinaSoho, LondonNieves Barragán Mohacho020 7813 8016www.barafina.co.ukBenaresMayfair, London Atul Kochhar020 7629 8886 www.benaresrestaurant.comBrasserie ChavotMayfair, LondonEric Chavot020 7183 6425www.brasseriechavot.comChez BruceWandsworth, LondonBruce Poole 020 8672 0114www.chezbruce.co.ukCity SocialCity of London, LondonJason Atherton 020 7877 7703www.citysociallondon.comClub GasconCity of LondonPascal Aussignac020 7796 0600www.clubgascon.comDabbousFitzrovia, LondonOllie Dabbous020 7323 1544www.dabbous.co.ukFera at Claridge’sMayfair, LondonSimon Rogan020 7107 8888www.feraatclaridges.co.ukGalvin at WindowsMayfair, LondonAndré Garrett020 7208 4021www.galvinatwindows.comGalvin La ChapelleCity of LondonJeff Galvin020 7299 0400www.galvinrestaurants.comGymkhanaMayfair, LondonKaram Sethi020 3011 5900www.hakkasan.comHakkasanBloomsbury, LondonTong Chee Hwee020 7927 7000www.hakkasan.comHakkasan Hanway PlaceMayfair, LondonTong Chee Hwee020 7927 7000www.hakkasan.comHedoneChiswick, LondonMikael Jonsson020 8747 0377 www.hedonerestaurant.comHKKShoreditch, LondonTong Chee Hwee020 3535 1888www.hkklondon.comKaiMayfair, London Alex Chow 020 7493 8988 www.kaimayfair.co.uk

Kitchen Table at BubbledogsBloomsbury, LondonJames Knappett020 7637 7770 www.kitchentablelondon.co.ukKitchen W8Chelsea, LondonMark Kempson020 7937 0120 www.kitchenw8.comL’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Covent Garden,London Oliver Limousin 020 7010 8600 www.joelrobuchon.co.uk/L’Atelier L’autre PiedMayfair, LondonAndy McFadden020 7486 9696 www.lautrepied.co.ukLa TrompeteChiswick, LondonAnthony Boyd020 8747 1836 www.latrompette.co.ukLaunceston PlaceKensington, LondonTimothy Allen 020 7937 6912 www.launcestonplace-restaurant.co.ukLimaRegent’s Park & Marylebone, LondonRobert Ortiz0203 002 2640www.limalondon.comLocanda Locatelli Marylebone, London Giorgio Locatelli 020 7935 9088 www.locandalocatelli.comMazeMayfair, London Tristin Farmer020 7107 0000www.gordonramsay.com/mazeMuranoMayfair, LondonAngela Hartnett020 7495 1127www.muranolondon.comOutlaw’s at the CapitalChelsea, LondonNathan Outlaw020 7591 1202www.capitalhotel.co.ukPetrus Belgravia, LondonSean Burbidge 020 7592 1609 www.gordonramsay.com/petrusPied a Terre Fitzrovia, LondonMarcus Eaves020 7636 1178www.pied-a-terre.co.ukPollen Street SocialMayfair, LondonJason Atherton020 7290 7600 www.pollenstreetsocial.com Quilon Victoria, LondonSriram Aylur 020 7821 1899 www.quilon.co.uk RasoiChelsea, London Vineet Bhatia 020 7225 1881 www.rasoirestaurant.co.uk Seven Place Park at St James’ Hotel and Club St James, LondonWilliam Drabble020 7316 1600 www.stjameshotelandclub.com Social Eating HouseSoho, LondonJason Atherton020 7993 3251www.socialeatinghouse.comSt JohnClerkenwell, LondonChris Gillard020 3301 8069 www.stjohnrestaurant.comSt John HotelSoho, LondonTom Harris020 3301 8020 www.stjohnrestaurant.comStoryBermondsey, LondonTom Sellers020 7183 2117www.restaurantstory.co.ukTamarindMayfair, LondonAlfred Prasad020 7629 3561 www.tamarindrestaurant.com TextureMarylebone, LondonAgnar Sverrisson 020 7224 0028 www.texture-restaurant.co.ukThe Clove ClubShoreditch, LondonIsaac McHale 020 7729 6496 www.thecloveclub.comThe Harwood ArmsFulham, LondonBarry Fitzgerald 020 7386 1847 www.harwoodarms.comThe River Café Hammersmith, LondonRose Gray 020 7386 4200www.rivercafe.co.ukTom Aikens Restaurant Chelsea, LondonTom Aikens 020 7584 2003 www.tomaikens.co.uk

TrishnaMarylebone, LondonKaram Sethi 020 7935 5624 www.trishnalondon.com UmuMayfair, LondonYoshinori Ishii 020 7499 8881 www.umurestaurant.com W1 RestaurantMarylebone, LondonPaul Welburn 020 7616 5930 www.guoman.comWild Honey Mayfair, London Anthony Demetre 020 7758 9160 www.wildhoneyrestaurant.co.ukYauatcha Soho, London Cheong Wah Soon 020 7494 8888 www.yauatcha.com

ENGLAND5 North Street Winchcombe, Gloucestershire Marcus Ashenford 01242 604566  www.5northstreetrestaurant.co.uk Adam’sBirminghamAdam Stokes0121 643 3745www.adamsrestaurant.co.ukAdam Simmonds at Danesfield House Marlow, Buckinghamshire Adam Simmonds 01628 891881 www.danesfieldhouse.co.uk Alimentum Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Mark Poynton 01223 413000 www.restaurantalimentum.co.ukApicius Cranbrook, Kent Tim Johnson 01580 7146666 www.restaurant-apicius.co.ukBath PrioryBath, Somerset Sam Moody 01225 331922 www.thebathpriory.co.uk Box Tree Ilkley, West Yorkshire Simon Gueller 01943 608484 www.theboxtree.co.uk Butchers ArmsEldersfield, Gloucestershire James Winter 01452 840381 www.thebutchersarms.netBybrookManor House Hotel & Golf Club, Castle Coombe, Wiltshire Richard Davies 01249 782206 www.manorhouse.co.uk CasamiaWestbury-on-Trym, Somerset Jonray & Peter Sanchez 0117 9592884 www.casamiarestaurant.co.ukChapter One Farnborough Common, Kent Andrew Mcleish 01689 854848 www.chaptersrestaurants.comCurlewBodiam, East Sussex Andrew Scott 01580 861394 www.thecurlewrestaurant.co.ukDrakesRipley, Surrey Steve Drake 01483 224777 www.drakesrestaurant.co.uk Driftwood Portscatho, Cornwall Chris Eden 01872 580644 www.driftwoodhotel.co.uk Fischer’s at Baslow Hall Baslow, Derbyshire Rupert Rowley 01246 583259 www.fischers-baslowhall.co.ukFraichePrenton, Merseyside Mark Wilkinson 0151 6522914 www.restaurantfraiche.com Hambleton Hall Oakham, Rutland Aaron Patterson 01572 756991 www.hambletonhall.com Hinds Head Bray, Berkshire Kevin Love 01628 626151 www.hindsheadbray.com Holbeck Ghyll Windermere, West Yorkshire David McLaughlin 01539 432375 www.holbeckghyll.com JSW Petersfield, Hampshire Jake Saul Watkins 01730 262030 www.jswrestaurant.com L’Ortolan Shinfield, Berkshire Nick Chappell 0118 9888500 www.lortolan.com

Lords of the Manor Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire 01451 820243 www.lordsofthemanor.com Manor House Hotel & Golf Club Castle Coombe, Wiltshire Richard Davies 01249 782206 www.manorhouse.co.uk Morston Hall Morston, Norfolk Galton Blackiston 01263 741041 www.morstonhall.com Mr Underhill’s at Dinham WeirDinham, Shropshire Chris Bradley 01584 874431 www.mr-underhills.co.uk NorthcoteBlackburn, Lancashire Nigel Haworth 01254 240555 www.northcote.com Ockenden Manor Haywards Heath, Sussex Stephen Crane 01444 416111 www.hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor-hotel-and-spa/diningOld Vicarage Ridgeway Village, South Yorkshire Tessa Bramley 0114 2475814 www.theoldvicarage.co.uk Outlaw’s Fish KitchenPort Isaac, Cornwall Nathan Outlaw 01208 881183 www.outlaws.co.uk Paris House Woburn, Bedfordshire Phil Fanning 01525 290692 www.parishouse.co.uk Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 Padstow, Cornwall Paul Ainsworth 01841 532093 www.number6inpadstow.co.ukPony & Trap Chew Magna, Somerset Josh Eggleton 01275 332627 www.theponyandtrap.co.uk Purnell’s Birmingham, West Midlands Glynn Purnell 0121 212 9799 www.purnellsrestaurant.com Raby Hunt Summerhouse, County Durham James Close 01325 374237 www.rabyhuntrestaurant.co.ukRed Lion Freehouse East Chisenbury, Wiltshire Guy Manning 01980 671124 www.redlionfreehouse.com Restaurant Tristan Horsham, West Sussex Tristan Mason 01403 255 688 www.restauranttristan.co.ukRoom in the Elephant Torquay, Devon Simon Hulstone 01803 200044 www.elephantrestaurant.co.ukSienna Dorchester, Dorset Russell Brown 01305 250022 www.siennarestaurant.co.uk Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor Chester, Cheshire Simon Radley 01244 324024 www.chestergrosvenor.com/simon-radley-restaurant Simpsons Edgbaston, West Midlands Luke Tipping 0121 4543434 www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.ukSir Charles Napier Chinnor, Oxfordshire Chris Godfrey 01494 483011 www.sircharlesnapier.co.uk Thackeray’s Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent Richard Phillips 01892 511921 www.thackerays-restaurant.co.ukThe Black Rat Winchester, Hampshire Jamie Stapleton-Burns 01962 844465 www.theblackrat.co.uk The Black Swan Oldstead, North Yorkshire Adam Jackson 01347 868387 www.blackswanoldstead.co.ukThe Cross at KenilworthKenilworth Adam Bennett 01926 853840 www.thecrosskenilworth.co.ukThe GlasshouseRichmond-upon-Thames, Surrey Daniel Mertl 020 8940 6777 www.glasshouserestaurant.co.ukThe Harrow at Little Bedwyn Marlborough, Wiltshire Roger Jones 01672 870871 www.theharrowatlittlebedwyn.com

The Mason Arms South Molton, Devon Mark Dodson 01398 341231 www.masonsarmsdevon.co.ukThe NeptuneHunstanton, Norfolk Kevin Mangeolles 0844 2880673 www.theneptune.co.uk The Nut Tree Murcott, Oxfordshire Mike North 01865 331253 www.nuttreeinn.co.uk The Park (at Lucknam Park Hotel) Chippenham, Wiltshire Hywel Jones 01225 742777 www.lucknampark.co.uk The Pass Lower Beeding, Sussex Matt Gillan 01403 891711 www.southlodgehotel.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE.../the_pass The Pipe & Glass Inn Beverley, East Yorkshire James Mackenzie 01430 810 246 www.pipeandglass.co.uk The Royal Oak Littlefield Green, Berkshire Dom Chapman 01628 620 541 www.theroyaloakpaleystreet.comThe SamlingAmbleside, CumbriaIan Swainson015394 31922www.thesamlinghotel.co.ukThe Sportsman Seasalter, Kent Stephen Harris 01227 273370 www.thesportsmanseasalter.co.ukThe Stagg InnKington, Herefordshire Steve Reynolds 01544 230221 www.thestagg.co.uk The Star InnHarome, North Yorkshire Andrew Pern 01439 770397 www.thestaratharome.co.uk The Terrace (at the Montagu Arms) Beaulieu, Hampshire Matthew Tomkinson 01590 612324 www.montaguarmshotel.co.uk/terrace_restaurant The Treby Arms Plympton, Devon Anton Piotrowski 01752 837363 www.thetrebyarms.co.ukThe West House Biddenden, Kent Graham Garrett 01580 291341 www.thewesthouserestaurant.co.ukThe Yorke Arms Harrogate, North Yorkshire Frances Atkins 01423 755243 www.yorke-arms.co.uk Turners Birmingham, West Midlands Richard Turner 0121 4264440 www.turnersrestaurantbirmingham.co.ukWilksRedland, BristolJames Wilkins0117 9737 999www.wilksrestaurant.co.uk

JERSEYOcean House at Atlantic Isle of Jersey Mark Jordan01534 744101 www.theatlantichotel.comBohemia (at The Club Hotel & Spa) Isle of Jersey Steve Smith 01534 876500 www.bohemiajersey.comOrmer by Shaun RankinIsle of Jersey01534 725100www.ormerjersey.comTassili at the Grand Hotel Isle of Jersey Richard Allen 01534 722301 www.grandjersey.com/grand-jersey/tassili

SCOTLAND21212 Edinburgh Paul Kitching 0131 523 1030 www.21212restaurant.co.uk Boath House Auldearn, NairnCharlie Lockley 01667 454896 www.boath-house.com Braidwoods Dalry, AyrshireNicola Braidwood 01294 833 544 www.braidwoods.co.uk Castle TerraceEdinburgh Dominic Jack 0131 229 1222 www.castleterracerestaurant.com

Glenapp Castle Ballantrae, Ayrshire Adam Stokes 0146583 1212 www.glenappcastle.com Isle of Eriska Argyll, ScotlandRoss Stovold01631 720371 www.eriska-hotel.co.uk Inverlochy Castle Torlundy, Fort William Philip Carnegie 01397 702177 www.inverlochycastlehotel.com Kinlock LodgeIsle of Skye Marcello Tully 01471 833333www.kinloch-lodge.co.uk Knockinaam Lodge Portpatrick, Stranraer Tony Pierce 01776 810471 www.knockinaamlodge.com Martin WishartEdinburgh Martin Wishart 0131 553 3557 www.martin-wishart.co.uk/restaurant-martin-wishart/homeMartin Wishart at Loch LomondLoch Lomond, Dunbartonshire Graeme Cheevers 01389 722 504 www.martin-wishart.co.uk Number One (at The Balmoral Hotel) Edinburgh Jeff Bland 0131 556 2414 www.thebalmoralhotel.com/dining Sangster’s Elie, Fife Bruce Sangster 01333 331001 www.sangsters.co.uk The Albannach Lochinver, Lairg Colin Craig & Lesley Crosfield 01571 844 407 www.thealbannach.co.uk The Kitchin Edinburgh Tom Kitchin 0131 555 1755 www.thekitchin.com The Peat Inn St Andrews, Fife Geoffrey Smeddle 01334 840206 www.thepeatinn.co.ukThe Three Chimneys Colbost, Isle of Skye Michael Smith 01470 511258www.threechimneys.co.uk

WALESCrown at Whitebrook Whitebrook, Monmouth Chris Harrod 01600 860254www.crownatwhitebrook.co.uk The Checkers Montgomery, Powys Stéphane Borie 01686 669 822www.thecheckersmontgomery.co.uk The Walnut TreeAbergavenny, Monmouthshire Shaun Hill 01873 852797www.thewalnuttreeinn.comTyddyn Llan Corwen, Clwyd Bryan Webb 01490 440 264 www.tyddynllan.co.ukYnyshir Hall Machynlleth, Powys Gareth Ward 01654 781209 www.ynyshirhall.co.uk

EIREAniar Galway Enda McEvoy 09 1535947    www.aniarrestaurant.ie Bon Appetit Malahide, Dublin Oliver Dunne01 8450314 www.bonappetit.ie CampagneKilkennyGarrett Byrne056 777 2858www.campagne.ieChapter One Dublin Ross Lewis 01 8732266 www.chapteronerestaurant.com House (at Cliff House Hotel)Ardmore, Waterford Martijn Kajuiter 02 487800 www.thecliffhousehotel.com L’Ecrivain DublinDerry Clarke 01 6611919 www.lecrivain.com Lady Helen at Mount Juliet HotelThomastown, KilkennyCormac Rowe056 777 3000www.mountjuliet.ieThornton’s (at The Fitzwilliam Hotel) Dublin Kevin Thornton 01 4787008 www.fitzwilliamhotel.com

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Moderated by an editorial board consisting of a team of well-known and respected chefs, Chef Magazine provides original, accurate and up to date information that is guaranteed to be informative and authoritative. With in-depth interviews with some of the most highly regarded chefs in the industry, discussions on industry topics, reviews of kitchen equipment and a lot more, Chef Magazine is an essential tool in any professional kitchen.

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NOW AVAILABLE AS AN APP

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WORLD team

GUEST chefs

JONATHAN CARTWRIGHTAMERICA

Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef,

Jonathan, is a native of northern

England and began cooking when

he was 15 years old. Since then,

his mastery of the culinary arts has

taken him to some of the world’s

finest Relais & Châteaux properties

including Blantyre in Lenox, Massachusetts, the Horned

Dorset Primavera in Rincon, Puerto Rico and the Hotel

Bareiss in the Black Forest region of Germany.

KIRSTEN TIBBALLSAUSTRALASIA

One of Australia’s most respected

and talented chocolate and pastry

chefs and founder of the Savour

Chocolate and Patisserie School.

Kirsten won the 2004 World Pastry

Championships for her hand made

chocolates and was also awarded

a gold medal for her chocolates in the Pastry Olympics

in Germany that same year. In Australia, Kirsten has also

won numerous awards and competitions and regularly

travels the world to participate as a judge in chocolate

and patisserie events, teach others her skills and gather

new ideas and techniques to bring back to use at her

school in Melbourne.

offering their own experience and expert opinions

GARY RHODES OBEEUROPE & UAE

His legendary dedication to the

craft and relentless pursuit of

perfection has placed him firmly

at the forefront of today’s culinary

world. Chef, restaurateur, celebrity

and author; his distinguished

career, tireless attention to detail

and unique mastery of the ‘Great British Classics’ truly

sets him apart. A history of stunning restaurants has

won him a constellation of Michelin stars, including

Rhodes 24 and Rhodes W1, and he is consistently

revered by his peers as truly ‘The Chef’s Chef’.

GALTON BLACKISTONGalton went on to work with

John Tovey at Miller Howe

in the Lake District where he

essentially did his training. He

stayed for 10 years, becoming

Head Chef, but also worked for

a time at Le Pierre in New York

and The Mount Nelson in Cape

Town.

He bought Morston Hall in

1992 where he has a Michelin

star in 1999 and has 3 rosettes.

He is also a fellow of the Craft

Guild of Chefs. Galton has also

recently invested in Number

1 at Cromer, a fish and chip

restaurant and takeaway.

SAM MOODYSam Moody is the Head Chef

of the only Michelin-starred

restaurant in Bath. A protégé

of Michael Caines MBE, Sam

has worked exclusively for the

Andrew Brownsword Hotels

‘Gidleigh Collection’ since June

2005. Sam joined as a commis

chef at the Gidleigh Park Hotel

and progressed to become

chef tournand. He has worked

at The Bath Priory since March

2009, starting as sous chef and

then head chef six months later.

In September 2012 The Bath

Priory restaurant was awarded

a Michelin star and Sam was

promoted to his present role.

ANDREAS ANTONAAndreas Antona spent his

early years in the professional

kitchens of Germany and

Switzerland and moved

to London to work at the

Dorchester and The Ritz.  He

began winning international

acclaim at the Plough and

Harrow in Birmingham and

then went on to set up his first

restaurant Simpsons, which was

soon awarded a Michelin star.

A generous and inspirational

mentor, Andreas has trained up

many of the region’s best chefs.

PETER MARSHALL / PUBLISHERPeter Marshall has built a reputation for top-quality

magazine and cookbook publishing in the most demanding

sectors, including in-house publications for some of

Europe’s greatest hotels and restaurants. Chef Magazine

draws upon the strengths of that experience, backed by

internationally respected chefs and created by a team of

experts in their field.

SHIRLEY MARSHALL / MANAGING EDITORShirley has over 20 years experience in an editorial capacity,

working with magazine titles in the food, lifestyle and

jewellery fields and has also edited a number of professional

cookbooks. She has been with Chef Magazine since its

launch and has helped it to become a leading title in the

industry.

GARY HUNTERGary Hunter is the Head of

Faculty for Hospitality and

Culinary Arts at Westminster

Kingsway College in London

and is also an international

judge in chocolate and

patisserie. He has written seven

cookery books, most recently

‘In a Class of its Own’, and

has been honoured by many

professional bodies including

The Association Culinaire

Française, City & Guilds and

Craft Guild of Chefs . He was

also awarded Best Education

Chef in 2012 and is an active

member of Royal Academy of

Culinary Arts.

ANNA HANSENBorn in Canada and raised in

New Zealand, Anna trained

under Fergus Henderson. In

2001, Anna teamed up with

Peter Gordon to open award-

winning Marylebone restaurant,

The Providores. Anna also acted

as consultant chef to Michelin

starred New York restaurant

PUBLIC. The Modern Pantry

opened in 2008, a sanctuary

of bold flavours from around

the world. Her first cookbook

followed and she was awarded

an MBE in the Queen’s New

Year Honour List 2012.

4 | CHEF BOARD

6 | INSIDE THIS ISSUE

TRENDS: SOUTH KOREAWhat makes the Koreans excited – what they queuing for and what is ticking their boxes at present.

DIEGO MASCIAGAMaster of his art

MY TOP SIXGilles Bragard shares his favourite restaurants

WINES: OF THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTHA selection from Argentina, Chile and South Africa.

INGREDIENT: MAINGloucester Old Spot Pig

THE MAGIC OF OFFALIntestines. Eyeballs. Thymus glands. The stuff of culinary nightmares. Or criminally overlooked kitchen treasure.

INGREDIENT: UNUSUALCocoa Bean

COOKING THE BOOKSA look at some of the new releases

7

363426 30 44

50 5246 53 58

CHEF TRAINING: CHEF EDUCATION MATTERS‘We need to fully comprehend the data, research, history and future industry needs before we can shape the resolution for this challenge.’ Gary Hunter

WELCOMEFirstly, can I say a big thank you, to the editorial board. They

have helped to ensure that the content of Chef Magazine is up

to date, knowledgeable, and helpful to all those who read it –

consolidating its growing reputation as the best magazine for the

working Chef.

Firstly, can I say a big thank you, to the editorial board. They

have helped to ensure that the content of Chef Magazine is up

to date, knowledgeable, and helpful to all those who read it –

consolidating its growing reputation as the best magazine for

the working Chef.

We have had a productive year – the magazine has increased its circulation

substantially and is now also available as an app, which is proving very

popular – especially to our worldwide readers.

In this ever changing world, and to make sure that we remain the best

magazine, reflecting the artistic and visual importance of the presentation

of food, we will, from January, have a new and very diverse editorial board

and, to support this, we will be introducing a new design and feel to the

magazine.  

We will also be publishing a recipe book, featuring many the chefs who

have appeared in the last 38 issues of Chef Magazine – this is going to

be the book of the year! I am amazed, when I look back, at who we have

managed to work with, since the magazine was launched over 6 years ago.

Please enjoy this issue – we have added few more ingredients, looked

at training issues and the senses, and interviewed two great chefs:

Massimiliano Alajmo, from the Veneto region of Italy. And Russell Bateman,

recent NCOTY winner – congratulations Russell!

Peter Marshall

Publisher

issue 38

www.chefedia.co.uk

CHEF MAGAZINE Network House, 28 Ballmoor, Celtic Court, Buckingham MK18 1RQTel: 01280 829300 Fax: 01280 829326

For general enquiries regarding Chef Magazine email: peter@chefmedia.co.uk

PUBLISHERPeter Marshall

PAOlivia White

MANAGING EDITORShirley Marshall

ART EDITOR / DESIGNER Philip Donnelly

Photography Peter Marshall

Front cover photography Sophie Delaw

181508 22 24

INGREDIENT: SEASONALAlba White Truffles

CHEF TALK: ‘ESSENZE’ OF MASSIMILIANO ALAJMOAlajmo’s sophisticated dishes remain firmly rooted in tradition using predominantly Italian ingredients with an inherent appreciation of his heartfelt culinary heritage.

THE SENSORY MATRIX: ‘You need to be aware of, and respond to, the fact that every one of the people eating the food you make will have their own primary sense.’

NICO LADENIS OBSERVES: STEVE DRAKE“It was a beautiful day in September and our destination was Drakes in Ripley, a Surrey village since Norman times.”

CHEF TALK: RUSSELL BATEMAN‘...really what this job is about is taking a prime ingredient and making the best of it but keeping it simple.’

HEALTH & SAFETY: NEW FOODS‘The fact that a food has been consumed for many years in another country should not be assumed to mean it is safe’.

8

rom Venice to Verona, the region spans a range of cooking styles. Venice of

course caters most popularly to the tourists. This “Queen of the Waters” floats

tantalisingly on the shores of the Adriatic. So revered as a worldwide treasure

that the lagoon, city and all 117 islands it is built on are strictly protected as

a World Heritage Site. Set on the marshy lagoon, the cuisine of the coastal

Laguna Veneta draws on local fresh fish (Carpione, or freshwater salmon trout

is most common) and shellfish. Venice is famous for its cicchetti (small tapas

dishes) served in the many bacari bars that lie nestled along the city’s winding alleyways.

These all-day snacks are often accompanied with ombra, a rounded glass of local wine, that

takes its name from the refreshment enjoyed as locals sought the ‘shade’ from the heat of

the city streets. Typical cicchetti includes baccalà alla vicentina, a tangy spread made with an

air-dried stockfish slow cooked with anchovy, onion, garlic and loosened with milk. Another

example is sardele in saora (the practice of marinating fried fish in vinegar) a sweet-salty

combination of fried sardines with onions, pine nuts, plump raisins and sometimes with the

addition of zesty lemon peel or even candied citrus.

Inland, in contrast, dishes incorporate the prime beef of the region in dishes such

as the popular boiled meat staple bollito misto or the now omnipresent dish of carpaccio

that originated in Veneto: paper thin slivers of beef traditionally served with a mustard

based mayonnaise. Local pork is used in a cured salami known as soppressa and cotechino,

sausages made with ground pork rind, fat and scraps of meat and pigeon and game-birds

often stewed or used in casseroles. The region enjoys abundant grains and their use in

traditional cuisine is rife, with staple ingredients that include polenta and hearty bigoli, a long

tubular pasta made with buckwheat or now more commonly whole wheat. Rice meanwhile

is the treasured thread that binds all of the region’s ingredients with endless combinations of

seafood, vegetables, herbs and meat used in the popular risotto.

MASSIMILIANO

ALAJMO

CHEF TALK

The food of Veneto, one of Italy’s Northernmost regions, is richly diverse. Fish and

seafood, from crabs to clams, scallops to sea snails arrive fresh from its coast on

the Adriatic sea and livestock thrives on its verdant plains. Meanwhile, an array of

vegetables grow bountifully in lush gardens, like the humble red radicchio prepared

in a multitude of ways, cooked abundantly in rice dishes, melted into soups, grilled

with unctuous local olive oil as an accompanying vegetable, or simply eaten raw in

fresh salads.

9

© sergio coimbra

Continued over ...

10 11

One of the most revered chefs of the region, himself born and working in Padua,

is Massimiliano Alajmo. A third generation restauranteur, aged 19 he joined the family

business Le Calandre in Sarmela di Rubano where his mother, chef Rita Chimetto, had

earned the restaurant its first Michelin star in 1992. Within a year Massimiliano became

the restaurant’s executive chef, earning the restaurant its second star and in 2002, at just

28 years old he became the youngest chef to earn three Michelin stars. Since then, the

restaurant has managed to hold on to its three Michelin stars for 11 consecutive years –

no flash in a (copper) pan here.

The Alajmo stars appear to be on the ascent with their Ristaurante Quadri, located

above the legendary 17th Century Gran Caffe Quadri directly on Venice’s picturesque

St. Mark’s Square, scooping its first Michelin star within only six months of its opening in

June 2011: the fifth for this formidable family enterprise.

As well as clocking up the accolades, the family also run a string of bistros (and

an upcoming outpost in Paris no less), a food store featuring regional and self-branded

products and a line of design objects, including bespoke tableware crafted by local

Italian artisans, award-winning china (exclusively manufactured for them by Rosenthal

no less) and hand blown glassware that draws on the ancient glassblowing traditions

of nearby Murano island. The same design elements can be seen in the dining room at

Le Calandre where modern art lines the walls, sculpture abounds and tying together

their principles, quite literally, a string of wool running right through the dining room; as

Alajmo says:

“Cuisine is like a needle that passing repeatedly through

small holes creates a thread so thin and strong that it

unconsciously binds us all.”

Poetry, art and contemporary design balanced with strong

ties to traditional Italian cuisine, a sense of heritage and core

family values are evident throughout. From the visual references

in the dining room to the artistry on the plate, it is no wonder

Max has earned the nickname “il Mozart dei fornelli“ (Mozart

of the stove) for his passion, creativity and his fiercely creative

compositions. Striking images of the dishes and the creative

process behind them are captured in a recent self-published

book. Prolific writers, brothers ‘Max’ and Raffaele (or ‘Raf’ as he’s

affectionately known, as he adeptly leads front of house) have

followed up their award winning first cookbook In.gredienti with

a second Fluidita. Whilst In.gredienti explored the materials that

form the basis of Max’s cuisine, or what he described as “the

spiritual essence that enables us to engage consciously with

ourselves” Fluidita builds on his culinary philosophy.

Tracking seven years of experimentation, the book presents 70 previously

unpublished recipes that fuse traditional cooking methods with modern technology.

Traditional Italian cuisine is redefined and injected with new life in dishes such as

his steamed Pjzza, exploring dough’s essential properties in a technical twist on

Italy’s most symbolic food. Innovative recipes such as the floridly titled “Nonexistent

tripe ravioli with rosemary-scented white bean purée” containing tofu, play on

textures and taste perceptions of similar ingredients, in this case tofu skins and tripe.

Imaginatively presented, dishes are depicted in aptly inventive and mesmerising images,

photographed under a veil of water so as to capture in visual form, the essential

vibration and vitality of each plate. Yet despite their creative spirit Alajmo’s sophisticated

dishes remain firmly rooted in tradition using predominantly Italian ingredients with an

inherent appreciation of his heartfelt culinary heritage.

© sergio coimbra

“ The lemon [Essenze]

will do more than travel

through the air; it truly

interacts with the other

ingredients. Everything

becomes refreshing and

the perception of the

aroma is much stronger. “

MASSIMILIANO ALAJMO

Continued over ...

13

A DIALOGUE WITH THE CHEF

Is there 1 ingredient you value above all

others in your cuisine?

Water

What and where was the most

memorable meal you have had?

Every meal I have ever had in Sicily.

Art and design are an integral part of

your restaurant. What keeps you inspired

both visually and gastronomically?

Looking at the world through the eyes

of a child.

What would your last supper would

consist of?

Bread, Sicilian extra virgin olive oil and

a vintage bottle of red wine. It would

take place at a round table at the end

of a glass pier leading out to the sea. In

the centre of the table, there would be

a single dish filled with the olive oil for

communal dipping. Around the table

would be seated my friends and family.

What is your signature dish?

Saffron risotto with licorice powder and

incense.

Le Calandre is a family labor of love.

Working closely with your brother, how

do you manage to balance each other’s

temperaments?

By sitting down and eating together.

You use Flavour Essences as notes for

your dishes-how do you create these

and an example of how they best be

used?

Dante Lorenzo Ferro, a master perfumer

makes them based on my suggestions.

They can be used both as ingredients

in recipes or as finishing touches. I

enjoy pairing unexpected scents with

skewers of fresh fruit: mint essence with

mango, rose and raspberry, anise and

watermelon.

Your new project takes you to Paris.

How does your Italian heritage translate

to a city with such a strong food

identity?

Having a strongly rooted cultural and

culinary heritage helps. It allows me

to experiment without worrying about

losing my Italian identity.

LE CALANDRE

Via Liguria 1

35030 Sarmeola di Rubano (PD)

Italy

+39 049 630303

RISTORANTE QUADRI

Piazza San Marco 121

30124 Venezia (VE)

Italy

+39 041 5222105

copyright Namai Bishop

ESSENZI: ESSENTIAL OIL SPRAYSYet another dimension to this chef’s pioneering techniques

emerges through his development and use of a bespoke

range of “Essenze”. Working with master perfumer Lorenzo

Dante Ferro and after more than a year of research

exploring the interplay of aromas and taste, Max launched

a range of pure essential oil sprays Essenze to be used as

he describes, as “taste accelerators”. And a surge of pure

sensual pleasure they certainly are. When we experienced

these remarkable oils (some requiring hundreds of grams of

raw materials to produce a single drop) they added a heady,

multi-sensory taste-memory: floral, citrus, herbal, musky or

when used as a finishing spritz to the creamy saffron risotto

with licorice powder, smoky “incense” lent a heady mist

redolent of ecclesiastical ceremony.

Thanks to the extensive research undertaken by the

chef, he has managed to find a system to slow down the

evaporation process by using fats and liquids.

“These Essenze are, in fact, pure extractions: citrus

fruits are extracted by pressure, like an olive, while all other

ingredients undergo a supercritical extraction at about 37

degrees.” This advanced extraction method ensures the

molecule remains intact so just a few delicate sprays are

enough to create a penetrating potency with the lightest

of touch.

“Try preparing a sauce by emulsifying fish with water

and a little olive oil. Finish it with a spray of lemon. The

lemon will do more than travel through the air; it truly

interacts with the other ingredients. Everything becomes

refreshing and the perception of the aroma is much

stronger. So our food becomes more ethereal but also more

incisive.”

Meanwhile, the pioneering work continues with their

latest research project aimed at finding means to create

lactic sensations without the use of diary, such as protein-

rich plant ingredients like fava beans.

A PERFECT PAIR(ING)The Alajmo brothers are as different in stature as they are

in aptitude yet attribute their success to their ability to work

together as “two faces of the same coin”. Whilst genteel Max

is tall and lean, affable sibling ‘Raf’ was the inspiration behind

the rotund hand blown wine goblets, the ‘Raf’ and the ‘maxi-

Raf’ created especially for the restaurants (the glassware

ode to Max meanwhile is in the form of his thumbprint

embedded in the tumblers). Glasses are kept replete with a

dazzling array of well selected wines, carefully chosen by the

brothers themselves to enhance the flavours on the plate. A

wine pairing here perfectly frames the artistic compositions

on the plate, with accomplished sommeliers navigating

diners on a wine flight that is more akin to a jet display! The

powerful vibrancy of dining experience is balanced with a

tender touch in the kitchen producing textures like feathery

pastry and the smoothest of “creams” that reflect the chef’s

key values: lightness, depth of flavour and, as his latest

anthology is appropriately named after: fluidity.

© sergio coimbra

14 15

hile we’re growing up,

we’re encouraged to

believe that we’re all

pretty much the same as

each other, though most

of us realise during our teens, if not before,

that we are different to everyone else, in some

respects at least.

Are we all the same as each other?

Well yes and no. In lots of ways we are: we all

need to eat to keep going, and we all have an

idea of what it is we like or don’t like. Some

The Sensory

In recent years a number of chefs have attracted attention from the media

by providing more than just food on their plates. Service has included sound

effects and billowing smoke as well as carefully planned visual presentation,

aimed at extending the range and depth of customers’ enjoyment. Although

these devices are supposed to be enhancements that everyone will enjoy,

there will have been quite a few customers who either won’t have got the

point, or will have reacted negatively. To be effective and appropriate, these

extras need to be carefully targeted at individuals, or offered in a way that

allows those who don’t respond positively to escape without feeling that

they’ve missed something. When they’re presented as ‘essential’ and ‘an

important part of the dish’, some will see their own failure to understand or

enjoy the extras as a failure on their part, when it isn’t.

of those preferences, including the ones we

believe we’ve learned as children, are actually

a consequence of our genes, things we

couldn’t change even if we wanted to (like the

colour of our eyes or our hair). There’s been

an enormous amount of research, some of

it very useful, over the last twenty years and

more, to try and establish which bits of the

way we are come from inheritance, and which

from the way we’re brought up.

One of the most remarkable

discoveries, which shifted the balance

between ‘nurture’ and ‘nature’ in scientists’

understanding, was the recognition that

we develop neural networks in our brains

as babies which are a response to direct

stimulus (that is, our brains grow in a

particular way to deal with the particular

things our parents do with us — like singing

or dancing or talking in more than one

language), so a lot more of the qualities

and capacities that we used to believe were

inherited have turned out to be learned

instead.

Continued over ...

“ If you’ve got a strong sense of smell, you can smell bad

things as well as good; you will have a very strong opinion

about smoke, and whether it should be consumed or not... “

COLIN ROTH

Aleksandar Mijatovic/shutterstock.com

16 | SENSORY MATRIX

preference, 1, 2, 3, that affects which things

work most powerfully for us. Our brains have

either learned, or are wired by inheritance, to

deal with that kind of thing most effectively.

Our secondary sense is our ‘check

sense’, the one with which we confirm what

we’re learning or thinking about with our

primary sense — so visual people might

write something down, making a visual note

with a touchy-feely action to help them

remember. And we have a third sense that

isn’t as efficient. Because we like our hobbies

to be absorbing, it’s quite common to find

that people have hobbies in that third sense

area: for example, people who don’t listen

very effectively often enjoy listening to music:

they have to concentrate on it, so it’s very

good at shutting out the things they want a

break from. People whose third sense is vision

don’t see notes that people have left for them,

so if something hasn’t been said, it hasn’t

happened, so far as they’re concerned. And

they quite often enjoy going to art galleries

or to see films: they like talking their way into

and through the images they see because

they have to translate them into their sound or

touchy feely world to be able to ‘read’ them.

We just don’t know (yet) whether this

sensory matrix is learned, or whether it’s

inherited. Because a couple who have a baby

often get together in the first place because

they ‘have things in common’, it’s almost

impossible to work out whether their babies

are inheriting sensory preferences from their

parents, or learning their parents’ preferred

behaviours when they’re babies.

What we do know is that it has a huge

impact on our learning (because we learn

most effectively in our primary sense, much

less well in our third — ‘dyslexic’ people

are almost always ‘eyes down’ touchy feely

people who were taught to read visually when

what they needed was to learn by doing,

holding something and making letter shapes

to correspond with letters and words) and on

our career choices. Some career are much

better suited to some sensory profiles than

others. And you may have already realised that

an awful lot of people who enjoy cooking, and

find it absorbing and rewarding, are touchy

feely, have eyes that tend to go downwards

when they’re asked a question, and have very

strong sensory capacities.

Unfortunately, that’s a challenge as

well as a blessing: if you’ve got a strong

sense of smell, you can smell bad things as

well as good; you will have a very strong

opinion about smoke, and whether it should

be consumed or not; you will love, or hate,

people wearing perfume near your food; you

will love, or hate, flowers that contradict or

confuse the smells you want to dominate a

space. There’s a pretty good chance that you’ll

have strong emotions in every way.

So to be an effective communicator

and entertainer — because that’s what a

good chef is, as well as being a thoroughly

competent producer of food to eat — you

need to be aware of, and respond to, the fact

that every one of the people eating the food

you make will have their own primary sense,

and may not notice the effort you’ve put

into something you’ve made for them that

they can’t ‘read’. Although some people find

‘crunch’ sounds enhance the taste of crisps,

there are quite a lot for whom the sound

simply doesn’t register. The same goes for

musical dressings, or performative elements

like smoke and ice and temperature difference

and even for the way the food is laid out on a

plate. There will be some of your customers

who simply don’t notice these things —

though with luck, they’ve already realised that,

and won’t be sitting at your table, paying the

prices you’re charging for doing it.

There isn’t one right way to do things.

As chefs’ particular specialisms as makers of

entertainment, craftsmen and women in the

culinary arts, become known, they will tend

to attract audiences (including reasonably

compatible couples) who know what they

like, and like what they’re paying for. But it’s

worth remembering that there are always

going to be people who don’t know how their

preferences work, and can’t see the point or

the value of the way you do things —the really

skilful craftsman or woman will have made

sure that what they’ve made can also appeal

to ‘the others’ too: that there is a back up

within every meal, perhaps even every dish, so

that visual, hearing and touchy-feely people

can all get something out of a trip to your

restaurant.

Remembering that we are not all the

same, and trying to cover a fuller range of

preferences than just the particular one we

do well ourselves, can help you to reach and

satisfy a wider audience, and give a stronger

basis to your business because you can ‘speak’

to a more diverse public than just the people

who share your own preferences and like

having them fulfilled.

But just because they’ve ‘only’ been

learned, doesn’t mean that these important

parts of our individual personalities can be

changed at will. We know now that neural

networks go on growing in adult life, so it is

possible to learn new skills, new abilities, even

after we think we’ve settled ‘who we are’. But

our brains are, by that time, still physically

wired to do the things they learned to do

when we were tiny, so our early experience

always continues to shape our choices and

competencies.

What does that mean for us as

individuals?

Well, the most interesting and practically

useful work on the subject was done in

the 1970s by a pair of American therapists

called John Grinder and Richard Bandler.

Although the white-coated brigade have

picked at the holes, some of them quite big

ones, in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, it

remains a powerfully observed and, when

used thoughtfully, productive branch of

hypnotherapy. And one of its observations,

about how to best hypnotise different people

by engineering a hypnotic induction especially

for them, sheds considerable light on our

individual capacities and learning processes.

Bandler and Grinder saw that some

people responded much more quickly to a

visually based ‘script’ when being led into a

hypnotic trance (‘watch the waves rolling in

gently as you feel more and more relaxed…’),

and that they could predict which people

would be responsive to visual ideas by

watching their eye movements when they

answered questions. The same was true for

people who responded most strongly to

auditory (talking/hearing) suggestions, and for

those who found kinaesthetic (touchy-feely)

ideas the most effective. If you ask a primarily

visual person a question, you’ll see their eyes

go upwards (even if only just over the horizon)

while they think of the answer. If you do the

same with an auditory person, their eyes will

go to one side. A touchy-feely person’s eyes

go downwards while they think. And in each

case, the person answering’s eyes will flick to

one of the other directions just before they

speak. If you ask enough questions, or just

think about how someone’s face looks when

you’re talking to them, you’ll find that there’s

one pattern that they use almost all the time,

and there’s likely to be one direction that their

eyes go in very rarely indeed. If you can work

out which, and try asking them a question

based in that sense, you’ll find it takes them

longer to answer, because they have to

‘translate’ it into a sense they can manage

better.

So, what we learn from NLP is that we

all have three main senses that we use in

experiencing life and communication from

others, and that each of us has an order of

“ Although some people find

‘crunch’ sounds enhance the

taste of crisps, there are quite

a lot for whom the sound

simply doesn’t register... “

COLIN ROTH

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SoGOOD_320x225.indd 1 1/27/2014 11:01:06 AM

18

“It was a beautiful day in

September and our destination

was Drakes in Ripley, a Surrey

village since Norman times.”

NICO LADENIS OBSERVES: STEVEN DRAKE

n that day it was bathed in

sunshine. The restaurant

sits alone, set back from the

road, shining like a jewel.

Greeted by the manager,

we were shown to the garden which has an

immaculate lawn, lush foliage and flowers

all around. The sun was so hot we sought

shelter under umbrellas and contemplated

our good fortune.

I had butterflies in my tummy because

it brought back so many memories of our

years in the South of France. The Moulin

de Mougins comes into focus as does the

Hostellerie de Pennafort in Callas(for us by

far the best food and service in the region)

and the Clos St Pierre in Le Rouret. And

how can I forget Richard Olney and an al

fresco meal we had at his house above the

village of Sollies-Toucas in Provence, terrine

of oxtail served with leaves and nasturtium

petals picked from his garden and peaches

poached in La Tour Blanche – the 1939

vintage! Dinah-Jane and I always prefer

to eat at lunchtime. There seems to be

more pleasure and time to enjoy a long

meal during the day. Somehow the senses

appear more charged and the eye is able

to contemplate a more complete vision of

what there is to come.

19

“ There seems to be

more pleasure and

time to enjoy a long

meal during the day.

Somehow the senses

appear more charged

and the eye is able to

contemplate a more

complete vision

of what there is to

come. ”

NICO LADENIS

A brilliant and very dainty assortment

of canapés were most appropriately

washed down by an English sparkling wine

from Hampshire, not too dissimilar from

Champagne. The dining room is very plain, no

gimmicks or distractions. The tables are well

spaced out and truly comfortable. The service

is attentive, charming and professional. The

sommelier was full of enthusiasm when

discussing his choice of wines, of which an

Alsace Riesling was particularly outstanding.

A selection of breads was placed in front

of us. Sliced sourdough and brioche a tete.

Steven Drake came briefly out of the kitchen

to describe to us the mini gastronomic menu

he proposed.

First came a light, immaculate

concoction of crayfish mousse, crayfish

sauce and a plump tail all presented in a small

bowl. The next course was a very imaginative

variation on a theme of broccoli. Textures

were crunchy and smooth. This was followed

by a gigantic scallop, well caramelised and

sprinkled with buckwheat. On one side was a

pear and saffron chutney and on the other a

lemongrass foam. This dish was extraordinary

in the quality of the scallop, a truly first grade

ingredient. The chutney was a little too

pronounced in flavour and the foam was

irrelevant. This is a perfect example of “less

is more”. The main course was cheek and

belly of pork. I am not particularly fond of

pork and never go out of my way to eat it but

the cheek, coated in a rich reduction, melted

in the mouth and was accompanied by two

garnishes, one of pickled cucumber which

was absolutely delicious and well matched,

the other kale. Kale, a new-fangled heavily

promoted food is now considered one of

the wonder foods and it probably is, but in

my case it is a bore with too much iron and

it aggravates my gout! A plate of English

cheeses followed. Superlative, every one of

them, and beautifully presented with a variety

of biscuits and slices of unbelievably good

walnut bread. The mint and pea ice cream

which sat on a bed of crumble was uniformly

acclaimed. The main pudding was well

judged because it was light and presented in

bite sized portions.

I sat there and thought of Steven. I

remember him well when Chez Nico was

at Great Portland Street and then Park Lane.

He was very polite and well mannered,

very dedicated and hard working. I have a

picture of him with a pile of small aluminium

darioles, slicing large potatoes on a mandolin

to make crispy galettes. He was always

reliable and dependable. I see him now as a

very daring young chef, full of imagination

and good technique, his feet in two camps,

one traditional and the other modern. I hope

that his hungry search for new textures,

flavours and combinations will one day

subside and he will become one of the best

chefs in our country. This is why I would like

to give him some advice if I may. His stepping

stones, which he highlights on his menu

as “Intrigue, Adventure, Flavour, Simplicity

and Discovery” should remain in his soul

and in his mind. These words could be

misconstrued and, knowing how cruel food

critics and some customers can be, they can

appear as a red rag to a bull. Left alone these

emotive words should be allowed to spring

from the plate automatically.

There is no greater thrill or satisfaction

springing from my career than to see so

many of the young men who toiled in my

kitchen in years past, now running their own

restaurants, cooking beautiful food and being

acknowledged. When I sit in their dining

rooms to eat, I feel extremely proud and I

pinch myself for having had a small hand in

their success. The respect and admiration I

have for these young chefs are my reward for

my years in this trade. I am a lucky man.

Professional Chef Trainingat Westminster Kingsway College

Are you looking for professional chef training while you work? Do you want to develop your skills for the industry? Enrol now for new courses at Westminster Kingsway College in partnership with the Craft Guild of Chefs.

Training the Hospitality industry for over 100 years, Westminster Kingsway College’s School of Hospitality has an excellent reputation both in the UK and across the world with notable former students, including Jamie Oliver and Ainsley Harriott. The College offers a unique opportunity to study at its Victoria Centre in central London SW1, just minutes from zone 1 stations.

Professional Chef Courses

• Professional Cookery Introduction Level 124 weeks from September. £1,270(or £1,900 for International students)*

• Professional Cookery Intermediate Level 21 year from January. £1,970 (or £2,600 for International students) *

• Advanced Diploma Professional Cookery Level 31 year from September or January.£2,070 if aged under 24 or £2,800 if aged over 24**

Patisserie & Confectionery Courses

• Patisserie & Confectionery Introduction Level 112 weeks from September or January. £700*

• Patisserie & Confectionery Intermediate Level 224 weeks from January. £1,270(or £1,900 for International students)*

• Advanced Diploma Patisserie & Confectionery Level 31 year from September.£2,070 if aged under 24 or £2,800 if aged over 24*

Courses provided by Westminster Kingsway College supported by the Craft Guild of Chefs

www.westking.ac.uk 0870 060 9800 courseinfo@westking.ac.uk Twitter @Westking Facebook.com/WestminsterKingsway

All of the College’s part-time professional courses are supported by the Craft Guild of Chefs. All applicants for this course should apply to become a member of the Craft Guild of Chefs to enrol. Membership is payable to the Craft Guild of Chefs for programme membership, master classes, competition judging and the regular Stockpot Magazine of the Guild.

*All course fees are subject to change. Please note that course fees may change at short notice due to circumstances beyond our control. The fees payable are those in force at the time of enrolment, which supersede any that may previously have been advertised. **Applicants aged over 24 are not eligible for additional government funding for this course. However you may be able to apply for a 24+ Advanced Learning Loan to help fund this course. Contact our Learner Consultants for further details.

These specialist one day seminars cover all aspects of small and large game from its identification and preparation to its background, history and cooking tips.

The day is divided into two main lectures with the first on feathered and small furred game followed by lunch and the second on venison. It will cover: hanging, quality points, classification, recognition and preparation.

 The hugely popular game seminars at Westminster Kingsway College are now in their ninth year and it remains one of the only events of its kind in the UK.

Chefs from many top establishments have attended includingThe Sheraton Park Lane, The Landmark, The House of Commons, The Crown Plaza, The Peach Pub company and The Royal Garden Hotel. The seminars attract food experts and amateur chefs who all have a passion to discover more about UK game. The Game Seminar will cover all the theory game elements for VRQ and NVQ 3 qualifications.

Visit www.westking.ac.uk/game for forthcoming dates. 

Westminster Kingsway College is excited to offer a brand new programme of study; International Chef Diplomas.These dedicated programmes attract students from all over the world who want to learn in central London.Over 24 weeks, you will learn the skills to be a confident chef in the hospitality industry.

Contact courseinfo@westking.ac.uk or visit www.westking.ac.uk/internationaldiploma to find out more.

Game seminars

International Chef Diplomas

23

round the rest of Europe

and much of the globe, not

a second thought is given

to barbecued intestines or

heart tapas. Indeed, certain

cuts are considered a delicacy, the piece de

resistance of a banquet.

In China you’d be thought incredibly

rude for waving away a plate of chicken

feet. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, tripe, liver and

ground meat are fried in clarified butter to

create dulot ordulet. Brain is breaded and

fried in Cuban fritters. Blood is a go-to in

countless recipes from Scandinavian blood

pancakes to coagulated cubes in Southeast

Asian soups and of course, blood sausage or

pudding is common across many cultures,

including Polish kiszka, French boudin

noir and Puerto Rican morcilla. Even, it is

whispered, the English breakfast.

There is no room for squeamish

sensitivities in the world of offal cooking.

No cut is off limits. Take thymus glands for

example. Better known as sweetbreads,

they’re typically poached, braised or sautéed.

Even dressed up on a Michelin starred plate

they’re not the prettiest proposition. And

that’s what gives offal its honesty. It’s all

about the taste. A case in point is Sicilian

spleen sandwiches. Pani cu i meuza is a

widely available street food on the island.

The organ is sliced up and mingled with

other tit bits such as lungs and is then fried in

animal fat, stuffed in a bun and served with

a slice of Sicilian lemon and perhaps some

grated local caciocavallo cheese. Not exactly

the most delicate of delicacies, it has to let

the flavour speak for itself.

With an infinite variety of combinations,

offal is incredibly versatile so are Brits missing

a trick? Surely with such a multitude of

options available there’s something most

meat eaters could enjoy. And as a nation, we

haven’t always rejected the notion of offal

Intestines. Eyeballs. Thymus glands.

The stuff of culinary nightmares.

Or criminally overlooked kitchen

treasure. It’s not just a matter of

taste, it’s a room divider. Offal, the

parts of an animal that some of

us will not dare to reach, covers

any meat which falls outside the

auspices of skeletal muscle. A

glorious panoply of organs. Or a

literally gut wrenching mismatch

of horror food that has no place on

a dining plate. There’s no getting

away from it, offal is the Marmite of

the menu. In the UK at least.

THE MAGIC OF OFFALeating; heart, brain and lungs were a staple of

British food for hundreds of years. Certain cuts

still find favour. Liver and onions and steak

and kidney pie more often than not figure on

greasy spoon menus. Black pudding is used

as a nice addition to a fry up. But as a food

group, offal has not figured highly in British

cuisine for a very long time.

Luckily for those of us who embrace

the joy of smothering a crisp piece of toast

in a healthy helping of bone marrow, things

are changing. And fast. The offal revolution

is generally accepted to have started with

the opening of Fergus Henderson’s St

John in London in 1994. Its now legendary

emphasis on ‘nose to tail eating’ has arguably

spawned a whole new food movement and

the eponymous book has become a legend

in its own right. Henderson’s roast bone

marrow and parsley salad was responsible for

converting many a sceptic. Several years ago

in an interview with the Telegraph, Henderson

laid down the philosophy behind nose to tail

eating, “…it seems common sense and even

polite to the animal to use all of it. Rather

than being testosterone-fuelled blood-lust,

it actually seems to be a gentle approach to

meat eating.”

On Archer Street in London’s Soho,

Boca Di Lupo’s refined offerings follow

a similar course. Amongst Artichoke alla

giudia and home-salted cod, you’ll find tripe

with guanciale, chilli and tomato and lamb

sweetbreads with artichokes and sage. Even

the pudding menu manages to smuggle

in some blood. A cold dish of sweet pigs’

bloody salami incorporates a powerful and

winning combination of chocolate, pine nuts,

pistachios and candied fruits.

In the modern UK restaurant scene

efforts are certainly being made to push

offal to the forefront of British food culture.

And rightly so. Its makes sense on so many

levels. The most glaringly obvious argument

in favour of offal is its price. Although the

cost of offal has gone up as people have

started to unlock its inner beauty, it’s still

relatively good value. The butcher’s window

says it all. Compare a kilo of ox cheeks and

the same weight of even an average cut of

beef from the more favoured parts of the

animal and the figures say it all.

It seems both churlish to the animal

whose parts are being discarded and plain

stupidity financially to disregard offal because

we don’t like the thought of a beautifully

braised tongue or a fiery dish of tripe and

chillis. There’s a world of flavour out there

and thankfully more and more opportunities

to dive into it. From the braised pigs’ knuckle

of Manchester’s China Town to the refined

offerings of London’s west end, sometimes

forgotten but gloriously tasty cuts are waiting

to be discovered.

LAMB SWEETBREAD VOL AU VENT WITH WILD MUSHROOMSBy Daniel Galmiche

Serves 4

PREPARATION TIME:

15 minutes

COOKING TIME:

25 minutes

For a while now, I’ve wanted to do a lamb sweetbread vol au vent (in a puff pastry case). So, vol au vents are not only very popular in France but also in Britain, perhaps not with lamb sweetbreads though! This is a very tasty dish, which can be, depending on the size, a starter or main course.

It’s best to ask your butcher to prep the sweetbreads for you, it will be just better. With mushrooms, fresh herbs, lamb stock and a touch of whipped cream to go with it, you are going to delight your guests. But, that’s not quite all, what you need beside it are some pan fried courgettes with garlic and a lovely glass of red wine.

INGREDIENTS

12 discs of all butter puff pastry, 5mm/¼" thick by 9cm/3½" diameter1 egg, beaten 300g/10½ oz lamb sweetbreads40g/1½ oz butter2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp plain flour1 tbsp very fine dry breadcrumbs300g/10½ oz mixed wild or button mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed70ml/2¼ floz whipping cream1 tbsp chives, chopped

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.2. Put 4 of the pastry discs onto a silicone or

greaseproof lined tray. Using a 7.5cm/3" cutter, cut the other 8 discs, leaving just the outer ring – save the centres for something else. Brush the whole disc with the beaten egg, making sure none goes over the edge, then lay a ring of pastry on top, edge to edge. Carefully brush with egg then repeat with another disc on top so you have 4 stacks of discs and rings. Brush the top with more egg and then place 4 dariole or pudding moulds on the outer corner of the tray – this is will help them rise evenly and not tip over. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, turning the tray front to back after 10 minutes.

3. While the pastry cooks, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the sweetbreads and blanch for 1-1½ minutes, then refresh in iced water, pat dry and remove the skin. Cut the sweetbreads into large cubes. Place in a tray with a little flour to coat, then tap off any excess. Heat a frying pan until hot,

add 20g/¾oz butter and tablespoon of oil, and when the butter is foaming, add the sweetbreads and fry for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Add the breadcrumbs, toss to combine and cook for 1 minute more until crunchy, then drain onto kitchen towel to remove excess fat.

4. When the pastry is ready, lightly press your fingers in the centre of the vol au vent and press the pastry down. Set aside to firm up, but keep somewhere warm.

5. When the sweetbreads and pastry are ready, heat a non stick frying pan until hot, add the last 20g/¾oz butter and tablespoon of olive oil and when the butter is foaming, add the mushrooms and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the cream and bring to the boil, then after 2-3 minutes, when it starts to coat the mushrooms, add the cooked sweetbreads and chives, toss to combine then check the seasoning. Spoon into the cooked puff pastry cases and serve with whatever you fancy – wilted spinach or red chard both go really well.

24 25

Alba White TrufflesINGREDIENT: SEASONAL

IDENTIFYING ALBA WHITE TRUFFLESWhite truffles are judged by sight, touch and

smell. Ideally they need to be intact, firm but

yield to touch and smell fresh – not of mould

or rot. Hard truffles are probably too young

and not ready, and one that is too soft or

starts to smell of dirty socks is probably past

its prime.

Truffles grows symbiotically among

the roots of different trees like oak, poplars,

willows, beech and hazelnuts. The tree

species influences its aroma and colour too.

The ones found in the roots of Oak trees tend

to be a creamy white, have the most pungent

perfume and are the most sought after. The

ones from the roots of some poplar trees have Continued over ...

The white truffle from Alba

is a luxury commodity, and

has long been recognised by

the gastronomic community

as the one with the highest

quality, and subsequently

commanding the highest

price. This truffle is

considered by many to be the

world’s highest quality truffle

as it has the most intense

aroma, which has been

described as a combination

of meat, cheese, garlic and

spices. It is definitely unique

and much of the enjoyment

is from the pervading smell as

you eat it.

This prized fungus is

rare, and seasonal, and only

available from the end of

September until January, or

when the winter snow arrives.

They are only found in the

damp forests of the hilly

Langhe region in southern

Piedmont, north east Italy.

aroma to intensify. You must never cook white

truffles, unlike black truffles, in which cooking

will bring out the flavour.

MARKET PRICE OF THE TRUFFLESWhite truffles are foraged from wild forests,

but the numbers found are diminishing yearly,

as woodlands are increasingly being turned

into agriculture land and the surrounding soil

has often been contaminated by pesticides.

They cannot be formulated or cultivated,

unlike black truffles – there are many truffle

farms now, growing black truffles, but these

only fetch a fraction of the price of white

truffles.

Several days spent at the Annual Alba

White Truffle Fair, speaking to truffle hunters,

dealers and chefs, will bring an appreciation

of this rare and highly exalted fungus. The

scarcity of Italian white truffles and increasing

international demand is one of the reasons

for the exorbitant prices. Besides Alba, Italian

white truffles are also found in Tuscany and

Molise, but they are deemed to be inferior in

aroma and flavour and tend to have lower

market prices.

The market price is set every season,

depending on the supply, and is not just

dependent on weight but also on size, shape,

colour and age. The prices vary from year to

year depending on that year’s available supply

and demand, and this year prices are ranging

from £2,500 to £5000 per kilogram.

a brownish colour and have a red line or a

pink tinge which the experts deem inferior to

the oak ones and are less perfumed.

An Alba truffle can sometimes be

identified by its irregular shape, due to the

hard clay soil that it grows in around the

Piedmont region. You will rarely find perfectly

round or oval shaped Alba truffles.

The white truffles is best eaten within a

week of harvesting. After a week, the truffle’s

aroma and flavour is vastly diminished, and it

can start to rot or dry out. It can be kept in a

wet paper towel in the fridge, for a few days,

but never in oil, as this can cause mould, or in

rice, as this dries it out.

The white truffles is best enjoyed shaved

thinly onto on simple hot dishes, to enable the

There are only a small number of people

who can identify and authenticate real Alba

truffles. At the Alba Truffle Fair, voluntary

judges will assess any truffles you want to

buy from the assembled truffle hunters, and

the specimen is then given a certificate of

authenticity. A good source, when buying,

is probably one of the truffle dealers from

Alba, as they have had years of experience in

identifying and classifying the different types

of white truffles, and buy directly from trusted

licensed truffle hunters.

Truffle dealers outside of Italy are

usually the middlemen, who supply

restaurants around the world. These dealers

have had years of experience in identifying

and classifying the different types of white

truffles. Many chefs and restaurateurs rely on

the reputation of these dealers, as many of

them will probably not make the trip to Alba

themselves.

Demand for white truffles, and

especially those from Alba, has been steadily

increasing over the years, as dealers have

been actively marketing their products to

non-Italian markets. Today, driven by the

demand of the new wealth in these emerging

markets, we see fashionable restaurants from

Singapore to Dubai offering truffle menus

during the season.

In some other countries, white truffles

are being offered at prices way below the

average market prices in Alba, but generally

these will not be the top quality Alba truffles

but rather from another Italian region, as it’s

unlikely that a truffle hunter or dealer will sell

at a loss.

Some truffle sellers have been known

to dupe unsuspecting buyers by bundling in

cheaper white truffles, from other regions,

with some real highly perfumed Alba white

truffles. The inferior truffles will temporarily

absorb some of the aroma from the Alba

truffles, but this aroma does not penetrate and

will fade quite quickly.

If you are buying truffles from a

third party, and not in Alba itself, it pays to

understand the product, and the Alba white

truffle market, to ensure you are getting the

real deal. Some less experienced chefs have

been know to buy expensive white truffles

which were later found to not even be Italian,

let alone from Alba.

luri/shutterstock.com

his breed has its origins in the Severn Valley in

Gloucestershire. This is a cheese and cider region and the

Old Spot was sometimes known as the ‘orchard pig’, as

it was traditionally found in cider and Perry orchards. Old

folklore is that the spots are bruises from fallen fruit.

The breed was developed in response to farming

conditions in the 1800s. Farmers needed a hardy animal

that would flourish on a varied diet. Indeed the breed is considered to be the

oldest spotted pedigree pig in the world with reference first made to it in 1850.

In the 1930s people were encouraged to make bacon at home and

this shift marked the beginning of the decline for the Gloucester Old Spot.

In spite of the fact that the Gloucester Old Spot makes great bacon, it has a

slow rate of maturation and, as a result, was shunned for faster finishing pigs.

This, coupled with the trend for leaner meat, proved almost fatal and numbers

dropped until the 1970s, since which time it has seen a marked improvement

in registered numbers and now has a good population.

26

GloucesterOld Spot Pig

27

Image ©Tree Top Farm

Continued over ...

About Slow Food UK Chef Alliance  Slow Food UK developed the Chef Alliance in 2011 in recognition

of those chefs who share our vision to champion small-scale

producers and good quality local and sustainably produced food.  

There are currently over 120 leading chefs in England, Northern

Ireland, Scotland and Wales who are members of the Alliance.

The Slow Food UK Chef Alliance is supported by Lavazza. 

About UK Ark Of Taste programmeOur way of protecting Britain’s edible bio-diversity: the UK Ark of

Taste is part of the International Ark of Taste network, which counts

more than 2000 products from over 60 countries. The UK Ark Of

Taste programme is supported by Restaurant Associates.  

The Gloucester Old Spot has large lop ears and pale

skin with irregular black spots. It is a dual purpose

breed with a docile nature. The carcass produces

well-marbled meat and the depth of the body

produces high quality bacon and crackling.

INGREDIENT: MAINARK OF TASTE PRODUCT

28 | MAIN INGREDIENT 29

PRESSED TERRINE OF GLOUCESTER OLD SPOT PIG CHEEKS, SMOKED HAM HOCK AND LEEKBy David Everitt-Matthias

Serves 12-14

INGREDIENTS

ham hock:

350g smoked ham hock

200g roughly chopped carrots

100g each roughly chopped

onion, leek and celery

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 bay leaves

a sprig of thyme

10 white peppercorns

terrine:

1 medium celeriac, about

700–800g

100g unsalted butter

24 pig’s cheeks, trimmed

salt and aromatics as for Confit

of Duck Leg

750g duck fat

25 thin baby leeks

400g brown chicken stock

reduced to 100g

This is one of my favourite starters:

a terrine of pig’s cheeks, cooked

slowly in duck fat, and poached

smoked ham hock, served with

home-cured pork jowl. The terrine

has just a little jus to help it set

when pressed and to keep it moist.

This porcine lover’s delight is

served with a pear purée, which

helps cut the richness of the

terrine, raw pear for texture and

honeyed mustard seeds for a touch

of heat. It is worth the wait for the

home-cured jowl (which makes

great bacon) and the Gloucester

Old Spot is a great rare breed for

this recipe.

METHOD

ham hock:

1. Soak the smoked ham hock overnight

in cold water to remove excess salt.

2. The next day, place it in a large

saucepan with the vegetables and

aromatics. Cover with water and bring

to the boil, then skim and simmer for

3 ½–4 hours, until the meat is coming

easily away from the bone.

3. Lift out the hock (strain the stock and

keep for a soup or broth). Remove the

meat from the bones, discarding the

skin and picking off any bits of gristle

and fat. Place in a container.

celeriac:

1. Peel the celeriac and slice as finely

as possible. Line a baking tray, about

52x32cm, with baking parchment. Melt

the butter in a small saucepan, then

brush the baking parchment with a

little of it.

2. Season, then cover with overlapping

slices of celeriac to form a rectangular

sheet about 25x36cm in size. Brush

with more butter and season.

3. Place in an oven preheated to 180°C/

Gas Mark 4 and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Turn the celeriac sheet over (this

manoeuvre will need another baking

tray lined with buttered parchment)

and cook for a further 5 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and place a

sheet of baking parchment on top of

the celeriac. Set a baking tray of the

same size on top and add a heavy

weight. Cool, then place in the fridge

to chill. When cold, remove from the

trays and remove the paper. Cut into

two equal rectangles, about 36x12cm,

for the top and bottom of the terrine.

pig’s cheeks:

1. Salt the pig’s cheeks with the salt and

aromatics. Pack tightly in a bag or

container and leave for 6 hours only.

2. Remove the salt and herbs by quickly

rinsing under cold water and dry well.

3. In a heavy-based ovenproof pot or a

high sided baking tray large enough to

fit the cheeks, melt the duck fat over

a low heat. Add the cheeks, which

should be completely covered with fat.

Cover with foil, then place in an oven

preheated to 150°C/ Gas Mark 2 and

simmer gently for 2 to 2½ hours, until

tender. To check, prick with a fork:

there should be no resistance. Keep

warm in the fat until needed.

leeks:

1. Iemove any damaged outer leaves

from the leeks and trim the green end,

then carefully trim the bottom, leaving

the smallest amount of root intact.

2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the

boil, add the leeks and cook for 3–4

minutes, until tender. Place on a tray

and  squeeze the excess water out of

them. Keep warm.

terrine:

1. The ham hock, pig’s cheeks and

reduced stock should be warm, so

reheat if necessary.

2. Place a frame, about 36x12x4cm, on a

tray and line with 2 layers of cling film,

overlapping the sides of the frame.

3. Carefully place one of the celeriac

rectangles on the bottom of the frame

and drizzle over a little of the reduced

chicken stock.

4. Neatly arrange the pigs’ cheeks next to

each other, 3 across and 8 along, in a

layer on the celeriac. Press down well

with a board that fits inside the frame.

5. Season and drizzle with chicken stock,

then add the leeks, arranged top to tail

along the length of the terrine. Press

down well again. Drizzle with chicken

stock and season.

6. Evenly place a layer of smoked ham

hock all over the leeks. Drizzle with the

last bit of stock and season.

7. Carefully lay the other rectangle of

celeriac on top and press down well

with the board.

8. Bring the cling film up and over the

terrine, and seal. Prick lightly with a

fork and place the board on top. Place

2 heavy weights on the board and

leave in the fridge overnight to set.

9. About 40 minutes before serving, take

the terrine from the fridge, to take

the chill off it, and remove it from the

frame. Remember to remove the cling

film before serving!

Chef Biography: David Everitt-Matthias

London-born chef and author David Everitt-Matthias has been the co-owner and head chef of two Michelin starred Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham since 1987, a joint venture he shares with his wife Helen.

David began his career in 1978 at London’s Inn on the Park (now the Four Seasons), before developing his French-style technique while working under renowned French Chef Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire. David moved on shortly after to become Head Chef of Grand Café in 1983. After two years there, David took his second head chef position at Steamers Fish Restaurant, and wrapping up his time

in London at Fingals Restaurant Putney in 1987.

Married two years prior, David and his wife Helen moved to Cheltenham Spa in the Cotswolds to open their dream restaurant in 1987. Le Champignon Sauvage, meaning ‘wild mushroom’ is no stranger to awards. Some of the accolades David and the restaurant have received include 2014 Good Food Guide Chef of the Year, 2013 Observer Food Monthly Outstanding Achievement Award, 2007 Catey Chef of the Year, 2006 BMW Square Meal Restaurant of the Year, while Le Champignon Sauvage has retained its two Michelin stars since 2000.

David is the author of three highly regarded recipe books: Essence: Recipes from Le Champignon Sauvage in 2006 and Dessert Recipes from Le Champignon Sauvage in 2009, the latter earned runner-up for Best Cookbook in the World from the Gourmand Book Awards. His third, Beyond Essence: New Recipes from Le Champignon Sauvage was launched in spring 2013.

David is one of the country’s most respected and celebrated chefs, renowned for his creative use of local and foraged ingredients.

cocoa bean (cacao bean)

INGREDIENT: UNUSUAL

he seeds of the cacao tree are naturally white but

take on the more familiar darker colour when dried.

Containing 40-50% cocoa butter, cocoa beans also

have high levels of flavenoids which may be beneficial

for the heart.

Cocoa, or cacao, beans are most commonly

used to make cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter, and are widely

associated with all things sweet. However, the raw product is not

naturally sweet – its savoury flavour combines well with meaty and

nutty ingredients such as chicken or almonds and an increasing

number of chefs are experimenting with it in savoury dishes.

Cocoa ‘nibs’ are cocoa beans that have been dried, roasted and

cruched into small pieces. When the nibs are ground down, this allows

the separation of the cocoa butter from the cocoa solids, which are

then used to make chocolate, but the nibs are becoming increasingly

popular as an ingredient in their own right.

Containing no sugar and with a texture similar to macademias,

they can add texture and flavour to salads and tagines, as well as to the

more obvious biscuits and cakes.

More unusual is the use of whole cocoa beans as an ingredient,

but one of our chef editorial board members, Andreas Antona, has

shared one of his recipes which does, in fact, use the whole cocoa bean.

We hope you will try it out and let us know what you think....

Continued over ...

Valentyn Volkov/shutterstock.com

30 31

The cocoa bean is the dried, fermented, fatty

seeds of the tropical tree Theobroma cacao of

the family Sterculiaceae.

32 | UNUSUAL INGREDIENT

CRISPY DUCK EGG, COCOA BEANS AND CHORIZOBy Andreas Antona

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

eggs:

1 litre sunflower oil

4 duck eggs

8 tbsp coarse breadcrumbs (or

Japanese Panko crumbs)

1 chicken egg

4 tbsp plain flour and pinch salt

1 tbsp chopped parsley

3 tbsp vinegar

garnish:

3 tbsp cocoa beans

1 shallot

1 clove garlic

1 sprig thyme

1 tbsp chopped chorizo

2 petals of tomato confit

1 tsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp olive oil

50g butter

100g of sliced piquillo pepper

handful of rocket leaves

METHOD

garnish:

1. Remove the cocoa beans from

their pods.

2. Cover with fresh water and

simmer with the garlic, shallot

and thyme for 30 minutes or

until tender. Add salt at the end

of the cooking time and keep

warm in the cooking liquid.

3. Dice the confit tomato to the

same size as the chorizo.

eggs:

1. Bring a pan of water to a simmer

and add the vinegar. Prepare an

ice bath.

Crack the eggs into a bowl,

taking care not to break the

yolks. Slip your hand under 1 of

the yolks and lift it out of the

bowl leaving the white behind.

Gently drop the yolk into the

simmering water. Repeat quickly

with the rest of the eggs. (Use

the whites for another dish.)

2. Allow the yolk to poach gently

for around 2-3 minutes. They

should be set around the outside

but completely liquid in the

centre. When you are happy that

this is the case, use a slotted

spoon to lift them into the ice

bath where you will leave them

until completely chilled – about

10 minutes.

3. Drain the egg yolks on kitchen

paper and prepare the coating.

4. Arrange 3 bowls – 1 of flour, 1 of

beaten hen’s egg and 1 of crumb

and chopped parsley mixed.

5. Pass each yolk through each

bowl, first the flour, then egg,

then crumbs to give a good

coating of crumbs and parsley

for each. Reserve the coated

yolks in the fridge.

to finish and serve

1. Heat the sunflower oil to 180C.

Remove the eggs from the fridge

20 minutes before cooking them

so that they are not too chilly at

the centre.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a

saucepan and sauté the chorizo

for 1 minute, then stir in 4

tbsp beans and 1 tbsp of their

cooking liquid. When the beans

are thoroughly hot add the diced

confit tomatoes, piquillo pepper,

rocket leaves, parsley and butter.

Stir gently to amalgamate the

butter and keep warm.

2. Deep fry the eggs until crisp

and golden. Drain the eggs on

kitchen paper.

3. Spoon some of the bean mixture

onto warm plates, season the

eggs with salt and place next to

the bean mixture and add a few

rocket leaves to garnish.

33

34 35

n a recent trip to South Korea I wanted to discover what the latest food trends are. With more Koreans visiting the UK we are starting to see the cuisine develop.

Already supermarkets are introducing various Korean ingredients: the majority of people have heard of bulgogi, almost everyone knows of kimchi and of course the famous, real KFC aka Korean Fried Chicken.

Im was a student of mine at Westminster Kingsway College four years ago and is now working for KBS food channel as a research and development chef. The perfect tour guide, Im knew exactly what I was looking for on the food scene. He told me we were going to visit two restaurants: one specialising in cold noodle called nengmeun and another specialising in a particular ice dessert called bingsu. These dishes were traditionally served in the winter months but nowadays are extremely popular with young Koreans as a summer dish.

The first restaurant was very busy. An elegant looking modern building filled with families, young and old. this was unlike the suburban restaurants, and this time I wasn’t sitting on the floor ( Korean traditional

dining requires removing shoes and sitting at low tables). As we sat, a waitress brought us a hot drink of memil tea, which is basically the cooking liquid from the noodles we were about to order.

Im ordered two dishes: pyeung-yang nengmeun (also known as mul nengmeun) which is flavoured with beef stock and white kimchi liquor, and hamheung nengmeun which is a spicy version without the beef stock. These were accompanied with a yellow mustard similar to Dijon and Geotjeori, which is a fresh kimchi that has had very little fermentation.These dishes originated in the winter months, when the various kimchi are prepared, so using the very fresh fermented vegetables, the liquor was then used with the beef broth.

The chilled noodles were freshly made at the restaurant, Im explained the process was difficult – as the dough is made from buckwheat, they are likely to break easily so sweet potato starch is blended in to give more structure. The noodles had a great ‘bite’ to them, while the broth was delicious with a fantastic depth of flavour. I forgot it was cold and devoured the large bowlful! Im had the spicy version which I tried and found was equally good!

Unlike Europeans, the Koreans are eating more for the purpose of health and wellbeing, not really to socialise as such, so

once lunch or dinner is eaten it is quickly paid for and the guests leave. As we left our table was cleared and the next customers were ready to sit down, creating a very large turnover throughout the day.

Next we battled through heavy traffic to Bukchon to try bingsu, again traditionally a winter dish, dating back over 2000 years. Made from shaved ice with maybe a little honey, it is said that, at the time of the Japanese domination of Korea, their love of red beans saw this as an addition to this famous simple icey dish. The sweet red beans stayed and now these are served alongside many other toppings – the ice has now evolved to shaved milk, infused with delightful flavours, and usually finished with a compact chewy rice cake.

We arrived to be told we would have to wait 15 minutes to be seated – I was told by Im it would be worth the wait! Eventually we were seated, the menu was at the desk on a tablet. I went for a green tea infused frozen milk with the traditional sweetened red bean – a strange combination but again Im hit the spot and introduced me to yet another Korean delicacy. Wow! the layers of infused ice melted in my mouth and the strange combination definitely worked.

I could now see why the Koreans love these cold dishes – winter or summer they are perfect for any foodie anywhere!

trends“I was looking for what makes the Koreans excited – what they queuing for and what is

ticking their boxes at present – so I met up with my friend Seo Hyung Im.”

Seo Hyung Im

36 37

RussellBateman the sweet taste of success

Russell Bateman’s CV reads like a Who’s Who of the great and the good

from the UK (and French) restaurant scene over the last 15 years: Nico

Ladenis; Marcus Wareing; Marc Veyrat; Eric Chavot; Daniel Clifford –

Bateman has worked with them all. And the 34-year-old head chef at

Colette’s at The Grove in Hertfordshire credits each and every one with

playing their part in helping him achieve victory in the Craft Guild of Chefs’

National Chef of the Year competition in October.

Continued over ...

CHEF TALK

“ I am extremely lucky to

have worked with so many

great chefs and I think

about my experience with

all of them all the time. “

RUSSELL BATEMAN

38 | CHEF TALK

am extremely lucky to have worked with so many

great chefs and I think about my experience with all

of them all the time,” says Bateman.

“They all had a massive influence on me and in

the final of the competition there were parts of the

dishes that came from all of them.”

The fact that Marcus Wareing was on the

judging panel – along with some of Bateman’s other idols including

Phil Howard, Brett Graham, Bruce Poole, Clare Smyth, Jason Atherton

and Tom Kerridge – made his success in the competition even

sweeter.

“I spent the most time in my career with Marcus [at Petrus] and

to have him judge me after working for him all that time ago was just

fantastic.

“In fact, the judging panel was incredible for this competition:

to win a competition with those people judging is like a dream come

true, it’s phenomenal. They are the people that everyone in this

industry admires, looks up to, and aspires to be like.”

It was Bateman’s second attempt at taking the title after making

it through to the finals last year.

He’d been mentally preparing and planning for the 2014

competition ever since – well, as much as he could do without

knowing what ingredients he would have to cook with in the final; the

mystery basket of ingredients was revealed to Bateman and the other

seven finalists a week before the contest at The Restaurant Show at

Earls Court.

Bateman believes his experience of being in the final last year

put him at a slight advantage over his rivals.

“It was a fantastic final line up of chefs competing, so to say I

was confident wouldn’t be right, but I knew if I did what I could do, I

would do well.

“I think the experience of the first competition taught me that

I shouldn’t be elaborate or complex, but to keep it simple,” says

Bateman.

So for his starter he chose to do an oyster panna cotta with

scallop and apple tartare and a chilled celeriac consommé, a dish

which was the culmination of some degree of strategic thinking.

“The judges are tasting eight different people’s dishes and it can

get a bit too much, so what you really want is something vibrant and

fresh, and cold often delivers that to the palette,” explains Bateman.

“It had to be a seafood starter so I decided to do something

really fresh, really clean and clear. I wanted it to sing of the sea: when

you put the spoon in your mouth it’s like you’re in the harbour and the

boats are just coming in.”

“ I think a lot of chefs don’t eat out, but

it’s inspirational, it’s refreshing, it’s

reinvigorating when you eat at someone

else’s restaurant. “

RUSSELL BATEMAN

His main course of toasted veal sweetbreads seasoned with

garam masala and served with saag aloo (“I used turnip instead of

potato to tie in with the garam masala so it was more harmonious”)

was equally designed to resonate with the judging panel.

“My thought process behind it was that chefs love offal, and

sweetbreads are invariably a favourite, plus everyone loves a good

curry because it’s packed full of flavour.

“If you use curry spices in the right way, you can offer more

flavour from simplicity,” says Bateman.

Dessert, which had to be made using chocolate from the

Cacao Barry range, was a take on Bateman’s favourite sweet treat,

a rocky road; his elegant, highly technical version consisted of a

milk chocolate ganache, frozen dark chocolate mousse, whipped

white chocolate flavoured with cinnamon, fig and port purée, and

marshmallows made with port.

“Whenever I go to Starbucks I just love a rocky road with my cup

of tea. I love the difference in textures – it’s soft, chewy, crunchy –

and the chocolatey and fruity flavours,” says Bateman.

“I wanted all those flavours and contrasting textures in my

dessert. I wanted a chilled element too, so I made a dark chocolate

mousse, piped it and froze it, which was much safer in a competition

than making an ice cream or sorbet.”

Both Bateman’s winning starter and dessert now feature on

the menu at Colette’s, and they’re already proving a real hit with

customers.

“We had some regulars who came in twice last week and,

although it’s not advertised on the menu that these are my

competition dishes, both times they ordered the oyster pannacotta

and the rocky road dessert and they said they were two of the best

dishes they had ever had,” says Bateman proudly.

“I think that the competition has helped me as a cook in

general because it’s made me focus on simplicity and flavour and not

elaborateness.

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Continued over ...

40 | CHEF TALK

“I think before, and certainly when you’re younger this tends to

happen, I tried to impress people by doing too much on a plate, when

really what this job is about is taking a prime ingredient and making the

best of it but keeping it simple.”

Working at The Grove, where Bateman has now been for five

years (“the longest I’ve ever been in a job”), he certainly has easy access

to some superb ingredients.

The walled garden in the grounds of the hotel produces a

bounty of fruits and vegetables for the kitchen, including “amazing

summer berries and the most wonderful flavoured herbs I’ve ever

tasted”.

“It certainly helps that we pick them and eat them, whereas

when you buy herbs from a supplier they’re probably two days old

before you get them – freshness is key,” adds Bateman.

That particular lesson – freshness is key – is one that was

actually learnt very early on in Bateman’s life: his grandfather grew

some of his own vegetables and a six-year-old Bateman remembers

picking and eating runner beans, beetroot, radishes and tomatoes

at their peak of freshness and flavour. Add to that the fact that his

grandfather brewed his own ale and his grandmother baked all her

own bread, and the seeds of his future career were already sewn.

“I knew I wanted to be a chef from a very, very young age. Like

any kid I went through my phases of wanting to be a footballer, racing

car driver or boxer, but then I realised I had a passion for food and that

I could earn a living from that,” recalls Bateman.

“I was sent by my school on a work experience placement

in a hotel kitchen and that was it, there was no chance I was doing

anything else after those two weeks.

“At a young age it was just awe inspiring: the skill, the love that

people were putting into what they were doing – it was manual but

it wasn’t laborious. The atmosphere in the kitchen was fantastic and

there was a really great camaraderie. It just cemented for me what I

wanted to do.”

“ That’s absolutely true of Nico – he loves

eating, he loves food. I already had that

passion too, but it definitely grew during my

time with Nico “

RUSSELL BATEMAN

And still to this day Bateman can’t think of anything he’d rather

be doing than working every day in his kitchen – apart, that is, from

eating out in other chefs’ restaurants.

“When you start earning a living as a chef you’re consumed by it,

it’s everything. But I love eating out as well.

“I think a lot of chefs don’t eat out, but it’s inspirational, it’s

refreshing, it’s reinvigorating when you eat at someone else’s

restaurant,” he enthuses.

So has Bateman eaten any memorable meals lately?

It’s not as easy now that he has an 18-month-old son, but he still

tries to get out as much as possible.

“Alyn Williams at The Westbury is a beautiful restaurant and he’s

a fantastic chef and a really, really nice man – I used to work with

him with Marcus Wareing. Tom Kerridge’s Hand and Flowers is always

fantastic – he’s a great guy and it’s a great place with a great vibe,” says

Bateman.

“However, I often end up going to my friends’ restaurants like

Bubbledogs [in Fitzrovia] and The Artichoke [in Amersham].”

And the importance for a chef of getting out of the kitchen and

into the dining room is something else Bateman learned from one of

his past employers.

“Marco Pierre White once said about Nico Ladenis that he was

the only true gastronome he knew, because he believed as much in

eating as he believed in cooking,” says Bateman. “That’s absolutely true

of Nico – he loves eating, he loves food. I already had that passion too,

but it definitely grew during my time with Nico.

“When you’re in the kitchen all the time it’s easy to forget what’s

happening on the other side of the door, where it’s so much fun and

people use a meal out to share a special occasion or to relax. “It’s

important to get yourself out there and do what the guests are doing,

and bring the joy back into your life.”

Continued over ...

42 | CHEF TALK 4342 | CHEF TALK

ROCKY ROAD

By Russell Bateman

INGREDIENTS

whipped white chocolate: 175g boiled double cream 75g white chocolate 1 cinnamon stickPinch of Maldon

chocolate mousse:100g Madirofolo 65% 25g sugar 3 egg yolks3 egg whites 50g sugar50g double cream

almond tuille:75g sugar 75g glucose75g roasted crushed almonds 25g almonds in the pan with left over caramel

Ghana ganache:100g Ghana chocolate 40% 125g double cream 40g butter

fig purée:160g fig 50g Port10g glucose50g water

Port marshmallow:125g sugar 10g Port10g iced water 2 leaves gelatine30g egg whites

yoghurt jelly:100g Greek yoghurt 100ml milk 20g sugar10g iced water 2 leaves gelatine

METHOD

whipped white chocolate:1. Bring cream and cinnamon

to the boil pass through a fine sieve onto the chocolate and salt.

2. Lightly mix together3. Leave to chill on ice in fridge.4. Once chilled whisk to a soft

peak.

chocolate mousse: 1. Melt the Madirofolo chocolate

in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

2. Once melted, off the heat, whisk in the egg yolks and sugar.

3. In an electric mixer make a French meringue using the egg whites and remaining sugar.

4. Separately, soft whip the double cream.

5. Beat one third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture.

6. Once fully incorporated, fold in the remaining meringue then fold the cream into the chocolate mixture and place in a piping bag to set in the fridge.

7. Once set pipe small dots onto a tray and freeze. Use as necessary.

almond tuille: 1. Bake the almonds in the oven

until golden brown.2. Place the glucose and the

sugar into a dry, heavy bottom pan and take to a light caramel.

3. Once at the light caramel stage, pour out onto a non-stick baking mat to set.

4. Add 25g of almonds to the remaining caramel in the pan.

5. Stir until coated and pour onto a separate mat.

6. Once the first caramel is set, place into a blender with the remaining nuts and blitz to a fine powder.

7. Dust this powder over a non-stick tray and bake in the oven at 170°C for 6 minutes.

8. Once out, cut to required shape with a metal ring.

Ghana ganache: 1. Bring the cream to the boil

and pour over the chocolate.2. Stir the cream and chocolate

together until fully incorporated.

3. Stir in the butter, thoroughly.4. Once the butter has been

completely absorbed by the chocolate mix, pour into rings to set.

fig purée: 1. Place everything into a pan

and cook down until figs are soft and glazed.

2. Place in a food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Remove and pass through a fine sieve.

Port marshmallow: 1. Soak the gelatine in ice water.2. Place the egg whites into an

electric whisk bowl and slowly whisk.

3. While the whites are whisking add the water, port and sugar to a heavy bottom pan.

4. Take the sugar mix to 127°C then remove from the heat and add the gelatine.

5. Pour, in a slow drizzle, into your egg whites, whilst still whisking.

6. Continue whisking until room temperature, then place into a piping bag.

7. Pipe onto a non-stick tray and leave at room temperature to set.

yoghurt jelly: 1. Soak the gelatine in iced

water.2. Bring the milk and sugar to

the boil and pour onto the yoghurt then whisk together thoroughly.

3. Mix the gelatine into the yoghurt mixture, and pour onto a tray to set in the fridge.

4. Once set dice the jelly.

NEW FOODSBob Salmon looks at some of the effects of the current

revision of the EU Novel Foods Regulation.

HEALTH & SAFETY

44

ister found that germs on people

coming into his hospital made

even patients unwell, so he sprayed

everyone coming through the

doors with phenol (carbolic acid).

Infection in the hospital dropped dramatically,

but the procedure had an unfortunate effect

on visitors. Dr Lister’s intention was good,

but luckily we have found alternative ways of

combating infections since his day.

So what is a “novel food”?The regulation EC 258/97 defines it as

one that has not been “used for human

consumption to a significant degree within

the EU before 15 May 1997”. That includes

genetically modified ingredients and other

new foods as specified in the regulation

text. But of course the definition includes

traditional foods imported from countries

outside the EU. The system is obviously

not working as there have only been 33

applications approved since 1997, and a

glance around many food shops exposes the

word “new” on many labels. They proposed

an amended regulation in 2008 but could not

agree it, because of how to label meat from

cloned animals, so currently there is some

debate and new regulations are on the way

Let us be clear on what a ‘novel food’

is. It is not a new way of serving traditional

products. So curry flavoured ice cream would

not be a novel food. A ‘novel food’ is an

ingredient that has not been used in Europe

to a significant extent. There was a case

recently when an application was made for a

product that has been used in cosmetics but

was being proposed for use in a food. After a

number of years of work by the officials, it was

found they were looking at a slightly different

product and so had to start all over again.

The answer should have been to market the

product as a food ingredient outside Europe

for a while then, the regulation says, there

is a minimal approval system. On the other

hand they have also said that “the fact that a

food has been consumed for many years in

another country should not be assumed to

mean it is safe”. They still need approval. The

regulation talks about nano and GM products.

So rest assured that your original creations

using accepted ingredients and served to

customers do not breach the regulation. Chia

seeds, stevia leaves and mesquite are novel

but ginseng and Goji berries are not. Neither

are insects and whole animals as they were

not included in the 1997 text. You can find out

more at www.food.gov.uk/science/novel/faqs

 

Costs to businessDiscussion at the European Parliament in early

October saw allegations that the regulation

stymied development of new products in

Europe. Now this could be true, as even the

proposed rules say you must submit your

product to EFSA (who will take no more than

nine months to do an assessment) following

which, the European Commission would

need a further nine months to prepare their

proposal which would be sent to a “Standing

Committee” for ratification. There is no time

limit for ratification. This nativity type delay will

put many producers off as they will be worried

that someone else could copy their ideas

while this process is going on. Remember

a producer has paid a lot to develop new a

product and he wants to reap the benefits

from that research himself. Government

testing facilities may not be commercially

secure. It is no surprise that research and

development expenditure in the food

manufacturing industry is quoted at only 1.5%.

Where you get statements in the regulation

that say “The Commission shall forward to

member states without delay a copy of the

summary provided by the applicant....” you

can anticipate publicity.

 

Should assessment be centralised?The proposal for a central assessment place

for the whole of Europe may be attractive to

bureaucrats. But is it necessary? Why cannot

member state authorities do the assessment

for one of their companies and then tell the

other member states that the new stuff is safe.

All the regulation demands is that any new

stuff is “safe” – although it does add that it

should not mislead consumers and should

be properly labelled. As these requirements

are reproduced in the general food safety

rules and the labelling rules, there seems to

be some duplication here. The word “stuff”

may need some clarification. The regulation

actually excludes things like food additives

and flavourings but does include foods or

ingredients that have been produced by a new

production process.

 

So is there really a need for a revised Novel Foods Regulation?

We have made significant progress since

Lister’s time, but are we now just as guilty of

overkill as he was in his hospital? In fact we

now use the aliphatic – not the aromatic –

hydroxide for sterilisation. It does not smell

so much and, anyway, many people drink

it. Then is there really a significant risk from

new products? Surely the hazard of ‘damages’

or ‘compensation’ if a firm gets their new

product wrong is enough to stimulate

comprehensive testing before the product is

ever publicised? Then all the local authority

has to do is to check the firm’s research – If

that is satisfactory, then the European Food

Safety Authority (EFSA) can tell all the other

member states. Earlier this year the UK FSA

closed its door to applications but had to

open it again a few weeks later from demand.

They do not publish a list of applications.

Could even EFSA cope, when they currently

have 2165 health and nutrition claims to

sort out? You can find out more at www.

foodregsmonitor.org about what we are

trying to do with your help.

 At the recent discussion in the

European Parliament, some doubt was

thrown on the assumption that the costs

and delays in achieving authorisation were

really inhibiting innovation and development.

There was a demand for ‘facts’. The fact

that several firms were reluctant to invest in

development, quoting the costs and delays,

may not mean they are a universal deterrent.

It is a fact that only thirty three products being

approved in seventeen years perhaps speaks

for itself. What small business could afford

the proposed procedure? When writing EN

Standards we always pose the question “Have

there been any reports of this happening? If

not then we will not make up rules to prevent

it”. Perhaps someone needs to curb the desire

to keep writing regulations as if they are going

to eliminate all risks. The original text called

for a review not later than 2002 and they are

just doing it in 2014. That says a lot.

 

www.food-solutions.org

“ Let us be clear on what a ‘novel food’ is. It is not a new way of serving traditional products. So curry flavoured ice cream would not be a novel food. A ‘novel food’ is an

ingredient that has not been used in Europe to a significant extent. ”

BOB SALMON

45

Monika Wisniewska/shutterstock.com

An innovative wine event to showcase wines from the southern

hemisphere took place in London in September 2014. The Wines of the

Beautiful South is a partnership event, now in its second year, with a

serious mission. The focus of this trade event was to sell wines from

three countries over two days at the Olympia exhibition centre on

Hammersmith Road.

W I N E S

Martin Kaiser, Viticulturist at Dona Paula

46 47

Continued over ...

OF THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH

he event was co-organised

by three generic bodies,

Wines of Argentina,

Wines of Chile and

Wines of South Africa.

Winery representatives,

winemakers, viticulturists

and sales people from all three countries

travelled en masse to London to sell their

wines. Argentina was well represented with 70

participating wineries; Chile had 67 and South

Africa topped the bill with a whopping 130

wineries, a reflection of the global importance

of the UK market.

At the show, I met Siobhan Thompson

the new CEO of WOSA (Wines of South

Africa) for an overview about the market

and this event. Siobhan succeeded Su

Birch (2003-2014) as Director of WOSA in

November 2013, having previously worked for

twelve years for Distill, one of South Africa’s

biggest wine companies, as a marketing and

brand manager.

Siobhan told me that the recovery for

South African wine in the UK is definitely

starting to happen. It is driven by premium

his life’s passions. In July 1974, he set up a

travel business in Twickenham, specialising

in sport related travel. His company grew

into the world’s largest sports tour operators

handing more than 12,500 passengers a

year. In November 2008 after nearly 35 years

in the travel trade, he sold the company

and purchased a 400 acre farm in Voor

Paardeberg, in Paarl in South Africa’s Western

Cape. His premium South African wine is now

available in the UK.

Doran’s style is to focus on the quality

of their fruit, this combined with judicious

use of oak, means that the wines have great

length and style. His 2013 Doran Vineyard

Chenin Blanc made from old bush vines won

a Silver Medal at the 2014 Decanter awards

and is a fine example of what South African

Chenin is capable of. This is an elegant

wine with lots of mineral character on the

nose and palate but with tons of fruit and

zesty lively freshness that will appeal to the

consumer who loves acidity. This is new style

South Africa, merging old world with new to

create wines that can be confidently added to

any restaurant wine list.

wineries doing a lot of focussed work on

the UK market. South African producers are

working hard to sell their quality wines in

the mid to upper price category. The market

figures indicates this is starting to happen

with UK sales figures for the third quarter

to September 2014 showing sales of South

African wine in the UK on-trade growing in

value by +2%. Source: WSTA Market Report

Sept 2014.

With white wine sales accounting

for 54% of the colour category in terms

of on-trade, this augurs well for South

Africa who have a comprehensive range

of white varietals such as Chenin Blanc,

Semillion, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc

as well as good quality sparkling wines all

of which offer a point of difference, which

is an important factor for any innovative

restaurant wine list.

A case in point is Doran Vineyards, a

small boutique producer of South African

wine, who commutes between South Africa

and Middlesex. Edwin Doran was born in

Ireland and went to Belvedere College where

he was first introduced to sport, one of

Another South African star is Paul Cluver

Wines, another family estate with a very

interesting back story. Paul Cluver established

the estate in Elgin Valley where he pioneered

winemaking in this small cool climate region.

With a strong ethical focus which began in

the 1960’s the estate pioneered fair trade

principals long before they were fashionable

and through turbulent times in South Africa.

Today the wine estate is all about conversation

and has been awarded Biodiversity in Wine

Champion status.

Other awards include Drinks Business

Green Award Lifetime Achievement and

Nedbank Green award for Best Environmental

Farming Practises. Paul Cluver’s wines are

stunning and would be an asset on any list.

The white wines in the range include 2014

Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc made from

86% Sauvignon Blanc and 14% Semillon with

lovely green asparagus aromas but with subtle

mineral tones. The quality is excellent and this

will definitely appeal to the customer who

loves good quality acidic white wines. The

2014 Paul Cluver Riesling is another star,

bone dry it is very fruit forward and the palate

is marked by a crisp acidity with tones of

underlying lemon/lime fruit. Paul Cluver wines

are distributed in the UK by Seckford Agencies.

Turning next to Chile at one of the

innovative themed tables (there were four)

called Tales of the Unexpected, I tasted a few

very different wine styles which prove that

Chile can innovate with the best. A Sauvignon

Gris from Vina Leyda was really wonderful.

There is great debate as to which came first,

Sauvignon Gris or Sauvignon Blanc, both are

of the same parentage with the Gris showing

slightly more refined acidity. Vina Leyda is

part of the VSPT Wine Group (Vina San Pedro)

distributed in the UK by Bibendum Wine.

The 2013 Vina Leyda Single Vineyard

Kadun Sauvignon Gris a whole new take

on Sauvignon Gris and shows the superb

quality of fruit this emerging Chilean cool

climate region is capable of producing.

This Sauvignon Gris has more rounded fruit

flavours and is less acidic than its more

popular cousin. With sales of Sauvignon

increasing by +10% overall on the UK market,

the demand for this wine style shows little

sign of abating.

Siobhan Thompson, CEO of

WOSA (Wines of South Africa)

48 | WINES

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.winesofthebeautifulsouth.com

Andrew Maidment:

amaidment@winesofargentina.com

Anita Jackson:

Anita@winesofchile.org.uk

www.winesofchile.org

Jo Wehring:

jo@winesofsa.com

www.doranvineyards.co.za

www.seckfordagencies.co.uk

www.libertywines.co.uk

www.berkmann.co.uk

www.bottlegreenwines.com

www.hallgartendruit.co.uk

Cabernet Franc also proved its

credentials on the Tales of the Unexpected

table, the 2012 Santa Rita Floresta Cabernet

Franc from their top quality Pumanque

vineyard in Colchagua Valley was simply

outstanding, proving that as a single varietal

this grape variety holds enormous potential

for Chile. Santa Rita is available from

Berkmann Wine Cellars.

Another name to watch from Chile is

Anakena, a relatively new winery whose MD

Ricardo Letelier was formerly head of Wines

of Chile. Anakena is distributed by Bottle

Green.

They have some outstanding wines in

their range including the 2012 Tama Viognier

from Cachapoal Valley, the 2013 Enco Pinot

Noir from Leyda, which shows that Leyda

is also the go to region for cool climate red

grapes. Anakena also had a very well made

blended red wine the 2011 ONA made from

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Carmenere

and 20% Syrah which although young, is

showing its class. They also had a late harvest

wine made from a blend of 85% Viognier and

15% Gewurztrainer the 2012 Anakena Late

Harvest, lots of lime marmalade flavours, just

made to go with blue cheese.

In keeping with the point of difference

theme and Chilean wine, honourable mention

to Montes who are innovating and sourcing

wines from cooler more far flung regions

to the north and south of the central valley.

Carlos Serrano Export Director with Montes

Wines took me through their Outer Limits

range. This new wine range features wines

from outside Colchagua Valley where the

Montes winery is based.

Their 2014 Montes Outer Limits

Sauvignon Blanc is made from fruit grown in

Aconcagua. They also have a good Sauvignon

from Leyda and an excellent Pinot Noir from

Aconcagua. The stand out wine for me was

the 2014 Montes Outer Limits Cinsault made

from fruit grown in Itata which is about as

far south as you can go in terms of wine

regions in Chile. This wine is made from 100

year old vines and although rustic in style has

enormous concentration and is a very refined

and very well made wine. Put this on your list

and watch the wine enthusiasts snap it up.

Montes is distributed by Liberty Wines.

Argentina is currently enjoying double

digit growth in the on trade with figures

to Sept 2014 showing an increase of +12%

for sales of its wines. Argentina by country

of origin in the on-trade is currently in 8th

position but growing fast.

On day two of the show I met with

Martin Kaiser who is the Viticulturist at Dona

Paula one of Argentina’s top wineries. Martin

gave a technical presentation on the effects

that soil structure and topography have

on flavour profiles of Malbec from specific

regions in Mendoza. Although Argentina

has a continental climate there are two key

factors that impact on the quality of their fruit

and they are latitude and altitude. Altitude in

Mendoza varies from 600 metres to 1,500

metres above sea level. The higher the

altitude of the vineyard the cooler the region.

For every 165 metre increase the average

temperature of the vineyard decreased by

1 degree.

We tasted a range of Malbecs from

the Dona Paula Estate, focussing first on the

different vineyard altitudes. In the cooler

regions the tannin is more apparent in the

warmer regions the tannin and spice are

enhanced. It soon became apparent that the

higher you go the more structure you find

and the greater the acidity. Martin carried out

the same blind tasting process, though this

time with a focus on different soil structures

from areas such as Rivadavia, Santa Maria,

Guatallary and Uco Valley. Again, a very clear

distinction could be found in terms of the

descriptors used, where there was more sand

and loam soil the red fruit was enhanced and

clay soil gave the black fruit more focus.

Back at the Dona Paula stand I tasted

the 2014 Los Cardos Malbec from Lujan de

Cuyo a warmer region. Here the red fruit and

spice stood out in what was a very well made

wine. The 2013 Dona Paula Estate Malbec

from Uco Valley was all spice and black fruit,

this barrel aged wine shows why Argentina is

fast increasing its market share. Dona Paula

is distributed by Hallgarten Druitt & Novum

Wines.

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5150 51

FRONT OF HOUSE

asciaga is a true master of the art of service, so you may think it’s not

before time that he’s published a book through which to share his

philosophy and passion. However, ‘The Diego Masciaga Way’, published

this month (November), wasn’t his idea at all; in fact, Masciaga had never

even considered writing a book until he was approached by business

consultant and author Chris Parker, who, unbeknownst to him, had been

observing the maestro at work. “Chris gave me a call one morning and said he’d been to the

Waterside Inn a few times and he’d love to write a book about me,” recalls the silver haired,

sharp-suited Italian. “I had to ask Monsieur Roux first, but I agreed on one condition – that Chris

didn’t even ask me about names of guests or gossip, because that’s not me. He said all he wanted

to write about was my philosophy on performance and service, but general service, not just in

restaurants and hotels.”

Masciaga, who has been the front of house face of Michel and Alain Roux’s Waterside Inn

in Bray, Berkshire, since 1988, was happy with that proposition, and over a period of about 18

months, through regular meetings with Parker (“who was able to read inside my mind”), the book

gradually came to fruition.

The end result is both a tribute to Masciaga’s character and pursuit of professional

excellence (there are heartwarming endorsements from the likes of Heston Blumenthal, Michel

Roux and entrepreneur Peter Jones), and an indispensable manual for anyone working in a

customer facing role. Indeed, before the book had even hit the shelves, Masciaga says it was

attracting interest from multinational companies keen to apply its lessons – covering recruitment

and training, leadership, delivering outstanding service and maintaining consistency – to staff in

their own businesses outside of the hospitality arena.

Masciaga says: “The key business message in the book is that

if you deliver good customer service, people will come back to you

because you’ve gained their trust and, of course, your revenue will

go up.”

Although he is thrilled the book is attracting wide interest in

the business world, his biggest hope is that it will become a useful

reference for hospitality students. “My dream is that some catering

school or university might like the book and use it a little bit for their

students.

“If some young waiters just entering the profession just read a

little bit, then maybe they will understand what is service; technique

is technique, but if you don’t have the right attitude, if you don’t get

pleasure from pleasing people, you won’t deliver good service.”

He adds: “One of the hardest things with service is that you

have to perform 100 per cent every day. Sometimes in my life I’ve had

difficulties at home, but when I enter The Waterside the actor has to

perform – the clients are not here to know my problems, they are here

to have a good time, and so I have to be very positive 100 per cent of the time.”

'The Diego Masciaga Way – Lessons From The Master of Customer Service' is available from

Amazon, Waterstones, Daunt Books, Foyles, the Waterside Inn shop and Wordery.com

Diego Masciaga:master of his art

For those in the hospitality business, the name needs no introduction:

Diego Masciaga OMRI, MCA, longstanding maitre d’ (and director) at the

Waterside Inn – the only restaurant in the UK to have held three Michelin

stars for over 25 years – is a front-of-house legend.

“ Technique is technique,

but if you don’t have

the right attitude, if

you don’t get pleasure

from pleasing people,

you won’t deliver good

service. “

DIEGO MASCIAGA

EGG: A CULINARY EXPLORATION OF THE WORLD’S MOST VERSATILE INGREDIENTby Michael RuhlmanJaqui Small £25Publication date March 2014ISBN: 978 1 909342 85 9

For Michael Ruhlman, the question is not whether the chicken or the egg came first, it’s how anything could be accomplished in the kitchen without the magic of the common egg. He starts with perfect poached and scrambled eggs and builds up to brioche and Italian meringue. Along the way readers learn to make their own mayonnaise, pasta, custards, quiches, cakes, and other preparations that rely fundamentally on the hidden powers of the egg.

A unique framework for the book is provided in Ruhlman’s egg flowchart, which starts with the whole egg at the top and branches out to describe its many uses and preparations - boiled, pressure-cooked, poached, fried, coddled, separated, worked into batters and doughs, and more. A removable illustrated flowchart is included with the book.

BACON – RECIPES FOR CURING, SMOKING AND EATINGby Theresa GilliamJaqui Small LLP £25.00Publication date October 2014ISBN: 978 1 909342 78 1

Bacon every which way, whatever time of day. A collection of recipes from the conventional, to the experimental and slightly whacky – bacon baklava – all with one common ingredient.... bacon. Theresa Gilliam brings us dishes that challenge the perception that the best way to eat bacon is in a sandwich for breakfast, opening up a whole array of flavour combinations – whatever time of day it may be – even a bacon Manhattan....

WILD FRUIT - A FIELD GUIDE TO BRITAIN AND EUROPEby Alain & Marie-Jeanne GeneveTimber Press £20.00Publication date September 2014ISBN: 978 1 604695 86 1

One for the foragers, this book details 220 species of wild fruit and berries in the UK and around Europe, with plant descriptions, medicinal notes, nutritional values and 20 or so recipes.

THE BEEF CLUBby Olivier Bon, Pierre-Charles & Romee GoriainoffHardie Grant Books £25Publication date October 2014ISBN: 978 1 742708 03 4

The trio behind the Experimental Group have collaborated with their Head Chef at The Beef Club in Paris, Stephane Cunin, to produce this

collection of classic dishes and cocktails with a contemporary touch. From the perfect barbequed steak, whatever cut you may prefer, and numerous sauces to accompany it, through a sea bass ceviche, udders tongue and tripe to scones and rum babas, all rounded off with

an eclectic collection of cocktails – this book offers something whatever your skill level may be. Simple layout and atmospheric photography.

COOKING THE BOOKS

This issue we look at two books

devoted to single ingredients: ‘egg’

– considered to be the world’s most

versatile ingredient – and ‘bacon’ –

apparently more versatile than you

may have thought....

We also have the first book from

Masterchef’s Adam Handling

and a homage to beef (and other

ingredients) in a book from the team

behind The Beef Club in Paris.

Our pick of the issue is Hidden

Chefs – a collection of recipes from

the chefs of Restaurant Associates.

SMILE OR GET OUT OF THE KITCHENby Adam HandlingMeze Publishing £25.00Publication date Sept 2014ISBN: 978 0 9928981 2 0

Launched to coincide with the opening of his restaurant at Caxton, Adam Handling’s book centres on his flair for unusual combinations of classic ingredients, often with an Asian twist. ‘My dishes have to be tasty – I want diners to be knocked over by the flavours from their first mouthful of food.’

Each with a ‘taste profile’, the 70 or so recipes of starters, veg, fish, meat and desserts illustrate Handling’s understanding of ingredients, flavours and balance.

Clearly laid out and and well photographed with a foreword by Monica Galetti – ‘He was, for me always, the one to watch!’.

53

MY TOP SIX FAVOURITE

RESTAURANTS

GILLES BRAGARD

Founder of the Club

des chefs des chefs

Author of Chefs des Chefs

(Editions du moment NOV 2013)

In no particular order

6 P I P E R N OSuperb and generous roman

cuisine is found in this

traditional trattoria, located in

the Ghetto near Trastevere:

Artichokes “a la judia”, Tripes

“a la romana”, beef tail … and

a beautiful selection of pasta!

A very friendly atmosphere in

one of the oldest restaurants

in Rome, which is a favorite

destination of many roman

families and a “monument” of

traditional Italian cuisine.

Monte dé Cenci, 9 Roma

ristorantepiperno.it

L’A M I J E A NIn an authentic 195O’s bistro,

chef owner, Stephane JEGO,

in his kitchen open to the

dining room, is cooking, with

love and originality, traditional

french dishes as well as creative

dishes. The products chosen

by Stephane JEGO are selected

from the best products of the

french “terroir” and respect

the seasons. L’Ami Jean is

an absolute must for the

“Bistronomy” in Paris.

27, rue Malar 75007 Paris, France

lamijean.fr

A L A I N D U C A S S E AT T H E D O R C H E S T E RAlain DUCASSE at The

DORCHESTER: two names

which make you dream: a

superb restaurant and an

outstanding “cuisine”, which

privileges the products. Chef

Jocelyn Herland is working

wonders, and the service is

excellent – that combination

makes, for me, the best

gastronomic restaurant of

London and one of the best

showcases of Alain DUCASSE.

The Dorchester, Park Lane,

London W1K 1QA

alainducasse-dorchester.com

H A K K A S A NMy favorite “asian” restaurant

in Europe. The combination

of asian flavors and western

touches is a success. The

decor (Christian Liaigre) is

outstanding and creates a

young and friendly atmosphere.

Chef Tong Chee Hwee offers a

wide choice of contemporary

chinese cuisine and very

interesting tasting menus.

Hakkasan Mayfair, 17 Bruton

Street, London W1J 6QB

hakkasan.com

L E B E R N A R D I NMy favorite place in New

York, either for a business

lunch or a family dinner. Eric

Rippert is a fantastic chef –

his cuisine is creative with a

traditional background . For

lovers of fishes  and sea food,

it’s the perfect place: highest

quality ingredients, beautiful

presentation, superb service,

stunning ambiance: all that you

except from a 3 star restaurant.

155 West 51st Street,

New York 10019

le-bernardin.com

M A I S O N B O U L U D AT T H E R I T Z C A R LT O NA very warm atmosphere in

one of the best addresses of

the Daniel BOULUD collection!

Chef Riccardo BERTOLINO

offers a fantastic and traditional

french cuisine, with modern

accents, and excellent local

ingredients. Each dish is

balanced and light with a very

nice  presentation. The desserts

are also excellent and the

service is friendly and efficient.

1228 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest

danielboulud.com/maison-

boulud-montreal

Hakkasan Alain Ducasse

Daniel Boulud

Le Bernardin

© D

anie

l Kri

eg

er

Maison Boulud

© A

lexa

nd

re P

are

nt

© D

anie

l Kri

eg

er

54 55

A cookbook with a difference, this book not only highlights the

chefs in London that you don’t often hear about – the ones that

are keeping the banks, media agencies and law firms supremely

well-fed and watered. But once you start turning the pages, you

realise you’ve discovered a hidden gem. Full of inspiring recipes,

ranging from the more complex in the fine dining chapter to

simpler recipes in the casual dining section.

If you’re an accomplished home cook, ready to raise your

game but 5 or so components in a dish may be a little too far,

the layout makes it easy to select just one element. For example

the tomato crisp garnish on top of the luxurious looking Tomato

salad may be calling out to you, the clear method makes it

straightforward to pick out just that part of the recipe if you

prefer. As Ana Paula Oliver says of her Pistachio cake which has

several delicious serving suggestions, ‘If you want something

simpler just make the cake and serve with one of the creams’.

Of course you can also get your precision kit out and have the

satisfaction of completely immersing yourself in a more intricate

recipe in its entirety.

The photography is stunning, the close up, dramatic shots in

the fine dining section, not only add to the theatre and luxurious

quality of this type of cooking but they also make it easy to see

each component.

This book is more than a collection of recipes; by its nature it

also holds lots of chefs tips and techniques for presentation and

finishing dishes with flair.

As the contributing chefs are often working to larger scale

catering, the recipes surprisingly scale down really well and have

an element of practicality about them. From a keen home cook

to food service professionals this book is a must. Great to have to

hand when you’re searching for that little nugget of inspiration.

Those hidden chefs definitely need to come out more!

PICK OF THE ISSUE

COOKING THE BOOKS

HIDDEN CHEFSby Jeremy FordPublished by Chef MediaPublication date 25th September 2014ISBN: 97811908202192

Sample Spread from Hidden Chefs

THE CHEF MAGAZINE COOKBOOK

£40.00

PROVISIONAL TITLE

RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 2014

32 INSPIRATIONAL CHEFS£30.00

36 INSPIRATIONAL CHEFS£30.00

99 INSPIRATIONAL CHEFS£99.00

CHEFS AT HOME DESSERTS£20.00

PROVISIONAL TITLE

RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 2014

HIDDEN CHEFS OF LONDON£35.00

BREAD BY ARTISAN BAKER THIERRY DUMOUCHEL

£25.00

LA SCALA – ITALIAN RECIPES FROM MAURIZIO MENCONI

£20.00

CAKETAILS – CUPCAKES FOR GROWNUPS

£12.99

NEW RELEASE

NEW RELEASE

AT LAST THE COOKBOOK YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! Chef Magazine are publishing their carefully selected top recipes originally published in Issues 1 to 33.

This compendium of recipes from many of the industries leading lights is a must have addition to any chef's library.

30% discount on all Chef Books!Offer ends soon**Offer ends November 30th 2014

CHEF BOOKS IS A FAST GROWING PUBLISHING

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I ♥ CHOCOLATE£25.00 JOHN SLATTERY’S

CREATIVE CHOCOLATE£25.00

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LANGUAGES)£25.OO

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CHOCOLATE TO SAVOUR£70.00

NIGEL HAWORTH’S OBSESSION£35.00

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RECIPES FROM THE SEA£25.00

ALL BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM

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Chef Education

MattersGARY HUNTER

CHEF TRAINING

58 59

It seems wholly inadequate to attempt to fully discuss the issues

of chef training and education in one article for this magazine.

Although the issue at stake here is as much a problem for the

United Kingdom, it does seem that across the globe there

are differing solutions and answers to the question of how to

adequately train people to become chefs, and go on to further

their education in this line of work.

“ The fact that young cooks

are offered their first head

chef role in their early 20’s

with very limited experience,

based on the fact that they

can produce and present

some food on a plate, does

not prepare them well for a

management role. “

GARY HUNTER

am not sure that anyone has the perfect answer and we need to fully

comprehend the data, research, history and future industry needs before we

can shape the resolution for this challenge.

What needs to be understood is that the current system we have in the

United Kingdom works to a certain point, but is totally ineffective in specific

key areas. The fact that young cooks are offered their first head chef role in

their early 20’s with very limited experience, based on the fact that they can produce

and present some food on a plate, does not prepare them well for a management

role. Over a hundred years ago, Auguste Escoffier, Herman Senn and Cesar Ritz

sat on a committee, in central London, to debate the problem of a lack of school

leavers entering the hospitality industry and the chronic shortage of chefs (have times

changed since then?). Together they formed the first professional culinary school in

the United Kingdom, designed specifically to teach the skills of professional cuisine

and food and beverage service. It is typical of the visionary personality of Escoffier

himself, who quickly embraced this idea as a way to bridge the gap of new recruits to

the industry and was also trained in the art of professional cookery and food service.

Now there are over 190 catering colleges across the country adopting this model,

represented by PACE (Professional Association for Catering Education), and delivering

in excess of 20,000 graduates into the United Kingdom hospitality industry per year.

The further education system works incredibly well across many different

vocational areas and is seemingly used progressively by successive Governments as

a political ‘kitchen-broom’ to brush up the failings of the school education system

and catch those who are unemployed to retrain and adapt to new careers. Colleges

now deliver GCSE qualifications in English and mathematics to those students who

were not able to adequately achieve during their school years – this is alongside their

chosen vocational study of choice. Heavy funding penalties are in place for those

colleges who do not meet the targets in this area, and colleges increasingly have to

deliver this mainstream education alongside chef training, which directly impinges on

teaching hours in the kitchen.

Traineeships and apprenticeships are widely regarded as being the ‘silver bullet’

to end the perceived skills gap for chef training. Germany has long used this successful

system, with apprenticeships taking up to five years to complete, with the industry

working closely with colleges to deliver up to date skills to the benefit of the student,

the longevity of their career and the industry that employs and supports them. Too

often our apprenticeship system is viewed as a short term association – to train

someone to do a job, and not to deliver essential skills any further than the current

kitchen’s menu – however complex or simple that menu is. This is not training for the

benefit of the industry and certainly not the individual and their perceived career. A

long term solution is required that is simple to deliver and is not governed by a poor

funding mechanism that penalises those delivering high standards of training and

education.

Another question is whether the higher education system is failing the

hospitality sector too? Accusatory comments from a well known restaurateur recently

have heralded a few column inches in the trade press. But if you look beyond the

propaganda and ego of this hyperbole, you may well find that this perception is not

wide of the mark. There are currently 61 universities offering hospitality, leisure and

tourism degrees, but very few are culinary based, and none of these universities

is ranked in the United Kingdom top twenty. So where are the solid culinary arts

degrees that deliver highly skilled, business minded, entrepreneurial and free-thinking

graduates to our industry? These same graduates could become the future leaders

of our industry, with the capacity to really drive our economy and agenda to make

our future Governments sit up and take notice of the importance of this professional

hospitality industry. But they will only do so if we truly value education at all its levels

and embrace the concept of a real, and respected, educational progression.

Our university system is still the most highly regarded in the world and we need

some of these top powerhouses of learning to develop culinary degrees to correspond

with their academic rigour and progressive teaching. Maybe this would help put an

end to our young and talented cooks being slaughtered in their first head chef post,

because they do not have the knowledge

to manage people, systems, control costs

and think with a business approach to their

kitchen and restaurant.

To sum up, it is apparent that

our training and education systems for

producing good, qualified graduates for

this industry requires a fresh look and some

serious financial investment from both the

Government and more significantly from the

industry. The role of FE Colleges continues to

be flexible to match the targets of Whitehall

and to try to balance this with the needs of

industry. The apprenticeship scheme requires

a lot of academic input at planning level to

ensure that our apprentices have a ‘career

for life’ as opposed to a ‘job for now’. Too

many self appointed committees with vested

interests are determining the future of this

training programme without engaging the

silent majority of the industry, or the people

who deliver education.

To also have a top British university

plan, and establish a faculty in culinary arts

– to deliver the kind of entrepreneurial and

free-thinking spirit that ensures we continue

to dominate the world in engineering, the

sciences and the arts – would lead the way

for other higher education institutes to

connect with. I regularly engage with some of

the reputable universities currently delivering

these types of skills in Switzerland, Korea

and the USA. I know that we can deliver a far

better education – to also be the envy of the

world – and deliver a new found regard and

respect for this industry as a viable career

option, one that is progressive, supportive and

rewarding.

Find your next chef job with us

Visit us at www.chefquick.co.uk to find out more and to see the latest chef jobs from

across the UK

A fresh approach to chef recruitment

Join us @chefquick1 on TwitterCall us on 0141 413 4133

Get in touch via jobs@chefquick.co.uk

CHEF NEWS | 61

HILTON BIRMINGHAM METROPOLE SAVES 35% IN ENERGY WITH RATIONAL COMBI STEAMERSSelfCookingCenter’s user-friendly technology improves what we do.”

Catering for an 800 bedroom

hotel, with over 30 function and

conference rooms hosting a

stream of events for up to 1400

guests, means the 70 chefs at the

Hilton Birmingham Metropole

must be amongst the busiest in

the UK. 

Recently, Executive

Chef Paul Taylor replaced

some old combi steamers

with six of the latest Rational

SelfCookingCenters, for the

banqueting kitchen. He was so

impressed that, when it came to

replacing the combination ovens

in the lounge area kitchen, he

chose SelfCookingCenters again. 

The SelfCookingCenters

were installed by Fatboys

Catering of Stratford-upon-Avon. 

“The Rationals help us

with the sheer volume of what

we do – we can have lunch and

dinner for 900, on top of the day

to day workload of the hotel,”

says Paul. “We use them for a

huge variety of foods, too, from

buffets for hundreds to single

a la carte dishes. They deliver

quality, quantity, consistency and

evenness of cooking.” 

Breakfast is a case in

point. The SelfCookingCenter

5 Senses has a feature called

iLevelControl. This allows

different products to be cooked

at the same time, easily and with

no transfer of flavour. 

Paul says that the range of

accessories that Rational offers

makes a big impact, too. The

MultiBaker tray combined with

Rational’s ‘fry eggs’ automatic

cooking process means chefs

can prepare up to 80 fried

eggs in just 90 seconds in one

combi. “It’s quicker and easier

than cooking on the stove and

the results are excellent. 

“We cook up to 1500

portions of hash browns every

day for breakfast. We used to

deep fry them, now we use

the Rational and the CombiFry

basket. They come out very

good, crisp and not at all greasy. 

Energy efficiency is a key

buying criteria for the Hilton

Birmingham Metrolpole and

the SelfCookingCenters are

delivering big savings. “We ran

tests that showed a 35% cut

in energy consumption with

the Rationals,” says Paul. “We

also get big savings in water

consumption, compared to our

old combis.” 

Another efficiency comes

from greater yield from food.

“We use the food probe and

Rational’s pre-programmed

processes to slow cook joints.

The temperature accuracy

ensures consistency and the yield

is higher.”

With so much banqueting

at the hotel, Rational’s Finishing

feature is a big bonus. “With

plated meals, we use Finishing

to regen and the results are

excellent, with no drying out or

condensation issues.” 

For information and

brochures, or to arrange to come

to a free SelfCookingCenter®

5 Senses ‘Rational CookingLive’

seminar, contact your dealer,

freephone Rational UK on

0800 389 2944 or see www.

myrational.co.uk. For product

and company information visit

www.rational-UK.com. Visit the

iPhone app store for the Rational

SCC Expert App. 

he winner receives a career

changing opportunity: an all

expenses paid, three-month

stage at a 3 Michelin starred

restaurant of their choosing

anywhere in the world, as well

as many unique prizes all related to food and

hospitality.

Entrants must be in full-time

employment as a chef in the UK and be aged

22 or above, but no older than 30 on 1st

February 2015. They have until midnight on

Friday 30th January 2015 to submit a recipe

to serve four people, using: Two whole

guinea fowl, with or without giblets, weighing

anywhere between 1.2kg – 1.6 kg plus 200g

chicken livers, trimmed; served together,

plated and accompanied by two garnishes.

One garnish must include spinach leaves and

the other to be a garnish of your choice. A

sauce must accompany the dish.

Do you know the next Roux Scholar?

Important note: Entrants are not

allowed to use or bring any pre-prepared

stock or sauce whatsoever for the meat or

vegetable dish, and none will be provided.

Full details can be found in the rules on the

website which competitors must read before

entering.

Full details of the competition, rules and

the entry process are available on the website

www.rouxscholarship.co.uk

Michel Roux Jr: “Guinea fowl is one of

the most delicious treats when cooked with

care and imagination, likewise the chicken

livers can be an extravagance or disaster! I

can't wait to see what the chefs are going

to come up with. We are looking for an

imaginative recipe, respecting the ingredients,

delivering flavour and flair.”

Alain Roux: “We love the flavour and

taste of guinea fowl that lies somewhere

between chicken and the gaminess of

pheasant. The key will be to cook it perfectly,

which will be a test for the chefs, to avoid

The Roux family has revealed the details of the 2015 Roux Scholarship competition.

THE ROUX SCHOLARSHIP

Tom Barnes, The Roux Scholarship winner 2014

a dry, tough result through overcooking. I

eagerly anticipate the 2015 competition.”

The judges joining Michel and Albert

Roux and their sons Alain and Michel Jr this

year include: Andrew Fairlie, the first scholar

to win the competition and top chefs: Angela

Hartnett, James Martin, David Nicholls, Gary

Rhodes and Brian Turner.

The judges will select the best 18 recipes

from those submitted. These contestants

will be invited to cook their dish, along with

a mystery box dessert challenge at regional

finals to be held in Birmingham and London

on Thursday 12th March 2015.

The final will be held in London on

Monday 30th March 2015 and the winner

will be announced at a prestigious award

ceremony at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel,

Hyde Park that same evening.

60

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...To take the next step and publish your passion

please contact peter marshall at

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62 | CHEF NEWS

The programme involves Chefs delivering a

demonstration to a class group, engaging

with students to help prepare and cook dishes

and providing Learning Bites that support the

curriculum with topics relating specifically to

the Hospitality Industry.

“FutureChef prepares young people for

quality work and life after school by providing

employment and education opportunities in

the industry, transferable skills training, with

ongoing coaching and support.” Eddie Ward,

Mentor Chef, BaxterStorey

Chefs it is imperative to do your part to

help your industry. As we know the Chef’s

role is the biggest skill lacked in the industry

so now is your chance to inspire the future

generation and the future of your business!

“I entered FutureChef because it was

an amazing opportunity for young people

like me to learn and showcase my skills

such as learning how to butcher a chicken,

and it opened a door for me to start my

career in hospitality.” Anna Carmichael, 2014

Springboard’s FutureChef winner

In order to get involved in Springboard’s

FutureChef – to inspire the next generation

and fulfil your talent pipeline visit:

Futurechef.uk.net

CALLING ALL CHEFS – BECOME A FUTURECHEF MENTOR!

Springboard’s FutureChef programme provides an opportunity for industry professional Chefs to support cooking classes in schools across the UK.

ANNA CARMICHAEL 2014 FUTURECHEF WINNER

63

STEVE BALL: KP OF THE YEAR 2014

Manor House Hotel’s dedicated, long-serving KP wins Winterhalter-sponsored award.

Steve Ball, of the five star Manor

House Hotel in the Cotswolds,

is not your average KP. For one

thing, he’s been at the hotel

for 35 years. He’s as likely to be

found working in the kitchen

garden, or ordering supplies, as

he is in the kitchen – which he

keeps spotlessly clean. But what

really sets him apart is that he

is Kitchen Porter of the Year for

2014.

The award, which is

supported by Winterhalter, was

hard fought and there were well

over 100 entries this year. The

judges described the overall

standard as outstanding. One of

the judges was Frances Atkins,

of the Yorke Arms, who said:

“It’s been phenomenal. The

number of entries was absolutely

amazing. That shows how

important the role of the KP is.”

Steve was nominated for

the award by the Manor House

Hotel’s executive chef Richard

Davies, who says, “Steve oversees

a team of four KPs and ensures

that the chefs have all the

equipment that they need to do

their jobs and FOH staff have all

their plates clean and polished.

He is at the top of his game in

his field. It’s really inspiring to

see someone so devoted to one

place and job. I think he’d only

leave us if his mighty Swindon

Town came knocking on his

door asking him to be their next

manager!”

Along with the accolade

of being top KP, Steve wins

£1,000 cash and a surprise gift.

Meanwhile the Manor House

Hotel wins one of Winterhalter’s

remarkable new DeMatik

‘leaner, greener and cleaner’

warewashers.  

“There’s no way I expected

to win! I would have been happy

to finish in the top five, even the

top ten, but this is overwhelming.

Richard the Executive Chef has

been fantastic for me and it’s

hard to believe that I’m the hands

down winner; but it’s a great

feeling!” says Steve.

Highly commended prizes

were also awarded to Jose

Miguel of adam’s restaurant in

Birmingham and Lawrence Brown

of the Cameron House Hotel,

Loch Lomond. Both runners

up win £100 in cash to go with

their trophy. Joshua Whitfield, of

the Best Western Brook Hotel,

Norwich, was highly commended

and wins £50.

Winterhalter is also

supplying all entrants with a

special Oliver Harvey presentation

tin and apron. “Every single one

of the entries is clearly a great

KP, so we felt we’d like to make

every one of them a winner,”

says Stephen Kinkead, managing

director of Winterhalter UK. “The

comments and descriptions

from their nominators underline

the phenomenal dedication

that many KPs up and down the

country put into their job.”

Find out more about the KP

of the Year at kpoftheyear.com

Want to reach the top chefs and industry leaders?

Advertise with Chef Magazine to make an

immediate impact. Contact: peter@chefmedia.co.uk to discuss

your advert is ing options.

SCOTSMAN RISE TO THE ICE TOWER CHALLENGE

New Ice Tower 56 capable of producing ice non-stop all day.

With the demand for ice increasing across

the catering and hospitality industries, and

trends like self-dispensing “bottomless drinks”

sweeping the fast food and family dining

sectors, operators are looking for reliable and

economical sources of large amounts of ice.

However, as pressure on space continues,

they also need ice machines that are as

compact as possible.

To help meet this demand, Hubbard

Systems has launched the Scotsman Ice

Tower 56, which is capable of producing

485kg of high-quality nugget ice in a 24

hour period. What’s more, the machine is an

undercounter unit, measuring just 539mm(w)

X 664mm(d) X 720mm(h), with a counter top

dispenser.

Ice is produced in

the undercounter portion

of the machine. It is then

fed upwards through a

maintenance free “ice

chimney” into a 5kg

capacity hopper housed

in the tower head. 50g of

ice can be dispensed in

three seconds. There

are two dispensing

modes - produce as

much ice as required

or a set amount with

the timer-based option.

Factoring in the time

required for replacing

cups this enables

ice to be dispensed

non-stop, meaning it

should never run out,

no matter the demand.

Nugget ice is the driest

and hardest form of flake

ice. Like other forms of

flake ice it is produced at just below 0°C and

then compressed to remove residual water,

reducing it to as little as 8% of its original

volume. The resulting cylindrical nuggets

have a slow melt rate, making them ideal

for drinks or for display purposes. Quality

is assured, with standard features such as

a microbial UV control lamp to sterilise

incoming water and the integrated mineral

and algae filtration system.

The machine is ruggedly constructed

to maximise lifespan and has a number of

features to ease maintenance and service

operations. The side panels, made from

scotch-brite finish stainless steel, are all

removable for easy access to the internal

components. The auger and freezing

cylinder are also made from stainless

steel and the ice breaker uses a

specially strengthened alloy allowing

for greater extrusion pressure,

enabling incredibly compact ice to

be produced.

“The ability to generate ice

on demand from such a compact

machine is very exciting,” says Simon

Aspin, commercial director of

Hubbard Ice Systems.

“We believe it will have

a big impact across the

hospitality market.”

For more

information on the full

range of Scotsman ice

machines, and details of

local stockists, freephone

Hubbard Systems on

0800 616559, call 01473

350045 email sales@

hubbardsystems.co.uk or

visit

www.scotsman-ice.co.uk

GAME FOR SUCCESS

FRIMA celebrates 15,000th VarioCooking Center®.

FRIMA has just delivered

its 15,000th VarioCooking

Center. The landmark unit,

a VarioCooking Center

Multificiency 112T, went to the

renowned Club de la Chasse

et de la Nature, in the Marais

quarter of Paris. Head chef

Laurent Ruben says the speed,

precision and cooking power of

his new table-top model, and the

flexibility of the two-pan system,

have had a huge impact on his

kitchen.

The club, which opened

in the 70s, has a 50-seater

restaurant for members and

guests as well as facilities for

events for up to 160. Game

dishes such as jugged hare,

ragout of venison and wild boar,

alongside traditional fondues,

soups and sauces, form the

core of the menu. “We use the

VarioCooking Center for all

our dishes, from the classics to

potato chips, and it’s giving us

fantastic results,” says Laurent. 

The FRIMA appliance has

been integrated into a special

island suite, manufactured

by Artinox, and is now at the

heart of the kitchen. “As more

and more restaurant owners

specify FRIMA, their pressure

has led manufacturers to adapt

their island suite designs to

accommodate the VarioCooking

Center,” explains Graham Kille,

managing director of FRIMA UK.

With 15,000 units in nine

years, the VarioCooking Center,

which was launched in 2005,

has driven the development of

multifunctionality in kitchen

technology. The latest version

combines all the functions of

conventional cooking appliances,

such as the griddle, kettle pan,

bratt pan and deep-fryer, into a

highly efficient, versatile cooking

appliance. Boiling, frying, deep-

frying, low-temperature cooking,

confit and sous-vide can all be

done in just one appliance.

“The advantages of such

technology are clear,” says

Graham. “Low space requirement

and low costs for electricity,

water and raw materials on the

one hand, higher performance

and flexibility on the other.

“More than 70 patents and

patent applications confirm the

VarioCooking Center’s market-

leading position in multifunction

cooking appliances.” That

market-leading position is

underlined by FRIMA’s customers,

96% of whom say they would buy

another VarioCooking Center.

(FRIMA market research 2012).

For information and

brochures, or to come to a free

Cooking Live demonstration, call

FRIMA UK on 0845 680 3981,

email info@frima-uk.co.uk or visit

www.frima-uk.co.uk

64 | MODERN METHODS - RELIABLE RECIPES

scallops:1 large scallop per person, roe removed

Remove scallops from shells, rinse scallops in cold water, place on white kitchen paper to dry. (Jon’s tip: coloured kitchen paper/cloth can transfer colour onto your scallops). Store in an airtight container in the fridge until required.

crispy pork belly:200g pork belly, skinless, boneless1 star anise4 juniper berries6 peppercorns (3 black and 3 pink)1 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp Maldon sea salt50ml olive oil

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 4/180°C. Grind to a coarse powder the star anise, juniper berries, peppercorns, cumin and salt 1 min/speed 10. Rub all over the pork belly, drizzle with oil, place on a wire rack on a tray and slow roast in the oven for 3 hours.

2. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool whilst being pressed between two trays. Once cooled cut the belly into squares about the same size as your scallops. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until required.

carrot orange and anise purée:500g carrots, half sliced and half juiced50g orange juice1 tsp vitamin C powder2 tsp sugar1 shallot1 garlic clove3 star anise50g creamsalt and pepper to taste

1. Mix carrot juice, orange juice, vitamin C, sugar, shallot, garlic and star anise 30 sec/speed 10.

2. Add sliced carrots and heat 10 min/100°C/reverse/speed spoon then pour into an ovenproof pan, cover with foil and bake 90 minutes (gas mark 4/180°C).

3. Transfer carrots and juices to a Thermomix bowl and blend 8 min/60°C/speed 8, then blend again 2 min/speed 10.

4. Add cream and stir 20 sec/speed 4. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary then blend again 2 min/speed 10. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until required.

cumin caramel:100g sugar10g glucose syrup2 tsp water1 tsp ground cumin

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 6/210°C. Place the sugar, glucose syrup and water into a pan and bring to the boil. Boil until the caramel reaches a golden brown colour.

2. Cover a baking tray in baking parchment. Pour the caramel onto the tray and sprinkle the cumin powder over the top. Leave to cool and set.

3. Break caramel into pieces and grind in the Thermomix 15 sec/speed 10. Cover the baking tray with baking parchment, sieve a thin even layer of the powder onto the tray then place in the oven for 7 minutes until melted and golden.

4. Cool until hard. Break into small pieces and store in an airtight container.

“Thermomix is so versatile, you’ll never put it in a cupboard.” JON HOWE

Cornish hand dived scallops, Crispy pork belly,

Carrot orange and anise purée, Cumin caramel

JON HOWE

STAR ANISE READY FOR GRINDING STAR ANISE GROUND IN SECONDS

BACON CRUMB IN SECONDS CARROT AND STAR ANISE PURÉE – SILKY SMOOTH, NO NEED TO PASS

ThermomixVorwerk UK LimitedSole Distributor of Thermomix

in UK & Ireland

UK: 01344 622 344

www.thermomix.co.uk

IRL: 01484 5624

www.thermomix.ie

Thermomix - Cooking at your fingertips!

“Buy a Thermomix! Thermomix is the one

gadget I could not live without.”

JON HOWE

to serve:1. Place the amount of purée that you

require into a pan and heat gently.2. Season scallops (1 per person) and

pork belly pieces (1-2 per person) with salt & pepper. Into one smoking hot pan place the pork belly pieces, turn as required to heat through.

3. Into a second smoking hot pan place the scallops topside down. Leave the scallops for 90 seconds. Turn scallops; add a knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon. Cook for a further 30 seconds.

4. Remove scallops and pork from the heat and drain. Place warm purée on the plate, then place scallops and pork belly. Decorate with cumin caramel pieces and baby shoots.

Jon Howe is Chef Proprietor of Lumière restaurant in Cheltenham, and this is one of his most popular dishes. “I use Thermomix in many different ways for this recipe – the subtle flavours are enhanced by the fine grinding it can achieve for the powders and crumb, and the

blending is superb.” As well as being consistently on the menu at Lumiere, Jon says “This is also a great dinner party dish – it can all be prepared in advance, takes only minutes to serve and looks amazing.”

Serves 4-6

Contact details: Lumiere Restaurant, Cheltenhamwww.lumiere.cc