Taking the Initiative at Raja Monkey

Birmingham’s Raja Monkey is hosted a lunch yesterday to celebrate Chef Patron Munayam Khan becoming Patron of the Chefs’ Forum Academy at South & City College, Birmingham.

Owner and chef Munayam Khan, of the Lasan Group, a former winner of Gordon Ramsay’s Fword, is committed to engaging and mentoring the next generation of chefs and has supported The Chefs’ Forum since its launch in Birmingham in 2016.

The day served as a double celebration as The Chefs’ Forum firmly-launched its recent publication, The Chefs’ Knowledge – A Modern Culinary Repertoire, a book of 100 recipes all junior and student chefs need to know.  Munayam contributed various recipes to the book, passing on his in-depth knowledge of Indian cuisine from all parts of the Indian subcontinent.

“It’s all about eating to make a difference,” Khan told us. “I want to show students and young people where food comes from and to head-up The Chefs’ Forum Academy at my local catering college is a real honour. We’re looking to increase awareness of provenance, traceability and sustainability coupled with trips to farms and fresh produce markets for students. We’re also keen on teaching business studies to all hospitality students as well as employer engagement and curriculum enrichment. This lunch is our way of introducing ourselves to the current student year and we really hope to make a difference.”

Munayam believes that it is really important to give back to the industry.  He champions sharing his knowledge and nurturing the next generation of culinary talent.

Aussie Beef and Lamb was showcased in both the starter and the main course and Munayam was so impressed with the quality of the produce that he would love to feature it on the menu at Raja Monkey.  Stephen Edwards, Business Manager UK, Meat & Livestock Australia said

“The beef and lamb is from Thomas Foods International, it’s Augus Pure Branded beef that has been grain-fed for 150 days resulting in fantastic marbling, this also ensures the beef is more consistent quality.” The Lamb is a pasture raised product that comes to the UK as a chilled product.”

The sponsorship of ingredients by fantastic suppliers enables The Chefs’ Forum to stage these inspirational industry networking events.  It is very important for hospitality and culinary professionals to get together on a regular basis over excellent food to discuss the industry and forge relationships with the college and top suppliers alike.

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “It’s really important for us to work with committed partners like Raja Monkey and Munayam Khan. His engaging personality and knowledge of restaurants will really help students to see how far they can take their craft when it’s coupled with extra-curricular activities like this.”

 What was on the lunch menu?

  • Starter – Khaled Khan
    Bihari Aussie lamb boti kebab – A delicious signature lamb dish  – tandoor cooked, that simply melted in the mouth
  • Fish course – Munayam Khan
    Shorsher maach – A mustard fish dish with Royal Greenland Nutaaq Cod– Bengal style
  • Main course – Fraser Walton
    Australian grain fed strip loin, bone marrow risotto & truffled chimichurri
  • Dessert – Munayam Khan
    Beetroot Halwa pista kulfi

The students from South and City College Birmingham, were a mix of Level 2 and 3, VRQ diploma in Professional Cookery, it was the first time that they have participated in an external Chefs’ Forum event.  Their teacher, Rochelle Bailey and Ben West accompanied the students to the event, Rochelle said

“This is an excellent and exciting opportunity for our students to get some real hands-on work experience of a high-profile industry function.  It is really important that they see how a professional kitchen operates.  For our front of house learners, it is a real opportunity for them to showcase their skills to local prospective employers.”

Level 1 Front of House student Gregoria Moreno impressed the most on the day, winning a signed copy of The Chefs’ Knowledge, she said

“I’m so very excited and happy to have won a copy of this brilliant book, I absolutely love cooking and cannot wait to try out some of the recipes. I have had a brilliant experience at Raja Monkey today and cannot wait to come back for the further work experience that has been offered to me by Munayam and the team.”

We are incredibly grateful to Munayam and the team for hosting such a marvellous event, bringing together the cream of culinary talent in Birmingham.  Special thanks to all of our sponsors for making these events possible:

 

Top Lunch Goes South

The Chefs’ Forum London lunch to launch The Chefs’ Knowledge went south – in the best possible way!

100 invited guests, including top chefs, suppliers and restauranteurs from the capital sat down at D&D’s South Place Hotel and dug into some serious food and drink on Monday.

Alex Thiel and Rob Grist from The German Gymnasium designed the starter and fish course. Dan Moon took on the main course challenge with the students from West London College and South Place pastry chef Nelson Barros Sa completed the ensemble with the dessert.

A specially installed Klima dry ageing fridge was brought in to make the Aussie Beef & Lamb just right and a Bloomkube enabled the chefs to get fresh cress courtesy of seeds from Koppert Cress.

UK Country Manager for Koppert Cress, Franck Pontais was on hand to expertly pair cresses and microgreens with the menu.

Outstanding seafood from Royal Greenland, fruit purées from Boiron and the inimitable Foie Royale completed the ingredient showcase.

Danny Burns, Executive Chef at Lodge Catering said

“I was delighted to see RGP’s (Royal Greenland Prawns) on display at the event.  These are the finest cold water prawns on the market and I’ve used them for the past 20 years and wouldn’t use anything else.  If you ask a fish supplier for frozen prawns, you could get anything sent to you.  If you stipulate RGP, then your supplier knows you demand the highest quality.  The cod was also excellent and Rob’s dish was outstanding for me.  It was also great to catch-up with some of London’s finest chefs!”

Wines were kindly sponsored by Brown Brothers who showed off their Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris and a Brown Brothers Winemakers Special Shiraz.

Steve Snow, Managing Director of MCS Technical Products had a great time at the lunch, he said

“It was great to showcase our Klima dry aging cabinet, packed with Aussie beef to the chefs.  We are working very closely with Meat & Livestock Australia to educate chefs on the process of dry aging meat on site.  We were also really happy to meet Valentina Maschio, Head Chef at Gordon Ramsay in Harrods, who uses our FlashGRILL in her busy kitchen, often cooking 500 covers per service.

CookTek induction hobs were also very popular with the guests who attended.

I must just say how very impressed I was with the students cooking and serving at the event from West London College.  They were extremely well-presented and professional, and this is a great sign of things to come for the industry – Huge congratulations to all!”

Students from West London College were both in the kitchen and serving front of house to help out and gain valuable experience of a large function at the highest level.

“It couldn’t have gone any better,” said Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum. “We are really rocking and rolling now. The collaboration with D&D London, the amazing ingredients, the calibre of the chefs. We’re taking these events to another level now at the same time as working with local colleges to provide outstanding experiences for the next generation.”

Denise Charles, Head of Hospitality & Catering at West London College said: “I thought the Chefs’ Forum lunches were good but this was taking it up a notch. It’s so great for our students to not only get access to kitchens like this but also to taste the food and ask questions. This is what our Chefs’ Forum Academy is all about.”

Nelson Barros Sa, Executive Pastry Chef at South Place said: “As a showcase for the group this lunch was a runaway success. The venue, some of our best chefs and the quality of the ingredients made this a pleasure to design and host. many thanks to The Chefs’ Forum for all their hard work in making this happen.”

The menu in full:

Amuse bouche – Dan Moon (Development Chef at Foie Royale) – Foie Royale tartlet with tomato and onion

Starter – Rob Grist (Head Chef at German Gymnasium) – Cured Aussie lamb rump, avocado, date mousse, vine confit tomato and lemon vinaigrette

Fish course – Alex Thiel (Executive Chef at German Gymnasium) – Royal Greenland seared cod, Royal Greenland prawn crust, dill, cucumber, San Marzano tomato and horseradish sauce

Main course – Dan Moon and the students from West London College – Roast Aussie sirloin of beef, Roscoff onion, pearl barley, spiced carrot and Abruzzo Tartufi truffle

Dessert – Nelson Barros Sa (Executive Pastry Chef at South Place) – Peanut butter and Boiron yuzu vacherin

Zakaria El Rhzari, UK Sales Area Manager at Les Vergers Boiron said

“Nelson’s dessert showcasing our yuzu purée was out of this world.  We are delighted to be the choice of top pastry chefs in 93 countries and the chefs we met today backed this up.

It was amazing to be able to talk to Bake Off: The Professionals judge Cherish Finden and network with the cream of London’s culinary and pastry talent – We had a brilliant day!”

Continuing the pastry theme, Mitchell & Cooper got the chefs excited with the new KitchenAid Heavy Duty, only released last week.

Cherish Finden said

“The food was absolutely delicious, and I thoroughly enjoyed the flavours and presentation. 

Moreover, I was impressed by the attentiveness of the students and the impeccable organisation of the entire event. It was evident that a lot of effort and planning went into making the occasion a success.”

Knowledge is Power!

Chefs, industry professionals and suppliers in the Cotswolds and Bath region were singing the praises of our new book The Chefs’ Knowledge yesterday.

At a special launch lunch at Lucknam Park 5 chefs plus students from Coleg Gwent cooked up an incredible menu for the 65 invited guests.

Dan Moon from Foie Royale got the lunch underway with an amuse bouche of tomato, onion and Foie Royale tart. This was followed by Chris Cleghorn from the Olive Tree at The Queensberry who made a starter of courgette flower, Aussie lamb, basil, sheep yoghurt and black cardamom.

Next up was a fish course cooked by Jauca Catalin from The Bath Priory: shellfish raviolo, redcurrants, savoy cabbage, squid ink and a shellfish bisque.

Hywel Jones and Ben Taylor from Lucknam Park then took over to deliver the main course of rolled Aussie sirloin of beef with English asparagus, morel and potato.

The meal was finished off in style by Ashleigh Farrand from The Kingham Plough who made a baked custard tart with strawberries and rhubarb, served on a Wedgwood Gio plate.

Wine was sponsored by Brown Brothers, a delicious Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris and Brown Brothers Limited Release Durif.

“It was a fantastic summery lunch in brilliant surroundings with perfect ingredients” enthused Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum afterwards. “We are slowly travelling round the country promoting The Chefs’ Knowledge book, e-book and audio book and it’s going down a storm.”

Gavin George Chef Lecturer at Coleg Gwent said:  “It was a great opportunity for the students. Lucknam Park is a dream place for them to visit and work and get a sense of what real fine dining is all about. The dining room, the chefs, the ingredients and the guests were all amazing. It’s one of the reasons we love having a Chefs’ Forum Academy.”

Guest chefs Daniel Galmiche and Michael Nizzero who are both in The Chefs’ Knowledge both said how important it is for the industry to support the next generation.

Daniel Galmiche said: “It was a great pleasure for me to provide recipes for The Chefs’ Knowledge. I think it is a wonderful book and it’s so exciting to see an e version and an audio version, too. The Chefs’ Forum have really nailed it with this one.”

To buy your copy of the e-book, click here, to buy your copy of the audiobook, click here,

Both would be a fantastic gift for any junior chef, or indeed a present for yourself!

Thank you to our sponsors Aussie Beef & Lamb, Flying Fish, Lovejoys, Brown Brothers, Taylor UK, Foie Royale, Wedgwood, Adande, Mitchell & Cooper and Chef Works.

Photography & film by Carlos Farinha.

The Chefs’ Forum Road Crew Arrives in The Garden of England

We’re on the road again! 2023 sees us hard at work promoting our unique Student Pastry Chef of the Year 2023 event which is now open for entries and our fantastic new book The Chefs’ Knowledge.

At Hythe Imperial Hotel we welcomed 80 guests from across the industry to a special four course lunch cooked by chefs Allister Barsby (Hide & Fox), Craig Edgell (Buoy & Oyster), Manuel Monzon (Hythe Imperial) and Scott Goss (I’ll be Mother).

Students from North Kent College were on hand to get valuable experience both in the kitchen and front of house with the chefs and restaurant management team.

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “It was so wonderful to be back in Kent, the garden of England. At the excellent Hythe Imperial Hotel we introduced our new book The Chefs’ Knowledge and drummed up more support for Student Pastry Chef of the Year competition as well as working with our increasing number of top suppliers.”

The Menu

Starter – Allister Barsby (Hide & Fox) – Slow Cooked Australian Lamb Rump, Spinach & Parmesan Tortellini, Roscoff Onion and Black Garlic

Fish Course – Craig Edgell (Buoy & Oyster) – Kentucky Fried Monkfish, Margate Oyster Mushroom Potatoes, Charred Corn and Chicken Fat Emulsion

Main Course – Manuel Monzon (Hythe Imperial) – Slow Roasted Short Rib of Australian Wagyu, Smoked BBQ Wagyu Rump Cap, Jerusalem Artichoke Purée & Crisp, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Pomme Rösti and Madeira Truffle Jus

Dessert – Scott Goss (I’ll be Mother) – Rhubarb Cheesecake

 

Manuel Monzon, Executive Chef at the Hythe Imperial was delighted to invite his culinary peers to cook with him in his kitchens, he said

“I have worked with The Chefs’ Forum for the last decade, even welcoming chefs from Kent to my restaurant in Bristol to see what we do in advance of blueprinting the initiative in Kent.  It’s great to be hosting the organisation and suppliers for the second time here at The Hythe Imperial.  We’ve all had a great day and the students were a huge credit to their college – We will certainly be inviting them back for further work experience and even offering them summer jobs!”

Michelin-starred local chef Allister Barsby was delighted to be involved in the event, he said

“Events like these are crucial to mentor and inspire the next generation of hospitality professionals.  I was very impressed with the level of skill the students displayed and we produced some excellent food.  I really enjoyed working with the lamb from Meat & Livestock Australia and received fantastic feedback from our industry guests – It was great to see how much the students were enjoying the day and many showed real promise and enthsiam.”

Craig Edgell’s Kentucky fried monkfish was a superb dish and the guests really enjoyed it, he said

“We love working with the students and feel like we’re giving back to the industry – It’s really important to make sure that student are learning in the correct environment and being taught by the right people to ensure they flourish and the hospitality industry stays alive for generations to come.”

Scott Goss created a beautiful dessert, championing seasonal rhubarb, kindly sponsored by local fresh produce supplier Foodari, who have secured a Royal Warrant, granted by King Charles III, he concluded

“Today really showed us that we’re getting it right; We first started working with The Chefs’ Forum eight years ago and its wonderful to see how far we’ve all come.  It is so rewarding and humbling to work with the students and it was great to see so many fantastic suppliers here today, who enable us to stage these events.”

Any chefs, colleges or suppliers wishing to participate in future events in Kent & Sussex should contact alexandra@redcherry.uk.com

 Photo and film credit: New Era

The Chefs’ Knowledge Launches in Style

Top chefs, students from The Manchester College and invited guests celebrated the launch of The Chefs’ Knowledge at Ducie Street Warehouse in Manchester on Monday.  All ingredients were kindly sponsored by Royal Greenland, Meat & Livestock Australia, Foie Royale and Dole Foodservice, the new name for our time-honoured friends at Total Produce.

The new book by The Chefs’ Forum took centre stage with an introduction by Catherine Farinha.

“Last year we celebrated our tenth-year anniversary,” she said. “This year we have launched our new book for student and junior chefs The Chefs’ Knowledge. We had a fantastic lunch at Ducie Street and were so pleased to welcome students at The Manchester College into the kitchens to cook alongside the chefs.”

Executive Chef of Ducie Street Warehouse Scott Munro, who showcased top quality Australian lamb rump steaks, kindly sponsored by Meat & Livestock Australia in his dish was delighted to welcome so many esteemed chefs and students into his state-of-the art open kitchen.  He said

“This is a huge part of what we do at Ducie Street Warehouse, as our GM Takis has just said. We love working with local schools and colleges to inspire the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals.  It’s great to have so many fabulous chefs and students sharing our kitchens today – There really is a great buzz about the place – We’re hopefully going to be offering a couple of students jobs as a result of this fantastic event.”

Exose Grant, who cooked the fish course of the lunch using halibut from Royal Greenland, said:

“I get a lot out of these lunches and it was great to be involved in the new book. I hope that my story can help other chefs to have the confidence to enter the world of cooking.  These lunches are always good for me. I get a lot out of them and its great to teach the younger ones coming through.”

Simon Wood of Wood Restaurant, said: “What a fantastic event! The Chefs’ Forum continue to pull out all the stops. I had a great time making prawn toasts with some fabulous prawns from Royal Greenland. They are such a great supplier. It’s always a pleasure to work with good ingredients and we chefs are always looked after at these lunches.”

Manuela Quesada and Maisy Downing led a team of budding young pastry chefs in creating two desserts that were served at alternate place settings to create a talking point at the table.

Check out the full menu here:

Starter
Simon Wood (Wood Restaurant)
Shiso Royal Greenland Prawn ‘Toast’


Fish Course
Exose Grant (MasterChef: The Professionals Finalist 2019)
Roasted Royal Greenland Halibut, Celeriac Three Ways,
Hispi Cabbage, Chive Oil and Beurre Blanc


Main Course
Scott Munro (Ducie Street Warehouse)
Sous Vide Australian Lamb Rump “Lancashire Hotpot”
with Red Cabbage Purée


Dessert
Maisy Downing (The Mere Golf Resort & Spa)
Egg Custard Tart with Madagascan Vanilla and Honey
Mascarpone Cream


Manuela Quesada (Trove)
Black Forest Gateau, Kirsch, Cherry, Pink Peppercorns and Chantilly

Wine Sponsored by Matthew Clark
Welcome Drink – Palmer & Co Reserve Brut NV Champagne
White – Gerard Bertrand Cigalus Organic
Red – El Enemigo Cabernet Franc

 

Christine Kenyon, Deputy Principal at The Manchester College, said: “In partnership with The Chefs’ Forum our students have unrivalled access to working with some of the UKs best chefs and opportunities to gain industry experience that equips them with the skills they will need when they enter the workforce. This event was a further example of how this partnership works and we were delighted to support it.”

 

Catherine Farinha concluded: “Whilst we’re in Manchester we’re also recording the audio version of The Chefs’ Knowledge at Manchester College using 3rd year actors from the drama department of UCEN. It’s a really exciting project that really showcases where we are going with chef education. We’re not satisfied with just a book. There are plenty of chefs who suffer from dyslexia and we want to give them something to listen to that helps them learn in a new way.”

Photography and film by www.johnscottblackwell.co.uk

 

The Chefs’ Forum 10 Year Tour Bows Out in Cornwall

Take a bow, please. A year of celebration ended on Monday with a final lunch at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow to commemorate 10 years of The Chefs’ Forum.

The special event capped a long year of The Chefs’ Forum on Tour with lunches and celebrations taking place across England, Scotland and Wales. Over the course of the year there were 10 lunches, close to 1000 guests with 200 students from 20 colleges.

Chefs Dan Moon, Charlotte Vincent, Pete Murt, Dan Bowden, Lucy Watters and Andrew Durham wowed the guests in Padstow with a special menu. Students from both Truro & Penwith College along with Cornwall College received valuable industry experience in the kitchen.

The menu:

Wines sponsored by Ellis Wines:

Welcome Drink – Chandon Garden Spritz NV
White wine – Cantina Gorgo Bianco di Custoza 2021
Red wine – Chateau Maledan Bordeaux Superieur 2019

Beer sponsored by Birra Moretti

Amuse Bouche – Dan Moon (Foie Royale)
Prawn Tea, Kimchi and Foie Royale


Starter – Charlotte Vincent (Hotel Meudon & Great British Menu 2022)
Wild Mushrooms Parfait, Sherry Roasted Onions and Crispy Enoki


Fish Course – Pete Murt (The Seafood Restaurant)
Roasted Cod Casserole with Baby Shallots, Serrano Ham and Girolle Mushrooms


Main Course – Dan Bowden (The Bay Hotel, Coverack) and Lucy Watters (The Paris Hotel)
Jack’s Creek Australian Wagyu & Ragu


Dessert – Andrew Durham (MasterChef: The Professionals Finalist 2019)
Pistachio Tart, White Chocolate and Strawberry

Catherine Farinha said: “We went out with a bang! What a year it’s been. We’ve been up and down, round and round, and everywhere we’ve been everyone has been so complimentary and happy to share in the success.

“It’s been quite a year for other parts of our business, as well. We’ve continued to work in the game sector with a bespoke guide for Welsh Game – The Welsh Game Guide – and our new student book, The Chefs’ Knowledge has just come out and the feedback from chefs, students and suppliers at the lunch was incredible.

“Next year will see a new series of nationwide lunches as we go on tour with The Chefs’ Knowledge. Each lunch will feature dishes from the book and we’re hard at work on a new, innovative, Audio version that will be released soon. With many chefs suffering with dyslexia it’s important that they don’t feel left out.”

To purchase The Chefs’ Knowledge CLICK HERE.

Photo and film credit: www.johnscottblackwell.co.uk

Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian Hosts The Chefs’ Forum with First Visit to Scotland for 10th Anniversary

Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian was delighted to host The Chefs’ Forum this year for the organisation’s 10th anniversary. It was also the first time that the annual Chefs’ Forum was hosted in Scotland, making it a particularly special occasion for the hotel.

The special lunch for The Chefs’ Forum was hosted by Head Chefs, Mark Greenaway from Grazing and Dean Banks from The Pompadour, both restaurants situated within The Caledonian, alongside the hotel’s Executive Head Chef Ryan MacFarlane and Franciane Tartari. The four chefs created a special celebratory menu to reflect the 10 years of The Chefs’ Forum and its inaugural visit to Scotland, with the assistance of twenty students from Edinburgh College and West Lothian College.

The twenty students were given the opportunity to learn invaluable skills in the kitchen from the four chefs. Mark Greenaway gave a masterclass on duck butchery to the students who had never worked with duck before, whilst Dean Banks gave a masterclass on hake filleting.

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “I am so proud to have completed our first Scottish lunch. We were all set to come here before the pandemic and it’s taken us a while to get it organised. It was worth the wait. The chefs, the students and the ingredients from our suppliers were all superb and the menu was so exciting. And we had a proper turnout. We could not be happier!”

Gordon McIntyre of Hospitality Health, who attended the lunch, said: “It was really amazing food with awesome people in attendance. Well done for all the organisation. I know what goes into planning such an event – it’s not easy, particularly in this climate, to get sponsorship and support to hold these types of events. You did a top job!”

The lunch and chefs in detail…

Wine Sponsored by Matthew Clark

Welcome Drink – Champagne Palmer Brut Reserve
White – Vine Roots Garnacha Blanca 2019, Rioja, Bodegas Corral, Spain
Red – Vidal Pinot Noir 2019, Marlborough, New Zealand

Beer Sponsored by Birra Moretti & Birra Moretti Zero

Starter – Mark Greenaway (Grazing by Mark Greenaway)
Confit Duck Leg Terrine, Piccalilli, Smoked Cheddar Doughnut and Beer Pickled Shallots

Fish Course – Dean Banks (Dean Banks at The Pompadour)
Pan Seared Hake, Arbroath Cullen Skink Espuma, Fermented Parsnip, Rye Bread Croutons and Dulse Seaweed

Main Course – Ryan MacFarlane (Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian)
Roast Pork Fillet, Smoked & Marinated Pork Cheek, Pork & Apple Croquette, Toffee Parsnip Purée and Celeriac Terrine

Dessert – Franciane Tartari (Maître Rôtisseur of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs & World Master Chef)
Pina Colada Baba

Located just a few minutes from the historic Edinburgh Castle and close to The Royal Mile, Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian features 241 beautifully-decorated guest rooms and suites, and two of the city’s award-winning restaurants, Grazing by Mark Greenaway and Dean Banks at The Pompadour. Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian provides the perfect destination for making the most of the historic city.

Thank you to all sponsors: Taylor UK, Adande, Foie Royale, David Lowrie Fish Merchants, Campbells Prime Meat, Chef Works, Wedgwood, Mark Murphy (Total Produce), Matthew Clark, Braehead Foods and Birra Moretti.

 

The Chefs’ Forum 10th Anniversary Reached New Heights in Birmingham

100 guests enjoyed 6 courses of exquisite food in the ‘Grandest Ballroom’ in Birmingham to celebrate 10 years of The Chefs’ Forum on Monday. Students from University College Birmingham (UCB) teamed up with top local chefs to produce a meal to remember.

Fittingly, in a city renowned for its culinary diversity, there was a strong Asian element to the lunch with Munayam Khan of Raja Monkey cooking the fish course of Meen Moilee. However, the splendour of the occasion was undeniable in the restored glory of the Grand Ballroom of The Grand Hotel Birmingham. A Champagne reception sponsored by Swallow Drinks beforehand allowed guests to mingle and meet suppliers.

Suppliers exhibiting in a mini trade show included Chef Works, Adande, Taylor UK, Total Produce, Wedgwood and Foie Royale.

Adam Bateman, Culinary Director at The Grand Hotel Birmingham said

“It was brilliant to welcome the five guest chefs into my kitchen to cook a fantastic six course menu for my industry peers.  The students from UCB were great to work with and really impressed us with their attitude to work and ability.  Our stars of the day were Keaton Butler for Front of House and Elliott Mason in the kitchen – Both will be receiving a voucher for afternoon tea for two in recognition of their stellar performance.

It is so important that we nurture and encourage the next generation of hospitality professionals and yesterday’s 10th Anniversary Lunch for The Chefs’ Forum did just that.  I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to all the chefs who took part and all Birmingham hospitality professionals who attended.”

“We’re hitting our stride now,” said Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum. “Yesterday was a fantastic event. We’ve always enjoyed coming to Birmingham. There’s such a special level of talent here and it’s not always celebrated as it ought to be. But, to celebrate in the Ballroom of The Grand Hotel with great chefs and the talented students at UCB really demonstrated what a national enterprise The Chefs’ Forum is now.

“We were delighted to welcome so many old friends and new ones, too – including the winner of MasterChef: The Professionals in 2021, Dan Lee.”

Kali Davidson, Head of Hospitality and Catering at UCB was a guest of honour and spoke about how much the college is looking to build new links with employers in the area to give their students the boost they need. We’re right there with them to help them achieve that.

“We were able to show chefs and suppliers early proofs of our new book, The Chefs’ Knowledge on the day and the feedback from our new publishing division grows and grows” Catherine continued.

“2023 will be another year of special lunches nationwide as we embark on a tour of the country to celebrate the launch of the book – which, at its heart, is all about empowering young chefs with the information, advice and recipes they need to help them get started.”

Here’s what the guests enjoyed:

Drinks Reception Sponsored by Swallow Drinks & Foie Royale Canapés by Dan Moon
~
Amuse Bouche – Angelina Adamo (Tutto Apposto)
Pumpkin Broth – Orzo, Pickled Pumpkin, Sage Oil & Almond
~
Starter – Louisa Ellis (MasterChef: The Professionals)
Celeriac, Tru­e & Lovage
~
Fish Course – Munayam Khan (Raja Monkey)
Meen Moilee & Lemon Rice
~
Main Course – Adam Bateman (The Grand Hotel Birmingham)
Roast Cotswold White Chicken, Its Own Sausage & Wild Mushroom
~
Pre-dessert – Roger Lomas (The Grand Hotel Birmingham)
Compressed Fig, Blackberry Gel & Tonka Bean Namalaka
~
Dessert – Tom Everard-Fairburn (Two Brothers Bakery)
Roasted Pineapple, Passion Fruit Curd, Salted Popcorn & Soy

Photo credit: www.johnscottblackwell.co.uk

 

London Celebrates 10 Years of The Chefs’ Forum at Galvin at Windows

You know you must be doing something right when you have the amazing opportunity to celebrate being a decade old at Galvin at Windows!

The iconic restaurant which sits at the summit of London Hilton on Park Lane looks out over London with its breath-taking views of Hyde Park and beyond. Crowning a year of celebration across the nation The Chefs’ Forum London lunch at Galvin at Windows showcased brilliant food, amazing students and top suppliers.

“We’ve done some great lunches this year,” said enthused Chefs’ Forum Director Catherine Farinha. “But, this one tops the lot. The venue was absolutely stunning. I’ve wanted to host an event here for so long. To be able to do it with the Galvin chefs is so special. A huge thank you to Chris and Jeff Galvin, Head Chef Marc Hardiman, his brilliant brigade and to Windows GM Peter Avis for hosting us.”

The five-course lunch included dishes by chefs from the Galvin group including Chris Ball from Galvin Green Man, alongside Head Chef, Marc Hardiman and his team – David Jaram and Steven Penny from Galvin at Windows.

In the kitchen, students from West London College were on hand to help and learn valuable new skills.

Peter Avis, General Manager of Galvin at Windows and 10 Degrees Bar, said:

“This is absolutely fantastic. we’re delighted to host the 10th Anniversary of The Chefs’ Forum in London. It’s so wonderful to welcome 100 of our industry peers to Galvin at Windows and so amazing to be able to welcome the students from West London College.

Our recent UK college road show has enabled us to forge valuable links with the next generation and as a group, Hilton is committed to nurturing and offering all the opportunities we can across all operations on a national level.”

“This is the icing on the cake of our year,” Catherine Farinha continued. “We’re out of lockdown now and back to doing what we do best: putting chefs, students, suppliers and hospitality professionals together in a unique way. I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to what we do than this.”

Denise Charles, Curriculum Manager at West London College, said: “Our relationship with The Chefs’ Forum gets better and better. Today’s event was brilliant for our students. They got to see a top restaurant in action and gain valuable experience with chefs from The Galvin Group. This was food of the highest calibre and they’ll all remember it for a long time.”

Here’s what was served – and who cooked what:

Redefine Meat Canapes
~

Amuse Bouche – Chris Ball, Head Chef at Galvin Green Man
Scotch Egg, Celeriac and Urfa Chilli
~

Starter – David Jaram, Executive Sous Chef at Galvin at Windows
Caramelised Fig Salad, Heritage Beetroot and Whipped Goats Curd
~

Fish Course – Jeff­ Galvin, Chef Patron
Crab Lasagne
~

Main Course – Marc Hardiman, Head Chef at Galvin at Windows
Duck, Confit Gizzards, Persimmon and Rainbow Chard
~

Dessert – Steven Penny, Head Pastry Chef at Galvin at Windows
Apple Tart Tatin served with Crème Gourmand

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Photo credit: www.johnscottblackwell.co.uk
Film credit: New Era Production

The Chefs’ Forum 10-Year Tour Hits Devon & Somerset

Following on from success in Bristol recently The Chefs’ Forum tour of celebration reached Devon & Somerset. After starting in Manchester at the beginning of the year there have been celebratory lunches up and down the land including in Wales, Kent, Cotswolds and Bristol.

On Monday 10th October, the show rolled into Devon at Winslade Manor in Exeter where chef Matt Mason was excited to be playing chef host along with Chefs’ Forum Director Catherine Farinha. The lunch, attended by leading chefs, restaurateurs, suppliers and hospitality professionals follows a similar pattern and is one that has developed over the years.

The lunch is cooked by chefs from the region who are assisted by college students, again from the region. In this case the chefs were assisted by students from Exeter College.

“This year has been fantastic,” said Catherine Farinha. “Wherever we’ve been there have been excited students wanting to cook with our chefs and vice versa. It’s really great to see. The chefs create amazing dishes and the students learn so much and the colleges love what we do – which is really nothing more than enabling professionals and students to work together in a unique way. It sounds easy but it’s really not. It’s taken us a long time to perfect the template.

“This time, in Devon we had Dan Moon from Foie Royale, Werner Hartholt from Butlin’s Chef Academy, Richard Hunt from Courtyard by Marriott in Exeter, Matt Mason from Winslade Manor along with freelance chef Merrick Webber and Great British Menu’s Elly Wentworth, affectionately known as ‘Elly off the telly’!

“The menu was a delight, starting with a welcome drink of Ca’Bolani Prosecco sponsored by St Austell Brewery, then featuring delicious partridge supplied by Willo Game, fresh produce by Goosemoor Foodservice and Total Produce, Foie Royale, Gio plates by Wedgwood, jackets by Chef Works and much more. And the students from Exeter College loved their time in the kitchen with the chefs – You could tell they were getting so much from it.”

Matt Mason, Chef Director at Winslade Manor commented: “This was a great event for us to host at Winslade. It’s just the sort of event we love to do. It was great to work with the young talent from Exeter College a chance to see what other chefs have to offer – whether making ravioli or breaking down a venison carcass to making a restaurant quality stock or sauce – simple enough but great building blocks for a future in catering – what a great experience!

Catherine, Alex and The Chefs’ Forum team always bring a buzz of excitement which was felt around the room, a great time was had by all – and it’s a great opportunity for our industry peers to have a good old catch-up. The Chefs’ Forum are brilliant at bringing chefs, suppliers and students together – they were very excited to tell me all about their new book – The Chefs’ Knowledge – I look forward to my free copy. The page layouts look amazing.”

The lunch in full comprised:

Starter

Dan Moon – Foie Royale
Foie Royale, Tomato & Onion Tartlet 

Fish Course

Werner Hartholt (Butlin’s Chef Academy)
Pan Roasted Fillet of Stone Bass with Granny Smith Apple, Rujak Sauce and a Cray Fish Spring Roll 

Richard Hunt (Courtyard by Marriott Exeter)
Roast Fillet of Gurnard, Curried Crab Velouté 

Main Course

Matt Mason (Winslade Manor)
Loin of Dartmoor Venison, Fondant Potato, Parsnip Purée, Pear & Chocolate 

Merrick Webber (Freelance Chef)
Partridge Breasts, Celeriac Purée, Deep Fried Quail’s Egg, Salt Baked Celeriac and Tru­e Ravioli, Confit Leg Ballantine, Morteau Sausage, Confit Shallot & Game Jus 

Dessert

Elly Wentworth (Great British Menu Southwest Food Hero)
The Penny Black – Chocolate, Sesame & Banana

Matt Mason
Crème Brulee



Many chefs were asking when the next Devon & Somerset event will be.

The good news is that there will be a further series of regional chefs’ lunches to celebrate the launch of The Chefs’ Forum’s new book – The Chefs’ Knowledge which will go to print this month.

Many chefs were asking to cook at the next one, which is a great sign that everyone had a wonderful day and are keen to showcase their signature dishes to their industry peers, while supporting the next generation chefs and hospitality professionals.

Any chefs, suppliers or colleges wishing to get involved with The Chefs’ Forum should contact alexandra@redcherry.uk.com

Photography credit www.johnscottblackwell.co.uk

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