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: Andrew Barkham – Head Chef – Rhodes Twenty Four – London 3 AA Rosette 1 Michelin Star With Christmas Just moments away, Platinum’s gift to you this festive season is not just one, but two recipe features for the month of December! Andrew Barkham is the newly appointed Head Chef at Gary Rhodes’ Michelin Star restaurant, Rhodes Twenty Four . He is no stranger to Gary’s kitchens, in total he has worked for over 11 years within two different restaurants working his way up to a now well deserved Head Chef role. It’s a genuine pleasure to introduce Andrew to our monthly feature and I very much hope you enjoy his recipe. Find out more about Andrew in our 60 seconds on the clock feature......... Where in the world are you from? Southampton Where have you previously worked? City Rhodes and 1 Lombard Street and now Rhodes Twenty Four Which chef influenced you the most? Gary Rhodes, Adam Gray and Marco Pierre White What/where was your best ever meal? L'Assiette Champenoise – Remis What’s your favourite cookbook? The French Café – Simon Wright What is the next restaurant you want to visit? The Ledbury What’s your favourite produce to cook with? Veal Heartbreads Who would be in your fantasy brigade? Michael Roux, Tom Aikens, Nathan Outlaw and Thomas Keller Where would you go on a stage? Noma If you weren’t a chef what would you be? Pro Golfer What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into the industry? Be willing to work hard and have very little rest, do it for as long as you can as it will pay off in the long run and you don’t get a second chance. For more information on Andrew Barkham and Rhodes Twenty Four, check out the restaurants website www.rhodes24.co.uk Andrew, 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 for in your new role! If you haven’t had the opportunity to try Andrew’s stunning food yet why don’t you try and recreate his Roasted Stone Bass Dish Enjoy!! See you next month Andy Roasted Stone Bass, Celeriac Cream, Girolle Mushroom and Hazelnuts Ingredients Stone Bass 120g Spinach 30g Celeriac cream 40g Baby leek (pieces) 7 Girolles 9 Hazelnut halves 7 Chopped chives 1tbsp Hazelnut sauce 80ml Celeriac Cream Celeriac 1 Shallots 2 Butter 150g Milk 1l Hazelnut oil 10g Method • Peel and slice down the shallots, sweat down in a pan with the hazelnut oil and butter. • Peel and dice the celeriac in to small pieces and add to the shallots sprinkle with a little salt to help break down the celeriac quicker. • Cover with a cartouche and cook gently with the milk. Don’t boil as the milk will split and have a lasting effect on the end taste of the cream. • Once the celeriac has cooked remove from the heat and strain the excess milk place the celeriac pulp in a thermomix and blend till the mix is smooth. • Pass the celeriac puree through a fine sieve and season. Hazelnut Sauce 100ml Noilly Prat 100ml White wine 500ml Vegetable stock 60g Toasted hazelnuts, crushed 150ml Double cream 100ml Milk 60ml Hazelnut oil Method • Put the Noilly Prat and white wine in a saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by three quarters. • Immediately add the vegetable stock, then the crushed hazelnuts, and simmer until the stock is reduced by two thirds. • Add the double cream, bring to the boil, then add the milk and bring back to the simmer. • Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, adding the hazelnut oil half way through. • Push through a fine sieve and then through muslin. Season to taste. Service Method • Fillet the stone bass and ensure that all bones and scales are removed then portion into 120g portions. Before cooking remove the portion from the fridge 10 minutes prior to cooking to get better results. Dust the skin of the bass in flour and brush with butter. • Pan roast the fish olive oil and once flipped over baste in foaming butter. To achieve and golden crispy skin. • Roast the hazelnuts in a little olive and salt for best result use a fan assisted oven for even colouring. Before serving cut in half where the nut breaks naturally. • Baby leeks are blanch whole in boiling salted water before cutting them down to 1 inch pieces on the angle. When reheating toss in warm butter and season. • Spinach is blanch in boiling salted water and refresh then buttered and seasoned. • Girolle mushrooms are graded and prepared by scraping the stalks and washed in luke warm water QUICKLY. • Chives are chopped finely. • Pan fry the girolle mushroom in a little oil and toss in some hazelnut halves and chopped chives. Assembly of the dish Using large serving spoons make a large quenelle of celeriac puree and place it at the bottom of the plate. Above and left of that place a small pile of spinach and the opposite side the baby leek garnish. Before lifting the stone bass portion on top of the spinach carefully arrange the girrole, hazelnut and chive on top of the fish, and just before sending spoon some hazelnut sauce over the baby leek which has been foamed. Serve extra sauce on the side. If you’re interested in working alongside top quality chefs such as Andrew Barkham send your CV to andy.sinclair@p-r-c.co.uk or call 01202 203150.

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