Call me Chef!
I’m new to the Marketing Team over at The Barns, so inevitably, first order of business – spend a day in the kitchen! It’s the Peachy way! I was a bit apprehensive about this at first. I stereotyped it in my head – a room full of tattooed blokes with knives (eeeek!)
I arrived at the Chequers in Hampshire in the morning to the lovely Jordan. He took me through the ins and out of the pub and I had a bit of a nose around. He told me all about the upcoming Chequers Fest, where there would be tents full of goodies for our guests. From sausage making to cupcake decorating, oysters to ponies! It will all be there this weekend! It all sounded so fantastic – I had to volunteer myself to ‘help out’ (not drink champagne and eat oysters)!
Now I’m somewhat of a foodie. I love eating out. I love cooking. Ninety per cent of the programmes I watch, the content I read, the pictures I look at on social media, are food related. Some might say I’m a tad obsessed – a food addict!!
So after I met the kitchen team and realised they weren’t as bad as initially anticipated, I couldn’t wait to try my dab hand in a professional kitchen.
Head Chef Ray and Jordan set me up with some beautiful chef whites, a pinny and an ever so fetching hat. Although I looked slightly ridiculous and a little like a Japanese sushi chef, I looked and really felt the part now! I was ready.
The kitchen boys were lovely and made me feel at ease. Ray took me under his wing and showed me round the kitchen. First thoughts; I’m going to end up getting locked in the walk in freezer and be found days later as an ice cube!! “I’ll avoid that,” I thought. Little did I know that later on when the kitchen was in full swing there would be nothing I want more than to stand in the walk in freezer!!
He set me up with my own station – I was on prepping duty. He gave me the biggest knife you’ve ever seen and showed me how to chop ‘correctly’. My long and freshly manicured nails would not allow for chopping in the correct manner. After several failed attempts at slicing black pudding Chef Ray’s way, I gave up, asked for a small knife, and did it my own way. Much more efficient! These chefs don’t think about us girls and our nails!!
After the black pudding were the spring onions and courgettes. I was really getting into the swing of things now. Chop, chop, chop, place in the containers, label and date the containers. I felt so professional!
By the time all the urgent prep was done the first check was in, one of the specials of the day, two Sea Bass salads. I watched Ray, Sous Chef Nic and Chef Charlie work. Ray pan-fried the sea bass and showed me how to plate one up, then asked me to do them. I made and dressed the salad, plated it up and placed the Sea Bass on top. I rang the bell for service and shouted “table 5, main course, two sea bass”, in what I thought was my loudest and proudest voice. The boys were quick to make fun of me, telling me I was too quiet!
By this point it was really hotting up in the kitchen! GM Jordan took me to the fridge. He walked me through the provenance of the food we serve here at Peach and the importance of knowing where our food is coming from. It’s not just any old stuff; at Peach we only serve good stuff! It was great to see the attention to detail. The trout was from a local farm in Hampshire, the beef was finest quality Aubrey Allen 28 day hung, and all the fruit and veg used was beautifully fresh and in season!
After I’d been given a well-deserved break (and lunch cooked for me), I was with chef Charlie on pud duty. After preparing some shortbread dough in the industrial sized mixer, he left me in charge of the Dip Your Owns, our delightful seasonal special. I filled the pots with the strawberries, cream and then the chocolate sauce and put a couple of pieces of the delicious short bread I was preparing on the boards. I wanted to eat the whole thing!!
At the end of the day things really got technical. I assisted Charlie in making the delish rum, pineapple and coconut parfait. I started by splitting 15 eggs; whites in one bowl, yolks in the other. I didn’t trust myself near the flames of the hob, so Charlie took charge of making custard and I went back to my new favourite friend, the whisk, to whisk up the whites. Charlie then made an Italian meringue, and put it all together, whilst I prepped the tins for the freezer. He cut me a slice of the finished product that had been made earlier – us chefs need to try our food of course! It was so very tasty.
Full to the brim and feeling satisfied with my newfound professional skills, it was home time. I had a brilliant day and came away with a much better insight into the food we serve at Peach. I reluctantly gave back my chef whites and waved goodbye to my catering career.
I’ll have to get stuck in to the sausage making at the Chequers Fest!
