We grabbed Head Chef, Steven Tuke from The Vicarage in Cheshire, for a quick catch up whilst he was rustling up something incredible in the kitchen…
So what’s in store for the season ahead, Chef?
This month, it’s all about the balance between warming winter dishes, and fresh flavours. There’ll be plenty of soups, winter salads, plus of course all of the classics we know our guests love.
Sounds good. So what will you be enjoying this month?
I have a huge sweet tooth. So I’m all about the sugar! Give me a slice of cake with a cup of tea any day and I’m a happy man. I’ll never tire of Bannoffie pie! A crunchy, thick base, a light, fluffy filling and fresh bananas – with a dusting of brown sugar. Like I say… sweet tooth!
What’s hot for the year ahead?
Every year, we see a number of emerging food trends. This year, expect to see lots of souping (the new ‘juicing’!), a stronger focus on locally sourced produce, and a rekindled love of old favourites… done exceptionally well.
You’ve got a lot of fancy kitchen essentials in here Chef. What’s your favourite bit of kitchen kit?
My knives are my kitchen essentials. A good knife makes all the difference when it comes to perfect presentation. You wouldn’t hack away at a fine piece of fillet steak would you? Also, my thermo mixer. It blends, cooks, weighs, steams… just throw in a combination of beautiful flavours and let the mixer do the rest!
Favourite ingredient?
Butter (real butter, not a substitute!) has the ability to transform a dish. It adds richness, sweetness, brings out a number of other flavours, and is a key ingredient in most of my favourite sauces and dressings.
We’d have to agree. We look forward to seeing what new creations appear on The Vicarage’s menus in the coming months…
Wordsmithery by Siân | We Are Perception