Wednesday 16 November 2011


Platinum Recruitment – Feature of the Month

Each month the team at Platinum Elite Chefs bring you an industry specific feature from one of the UK’s finest establishments.

This Month’s feature:

Shane Hughes – Head Chef – Roussillon - London
Restaurant awaiting to be rated, Shane previously held 3 AA Rosette - 1 Michelin Star

This month has been an extremely busy month for us at Platinum so we thought we would treat you all to not one but two recipe features!

I have the great pleasure of welcoming Shane Hughes to our Monthly recipe feature, Shane has recently taken on the role of Head Chef at the London based French restaurant, Roussillon.

Find out more about Shane in our 60 seconds on the clock feature.........

Shane, where in the world are you from?

I was born in South Africa in a town called Krugersdorp but brought up in the UK, mostly in Aylesbury (don’t tell anyone)

Where have you previously worked?

I have worked in some amazing Hotels and restaurants including, Hartwell house, The Connaught, Juniper, Whatley Manor and Le poussin, I have also worked for John Burton Race, my previous position before taking on the Roussillon was at Ynyshir Hall where I achieved a Michelin Star

Which chef influenced you the most?


Martin Burge of Whatley Manor has influenced me above all other chefs, he is a consummate professional.

What/where was your best ever meal?

My most recent favourite meal was definitely at The Ledbury

What’s your favorite cookbook?

I’m not much of a cook book lover but I own an Italian cookbook of the top boys over there, Carlo Cracco, Enriqo Crippo, Marquesi and so on!! It’s very rare and beautifully published.

What is the next restaurant you want to visit?

I would very much like to dine with Helene Darroze at the Connaught; I hear good things all the time.

What’s your favourite produce to cook with?

My favourite ingredients right now are the mallards which I collect personally from a shoot in Wales, I braise the legs and hang the crowns until they are just perfect, then we pluck and roast them to order.

Who would be in your fantasy brigade?

My ideal team would be the boys (and girls) I worked with at Ynyshir Hall, all trained up to my spec and very hard working………but if Paul Kitching is available I could use a good kitchen porter.(joke)!!

Where would you go on a stage?

If I could work anywhere right now I think it would have to be with Patrick o Connell over in America at The Inn at little Washington, I met him once and he was a fantastic character, very inspirational and hugely respected for both his cuisine and his philosophy.

If you weren’t a chef what would you be?


If I was not a chef I would probably have followed in my father’s footsteps and become a Royal Marine.....Too late now for sure.

What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into the industry?

My advice to young chefs entering the industry is that they should apply for the best and stay as long as they can, don’t be in a rush for promotion and learn every facet of the kitchen from garnish to pastry so that when the time comes to lead a team they have the confidence to do so without doubt.

For more information on Shane Hughes and Roussillon, check out the restaurants new website www.roussillon.co.uk

Shane I know you’re extremely busy getting your team in place and setting up the kitchen at Roussillon so I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your day to feature with Platinum Elite Chefs, good luck with the future at Roussillon!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to try Shane’s stunning food, why don’t you try and recreate his Warm Treacle Tart dish.

Enjoy!!

See you next month

Andy Sinclair

Warm Treacle Tart with clotted cream and Walnut Custard
Serves 8 to 10
Treacle tarts

200g Cooled beurre noisettes
180g Eggs
78ml Double cream
10g Salt
908g Golden syrup (warmed)
180g Bread crumbs
Zest of 2 lemons
50ml Lemon juice

500g Sweet Pastry
8 to 10 Metal rings (medium size)

Method

For the tart mix you need to mix the noissette butter with warmed syrup add to eggs, cream, salt mix, mix the bread crumbs, lemon zest and juice into the syrup and rest for one hour.

Roll out the sweet pastry and blind bake on a silicone mat until blonde and then cool, cut out the pastry with a metal ring and set aside.

Take the same metal ring and line with baking paper, place the cooked pastry disk back in to the lined ring and half fill with the treacle tart mix, repeat until all your rings are filled.
Cook at 150c on the top shelf of your oven, and cool, the rings will slide off when needed.

For the custard boil walnuts with milk then blend then pass.
Pour the walnut milk over eggs and sugar as if to make a basic anglaise then cook over a bain marie until thick, chill immediately.

Serve the Tarts warm with the walnut custard, some chopped walnuts, clotted cream and banana crisps.

If you’re interested in working alongside top quality chefs such as Shane Hughes send your CV to andy.sinclair@p-r-c.co.uk or call 01202 203150.


Tuesday 1 November 2011

Platinum Recruitment – Feature of the Month

Each month the team at Platinum Elite Chefs bring you an industry specific feature from one of the UK’s finest establishments.

This Month’s feature:

Adam Gray – Co-owner - The Red Lion – Northamptonshire
Awarded a Bib Gourmand in the 2012 UK Michelin guide, the first ever for the county of Northamptonshire!

This month I have the great pleasure of welcoming Adam Gray to our Monthly recipe feature. Adam has kindly taken time away from his role as the co-owner of the Red Lion in Northamptonshire to put together a recipe for one of his signature dishes.

Adam held the Head Chef position at City Rhodes until 2003, where he maintained a Michelin star before opening Rhodes Twenty Four in the heart of the city.

Under his direction, Rhodes Twenty Four was awarded the BMW Best New Restaurant and in 2005 was awarded a Michelin star. In 2007 Rhodes Twenty Four also went on to receive three AA Rosettes

Adam left Rhodes in September 2011 to focus on his new role as co-owner of the Red Lion in Northamptonshire. Adam started his career as a chef within the Red Lion so its with great pride and reflection that he now co-owns the property and is instrumental in its future success.

Adam is now determined to draw upon his previous experiences to provide fabulous quality, simple, affordable food within a great British traditional pub.

Along with the Red Lion, Adams time is taken up with helping secure the next generation of Chefs through The Shires Cookery School, also based within the Red lion. For more information please visit www.shirescookeryschool.com

Find out more about Adam in our 60 seconds on the clock feature.........

Adam, where in the world are you from?

I was born in Northamptonshire

Where have you previously worked?

Previously I have worked in The Four Seasons Hotel, Park Lane(1 Michelin Star) Le Manoir aux Quat Saison (2 Michelin Stars) Coral Reef Club in Barbados (Relais Chateaux),City Rhodes (1 Michelin Star) and Rhodes Twenty Four (1 Michelin Star)

Which chefs influenced you the most?

It would have to be Bruno Loubet , Raymond Blanc and Gary Rhodes

What/where was your best ever meal?


Harvey’s with Marco Pierre White – Rabbit with langoustines was the stand out dish

What’s your favorite cookbook?


White Heat by Marco Pierre White

What is the next restaurant you want to visit?

Noma in Copenhagen

What’s your favorite produce to cook with?

Oxtails

Who would be in your fantasy brigade?

Bruno Loubet, Raymond Blanc, Gary Rhodes, Marco Pierre White, Shaun Whatling, Nathan Outlaw, Jason Atherton and Michel Roux Jnr

Where would you go on a stage?


Per Se in New York

If you weren’t a chef what would you be?

In the SAS!!!

What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into the industry?

Be prepared for long hours, hard work and dedication. The rewards will come eventually if you stick at it and be honest to yourself and your food.

For more information on Adam Gray and The Red Lion, check out the Pubs website www.redlioneasthaddon.co.uk or Adams personal website www.adamgraychef.co.uk
Adam, it’s a real pleasure to have you feature with Platinum Elite Chefs, a huge thank you for taking time away from your busy day, good Luck with Red Lion and the Cookery School!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to try Adams’s stunning food yet why don’t you try and recreate his Sardine dish.

Enjoy!!

See you next month

Andy

Sardines on Toast

Ingredients

3 Sardine fillets
1 Bread Croute
20g Caramelised shallot
10g Salad Cream
3 Radish discs
30ml Tomato dressing
15g Diced cucumber
15g Diced tomato
Micro salad

Salad Cream

2tbsp Flour
8tbsp Sugar
2tbsp English mustard powder
4 Eggs
200ml White wine Vinegar
300ml Double cream
Lemon juice

Method
• Mix together the flour, sugar and mustard powder
• Beat in the eggs and white wine vinegar.
• Place in a bowl and heat gently over a Bain Marie till the flour has cooked out. Then leave to one side to cool.
• When the mix is cool add the cream and lemon juice and seasoning.

Tomato Dressing
300ml Tomato Ketchup
300ml White wine vinegar
150ml Dijon mustard
1350ml 1st press olive oil
Seasoning

Method
• Mix the ketchup, vinegar, and mustard. Then with a hand blender, emulsify the oil into the mixture to make the dressing. Reseason.

Presentation
• The bread croute cut 15cm long and 0.5cm thick has been baked with olive oil and sea salt between two sheets for 10minutes at 180c. On top of this there is a line of warmed caramelised shallot in the centre.
• The grilled sardines are laid over the shallot on the angle.
• Along the underside of the croute, take 1 spoon of cucumber and 1 spoon diced tomato and mix with the dressing.
• The topside of the croute lay 3 radish discs each with a small amount of salad cream then micro cress over.

If you’re interested in working alongside top quality chefs such as Adam Gray send your CV to andy.sinclair@p-r-c.co.uk or call 01202 203150.

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