Elite Chef Recruitment

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.

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