The Chefs’ Forum’s 10th Anniversary Tour Continues at Bristol’s Klosterhaus

The Chefs’ Forum put on the biggest event of its year of celebration across the UK with a special lunch at Klosterhaus in Bristol yesterday.

The special event was a unique partnership between the D&D London restaurant group and The Chefs’ Forum with students from City of Bristol College playing an important supporting role.

100 chefs, hospitality professionals and old friends got together to toast 10 great years of The Chefs’ Forum in the Southwest.

“We’ve come a long way in those 10 years,” explained Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum. “This lunch demonstrates just how far. We teamed up with D&D London to showcase their restaurants to local colleges and recruiters. The idea was that their chefs came to Bristol from London and put on a special lunch. We got City of Bristol College involved and everybody met in the middle. This is what we do, and it worked really well.”

Chris Wicks, another original founder of The Chefs’ Forum was delighted to attend the event, he said

Who would have thought that the original Bristol meetings led to The Chefs’ Forum becoming a national organisation and industry platform.  It is amazing to see, and it obviously works for all concerned.  The college students have been brilliant today and it was amazing to catch-up with friends old and new – Here’s to another successful decade for The Chefs’ Forum.”

The exclusive menu was prepared by D&D London chefs Bjoern Wassmuth (Executive Chef at German Gymnasium) Jenson Santos (Head Chef at German Gymnasium) and Damien Rigollet (Executive Chef at Coq D’Argent) with Nelson Sa (Head Pastry Chef at Angler at South Place Hotel) heading-up the pastry.

Jakub Klimes, GM of Klosterhaus in Bristol said afterwards: “It was magnificent to see so many industry professionals all in one room. We wanted to showcase D&D London and this was the perfect way to do it. A big thank you to The Chefs’ Forum team and all the students from City of Bristol College.”

Sarah Arikan, owner of Berwick Lodge and long-time Chefs’ Forum supporter said: “I can remember when this all started ten years ago – The inaugural event was held at Berwick Lodge. It’s a great achievement and to see so many people supporting Catherine is wonderful. She is tireless in what she does in bringing people together.”

Catherine Farinha continued: “It’s very gratifying to be able to help a group as big as D&D London with their recruitment. We were able to give them a platform where they could show off what they do to the next generation, and it was very well-received.”

The menu in full:

Cauliflower Creme du Barry, curried florets and croutons

Teriyaki glazed octopus, hummus, confit lemon, chorizo & chickpea salad and coriander dressing

Redefine Meat flank steak, soy chilli glaze, potato rosti and Tenderstem® broccoli

Black Forest

Wines were kindly sponsored by Liberty Wines:

Welcome Drink – Kaiken Metodo Tradicional Brut NV, Mendoza, Argentina

White – El Coto Rioja Verdejo 2021, Rioja, Spain

Red – Casa Ferreirinha ‘Papa Figos’ Douro Tinto 2020, Portugal

The Chefs’ Forum is wholly funded by sponsorship of market-leading industry brands, and it is the valuable support that enables the team to stage amazing events like this one, completely free of charge for the chefs and hospitality professionals who attend.

Thank you to our sponsors Foie Royale, Adande, Redefine Meat, TTW Recruitment, Liberty Wines, Lovejoys, Wedgwood, Waterford Crystal, Taylor UK, and Chef Works.

Any chefs interested in attending events or sponsors looking to support and feature their produce, equipment or services at the events should contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com

Photo credit: John Blackwell

Kent & Sussex Chefs Celebrate 10 Years of The Chefs’ Forum

On Monday 20th June 70 chefs enjoyed a special lunch at The George & Dragon in Speldhurst, near Tunbridge Wells with students from North Kent College in the kitchen alongside four invited chefs who put together the menu.

The special day was to celebrate 10 years of The Chefs’ Forum and follows similar lunches in Manchester, Wales and The Cotswolds.

Chefs’ Forum Director Catherine Farinha praised the chefs and the students who put together the lunch: “Every place we’ve been to on the amazing 10th year celebratory journey has pulled out all the stops. The lunch was fabulous today and the young students from North Kent College really showed their colours. I’m just so proud of our whole team and the fact that we are 10 years old and still helping chefs and students to reach new heights.”

The menu consisted of four courses, each produced by a local chef.

Scott Goss from The Beacon kicked off with a starter of leeks and potato followed by a fish dish by Will Devlin the chef patron from The Small Holding.

Scott is a long-standing supported of The Chefs’ Forum and his starter went down a treat.

Will cooked cod cheeks with new season peas and a smoked chilli dressing. The dish was served on a special plate by Wedgwood from their Gio Bone China range.  He then told the chefs all about his retention of his green Michelin star and the ethos of his business that won it for him.

Minimal packaging, food miles and a farm to form philosophy puts Will at the forefront of the industry when it comes to his sustainable practices.  The Small Holding is proud itself accountable for both its ethical and environmental standards.

Third up was Bobby Brown of host venue The George & Dragon who used delicious free range Duroc x Hampshire pork from top catering butcher, HG Walter to create pulled pork bao buns with Asian slaw.

Bobby took the opportunity to welcome his chef peers to The George and Dragon and talked to them about his journey to opening his own place.

He was very impressed with the students from North Kent College who all pitched-in, cooking and serving the various courses.

He said

“It is really great to see everyone back together after a really tough couple of years.  The students did a fantastic job today in cooking the lunch for our industry guests.  We were blessed with gorgeous weather today and its wonderful to see such support for the next generation of chefs.”

Finally, Graham Green, chef patron at Chives Caterers produced chargrilled pineapple with a rum glaze alongside a lemon posset cup with an Australian Anzac biscuit and apricot purée.

Duncan Weetman, Head of Curriculum at North Kent College said:

“Our students were so excited to be involved today. It was brilliant from start to finish. Not only did they get to cook alongside true professionals but they worked with amazing ingredients and stunning plates. A big thank you to Catherine and the whole team at The Chefs’ Forum. The work they do makes teaching our students so much easier.”

A special thank you to all our sponsors, including Chef Works, HG Walter, Wedgwood, Foie Royale, Taylor UK, Adande, Shepherd Neame, The Heritage Fruit and Vegetable Company and Mitchell & Cooper.

Photo credit: Jason Wain

Oxford Students Get 10/10 for Thyme Lunch

Local students from Activate Learning at City of Oxford College and Reading College cooked up a storm yesterday at a special 10th Anniversary lunch in the Cotswolds.

The event, part of a year of 10th Anniversary lunches to celebrate 10 years of The Chefs’ Forum, featured top local chefs working with students to create an unmissable 5 course lunch at top honey-stone Cotswolds destination Thyme on the family-run Southrop Manor Estate.

A mini tradeshow and ‘Velfrey’ Welsh Sparkling Wine reception took place, where the guests could network and talk with sponsors, finding out about the latest catering equipment and ingredients.

Taylor UK showcased the Orved Idea vac packer machine and the new Teddy stand mixer, both of which garnered a great deal of interest from the culinary professionals who attended.

The menu:

Amuse-bouche by Foie Royale – Dan Moon, Chef Ambassador

Tomato and onion Foie Royale tartlet
Velfrey Sparkling Wine

Starter by Lucknam Park (Hywel Jones) & Crockers Henley (Tom Westerland)

Cauliflower Cooked Over Coals – Wild Garlic, Smoked Almond, Truffle Honey, “Cauliflower Cheese”
by Tom Westerland

New Season morel mushrooms, hazelnut and Wiltshire truffle pesto, Pedro Ximenez
by Hywel Jones
Monty’s Brewery Sunshine

Fish Course by The Calcot Collection – Richard Davies & Jamie Mccallum

Roast cod, fermented ramsons, Isle of Wight tomatoes, lobster bisque
by Jamie Mccallum

Ravioli of Loch Duart salmon, English asparagus, peas, broad beans and wild garlic
by Richard Davies
Gwinllan Conwy Vineyard Chardonnay 2020

Main Course by Thyme – Charlie Hibbert & David Kelman

Bavette, asparagus, tropea and anchoiade
White Castle Vineyard Regent 2019

Dessert by The Kingham Plough – Ashleigh Farrand

Tiramisu, chocolate soil, blood orange, white chocolate aero
Aberfalls Distillery Salted Toffee Liqueur

The Chefs’ Forum director Catherine Farinha was overwhelmed by the level of expertise amongst the students and the chefs who created the dishes. She said

“It was very special to be celebrating our 10th Anniversary with some of our longest-standing members. The Cotswolds is where it all started for us and it was a joy to see so many old friends including our unbelievable suppliers. And it was also incredible to be at Thyme. This is a special place, and I am so thankful to Charlie Hibbert and the team for welcoming us to his family’s estate and gorgeous restaurant.”

The students joined forces with seven top chefs to cook a delicious menu, with some courses served alternate versions to spark real culinary conversation among the fifty chefs who attended, celebrating the fantastic produce from sponsors including Foie Royal, providing the Foie Royale for the delicious amuse bouche, New Wave Seafood, providing the fish, Hanks’ Meat & Game for providing the sensational Longhorn beef, Lovejoys providing fresh produce and ingredients use in all the courses and the Welsh Drinks Cluster for supplying the amazing drinks paired with each course.

The event couldn’t have been possible without our equipment sponsors Taylor UK and longstanding supporter Adande.

Andrew Slater, Director of Lifestyle from Activate Learning College Group said

 “What an incredible event! It just shows that when you connect education and industry the magic happens. Out students were thrilled to be involved and work with such renowned chefs and it really gave them an insight into the profession they have chosen, and I am so grateful to The Chefs’ Forum for making it happen.”

Dan Moon, chef ambassador of Foie Royale, who cooked the amuse bouche, said: “We were very excited to produce a course for The Cotswolds & Bath Chefs’ lunch. We have a strong relationship with The Chefs’ Forum and it was great to be able to get students working with our product and see it shine.”

This 10^th Anniversary lunch was the third in a series of ten Chefs’ Lunches set to take place throughout 2022 to mark ten fantastic years of The Chefs’ Forum, now national and spanning across eleven areas.

Any chefs wishing to get involved in The Chefs’ Forum events or Chefs’ Forum Academies should contact alicia@redcherry.uk.com

Photography and film by Gareth Davies Media.

Sustainable Welsh Producers the Star of the Latest Chefs’ Forum Lunch

Hosted by The Seren Collection and The Chefs’ Forum put on a showcase of sustainability on the 15^th March at The Coast Restaurant in Saundersfoot with Welsh chefs and producers enjoying all that Wales has to offer.

The special lunch, which also celebrated the 10th Anniversary of The Chefs’ Forum, was cooked by chefs from the Seren Collection and featured Welsh cheese, fish & beef as well as fruit and vegetables.

Neil Kedward, Managing Founder and Managing Director, Seren Group said

“Sustainability is core to our approach within Seren and so we’re delighted to be working in partnership with The Chefs’ Forum and Pembrokeshire College to spotlight the efforts of the hospitality sector in this respect.  Creating a sustainable future for the visitor economy in Pembrokeshire is so important and hospitality has a key role to play.”

Dougie Balish, Executive Chef at The Grove, Narberth added

“It’s great to be supporting the young chefs here in our kitchens today.  It’s really important that they see a real working environment and its great to have Hywel and Fred here leading the various sections to create our sustainability lunch, showcasing the finest Welsh sustainable produce.”

Front and back of house students from nearby Pembrokeshire College showcased their excellent skills to the industry guests who attended and Wendy Weber, Head of School had this to say

“Getting involved with The Chefs’ Forum and The Chefs’ Forum Academy was the best move we made for our hospitality and catering students.  The opportunities it has opened up in terms of work experience, curriculum enrichment through masterclasses and employer engagement is working so well for us.  Two years in and we couldn’t be happier.  We’re also looking forward to staging a hospitality industry taster day very soon to drive registration on to our courses this September.”

Adande were on hand to show off their award-winning green, gas-powered, refrigerated draw units.

Richard Clark, National account manager (Adande) said

“Today is great for us because we want to highlight the benefits of our Adande product range and showcase the unrivalled energy efficiency and sustainability. It is great to see so many top Welsh chefs here today and be able to tell them about the need for drastic change with every rising energy cost at front of mind at the moment. Market-leading technology and unbeatable sustainability make Adande the world’s best refrigeration.”

The lunch consisted of:

• Snowdonia cheese tortellini, shallot & morels by Hywel Griffiths, The Beach House
• Pollock, seaweed & potato by Fred Clapperton, The Coast
• Beef, Alliums & fermented shiitake by Dougie Balish, The Grove at Narberth
• Rhubarb, goat’s milk & woodruff by Fred Clapperton, The Coast

Castell Howell, Flying Fish and Foie Royale were all proud to support the event.

Ed Morgan, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Castell Howell foods said

“Sustainability is really important to us as a company and this type of event really brings the supply chain together. We’re proud to support this lunch with wonderful Welsh produce and are delighted to invite pupils from local secondary schools and catering colleges via The Chefs’ Forum Academy, who will undoubtedly be inspired by today’s event.

This is a great example of intermediaries like The Chefs’ Forum to promote catering as a brilliant career pathway and there’s no better place to pursue this, than in Wales and even better, to integrate elements of sustainability to the next generation of chefs.”

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, concluded: “These events are priceless not only for the guests but also the chefs and the suppliers. It’s a showcase of ingredients, products, technology and culinary skill. A big thank you to The Seren Collection for hosting us. Our tenth anniversary year keeps getting better and better!”

The Chefs’ Forum Reaches 10 in Style at Dakota Manchester

70 invited guests including chefs, suppliers and colleges sat down to an afternoon of gastronomy to celebrate 10 years of the The Chefs Forum on the 10th January at Dakota Hotel in Manchester.

The event, organised in conjunction with The Manchester College, enabled 20 chef students  to work in the kitchen under chefs Adam Reid, Dan Moon, Exose Grant as well as Sam Karle and Amanda Gasiorowska from Dakota Hotel, Manchester.

“The five-course lunch we put together was absolutely typical of the way we have worked for 10 years,” said Catherine Farinha, founder of The Chefs’ Forum, afterwards. “We paired outstanding suppliers with brilliant chefs in a way that college chefs could learn and guests could enjoy. I cannot believe that 10 years has gone by and we celebrated it in such style in Manchester. I’m overwhelmed by the support, the friends we have made and the students whose lives we’ve managed to enlighten.”

Speaking at the lunch, Lisa O’Loughlin, Principal of The Manchester College, said: “The Chefs’ Forum academy has helped our students not just with their courses but also with life skills. The chefs that come in enable them to learn from industry in an entirely novel way. I have to stop chefs taking our chefs before they finish their courses! It’s a wonderful partnership and today exemplifies that. They get such valuable experience from these events.”

Denise Charles, Head of Curriculum at West London College, said: “It’s about meeting with industry – without the chefs coming in that are organised by The Chefs’ Forum it wouldn’t be the same. We could not source them on our own. Today has been brilliant.”

Matt Townley, General Manager of Dakota Hotel, Manchester said: “This is exactly the sort of event we like to host. We like to be involved with education and quality and it’s wonderful to be involved with The Chefs’ Forum. There are some unbelievably talented young chefs in the kitchens here today.”

“This is a relationship business,” Catherine Farinha continued. “From the very start when I launched The Chefs’ Forum ten years ago at five months pregnant with my third child I knew in my heart that it was something that the industry both needed and wanted.

“We build relationships between colleges and industry and between suppliers and chefs. As a whole we all contribute to the well-being of chef students and their future and the further education of existing and experienced chefs.

“10 years is just the start. We’ve added a new team to The Chefs’ Forum and we are beginning to break new ground with the publication of our own content in the form of The Great Game Guide and this year will see the publication of The Chefs’ Knowledge which is being produced by our editor Chandos Elletson and designer Lee Yarlett. We are a close team and everything is produced in-house. Watch this space.”

Photography by www.harryelletson.com
Film by www.garethdaviesmedia.co.uk

Top Chefs Reinforce Vital College Links with Demo and Dine event at City of Bristol College!

The Chefs’ Forum was launched with City of Bristol College eight years ago. It was great to be back where it all began at the College Green Centre, where top Bristol chefs gathered at the college for a fantastic Demo and Dine event working with hospitality and catering students.

Saravanan Nambirajan (The Mint Room), Dan Bowden (Berwick Lodge), Sam Elliott (Pasture) and Dave Newman and James Baker from The Ginger Pig, all worked together to produce a stunning four course meal for the chefs and front of house professionals who attended.

The event took the format of ‘Demo and Dine’, in that each chef worked with the students to produce sample bowls of their demo dish. The front of house students then served the sample bowls to the audience of local employers who were extremely impressed.

The menu comprised:

Starter – Grilled Soya Chops (The Mint Room)

Fish – Scallops, Black Pudding and Orange (Berwick Lodge)

Meat – Steak and Chips (Pasture)

Dessert – Ginger Pig’s Sticky Toffee Pudding (The Ginger Pig)

The Chefs’ Forum is all about various chefs and front of house experts coming into colleges up and down the country to give a compelling and inspirational masterclass throughout the academic year, culminating in work experience opportunities at the participating properties and businesses.

Saravanan Nambirajan from the nationally-acclaimed Mint Room said: “The students have worked extremely well today in the kitchen with me and all of the other chefs who have taken part.  It’s great to have performed a live cookery demo for The Chefs’ Forum. I was very impressed with the level of professionalism and positivity shown by the students today in asking lots of questions. City of Bristol College is a very well-run college, headed-up by a team of talented lecturers who gave me a very warm welcome. I would happily welcome any of the students to The Mint Room or Bandook on work experience based on their excellent performance today.”

Chef Lecturer Ryan Fernandes has been very active in supporting quarterly Chefs’ Forum events over the last eight years, ensuring the students know the importance of putting themselves forward to raise their individual profiles to prospective employers.

Ryan Fernandes commented: “Chef’s Forum is a stage which brings the hospitality gurus together to share the current trends in all aspects related to food and service and also to network with talented people in the industry. We as a College are always involved with the Chefs’ Forum as it exposes our students to the professional world they hope to build their careers in. It also helps the future generation of chefs to work with some talented and passionate chefs from the industry and, at times, secure work experience or part-time work after the event. It also helps us to build our network with businesses which are looking to work with us on a different level which focuses on student engagements through apprenticeships and so on.”

The move to bring local chefs and experts into the college to work with the students serves to galvanise existing relationships with local employers and further-reinforce industry links for the college.

Level 2 Culinary Skills student Ahmed Ali Bekhit worked with Dave and James from The Ginger Pig.  They were so impressed that they offered him a trial shift at their newly-launched restaurant in Weston-super-Mare.

Dave and James, who recently opened their restaurant in Weston’s Grove Village near The Playhouse Theatre on 23 January 2020, said: “It will be great to have Ahmed for work experience, not only are we local to him but we are also one of the only restaurants around which do proper food and it is good to give something back. Chefs’ Forum gives us the opportunity to give a little bit back to the students, we were all there once upon a time and, hopefully for them, it is inspiring to look at people like us all working in major cities and restaurants. Some of the students are nervous but they are really enthusiastic and are really good.”

Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha commented: “Today’s event was a great success. It was fantastic to welcome such esteemed chefs to the college today.  It was great to be back at City of Bristol College where our journey began eight years ago.  The Chefs’ Forum prides itself on sharing industry knowledge and best practice in catering colleges and The Chefs’ Forum Academy ensures top chefs continue to pass on their skills to the next generation, inspiring young chefs.”

For more information on how to get involved with Chefs’ Forum events, please contact rebecca@redcherry.uk.com or to start your cooking career by signing up for one of City of Bristol College’s many Catering and Hospitality courses at www.cityofbristol.ac.uk

Photography by www.jcampbellphotography.co.uk

Devon Chefs Enjoyed Culinary Excellence on the Estuary!

The beautiful Dart Marina Hotel & Spa was the venue for the latest Devon meet for The Chefs’ Forum on Monday (2) March.  Quite the foodie stronghold, Dartmouth has become a serious destination for those looking to eat at some of the best restaurants in Devon, whilst taking full advantage of beautiful views of the River Dart estuary.

The Chefs’ Forum launched in Devon in 2013 and ever since, its following has increased year on year, making it one of the strongest chapters within the organisation on a national level.

A multi-million pound refurbishment has made the Dart Marina Hotel & Spa one of the most desirable hotels in Devon and a landmark in the beautiful South Hams sailing town, overlooking busy pontoons adorned with brilliant white yachts and boats against a backdrop of rolling coloured houses on the opposite side of the estuary.

Spring was just starting to break through with brilliant sunshine glistening on the water. It was the perfect day to set-up the Cloud Nine beer bus serving ice cold Peroni on draught and fire-up the Kamado Joe BBQ to give the Devon chefs a fantastic day out on their day off.

Top chefs and industry professionals attending the event were Masterchef: The Professionals finalist, Elly Wentworth and her team from The Angel (Dartmouth), Dan Foster (Rockfish), Johnathon Mather (The Cove), Nicholas Legendre (Group Exec Chef, Richardson Hotels) and Mary Grose (Thurlestone Hotel).

The day started with a networking session where the chefs got to meet each other in an informal setting and catch-up with suppliers old and new.  It was also a fantastic opportunity for the chefs to forge links with the lecturers and students from South Devon College.

A fantastic canapé menu flowed from the kitchen as students from South Devon College worked with Head Chef Peter Alcroft and his team to produce a fantastic spread of delicious morsels, showcasing produce from Chefs’ Forum Sponsors Tim Potter Butchers, Foie Royale and Nutcellars macadamia nuts.

The chefs worked hard to produce a butternut, sage and mozzarella arancini, as well as pressed ham hock, parsley jelly, Dijon mustard.  Beef & lamb kofta was also on the menu and Tahina sauce and cured salmon, nori sushi, wasabi mayonnaise and pickled ginger.

Franco Macellaio of Tim Potter Butchers and popular YouTube Channel The Urban Butchery Channel then took to the butcher’s block to break down a ‘top of beef’. Franco expertly broke down the top into topside, silverside, thick flank, shin, spider muscle and heel muscle.  The bullet muscle was then turned into quarter inch steaks which were hand-tenderised by the showman butcher, which the chefs very much enjoyed watching.  Steaks were then cooked to perfection by BBQ Maestra, Sue Stoneman on the Kamado Joe.

Chris Dyke, Sous Chef at Dart Marina gave a brilliant cookery demonstration on the stage of lamb loin with wild garlic cooked in Nutcellars Macadamia nut butter, crispy capers, aubergine, maple and sherry vinegar with fondant potato, pan juices, broccoli and rapeseed oil.  Peter and the students assisted, making for an excellent, culinary skills showcase and six delicious plates of food for all to try at the end of the demo.

A student competition of éclair filling and decorating then followed with the stars of the day from both front and back of house being awarded an afternoon tea at Dart Marina Hotel.

The chefs and hospitality professionals then made their way onto the terrace to enjoy a pint of ice cold Peroni from the Cloud Nine Citroen beer bus.

Afternoon tea was then served on the terrace and the sweet canapés of mini scones with clotted cream and jam, chocolate brownie cremeux gateau and macarons. All disappeared at a rate of knots overlooking the beautiful yachts and boats, moored on the estuary.

The Chefs’ Forum holds quarterly events in Devon and any chefs or suppliers wishing to attend the next event should contact rebecca@redcherry.uk.com

Masterchef: The Professionals Winner Invites Brighton Chefs to Etch.

The Chefs’ Forum was delighted to stage a Chefs’ Forum event at Steven’s first permanent restaurant in a former bank in Hove. Etch. has been getting rave reviews since it opened in 2017. Now, Masterchef: The Professionals Winner is now heading to London, taking on the Bingham Riverhouse in Richmond.

Due to open early next month, his new project will depart from the tasting menus available at etch and will offer a full a la carte menu with some exciting new dishes.

The Chefs’ Forum has worked with Steven on various occasions, both in hosting Chefs’ Forum events  and at the Institute of Hospitality Southern Branch Awards.  It is great to have seen Etch evolve from a pop-up restaurant to bricks and mortar in Hove and now and exciting new partnership with the Bingham Riverhouse in London.

It was fantastic to welcome learners from East Sussex College to Etch. to work with Steven and his team in the kitchen to produce and serve canapès to the chefs who attended.

Catherine Farinha, Founder at The Chefs’ Forum stated

“Steven is a great role model for young chefs, as well as his peers.  He has always entered competitions to build has profile and get his name out there and encourages young chefs to do the same, which is very solid advice. We really appreciate Steven working with The Chefs’ Forum and students from East Sussex College. We look forward to inviting Steven into the training kitchens at East Sussex College to teach at the college as part of the hugely successful national initiative, The Chefs’ Forum Academy.”

The event started with a fantastic cookery demo by Steven, incorporating fantastic produce from the suppliers exhibiting at the event.

Steven created a dish of Creedy Carver duck breast from Walter Rose and Son, award-winning Devizes-based butchers who will be supplying him at The Bingham.

Steven said

“I love to pair two delicious ingredients and feature the dish on the menu as those.  For example, this dish would be ‘Duck. Carrot’.  I can then get creative with the accompaniments.  In this case I’ve used Nutcellars Macadamia nuts and a delicious Foie Royale pate, the ethical alternative to foie gras.”

He continued

“I love to cook meat in its own juices and duck is best done a little under.  If we overcook a duck breast, then it is ruined. There’s no better flavour combination than pickled carrot, Foie Royale pate and toasted macadamia nuts.  It is great that we’re in a forum environment today and can discuss ingredients and cooking styles together as a group – It’s fantastic to open these lines of communication between chefs.”

As the demo continued, many interesting subjects affecting the professional lives of the chefs were discussed: Sustainability, reduction of plastics, seasonal ingredients and local sourcing.

Chefs’ Forum events are an excellent opportunity for chefs and suppliers to get together and discuss industry trends, whilst inspiring young chefs and forging links with local catering colleges.

Mike Logut from Foie Royale spoke of the provenance of the hugely popular Foie Royale and Jack Cook from Walter Rose & Son gave a beef butchery demo showcasing the showpiece picanha cut, spider steak, rump tail and single muscle steaks.  Steven then seasoned and seared the Stokes Marsh Farm beef to perfection for all the guest to sample.

Lenards of Covent Garden supplied all fresh produce and Chris from MCB Seafoods gave an excellent fish filleting demo, explaining that he’s supplied Steven ever since he was Head Chef at South Lodge at just twenty-five years old.

Following six years at South Lodge, Steven set up etch as a pop-up experience, cooking dinners at Oxfordshire’s Blenheim Palace, Nyetimber Vineyard (where The Chefs’ Forum staged an event with him) and The Corn Exchange in Leeds.

Following yesterday’s event, The Chefs’ Forum has received many offers to host further events in the Brighton and Sussex area.  This is an absolute certainty and the team very much look forward to future events promoting local chefs and forging links for them with East Sussex College.

To join the mailing list to keep up to date with the latest Chefs’ Forum events, please email rebecca@redcherry.uk.com

Photography by: www.andrewplantphotography.com

Top Chefs Take to the Stage to Create A Stunning Fresh Produce Feast at Oliver Kay Depot!

On Monday (17) February, Oliver Kay opened its Midlands depot doors to the great and the good from the Birmingham and Midlands chef scene.  The Chefs’ Forum demo stage and Kamado Joe grills were set-up at the Wednesbury depot to celebrate seasonal, fresh produce in style.

Spring is many chefs’ favourite time of year with delicious potato and asparagus in plentiful supply.

Oliver Kay was established 25 years ago from a small warehouse in Bolton.  From the centre of operations in the North West, Oliver Kay serve customers both locally and nationally through a series of strategically placed distribution hubs.  The Wednesbury depot is one of these and today’s event was a fantastic opportunity for the chefs to see what goes on behind the scenes at the busy distribution facility.

Local potato growers, AB Produce, were invited to the event by Oliver Kay to present their fantastic potato varieties and pre-cut potato fondants to the chefs.  Oliver Kay nurtures close relationships between its growers and customers and this was a great example of celebrations the farm to fork story.

Head Chef at the Edgbaston Boutique Hotel, Joshua Saunders joined Oliver Kay Development Chef, Dean Kinsey to create a range of delicious canapes, showcasing the growers’ produce. Dean’s remit is to help Oliver Kay’s customers plan tasty, imaginative and cost-effective menus, using local, seasonal produce.

Indian TV Chef and cookbook author, Garima Poddar cooked-up some potato-based street food delights including purple potato Cauli Kadhi and her grandma’s recipe of aloo – dahi.  Garima is also a post graduate student in Hospitality Management at University College Birmingham and brought with her, four course mates to enjoy the day, gain valuable work experience and assist with the catering at Oliver Kay.

Other highlights of the day included a fascinating ‘Tasting Garden’ session with Dutch Microgreen aficionados Koppert Cress, where Paul Da Costa Greaves presented the myriad of species of micro greens, edible flowers and cresses and talked the chefs though flavour profiles and pairings.  He also introduced Tom Everard-Fairburn, Head Pastry Chef at Thornbury Castle who recently visited Koppert Cress HQ in Rotterdam with forty other UK chefs. Tom told the audience how interesting he found the trip and how useful the menu development session was to him in exploring various flavour pairings in the Koppert development kitchen.

Walter Rose & Son finished-off the day with an expert beef butchery demonstration, showcasing finest Stokes Marsh Farm picanha (or rump top), rump and flat iron steaks.  The Choice cuts were then expertly grilled on the Kamado Joe by grill master Dominic Eaton.

Delicious tender stem broccoli was also seared to perfection on the Kamado Joe and Dean Kinsley used AB Produce potatoes with Walter Rose Stokes Marsh Farm steak to create a delicious dish of beef and textures of potato with potato chips and potato foam, using baked potato skins as garnish (to minimise food waste) and Koppert Cress Cornabria blossom edible flowers.

All chefs worked brilliantly as a team together to showcase Oliver Kay and Walter Rose produce and discussed the importance of traceability from farm to fork.  Also on the agenda was food waste management with the iUgis food waste digester and AB Produce talking about their anaerobic digester powering the whole farm and selling energy back to the national grid – The beef farm that Walter Rose works with operates a similar system, using farm waste to power the farm. Adande refrigeration also presented their award-winning sustainable double drawer unit. This all made for a very interesting and interactive demonstrations, championing minimal food waste and celebrating local produce.

Photography by www.tambernard.com

Bournemouth Chefs Catch-up on Latest Menu Trends at The Hermitage

The Chefs’ Forum was delighted to hold its first Dorset & Hampshire event of 2020 at The Hermitage Hotel in Bournemouth.

Part of the Oceana Collection, The Hermitage is a luxurious property, just a couple of hundred paces from the sea.  The Oceana Collection boasts eight properties and is a significant local employer:

The Bournemouth Hotels Resort has eight venues, the Cumberland. The Suncliff, the Ocean Beach Hotel and Spa, the Best Western Hotel Royale, Mayfair, Hermitage, Trouville and Neo.

It was great for the students from Bournemouth & Poole College and Basingstoke College of Technology to have the opportunity to work with Head Chef Mamadou Sylla at The Hermitage to cook and serve canapès to local hospitality employers who attended the event.  Mamadou is a great example of career progression within the hospitality industry as he worked his way up from being a KP, to Head Chef, giving a cookery demo to an audience of sixty chefs.

The venue for The Chefs’ Forum’s spring event was Neo Bournemouth, owned by Oceana Hotels group. The Bournemouth Hotels Resort has eight venues, the Cumberland. The Suncliff, the Ocean Beach Hotel and Spa, the Best Western Hotel Royale, Mayfair, Hermitage, Trouville and Neo.

As a prolific local employer with just under 600 rooms across the group, it was great for The Hermitage to host this important industry event, serving to bridge the gap between education and industry.

Helen said

“We are very proud and excited to be hosting a second event for The Chefs’ Forum, this time welcoming the students to The Hermitage. We have already taken several apprentices form Bournemouth and Poole College and it was great to meet teaching staff and students from Basingstoke College of Technology.”

The event was a resounding success with Christophe Baffos commenting

“Today has been excellent for the students.  It was great for them to work with Mamadou a French-speaking chef and good to see how they adapted to working in different surroundings.  The experience and leadership of Mamadou in the kitchen made for a calm and well-organised environment from the moment the students arrived, and they enjoyed a great learning experience.”

Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha added

“It was great to see students from both colleges working well together to cater this important industry event for local employers.  Mamadou’s kind and patient mentoring made for the smooth-running of the event and a fantastic day of work experience for the students.  Having completed some recent work for Rational into food trends, we replaced our scheduled BBQ on the Kamado Joe (due to storm Ciara) with a vegan and plant-based demo by Enzo Di Marino showcasing his vegan pastries.”

The students had a very inspirational day, creating afternoon tea and a savoury canapé menu in the kitchen with Mamadou.

Jamie Clews of Robot Coupe kick-started the day with a brilliant demonstration of the market-leading Robot Cook™. Jamie made a delicious lemon curd and demonstrated how the fantastic machine could make a mango and mint sorbet from frozen mango. The Chefs’ Forum was delighted to welcome Comax as a new sponsor to the Dorset & Hampshire chapter of The Chefs’ Forum and Jamie was there with them to promote it as the best place to buy Robot Coupe catering equipment, as well as everything from front to back of house.

Other highlights of the day included a fascinating beef butchery demonstration in which Alex Byrne of Walter Rose & Son showcased various Stokes Marsh Farm steak cuts.  Mamadou then created a fabulous fillet of beef with creamed shallots with kale, lardon and baby onion jus.

Mamadou appointed a ‘Star of the Day’ from both front and back of house who would be invited back to The Hermitage Hotel for a trail shift and dinner.  The Front of House winner was Jay Hindle of Basingstoke College of Technology and the Back of House winner was Matthew Snow of Bournemouth & Poole College.  Both students will return with their lecturers to enjoy their prize of a trial shift and dinner at The Hermitage Hotel.

The Chefs’ Forum is proud to hold four events a year in Dorset and forty on a national level.

Any chefs or suppliers wishing to get involved should contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com

Photography by: www.andrewplantphotography.com