Mark Kempson is the Head Chef of Kitchen W8. Chef and restaurant are celebrating ten years of a happy marriage in 2019. The restaurant has been in safe hands for co-owners Phil Howard and Rebecca Mascarenhas. Holding a Michelin star since 2011, the offering has developed and evolved as its successfully serviced the discerning clientele of the Abingdon Road, Kensington neighbourhood. Here, Mark speaks to Simon Carter of fine dining guide about his career to date, in addition he kindly provides an analysis of three signature dishes by the Michelin criteria for the awarding of stars* namely provenance, cooking technique and balance and harmony on a plate.
For Mark
Kempson, cooking as a career really came about by accident. The nearest paper
round opportunity was the nearby Hartley Whitney village, which was too far
away from Mark’s home in Eversley, so he ended up collecting glasses on a
Sunday afternoon at a nearby Whitbread Brewers Fayre pub. This built up over a couple of years, before
one day a chef was off sick and he was asked to help out in the kitchen – the
buzz of the service, the hectic environment, the fact that three or four pairs
of hands would converge to create something, the pressure, the noise (some shouting),
the heat – it triggered something in him as being appealing and exciting.
Having achieved reasonable grades at school, Mark studied a btec National Diploma in Hospitality, which was followed by NVQ Level 3 specialising in the kitchen and an HNC Level 4 Kitchen Management Course. Across three years of education, he worked shifts at Blubeckers in Odium, a busy restaurant with 390 covers on a Saturday night with 120 of those covers in the first hour. Just about everything was made on site with only five chefs in the kitchen which was an extraordinary experience, indeed instead of putting him off, it simply made Mark want to learn more.
Co-Owners Kitchen W8: Phil Howard, Rebecca Mascarenhas
Toward the end of college, Mark circulated his CV and fortunately Pennyhill Park responded, at that time Karl Edmunds was Executive Chef and Marc Wilkinson (most recently of Michelin starred Fraiche) was head chef at the hotel’s The Latymer Restaurant. After starting during college holidays in banqueting, as soon as he graduated Mark started full time at the Latymer, which was a 3 AA Rosette restaurant.
“Those were the
days when a company like Wild Harvest (food produce supplier) was a man and a
van, who somewhat romantically drove over from France, arrived at the hotel,
opened the boot to show an extraordinary array of world class produce – baby
veg, truffles, varieties of mushrooms, squab pigeons, lentils and so on.”
It was an eye
opening learning experience about provenance.
What sheer quality means in terms of the love and care that goes into
providing such great ingredients and the respect required in bringing the best
out of them when cooking.
In 2004, Mark moved to John Campbell at The Vineyard, he started as a demi-chef de partie and over three years he worked his way up to Sous chef. Mark was part of the brigade awarded two Michelin stars (when that category was even more narrow than it is in the UK today and there’s only 20 in 2019).
“John had the extraordinary ability to orchestrate, motivate and multi-task nineteen chefs to run a hotel kitchen, he was a special man manager. It goes without saying, his palate and skills were right up there with the very best to enable him to deliver such great food in the main restaurant.”
Working in a
luxury hotel in the countryside was great but the buzz of London appealed, at
least Mark thought it did until he started under Phil Howard at The
Square. “The first three months were so
difficult, I felt I had made a mistake, then suddenly the whole thing just
clicked!”
New Kitchen W8 PDR (Private Dining Room)
The Square, another of that small
breed of Michelin two star restaurants, was so different to what he had known
before; an independent restaurant in the heart of London, packed every day, serving
80 to 90 at lunch, another 80 to 90 at dinner.
The Square was spending and making a lot of money; a packed front of
house and the best of the best coming in through the back door with some
serious food of a very high quality passing through those kitchen doors.
Mark was promoted to sous chef
within a year, he found watching Phil and Rob Weston (currently Head Chef at La
Trompette) amazing; “you had to keep your eyes and ears open as there was so
much to learn.”
As an example, on one morning, we’d
have a box of cepes coming in and chef would say, ‘what can we create that makes
the best out of this product’, the spontaneity coupled with the intense
creativity would bring out some of the best dishes that left that kitchen.
Kitchen W8
In 2009, Mark was thinking about
what to do next and had a chat with Phil Howard. Phil suggested that he and business partner
Rebecca Mascarenhas were looking for a new site in Abingdon Road, Kensington. Mark was to be offered the position of Head Chef
and after discussions about the concept for the restaurant and the type of food
that would be served, the doors of Kitchen W8 opened in October 2009.
For the opening, Mark wondered if Phil would be in the kitchen but instead he came to eat, in fact has never really never set foot in the kitchen, as he has trusted Mark’s ability. They worked closely together for the first year to year and a half on menu creation (as perhaps this restaurant might have been perceived as a neighbourhood version of The Square), Mark was then given the creative opportunity to develop the menu going forward. The Michelin Guide awarded a star in 2011 which has been retained ever since, something the whole team are so proud and delighted to have achieved.
Kitchen W8 Interior
To service 500-600 covers a week there
is a brigade of nine chefs. Every chef
counts and there is no hiding place with those numbers. To motivate chefs in the kitchen, Mark likes
to lead by example, to work wherever in the kitchen he is best employed at any
given time. The creative process may
start on paper at home, having looked through recipes, eaten out or browsed
through social media, Mark gathers snippets from many sources. This initial creative research process helps to
stimulate taste memories, perhaps of forgotten ingredients, that will allow a
dish to progressively come together in the kitchen.
Where needed a recipe book of
past successes may see dishes return in the appropriate season. The process
begins with printing off the last three or four years menus and looking at how
dishes evolved. Supplier relationships
are a key factor in returning certain dishes year to year. Why?
Selection of Kitchen W8 Dishes
“It’s not about saving a couple
of price points on product, its about quality shining through and with any
great relationship it works for both parties and works both ways. If times are tough for them, for example the
weather is terrible and fishing is difficult, we know we can still get the best
of the catch. Likewise I can bring back
dishes where suppliers have come through for me and guarantee them good
business for a season.”
In menu terms, this is reflected
by dishes based on quail or duck in January and February, moving to Huntercombe
middle-white pork and Welsh lamb in March and April and say venison in early
autumn and so on. There will always be a
balance of creativity and returning dishes to ensure motivation and focus
remain strong.
Here below, Mark analyses three of his favourite dishes to create and to cook at Kitchen W8.
Signature Mackerel Starter
A signature dish is described on
the menu as Grilled Cornish Mackerel, Smoked Eel, Sweet Mustard and Leek. This
is a flavour driven dish, which is presented in a new way. Having stripped back to the elements, perhaps
certain proportions here and there changed but the overall dish has simply
evolved and improved. There’s the earthiness of the beetroot dressed with a
Chardonnay vinegar which enhances sweet and sour notes. The smokiness of the eel works well with the
Mackerel. The Mackerel is cured and lightly
cooked and then sprinkled with brown sugar powder before being blowtorched to
give a crisp skin to counter the oiliness of the Mackerel flesh and the
fattiness of the smoked eel. Then some
old school flavours are brought into the modern day; a kind of loose sauce
Gribiche with mustard dressing, capers and cornichons provide some acidity to
cut through and deliver balance to the dish.
Overall taste, texture, temperature and presentation are right for this
dish and I’m delighted with the end product for customers. Even my family won’t let me take this one off
the menu.
A second dish will be described on the spring menu as Gilted Head Sea Bream, Razor Clams, Smoked Sausage, Cider, Onions and Apple. The bream is farmed so it is sustainable which is appropriate in the modern day. The farmed fish has a great skin to flesh ratio, which means that it pan fries beautifully. An emulsion is made from the cooking liquor of the razor clams. The idea of the home made smoked sausage stems from having a separate dish on the menu, which is fifty-five days aged Huntercombe middle-white pork and as we buy around a pig a week, all parts of the animal must be utilized. In this case the opportunity is to add a smoky shoulder meat sausage, balanced by pickled apple. Overall there is a heady mix of smoky, sweet and sour with the pan-fried bream having a crispy skin, finished with some crispy fried onions. The dish is garnished with tarragon to tie it all together.
A third dish this spring is
Chocolate Panna Cotta, Hazelnut Ice Cream and Lime. Chocolate tends to be on the menu in some
form, as a guilty pleasure, so moving to spring the kitchen wanted to avoid a
baked dish, instead aiming for something lighter, that is all about texture. This
dish is about simply three elements delivering the flavour impact. A seventy percent Valrhona chocolate panna
cotta with a hazelnut ice cream that has a smooth elegant taste and texture, some
lime zest provides the wakening of the palate.
Kitchen W8 celebrates ten years
this year, over which time Mark feels confident that he has developed and
matured as both a chef and as a person.
He understands how a neighbourhood restaurant retains an identity, while
attracting new business in 2019, and that aspects of this identity will have
evolved from the one that worked in 2009.
So adapting over time has been important.
For a while the food may have
become more complex, refined and artistic before evolving to become simply
flavour driven, with customers enjoying a sense of a lighter touch. The addition of the private dining room has
been a real hit and the recent redecoration has added a light and airy feel to
the dining room. Above all, always
honest and delicious food, well prepared, with strong ingredients is the
constant mantra.
Below is a formula applied to the scores in leading guides to discover the top 100 (one hundred) restaurants in London. This is up-to-date as at February 2019.
The weighting is toward Michelin with six points per Michelin star, three points per Waitrose Good Food Guide mark out of ten and two points per AA Restaurant Guide Rosette. The number in brackets under Waitrose GFG is the position in their 2019 published list of Top 50 Restaurants of Great Britain.
Below is a formula applied to the scores in leading guides to discover the top 30 (thirty) restaurants in Scotland and leading restaurants of Wales. This is up-to-date as at February 2019.
The weighting is toward Michelin with six points per Michelin star, three points per Waitrose Good Food Guide mark out of ten and two points per AA Restaurant Guide Rosette. The number in brackets under GFG is the position in their 2019, Top 50 of Great Britain published list.
This is a map that brings together the leading restaurants of Great Britain and Ireland according to three leading inspector-led guides as at January 2019 editions. Each of the Guides outlined below provide data in publicly available press releases each year, or in the case of the AA Guide through cumulative twice yearly releases. The points of note are as follows:
* The Waitrose Good Food Guide 2019 Top 50 are included and mapped. The number in brackets next to the GFG score is the restaurant’s position within their top 50 list.
* The AA Restaurant Guide 2019 all 4 and 5 Rosette restaurants are mapped.
*The Michelin Guide 2019 all 2 and 3 Star restaurants are mapped.
Further points of note are as follows:
*The numbering of the labels is significant as it reflects the fine dining guide ranking – an FDG score derived from a specific formula applied to the three guides marks. The highest is 53 marks out of a maximum possible 58.
*There are many overlaps with these three guide mark catagories such that the final number of restaurants is seventy-nine.
Britain’s Top Restaurants
Click on the expand icon on the top right of the embedded google map below to go into full screen of google maps (as per image above and recommended). Alternatively, click on the icon on the left to see the menu of restaurants and their details. Click on each number label on the map or on the menu on the left to see the scrollable restaurant details appear.
Below is a formula applied to the scores in leading guides to discover the top 30 (thirty) restaurants in Britain. This is up-to-date as at February 2019.
The weighting is toward Michelin with six points per Michelin star, three points per Waitrose Good Food Guide mark out of ten and two points per AA Restaurant Guide Rosette. The number in brackets under GFG is the position in their 2019, Top 50 published list.
From an early age, Tom was fortunate to have exposure to the creative wonder of quality restaurants. Indeed, his father had a family business that involved significant international travel to America, Europe and Asia where “He might come back from his travels with some extraordinary food products, be it a stick of best quality German marzipan or some obscure but beautiful Japanese bean curd dessert, the likes of either I had never tasted before.”
Tom’s step-grandmother is Japanese, so from an early age he had the opportunity to see and taste some incredible products that broadened his horizons. Always hands on, practical and artistic (also having studied for an art history degree) a natural career step might have involved working with raw materials in some way, in fact the kitchen proved a natural extension to these attributes and a decision from which he and his dining guests have significantly benefited.
Tom Kemble, The Pass, South Lodge
When asked whether cooking is an art or a science, he sees the life of a chef as mastering an artisan craft rather than either an art or science. The concept of becoming a master of the craft extends to a Japanese philosophy called Shokunin. This goes further and deeper than demonstrating mastery of mere skills, it spans the passion, dedication, discipline, ethical and even spiritual nature of the student; continuously inspiring self-evolution, which extends to helping those around you as well as improving self; “I see Shokunin as a guide to my career as well as more broadly in life.”
The first career role in London was at Foliage restaurant at the Madarin Oriental, where he worked (starting as demi-commis) for two and half years. While this naturally represented the bottom of the ladder, he was part of an amazing and supportive brigade. Fine dining guide remembers the restaurant very fondly as during this time it was delivering some of the finest food in London! As well as the inspirational Chris Staines as Head Chef, there were other familiar faces to fine dining guide in that multi-talented brigade – a junior sous chef was Ollie Pierrepont, most recently at La Trompette and another, Ed Dutton who went onto Pied a Terre before starting Noize with Mathieu Germond in September 2017 and Daniel Pearse currently exec pastry chef at the Savoy.
From Foliage, a fresh challenge awaited that would prove pivotal to his career. Mikael Jonsson, the enigmatic, self-taught chef with a passion for produce, who opened the restaurant Hedone in Chiswick. Tom took the role as his sous chef and the restaurant achieved a Michelin star in the first year of opening. Inspired by Mikael, it was in this environment that he developed a love and passion for great produce.
After Hedone, he had the opportunity to work for Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson who is head chef at the restaurant Fäviken in Sweden. Magnus had previously worked at L’Astrance and L’Arpège in France, before moving onto Fäviken in 2008, which gained two Michelin stars in 2016. During nine months under Magnus, Tom was inspired by the local produce and precise cooking techniques. For example the intense ageing of retired dairy cows, the local pigs fattened on whey and grilled over coals and the abundance of game in the autumn. In addition, early harvest, freshly picked and shelled peas and how they maintained flavour including a level sweetness where the sugar had not converted to starch. This was further evidence of how extraordinary differences in flavour and texture come from preparing the very best and freshest possible produce in the right way.
In order to cook professionally, Tom notes that, “you need to be sensitive to understanding what the produce is, in that each ingredient will respond differently to being cooked in different ways. For example, how sugars break down to starch in vegetables or how proteins react to different types of cooking.”
A return to London, saw him take the opportunity of head chef at Bonham’s restaurant with a small team of three chefs which gained a Michelin star in his first year. In a four years plus stint in those kitchens at Bonham’s, most things were prepared during service, so much was done cooking a la minute and not (as appears a trend in the modern way of placing the accent on pre-preparation). This approach was something he was keen to take forward into his next role.
The Pass Restaurant, South Lodge
The Pass at South Lodge (above) operates with a relatively small number of covers – twenty eight – offering a tasting menu only format with a choice of six and eight courses in a kind of extended ‘kitchen table’ cum open kitchen. Tom recognizes, “There are few opportunities to have such a support structure as there is at South Lodge in the Exclusive Hotels Group whereby a chef may focus on working with the high quality produce in such an intimate top end dining environment.” Indeed, where the Group MD & Owner (Danny Pecorelli) carries the social media handle @foodhero, you might rightly assume that chefs and food will get tangible backing across those properties.
At The Pass, he looks forward to extending the inspiration for the finest ingredients, while applying his craft to Japanese influences in cooking style and produce. Perhaps a greater focus on the tasting menu style previously only available on Friday evenings at Bonham’s (the trade there was mainly lunch with a customer base reflecting a need for modern European, classical cuisine, so perhaps those Friday dinner menus did not get the level of awareness they deserved.)
The Pass kitchen has access to wonderful dayboat fish from Cornwall and Sussex through to shellfish or the highest quality vegetables such as morels, peas, wild garlic or asparagus. Tom finds the iodine and minerality found in oysters, muscles, cockles, razor clams inspires him in other areas of cooking. As a means to deliver and enhance flavour, Seaweed is one of his favourite ingredients to work with, so as well as preparing three types of dashi as a basis for sauces and marinades, he uses seaweed butter (inspired by a Stephen Harris’ – of The Sportsman in Kent – slip sole dish roasted in seaweed butter) to finish his own fish dishes. The kitchen also maintains dried seaweed as powders or even pickled to enable wherever or however the flavour enhanced experience is relevant to a dish.
A theme of the six and eight course menu at The Pass at South Lodge will engage the customer throughout with clear, clean flavours with a core of umami based Japanese techniques.
Tasting Menu Salmon
Indeed one dish sampled on the tasting menu was a Salmon dish (above). Tom analysed the dish as follows: “The Salmon (sustainably farmed from Norway) was cured in kombu, which was initially used for making dashi. This sat on the skin before a five hour process of the flesh being covered with equal parts light brown sugar and salt. After being washed the Salmon was skinned, while making sure to have kept fat on the fish (for flavour). The loin and the belly were divided as each has a different texture and fat content. The fattiness from the fish was balanced by a few different components; crème fraiche which added a lactic note, then an oil made from sea lettuce, which provided an iodine mineral flavour alongside a hit of umami from the tomato ponzu. Added texture came from watermelon radish and to finish the dish baeri caviar, oyster leaf and ice lettuce.”
In terms of general signatures, he suggests there are three branches, in the context of being given the opportunity to fully explore Japanese led cookery.
First, Tom employs Japanese influenced ingredients and flavours inspired by umami from creating several types of dashi in house.
Binchotan Charcoal Fire Bricked Grill
Second, the restaurant imported specialist Japanese Binchotan charcoal for an imported fire bricked grill (above, Konro Grill in the UK). The charcoal provides a beautiful flavour, which you might find in restaurants across Japan for cooking produce from eel to Wagyu beef. Binchotan charcoal has been produced for over 300 years by artisan makers in the Kishu district of Wakayama in Japan.
The flavour effect is clean, clear and non-smoky, in other words the antithesis of the classic smoky Big Green Egg barbecue. For economic reasons the charcoal is blended to make it last longer, but the Binchotan is extraordinary like porcelain and is said to have many positive health properties. The kitchen employs the classic technique used in Japan where meat or fish is grilled and skewered over the heat rather than direct on the grill.
Third, comes from the passion for the freshest highest quality ingredients providing the best possible flavours and textures. In the future, Tom’s believes his style may move increasingly toward apparent simplicity, where there may appear to be three components on a plate that produce a wonderful flavour combination that in fact masks a complexity in their creation. The chocolate dessert on the current tasting menu is a perfect example of that aim.
General plans for the future will be to develop and grow the team and continue to be considered about delivering tasting menus that will change with the seasons to keep both the customers coming back and the chefs motivated to cook and create. There will continue to be a five course offering at lunch time which is a little closer to a starter, main and dessert format at a lower price point.
Tom will also look to put on ‘four hands’ dinners with a guest chef on special evenings. A master in tempura, sushi or meat cooking and then maybe swap over and do something in Japan. He’d also like to do the same with chefs he admires in the UK. These are simple ways to enthuse customers, chefs on the team and expand the skill set all at the same time. The future is very exciting and “I’m delighted to be on board at the prestigious and food loving Exclusive Hotels UK Group.”
The Trustees of the Gold
Service Scholarship are delighted to announce that the 2019 Scholar is Karen Gruet
from Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire.
The announcement was made
at a glamorous reception at Claridge’s Hotel on Monday, 4 February 2019, attended
by 250 influential members of the hospitality industry. This follows the Final
assessment lunch which was held at Corinthia Hotel London in January.
Karen Gruet is Assistant
Restaurant Manager at the Michelin two-starred restaurant at Le Manoir. Frenchborn,
she started her work career in the UK in 2013 at Le Manoir as a Commis de Rang,
then moved to Restaurant Sat Bains (also Michelin two-starred) in 2014 as a
Chef de Rang. Karen then returned to Le Manoir in late 2014 where she has
progressed through the front-of-house ranks of the restaurant. Commenting on her role at the hotel, she
enjoys anticipating and exceeding guests’ expectations, and is “extremely
driven with a passion for knowledge and developing her skills.”
Chairman of the Judges
Edward Griffiths enthused about the high calibre of candidates for the 2019
Scholarship programme,
stating: “Not only did we have a challenging time whittling down the initial
100 applicants at the early stages of the competition, but choosing the Scholar
from the group of eight winning Finalists was a difficult task. Each year, the
quality of candidates improves in terms of ability, experience, enthusiasm and
social skills.” Speaking on behalf of the Trustees and Judges, he added: “We
are thrilled that Karen is our absolute winning Scholar, having shone
throughout the programme. A wealth of educational and networking opportunities
await her. The Trustees and Sponsors give our warmest congratulations to all of
our Finalists and the new Scholar.”
Special commendations have
also been noted for two of the Finalists – James Dainton, of The Northall at
Corinthia Hotel London, for showing the most potential, and Tiziano de Mattia,
of Hide Restaurant in London, who presented the most consistent performance.
Background on the Gold
Service Scholarship
The Scholarship was
launched in 2012 to encourage a lasting heritage of excellence in hospitality.
The programme celebrates the craft of front of house service in Food &
Beverage, and nurtures young talent through tailored mentoring. The past six
years’ Scholars and Finalists have had impressive progression in their careers
to date, due in part to the connections they have established during their
association with the Scholarship. As Alumni, they also make up the recently
launched Team Gold, a platform to share ideas and network through social media.
An educational calendar of special events hosted by guest speakers, for all
Scholars and Finalists, provides learning opportunities in the company of
leading industry figures.
The Gold Service
Scholarship is grateful for the support it receives from its key Sponsors,
which include BaxterStorey, Buckingham Palace, The Gosling Foundation and the
Lord Forte Foundation.
Winner of the Roux Scholarship 2018 Martin Carabott has completed his stage at Eleven Madison Park in New York, USA. The three-month placement, with all expenses paid, is the star prize of the annual competition, with winners able to choose any 3 star Michelin kitchen in the world.
Martin’s choice was Eleven Madison Park, one of the world’s most revered restaurants; it has held three Michelin stars since 2011 and was named number one in the World’s Best Restaurant guide in 2017. It has been owned by Chef Daniel Humm and Restaurateur Will Guidara since 2011 and it is set in an Art Deco building overlooking Madison Square Park, one of Manhattan’s most beautiful green spaces.
Martin hails originally from Malta, where his formative training was studying a four year course at catering school through the national Institute of Tourism Studies. He was always drawn to creative arts including cooking so the course was a natural fit. Martin’s first hotel restaurant experience was via a placement in the third year at Gleneagles.
While this wasn’t specifically in Andrew Fairlie’s kitchen (the first Roux Scholar from 1984, receiving the scholarship certificate from the Roux bothers above), Chef Fairlie’s brand of beautiful Michelin starred, creative fine dining, proved an early inspiration.
Later, Martin moved to London to Heinz Beck’s Apsley’s at the Lanesborough before joining The RAC under Executive Head Chef Philip Corrick and Head Chef Rob Chambers (subsequently of Luca restaurant). Over four years career development at The RAC saw Martin work his way up from chef de partie, through junior sous, to finally senior sous chef. In context, the kitchen provided Martin with the perfect balance – beautiful food with the best of both classical and contemporary cuisine. The management philosophy of that kitchen was also appealing as it meant there was great scope to learn, grow and collaboratively create dishes. The culture was also to encourage entry in competitions and to open up a network of contacts in the industry, indeed it was here that Martin first experienced the Roux Scholarship.
Having made the final in 2016 and 2017, Martin made the ultimate step of winning the Roux Scholarship in 2018. Martin describes the process as starting with a paper recipe entry based on guidelines; such as using a main ingredient of Hogget (2019 competition) garnished with globe artichoke plus a garnish of your choice together with a sauce to accompany the dish. The entrant must also provide costing of the dish to demonstrate more than just creative and technical ability but to also demonstrate the pragmatism associated with business acumen.
Martin strongly advises anyone applying to take great care in making the paper submission as accurate and high quality as possible, to also include good quality photographs, as this is the first hurdle to get to the regional cooking sessions in London and Birmingham. Everyone is on the same platform, with equality of opportunity and this comes across throughout the competition. The potential finalists have to cook their dish in a set time for four people plus a dessert from a hidden basket that the chefs are given on the day. This provides a true test of every aspect of cooking. Six finalists are chosen after everything is scrutinized during the process – the way you cook, think, your creativity, the way you work, manage time and budget and so on.
When the final comes the only preparation a finalist can do is to study as many classical recipes as possible and be equipped with as many classical chef techniques as possible. On the big day, finalists are given a recipe – always classical and very challenging – everyone has exactly the same equipment to use, the same ingredients and a commis chef (a student or apprentice) with three hours to complete the dish.
Having completed the process and awarded the 2018 Roux Scholarship, Martin found it hard to take in, “it was amazing, quite unbelievable. The biggest aspect is being welcomed into a sense of family. An almost overwhelming feeling of pride, belonging and security comes from the association with the founding fathers of gastronomy in this country.”
Immediately after being awarded the scholarship, there were some sponsors prizes on top of a cash prize, as the gravity of what Martin had achieved at the start of a journey that he hopes will reflect well as an ambassador for fine dining and cooking.
As examples of the prizes that Martin experienced, he enjoyed trips to Laurent Perrier in Champagne, a L’Unico arranged visit to the Caffe Musetti factory in Milan, Balvenie Whiskey provided a rare bottle and Udale Foods offered a shooting trip in Scotland. The full range of prizes can be found here: http://www.rouxscholarship.co.uk/prizes/
The opportunity which originally inspired the birth of the Scholarship in the mid 1980s, came from the idea of providing a platform for up and coming British chefs to experience the great kitchens of France. The top end culinary scene in Britain was in its infancy back then and due to the cultural barriers of the age, chefs had little scope of opportunity to stage abroad. The new and enhanced knowledge gained by these scholars would grow the profession back in Britain, (as these chefs became ambassadors for the profession in Britain). Nowadays the scope of culinary opportunity is global and The Roux Scholarship has spread its wings to reflect that for its scholars.
During Martin’s stage at Eleven Madison Park (EMP) in New York (above), a significant part of the restaurant culture was to encourage the creativity of the whole team, in fact “it was a real collaborative effort among chefs who were trained to follow Daniel Humm’s ethos, philosophy and style.” They had a four man development team in the kitchen but also one of the dishes on the menu was provided by the quarterly ‘cook battle’ where every chef gets to submit a recipe from which the senior chefs and development chefs select ten dishes. Each are cooked and judged on their merits with dishes placing first, second and third. Martin’s Carabott’s dish placed second.
The winning dish was put through to Daniel Humm to decide whether it should go on the menu at EMP. At every step of the way, Brian Lockwood (Head Chef), made Martin feel part of the team and after two weeks as a commis, put him through his paces across various stations, so he was properly tested and learned so much during his stay.
Martin has had a great year at Hide Restaurant, having worked since the development stage in building the menu with recipe’s from Ollie Dabbous, Josh Angus and Luke Selby (another Roux Scholar). He has enjoyed the role as Senior Sous Chef at Ground in Hide restaurant (below) and the building gaining a Michelin star so quickly has provided a boost to all the team.
Thinking of the Roux Scholarship, to anyone thinking of doing the competition, Martin’s advice is do it! A chef must do their absolute best at every stage, paying best attention to the paper entry right from the start, get it absolutely right and put as much effort as possible into the dish as it should reflect something of yourself and be authentic. Finally, if at first you don’t succeed you are likely to have got the Roux Scholarship bug and will try and try again! Every step of the way it is a learning experience and you will get better and better as a chef.
UK restaurants awarded with the highest recognition of culinary excellence. Old Downton Lodge, Roganic and The Dining Room, Whatley Manor awarded four AA Rosettes
22nd January. The
AA has announced its latest Rosette Award winners, recognising
restaurants with the highest culinary offerings in the UK. Three
restaurants have been awarded four AA Rosettes,
while a further sixteen have been awarded three AA Rosettes.
Restaurants
honoured with four AA Rosettes are Old Downton Lodge (Ludlow,
Shropshire), Roganic (London) and The Dining Room, Whatley Manor
(Wiltshire), while those awarded three AA Rosettes include Gordon
Ramsay’s
London restaurant Pétrus, Rothay Manor
Hotel & Fine Dining, and Allium at Askham Hall.
Establishments
with three AA Rosettes are all outstanding restaurants achieving
standards that demand national recognition well beyond their local area.
Those awarded four AA Rosettes are among the top restaurants
in the country.
Simon Numphud, Managing Director
at AA Hotel & Hospitality Services said “We are delighted
to recognise these hotels and restaurants for achieving such high
standards of culinary excellence. Congratulations to all those working
at these establishments, who continue to show the breadth
and quality of the British culinary landscape.”
The
AA has been awarding Rosettes to restaurants since 1956, with the top
award of five rosettes being introduced in 1991. The multi rosettes are
awarded bi-annually in January and September, with success being
determined by one or more visits by an AA inspector to an hotel or
restaurant.
A feeling of
anticipation builds as the gated entrance opens into Whatley Manor’s
cobbled courtyards of honeystone Cotswold buildings – and that’s as it
should be because the Victorian manor house has long sat in the
top flight of the UK’s country house hotels. The Dining Room is rightly
at the heart of the Whatley experience, an understated modern space,
with cream walls, bare floors and a generously spaced tables. Niall
Keating leads the kitchen team here and his refined
contemporary cooking draws inspiration from Asia and France – this is
serious food, realized with ambition, confidence and panache. Delivered
via a 12-course tasting menu, including a vegetarian version, phenomenal
precision and flavours are there from the
off in lobster custard and meaty chicken broth pointed up with caviar,
then the umami explosion of raw oyster with seaweed mignonette dressing.
Produce is, naturally, as good as you can get, and flavours and
textures come pin sharp, whether it’s a delicate
composition of salmon with turnip, ham and caviar, or the big, bold hit
of pigeon with kohlrabi, spiced date purée and horseradish. A barrage
of desserts offers ideas such as matcha with yoghurt and milk crisp, and
wine flights of revelatory pairings line
up to enhance the whole experience further.
Creative cuisine in an idyllic Shropshire hideaway
A short drive from foodie Ludlow, Old
Downton Lodge is a rural idyll overlooking the Welsh Marches hills.
Originally a farmhouse and cider mill, the country-chic restaurant with
rooms comprises a fascinating cluster of buildings – medieval,
half-timbered, Georgian – around a courtyard filled with herbs and
flowers. Dating from Norman times, the restaurant has the feel of a
medieval great hall with its stone walls, tapestry and chandelier.
Dinner takes the form of daily-changing six- and nine-course,
menus or a three-course market menu, all built on local, home-grown and
foraged produce of the highest order. Head chef Karl Martin’s cooking
is defined by its inherent simplicity, precision and intuitive balance,
kicking off with a combo of cauliflower, onion
and Parmesan of remarkable depth to pave the way for Wagyu beef boosted
with blue cheese, broccoli and walnut. These are highly original
compositions where everything is there for a good reason: main courses
see lobster counterpointed with cherry tomato fondue,
caviar and Thai basil, then a superlative pork medallion is matched
with braised gem lettuce, winberries and peas. The results are
impressive all the way through to a thought-provoking desserts of
Muscovado mousse with blueberries, peanut and sorrel, and rice
pudding with elderflower, strawberry and tarragon.
The
original pop-up Roganic was such a barnstorming success that Simon
Rogan came back to Marylebone with a more permanent set-up in 2018, and
the place is now firmly established as a go-to venue for foodies. The
new
incarnation occupies a spartan space of bronze and white textured
concrete walls, linen-clothed tables and design-classic chairs. As in
Rogan’s other ventures, the kitchen is tuned in to nature, and its
stunning ingredients – some sourced from his own Lake
District farm – are delivered by head chef Oli Marlow and his team in
highly technical, precisely engineered miniatures. Tasting menu fans are
in for a small-plate cavalcade of eight or 12 courses, but if you’re
not in for the long haul, the four-course set
lunch is a steal, and the inspired cooking driven by flavour, freshness
and balance. Taking the budget route, things get going with a blue
cheese croquette supported by black garlic, cubes of sea trout and a
tomato juice of remarkable purity. Next up, duck
comes three ways, the breast timed to perfection and served with
cauliflower purée, pear and raspberry, braised leg matched with cabbage,
and seared duck hearts highlighted with prune chutney and potato
mousse. To finish, there’s a sublime fig ice cream with
sorrel crisps and snow.
Curving
brick vaulted ceilings with big skylights, and a feature wall of vivid
green moss set the scene in this high-flying newcomer to Nottingham’s
flourishing restaurant scene. Brought to life from a long-derelict
coaching
inn – much of the renovation work done by the chef, Alex Bond, himself –
Alchemilla feels like an enveloping organic space with its simple
wooden tables and open kitchen. Expect of-the-moment cookery that, while
not remotely vegetarian, shifts attention more
squarely onto the vegetable elements within tasting menus bristling
with on-trend ingredients in intriguing combinations. Tender squid
strips, hen of the woods mushrooms, buttermilk and black garlic add up
to a playful take on carbonara, while grain risotto
comes dressed in three-year-old Parmesan and truffle. A main meat dish
partners spot-on venison with quince and puréed pumpkin. Striking
desserts continue the innovative mood, matching Peruvian marigold sorbet
with apple granita and espuma, and tangy cultured
cream.
On
the fringes of the Lake District in splendid Cumbrian countryside,
Askham dates from the 14th century and is intimate enough to style
itself a restaurant with rooms. The Allium restaurant is the most recent
addition,
and the kitchen takes a fiercely seasonal view of things, working in
harmony with materials reared and grown in the kitchen gardens and the
farms within the estate. Expect modern food that is home-grown,
certainly, but far from home-spun: texture, flavour
and visual appeal combine in style in a starter of crab with lovage,
blackcurrant and garden herbs accessorized with a wafer-thin sourdough
and squid ink lattice, followed by spiced salt-aged Goosnargh duck
breast offset with celeriac, beetroot, plum and
a duck fat waffle. Dessert is an intriguing confection balancing the
sweet and savoury notes of buttermilk pannacota with apple sorrel and
blackberries. Punching well above its weight, the remarkable wine list
is the icing on the cake.
A highly-talented
young chef with an impressive CV choosing edgy Hackney Wick for their
first solo venture might sound a little left-field, but Tom Brown (a
Nathan Outlaw protégé and previous head chef of Outlaws at the
Capital) has done exactly this, a fact that only makes Cornerstone all
the more fascinating. This new seafood joint is making big waves. The
vibe is super cool, light and relaxed; a handsome monochrome, industrial
look with retro bow-back chairs and black
tabletops and dominant central-hub kitchen. Confidently exposed,
Brown’s team turns out dazzling seafood sharing-plates in the simple but
brilliantly executed genre, backed by standout ingredients, flavour and
balance. Take a sensational opener of pickled
oyster served with celery, dill and subtle kick of horseradish,
followed perhaps by headlining whole, sparkling-fresh John Dory (on the
bone), again simply delivered with a silky roast chicken butter sauce.
Round-off proceedings with a classy dark chocolate
fondant, orange and whiskey. Bubbly, informed service hits a high note
too.
This whitewashed 19th-century
inn has had a new lease of life under the auspices of regional
big-hitter Andreas Antona. Tasteful modern refurbishment makes the most
of its beams and exposed brickwork, with
warm tones, dark wood and polished tables entirely in tune with the
pubby mood. The cooking has its roots in classic European ideas and
delivers a touch of modern refinement whilst not turning its nose up at
steak and chips with onion rings on the same menu.
A big-hitting opener partners crispy duck egg with beer-cured ham,
caramelized celeriac, intense cep purée and a rich and glossy chicken jus. Next up, a piggy plateful of pork belly, tender cheek and a croquette
of head meat is helped along by crackling, smoked onion, salted apple purée, sage jus and braised barley, while caramelized white chocolate sauce poured into hazelnut praline soufflé
alongside blood orange ice cream provides a final flourish.
The man leading the young team in this exciting new-generation Brit eatery is a former BBC
MasterChef: The Professionals winner, and since he set up shop at
the western end of Hove’s main drag in 2017, the cooking has really
gathered momentum. The space is cool with its midnight-blue walls,
brass-edged tables and open kitchen adding to a buzzy
air of all-round vitality. Monthly-changing set menus of five, seven or
nine courses have their heart in Sussex produce, and, the palate primed
with an umami hit from Marmite brioche with seaweed butter, creative
and intricately detailed combos score hit after
hit, among them sea bass with cauliflower in various incarnations,
apple, capers and shrimps, then outstanding South Downs smoked venison
loin, with a crisp samosa of haunch, plus pickled, roasted and puréed
squash. As for sweet ideas, cranberry Bakewell tart
is matched with cinnamon ice cream, cranberry gel and poached and puréed pear.
The 1930s country
boozer with a terrace and garden looking over the River Stour was
begging for a makeover, and that’s just what it got when high-flying
young chef-patron Dan Smith took the helm in 2018 and immediately
turned the place into a foodie destination. The updated stripped-back
style looks the part without detracting from the period charm of its
oak-panelled dining room, cosy open fires and 1930s-vintage bar. Smith’s
cooking is firmly in the new-wave modern British
camp, allying sharp technique with intriguing combinations of
first-class materials. Spitfire ale sourdough and rye bread with smoked
pork fat and braised onions is a storming start, before poached
Whitstable oysters that come pointed up with diced apple,
caviar and light creamy sauce. Main-course venison of buttery
tenderness is served as fillet and confit with celeriac, damson, smoked
bone marrow and a full-throttle jus. Dessert takes a more mainstream
route, matching baked St Clements cheesecake with Cointreau
granita.
John Duffin has
food in his DNA: after working up an impressive CV in some of London’s
stellar kitchens, he returned to his roots by opening his own restaurant
on the family farm where he grew up. Bare beams and brick
walls, wooden floors and tables all add up to a rustic feel, but think
again if you’re expecting food in a similar vein. Sure, Duffin is
committed to a ‘farm to plate’ philosophy – much of the produce comes
from his family’s land, after all – but the cooking
is ambitious, precise and full of contemporary verve. Marinated
heritage tomatoes bursting with flavour are nimbly partnered with almond
gazpacho and fresh mint, while main-course pork belly comes with the
balanced flavours of sweetcorn purée,
hen of the woods mushrooms and gremolata. A clever dessert of meringue
encasing yuzu curd alongside elderflower sorbet and white chocolate
rounds things off nicely.
There’s no obvious
clue that the well-groomed Georgian townhouse on the corner of a leafy
little residential Kensington street is anything more than just another
smart-neighbourhood eatery, but gastronomes know that this
is a destination worth seeking out. The interior design is certainly in
keeping with the postcode, with the series of spaces done out in shades
of grey with splashes of colour coming from the modern artworks on the
walls. Light, modern cooking, courtesy of
the talented young chef, Ben Murphy, delivers clever combinations of
texture and bold flavour, all deftly engineered with invention and flair
and dressed-to-thrill presentation. Roast celeriac stars in an
impressive opener alongside a gutsy vegetable ragout
ramped up with truffle, mint oil and emulsion, and Parmesan. Next up,
superlative halibut shines in the company of grelot onion, potato
terrine and a potent jus. To finish, pear in various forms is matched
with maple mousse and crunchy pecan feuilletine.
Standing proud among Upper Slaughter’s
glorious honey-coloured Cotswold stone buildings, Lords of the Manor is
a former rectory dating from the 17th century that backs on to eight
acres of green and pleasant grounds.
The interior has the best of both worlds: original features and chic
contemporary furnishings. Making the most of the garden views, the classy look of the dining room makes a relaxed setting for modern cooking that
combines elements of French classicism with more contemporary, ingredients-led ideas. Orkney scallop tartare with Granny Smith apple and fennel-infused crème
fraiche opens with impressive
clarity and balance, while precisely timed Anjou pigeon with salt-baked
beetroot, chard, and fig and black pudding condiment represents the
more robust end of the spectrum. The same balance and purity of flavours
is on display again when it comes to dessert,
with malted milk tart with stem ginger and orange rising to the
occasion.
In 1805, the former
Red Lion took the Methuen family’s name when it was rebuilt in Bath
stone with three storeys and a fine portico. The period character looms
large within thanks to elm floorboards, flagstones, rugs,
log fires and walls hung with local prints and etchings, and there’s a
real energy about the place these days, particularly in the kitchen
where Leigh Evans delivers modern British food that satisfies on all
levels with its clearly defined, confident flavours
and thoughtful textural interplay. The finest local produce, including
goodies from the kitchen garden, underpin it all. A feisty starter
unites lamb belly and sweetbreads with artichokes, hazelnut, gem lettuce
and mint, while main course sees a superlative
slab of halibut alongside the forthright flavours of girolles,
parsnips, braised beef and truffle mash. Vivacious flavours continue
through to a dessert of burnt passionfruit cream with mango salsa, crisp
coconut and coconut ice cream.
Immaculate modern French cooking from the Ramsay stable
Restaurant
Gordon Ramsay in Royal Hospital Road may well be the flagship of Mr
Ramsay’s empire, but Pétrus runs it a very close second when it comes to
delivering dynamic modern French food. The dining room is a
sophisticated
space with hues of copper, beige, silver, and splashes of claret red as
a nod to the namesake wine, and well-spaced tables dressed up for the
business of fine dining around a centrepiece walk-in glass wine room
bristling with starry vintages. Now headed up
by Russell Bateman, the kitchen interprets the Ramsay style
confidently, with classic techniques and combinations rather than
novelty to the fore, as in the roast veal sweetbreads that combine with
castelfranco radicchio, almond, lemon and truffle in a stunning
opener. Next up, superb Cornish monkfish is counterpointed by squash,
chanterelle and ginger. To finish, a quenelle of roast hazelnut ice
cream is slotted into a masterful praline soufflé at the table.
Built
by a Liverpool shipping merchant in 1823, many of Rothay’s Regency
features are still much in evidence. The handsome whitewashed pile is a
great example of a traditional Lake District country-house hotel,
standing
in attractive landscaped gardens a short walk from honeypot Ambleside.
New owners have raised the bar in recent years, not least in the
restaurant, where a gently contemporary look lines up with adventurous
modern country house cooking based on splendid local
produce. Nicely timed pigeon opens proceedings, balanced with the
sharpness of pickled beetroot, as well as liquorice and hazelnuts.
Following that, a fine piece of brill has the added punch of chicken
wings, mushrooms, cabbage and shaved truffle, while local
lamb might appear as loin, rib and sweetbreads alongside root
vegetables, sea buckthorn and cime di rapa greens. The final flourish
comes in the form of a rhubarb workout – poached, jelly, crisps, crumb –
with sheep’s milk, hibiscus and malt.
Refined contemporary cooking in Victorian splendour
Fans
of Victoriana will no doubt be intrigued to learn that this handsome
country house was once home to the renowned architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Ensconced in glorious gardens, the interiors are restored to their full
glory and the cooking is a perfect fit with the contemporary boutique
country house mood. Chef Shane Hughes is well versed in modern culinary
trends and deploys applies honed techniques to well-sourced materials in
a starter of seared hand-dived scallops with
a galette of crispy rabbit and mozzarella pointed up with rabbit jelly,
cherry tomato and a tarragon and sweet mustard dressing. Main courses
deliver neat spins on intuitive combinations, as in a slow-cooked duck
leg and spiced honey-glazed breast with carrot
purée,
bok choi and ginger cream sauce. For pudding, baked American cheesecake
rich enough for its own Swiss bank account comes with bourbon-marinated
Kentish cherries, peanut butter ice cream and cherry
jelly.
Of-the-moment British cooking in a Mayfair townhouse
Mark Jarvis (of
Anglo and Neo Bistro fame) has picked a handsome Mayfair townhouse just
off Regents Street for his third venture. Inside, it puts on a clean
modern style, with deep purple banquettes and copper pendant
lights set against stark white walls, and good-natured, knowledgeable
staff contributing to the relaxed atmosphere. Jarvis is a dab hand at
crafting bang up-to-date food that’s defined by its remarkable clarity
of flavour and attention to detail. Set lunch
is a snip, otherwise settle in for the carte or taster menu. Sound
materials are carefully handled in a simple salad of heirloom tomatoes
raised to a higher plane by a vibrant seaweed dressing and buttermilk,
followed by an immaculately handled piece of translucent
cod given depth by onion oil and balanced by fresh peas and charred
lettuce. For pudding, the house take on Eton mess is a deconstructed
plateful of meringue shards concealing strawberry sorbet, mint and
velvety vanilla cream.
Tucked away in a tranquil and
picturesque valley – but then again just about everywhere on Sark is
quiet and picturesque – Stocks is a smart hotel built around a Georgian
farmhouse. It’s done out in a traditional manner, and that goes for
the fine-dining restaurant, too. With its opulent
drapes and white tablecloths, the panelled dining room provides a
traditional and formal setting for technically adept cooking that pays
its dues to modern ideas and is also – thanks to a
kitchen has close links with local fishermen and farms – solidly
ingredient driven. Citrus-cured monkfish with gin-infused cucumber,
borage and yoghurt is a fresh and vivid starter, and the bar stays high
for a dish of Guernsey turbot with braised chicken
wings, baby gem, Jerusalem artichoke and chicken jus. A perfectly risen
coconut soufflé partnered with coconut sorbet and a zippy pineapple and chilli salsa is proof that desserts are a major strength too.
Playful modern cooking in a wilderness environment
Tucked
down an alleyway in the jewellery quarter, The Wilderness is an
atmospheric venue with skylight panels and an open kitchen, decked with
foliage to bring a sense of sylvan repose to city eating. Top-class
British
produce supplemented by foraged ingredients and seasonal goodies from
their own allotment provide the building-blocks and underpinning them is
a sharp grasp of flavour and sound technique that delivers playful,
inspired modern cooking. A dramatic opener of
venison tartare with beetroot purée,
parsley shoots, sweet shallot and the pungency of wasabi emulsion paves
the way for a sharply executed dish of tempura monkfish with a hint of
garlic and chilli and a
light and fresh accompaniment of sorrel, elderflower emulsion, gherkin
and pickled pickled parsnip powder. Desserts experiment with
multi-layered, often savoury flavours, as in the miso ice cream matched
with sesame caramelized filo pastry, white wine-infused
apple balls and richly buttery salted caramel.
The Drunken Butler is a French led restaurant with Persian influences found near Clerkenwell, London EC1. Yuma Hashemi (above) is a well travelled chef of Persian heritage, whose formative years were spent in his adopted home of Germany. In his late teens, he briefly studied business before a change of direction was accompanied by significant time invested in travelling (and living) through Portugal, Sweden and France. The garnered experience saw Yuma broaden his horizons, develop his passionate ideas for classical technique cooking with Persian influences as well as developing a lasting love affair with wine.
Yuma’s self owned (without the financial masters of backers or banks) restaurant allows a degree of creative freedom and direction, the serious nature of the happenings within is belied by the humble entrance to 20 Rosebery Avenue.
The 36 cover restaurant aims to offer guests an experience which mirrors a Persian home whether it’s the décor, the style of service, or on the restaurant’s ‘Persian Sundays,’ food offering. Yuma has a passion for artisan produce and supports those found locally from the area of East London (as much as possible). The wine list is small producer centric as Yuma sees they deliver unsung gems, mostly biodynamic, natural or organic and predominantly those originating from France, Austria, Italy and Spain.
Simon Carter was delighted that Yuma found time to discuss his personal and culinary journey over food, wine, water and first rate hospitality. The resulting summary of interview conducted at The Drunken Butler in early December 2018 is found below
I never intended to become a chef. In Persian culture there are a couple of traditional family traits that may have conflicting relevance to becoming a chef – the first is that in Persian families it is natural for the parents to see their offspring aspire to becoming a lawyer, a doctor or follow some other similar sort of professional career. At the same time, a central feature of a Persian household is the family meal, where the warmth of family togetherness and the very nature of hospitality come shining through.
In keeping with the family ethos of a Persian household, family photographs form part of the décor at The Drunken Butler, my mother and grandmother smile down on me from the shelves on the wall.The hospitality aspect of being a chef is one I enjoy very much, to the point where I ensure the nature of engagement with the restaurant’s guests is interactive from the moment their incoming call sets the phone ringing.
So I will personally take the booking right through to the level of hands-on hospitality from start to finish of the dining experience. My objective is to be the host for the evening and a host will engage you with conversation as well as cooking something for you to eat and pouring something for you to drink.
Looking back, I would say in my younger days, I had always wanted to travel, learn languages and experience different cultures – part of the latter was experienced through cuisine. While I grew up and worked in Germany (with my family) I later travelled and lived for periods in Portugal, Sweden, and France.
My first trial double shift was 18 hours long and I did not stop working, as I was so excited and passionate to be in the kitchen, I just wanted to impress. Something stuck with me from then to this day and I still use with all my apprentices – at the end of the trial the head chef said to me, “you choose, do you want this job, do you want to become a chef?” I was taken aback, she told me all the bad news that comes with the commitment and dedication required to be a success, including the exhaustion and unsociable hours. I now say the same thing to my new recruits and give them the choice as to whether it is something they want and not something I might want from them or for them…
Having previously studied business, I felt it was natural thing to do to study cooking. I acquired a copy of an encyclopedia of cookery, the great Larousse Gastonomique (first published 1938 and prefaced by Escoffier) and found the recipes and cooking techniques described fascinating. A modern edition sits on the bookshelf in the restaurant.
I see cooking as both an art and a science; your instinct, your feeling and your taste memory come from the experience of learning – part of that is the ‘how to’ science which you can read about, be shown or learn by doing through trial and error but a key part, which separates the enthusiast from the professional, is from ‘within.’ This perhaps defines the art of creating dishes.
When you lead a professional kitchen there is another art, which is the art of managing and motivating people. Even when creating the core product of the restaurant it is imperative to get interactive creative input from the team, to have buy in to what you are wanting to achieve together as a restaurant. This also helps everyone, myself included, to learn and develop in so many ways, as well as developing the team. Just as during my journeys I learned from many head chefs, I also found great gems of knowledge from stagiers who had come from other cultures or had other experiences. One of my chefs once said “we’re not running a 100 metres, we’re in a marathon.” By that he meant evolution not revolution, we do not need nor expect to be the very best we can be overnight, these things take time.
During eight years in France, I found myself accepted into the culture of the Bordeaux region of France, where people were completely welcoming to someone of a different nationality and without any grasp of the local language. I was fortunate to make contacts and friends with many chefs, sommeliers but also with the great wine Chateau such as Chateau d’Yquem in Sauterns and Chateau Petrus in Pomerol. So over time I learned about the culture, the food, the wine, the language and what living and loving really meant in that region of France.
The style of Yuma’s cuisine sampled in the evening tasting menu, included the bold and the elegant. Within each dish there proved a significant demonstration of classically trained technique but with the eagerness to gently explore cultural Persian roots in their composition. As a result, some dishes might be considered robust while demonstrating complexity of character. Indeed a fine Cabernet led wine from the Medoc or a classic Hermitage from the Rhone Valley, may deliver a certain immediacy but thereafter unfold an array of flavour complexity, elegance and indescribable subtlety. Such moments are those few seconds when a thousand angels teardrops fall on your tongue.
As a metaphor for his cooking, this may be going a little overboard on Yuma’s behalf but he does profess to having developed a love of wine during an eight year stay in Bordeaux and the dishes dabble with pairing relatively strongly flavoured elements with a delicate protein, which dictate the walking of a culinary tightrope to a balanced and harmonious conclusion. On each occasion this is achieved successfully.
Consider for instance cooked Oysters, delivered with a required acidic piquancy but balanced with an unusual pistachio paste – Or Scallops, delicate, sweet and seasoned with a little natural salt, paired with sorrel, squid ink crisp, trout roe (the natural salt) and courgette. The squid ink is a natural partner, (as discovered decades ago by Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire in Chelsea) however the sorrel combined with the Persian favourite of courgette delivers a greater flavour punch: Yuma clearly posseses a wise and sensitive palate as this, like each and every tasting menu treat, delivers its intended affect. One of the new forays into harmonious flavours on the palate, is based on wild mushrooms, spinach oil and brought together by a luxurious saffron mussel velouté, this leans toward more delicate notes and a greater complexity masked by its apparent simplicity (below), as one might find in a fine white burgundy!
Kaskh-e-bademjoon with smoked eel and roast aubergine and sundried fermented yoghurt invokes true Persian memories to those in the know, whereas a lamb with endive main course treads a more familiar path to fine dining guide.
Overall, since it’s opening in December 2017, The Drunken Butler has significantly evolved and proven itself as one of the more exciting additions to the diverse central London culinary and hospitality scene. The continued success and rise to prominence of the chef patron Yuma Hashemi will be followed with interest.
THE GOLD SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCES ITS 2019 FINALISTS
The Trustees and Judges of the Gold Service Scholarship (Below) have conducted a series of interviews and performance tasks over the past few months to assess the 100 candidates vying for the coveted 2019 Scholar accolade. The Semi-Finals took place on 26 November at Rosewood London, with 40 young professionals spending the day in judging sessions that covered myriad aspects of front-of-house service.
Edward Griffiths, Chairman of the Judges (third from right above), expressed delight at the impressive candidates this year, stating: “The level of enthusiasm and expertise among the Semi-Finalists made the task quite challenging to whittle down the list to just eight Finalists. Each year, we note the very high quality of candidates from hotels, restaurants, private clubs and many other service establishments from across the country. Our goal is to identify and encourage these young people to grow within the hospitality industry, and we are delighted with the group of eight making it to the Final this year.”
The eight Finalists (in no particular order) represent broad backgrounds and expertise, and hail from London and beyond, into Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Scotland. They are as follows:
James Dainton, Assistant Restaurant Manager – The Northall, Corinthia Hotel London
Tiziano de Mattia, Assistant Restaurant Manager – Hide, London
Eleanor Dimes, Junior Head Waitress – Lucknam Park Hotel, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Karen Gruet, Assistant Restaurant Manager – Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford
Laura Schlegel, Head Waitress – Dinner by Blumenthal, London
Alexander Sumerauer, First Head Waiter – The Ritz, London
The Final of the Gold Service Scholarship competition will take place on 21 January 2019 at Corinthia Hotel London, where eight candidates will vie for the winning Scholar accolade. That result will be announced and presented on 4 February 2019 at Claridge’s, with dozens of leading industry figures in attendance.
The winning Scholar will receive an impressive array of prizes, including placements at a leading international hotel, as well as at prestigious UK restaurants and at a Buckingham Palace State Visit, in addition to ongoing mentoring from the Trustees. All of the Finalists will enjoy European wine tours and ‘stages’ at top restaurants, and will join the recently launched Team Gold, a forum for networking and communication which had its most recent event at Brown’s Hotel with Sir Rocco Forte who shared his insights at a dinner and an ‘In Conversation’ presentation.
Background on the Gold Service Scholarship
The Scholarship was launched in 2012 to encourage a lasting heritage of excellence in hospitality. The programme celebrates the craft of service in F&B and front-of-house and nurtures the young talent through tailored mentoring. The past six years’ Scholars and Finalists have had impressive progression in their careers to date, due in part to the networks that they have established during their association with the Scholarship. As Alumni, they make up the recently launched Team Gold (a newsletter and social sharing platform for all Scholars and Finalists).
Roux Scholarship 2019: Entries open today as the Roux Family set the recipe challenge
The Roux Family are set to test chefs’ butchering skills in this year’s Roux Scholarship competition as they announce the details of the recipe challenge. Entries open at 2pm today (12th November).
Entrants must be in full-time employment as a chef in the United Kingdom and be aged 22 or above, but no older than 30 years of age on 1st February 2019. They have until midnight on Thursday 31st January 2019 to submit a recipe to serve four people using:
One short saddle of hogget, weighing between 1.8kg and 2.2kg (bone-in, breast removed, without kidneys) and using four hogget kidneys (whole, suet removed); together served plated with two ‘simple’ or ‘composed’ garnishes/accompaniments. One of them must include potato rösti and the other to be a garnish/accompaniment of your choice. One of these can be served separately if preferred. A sauce must accompany the dish.
Important notes:
Two and a half hours’ cooking time is allocated at the Regional Final for cooking the dish to the recipe originally submitted. In addition, a dessert to serve four people must be made from a ‘mystery box’ of ingredients given on the day.
Contestants mustinclude a full and accurate list of quantities and cost of all ingredients used, omitting the short saddle of hogget and the hogget kidneys. The cost of the short saddle of hogget will be of £14.00 per kg and the hogget kidneys £7.00 per kg. The full total costing of the dish, without the short saddle of hogget and the hogget kidneys, should not exceed £12.00 per portion.
The hogget and kidneys will both be provided by the college should entrants be successful in being selected to compete at the Regional Final.
Entrants arenotallowed to use or bring any pre-prepared stock or sauce whatsoever for the meat, vegetable or garnish / accompaniment dishes and none will be provided.
Oneand a maximum of two photographs may accompany your recipe as part of your entry, if you feel these will enhance your entry. This is not obligatory.
Full details can be found in the rules on the website that competitors must read before entering.
Full details of the competition, rules and the entry process are available on the websiterouxscholarship.co.uk
Alain Roux said: “Hogget is an interesting ingredient, as tender as lamb but offering a deliciously rich flavour. I am delighted with the challenge we have set this year on so many levels; in particular to test the butchery skills of the chefs, but also to assess their judgement and finesse to ensure the short saddle is cooked preserving the unique flavour and moistness of the cut and also the kidneys. The scope is there to prepare them in a very simple or more sophisticated way”.
Michel Roux Jrsaid: “Hogget has a wonderful depth of flavour that can be married with myriad spices. The saddle is a prime cut and can be cooked in many different ways, but for me the use of the kidney will be vital.”
The Trustees of the Gold Service Scholarship have announced the list of successful candidates who have proceeded to the Semi Final stage of the 2019 competition. Drawing from the breadth of the UK, and from such diverse hospitality businesses as hotels and restaurants, private clubs, the RAF and the Royal Household, the 42 candidates will now undertake a new series of tests, challenges and interviews at the Semi Finals, which will take place on Monday, 26 November at Rosewood London.
Commenting on the group of candidates vying to be the coveted 2019 Scholar, Chairman of the Judges Edward Griffiths stated: “It has been such an impressive group of young professionals making it through to the Semi Finals this year – in fact, it was a very tough task to whittle the original 100 applicants down to the Semi Final stage, so much so that we increased the numbers from the normal 32 to 42. It was impossible to eliminate more at this juncture. The next stage of the competition is going to be very exciting!”
The mix of Semi Final candidates hails from Michelin-starred establishments to smart pubs, both city centre and country house hotels, and high-profile clubs, with a wide variety of food and beverage positions and responsibilities. All aged between 22 and 28, they represent a new generation of aspirational professionals who recognise that the experience of engaging with the Gold Service Scholarship will allow them access to some of the industry’s most senior members and will enable them to hone their own particular skill sets in F&B and front-of-house.
The Semi Finalist list is as follows:
DIMITRI AURIANT Chef de Rang at Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
GEORGE AUSTIN Maître d’Hôtel at Annabel’s Private Members Club, London
REMY BABEN Restaurant Supervisor at Sofitel London St James
GUY BRICE Maître d’Hôtel at J. Sheekey’s, London
ANDREA CAPUTO Deputy Bar Manager at The Ritz London
MIGUEL CARULLA Assistant Restaurant Manager, Angler Restaurant, South Place Hotel
LAUREN CHAPPELL Assistant Restaurant Manager at Cromlix Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland
MAËVA CHAUMENILLE Demi Chef de Rang at The Greenhouse, London
MADELEINE CONNOLLY Head Waitress at Hide, London
SHANE COX Restaurant Supervisor at Rosewood London
GIUSEPPE D`ANGELO Chef de Rang at The Goring Hotel, London
JAMES DAINTON Assistant Restaurant Manager at Northall at Corinthia Hotel London
TIZIANO DE MATTIA Assistant Restaurant Manager at Hide, London
THOMAS DIMELOW Restaurant Manager at Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, Hampshire
ELEANOR DIMES Junior Head Waitress at Lucknam Park Hotel, Wiltshire
PIERS GIBSON-BIRCH Assistant Restaurant Manager at Wernher Restaurant at Luton Hoo Hotel
ANDREAS GONZALEZ Floor Manager at Coq d’Argent, London
DE PEVERELLI LUSCHI
KAREN GRUET Assistant Restaurant Manager at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
EDWARD JOYNER Chef de Rang at Angler Restaurant, South Place Hotel
SEBASTIAN KOEWIUS Assistant Restaurant Manager at Northall at Corinthia Hotel London
GEORGE LANCE Restaurant Supervisor at The Grill at The Dorchester, London
TIM LANG Conference & Banqueting Supervisor at Corinthia Hotel London
CORENTIN LARMET Chef de Rang at The Woodspeen, Newbury, Berkshire
ANDREW LECKIE Senior Footman at the Royal Household
PHILIP LITTLEWOOD Assistant Restaurant Manager at The Barn at Moor Hall, Lancashire
YANN LOREAU Waiter at Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road, London
JAMES LOVETT TURNER Head Waiter at Fera at Claridge’s, London
ALESSANDRO MARRA Assistant manager at Alyn Williams at The Westbury, London
NEIL MENDOZA Senior Restaurant Manager at Hide, London
DANIELLE MILLS RAF Air ground steward at RAF Odiham
JAY NOOR Assistant Events Operations Manager at The Berkeley, London
ANDREA NUNINGER Food & Beverage Graduate Programme at Coworth Park Hotel & Spa
BEATRIZ PINTO DA SILVA Senior Butler at The Ritz London
MILLIE POVEY Chef de Rang at Core by Clare Smyth, London
TANIA PRASCIOLU Head Waitress at Caramel Restaurant & Lounge, London
HANNAH RIPPON Head Waitress at The Oxford Blue Pub, Windsor
LAURA SCHLEGEL Head Waitress at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London
HARVINDER SINGH Head Waiter at Elystan Street, London
ALEXANDER SUMERAUER First Head Waiter at The Ritz London
STEVEN SUTHERLAND Maître d’Hôtel at Le Gavroche, London
GEORGE THOMAS Chef de Rang at The Arts Club, London
ALEXANDRA ZOTESCU In Room Dining Coordinator at The Savoy, London
Current Scholar Michael Staub has progressed in management within Rosewood Hotels, and recently transferred from Rosewood London to Rosewood Sand Hill in San Francisco this past summer. Michael cites his Scholar win as one of the most significant in his career to date, explaining that “winning the competition has been a true honour and has opened many, many doors for me”.
The Final of the competition will take place on 21 January 2019 at Corinthia Hotel London, where eight candidates will vie for the winning Scholar accolade. That will be announced and presented on 4 February 2019 at Claridge’s with dozens of leading industry figures in attendance.
Background on the Gold Service Scholarship
The Scholarship was launched in 2012 to encourage a lasting heritage of excellence in hospitality. The programme celebrates the craft of service in F&B and front-of-house and nurtures the young talent through tailored mentoring. The past six years’ Scholars and Finalists have had impressive progression in their careers to date, due in part to the networks that they have established during their association with the Scholarship. As Alumni, they make up the recently launched Team Gold (a newsletter and social sharing platform for all Scholars and Finalists).
Many congratualtions to André Garrett who has spent 5 years delivering memories to treasure at his eponymous restaurant at Cliveden House hotel, Taplow, Berkshire. As a regular visitor to the restaurant and general Cliveden lover, he will be sadly missed. Those naughty people at Michelin somehow overlooked a significant period where everything had come together from the kichen and one of the strongest star standard restaurants in the country was delivering without that recognition. So all the very best to André on his new adventure! Having visited the Corinthia for the Gold Service Scholarship final judging process 2018 (as a participant consuming food and drink and asking the occasional question rather than doing any judging) I can honestly say that the Corinthia will prove a wondeful venue for André and no doubt one in which he will continue to flourish. See you there my friend. Take care, all the best!! And Thank You!!! Simon C
Below is more information related to the announcement:-
Corinthia Hotel London is pleased to announce that André Garrett will join as Executive Chef of the hotel in January 2019. André’s remit will include the entire hotel, overseeing banqueting events, room service, afternoon tea, breakfast, Spa and Garden Lounge, and all bar food menus as well as The Northall restaurant.
André has been Executive Chef for the past five years at Cliveden House in Taplow, Berkshire. Previously he worked in London with the Michelin-starred Galvin brothers, at both Galvin at Windows atop the Hilton on Park Lane, and prior to that at Orrery in Marylebone. Renowned for his elegant, modern cuisine, André is on the board of the Academy of Culinary Arts, for their annual awards of excellence, and the MCA, as well as a panel judge of the Roux Scholarship. In 2017 he was awarded ‘Hotel Chef of the Year’ in the Hotel Cateys.
“We are delighted to welcome André to our Corinthia family,” explains Thomas Kochs. “André’s appointment reinforces our commitment to create some of the finest food and drink experiences in the capital. Together, we look forward to bringing an exquisite new offering to our guests.”
Corinthia Hotel London’s restaurant and bar outlets have seen an exciting new direction most recently with the opening of Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, the relaunch of its cocktail bar, Bassoon, in partnership with Sager + Wilde, and the hotel’s afternoon tea in the Crystal Moon Lounge has enjoyed a complete makeover to celebrate the ceremony of a traditional English tea service.
Under the helm and expert guidance of André Garrett, The Northall restaurant will take a new culinary direction with a menu offering incorporating a broad fish and seafood selection influenced by the Mediterranean. Further details of the restaurant and its new menu will be released in the New Year.
André Garrett adds: “Corinthia Hotel London celebrates exceptional food and drink, which is why I relished the opportunity to join this dynamic team. I am excited to return to London and to be working alongside Thomas on this new culinary direction.”
About Corinthia Hotel London
Housed within a Victorian building, Corinthia Hotel London features 283 rooms, including 51 suites and seven penthouses, offering sweeping views across London’s most popular landmarks. Corinthia London provides unrivalled world-class luxury with superb ground floor restaurant and bar offerings. The hotel is also home to the flagship ESPA Life at Corinthia, a spa housed across four floors, with a hair salon by Daniel Galvin. The hotel boasts the largest room sizes in London, original restored Victorian columns, and tall windows. Cutting-edge technology in rooms and meeting rooms allow for recording, mixing and broadcasting from dedicated media rooms. Corinthia London is the ninth of Corinthia Hotels’ collection of five-star hotels founded by the Pisani family of Malta.
Corinthia Hotel London – Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD Tel – 020-7930 8181
On 21st November The Vineyard Hotel in Berkshire will host an exclusive cook off between Executive Chef Robby Jenks and one of the UK’s most celebrated chefs, Michael Caines MBE.
As Michael’s former protégé at the award winning Gidleigh Park Hotel, Robby and Michael will express their culinary talents, which will no doubt be a passionate battle between old friends.
Priced £229 per person for seven courses paired with one wine per course.
On Monday 29th October, Hampton Manor will host a ‘Slow Food Birmingham’ event discussing the future of the city’s supply chain. The event will explore how chefs and restaurateurs can use ingredients to build a better city and create a buzz about Birmingham’s eateries.
HEADLINING:
Brad Carter “Season with Salt”
The story of how Carters are leaving no stone unturned as they rethink the running of a restaurant.
Gareth Ward “Extending the seasons”
How one the UK’s most exciting restaurants is using traditional methods to extend the seasons and create iconic dishes.
David Craddick “Wasted”
Beer and the Toast Ale philosophy.
Shane Holland “The Ark of Taste”
Slow Food Executive Chair
Also featuring The Junk Food Project, The Clean Kilo, Andrew Sharp & Tom Beeston, Rob Palmer, Hampton Manor and the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
The day will include a range of other talks and activities from leading industry thinkers and practitioners that are transforming the supply chain. Tickets are £40 inc lunch and an evening BBQ to finish. Wine by Ancre Hill, Monmouth.
Hampton Manor is a family run Restaurant with Rooms in the quiet village of Hampton-in-Arden, just 12 minutes outside Birmingham. Craftsmanship is at the heart of the house. The team have developed relationships with the best suppliers in Britain for Michelin-starred Peel’s Restaurant’s tasting menus and looked to the Manor’s past to design 15 Arts and Crafts inspired bedrooms and a recently launched cottage. In 2016 Peel’s Restaurant was awarded a Michelin-star and its fourth AA-rosette. Head Chef Rob Palmer sources the best seasonal, British produce and cooks it using modern techniques. Each dish focuses on just three main ingredients, giving them an honest simplicity. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday and seats 28 guests. Four or seven course tasting menus are available with optional accompanying wine flights.
Further information attached. Bookings can be made by contacting the hotel directly reservations@hamptonmanor.com or by phone 01675 446 080.
