PubChef Awards - Starters and Light Bites

As the first or possibly the only dish many customers try, pub starters and light bites need to make a great impression. Natalie Cooper reports

Increasingly, pub menus now give customers a choice when it comes to the size of their starters, light bites or main

course dishes. Starters can be scaled up to a full, main-course size for those with larger appetites, while mains might be reduced in size and cost as required, to give customers a light-bite option.

This category challenged pub chefs to create either a dish that could serve as a starter or light bite for one, or a sharing dish for two. No ingredients were allowed to be pre-prepared, with the exception of stocks.

Judges included Mark Taylor, food writer for a range of titles, including the Financial Times, Metro, Olive and PubChef, Mike Thurston from Restaurant Associates representing the Craft Guild of Chefs, Stuart White, group menu development manager for Laurel Pub Company and Matthew Godbold, marketing manager of category sponsor Kitchen Range

Foods.

Chef: Jonathan Furby, landlord/chef

Pub: Linnet, Great Hinton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Dish: Baked pork and mustard tart on mushy pea compôte with mint pesto

Menu price: £4.95

Cost of ingredients: £1.20

Why this dish?: "It's based on old-fashioned pub food like steak and kidney pie, but I've given it a modern twist and made it look more attractive. The mushy peas bring the dish together and the mint freshens it up. I also wanted to use a cheap cut of meat, which helps make a good gross profit."

Background: With 18 years of experience as a chef, mainly in London restaurants, Jonathan feels pub food should offer good value for money. The pub's ingredients are all fresh and everything is made from scratch. "Everyone is doing light bites now," says Jonathan, "people are more on-the-go

and want something quick but simple."

Chef: Martin Rudley, second chef

Pub: Ring O'Bells, Thornton, Bradford

Dish: Platter of fish: grilled scallops with mozzarella wrapped in Parma ham; chicory leaf filled with diced salmon, and mackerel and smoked haddock tartlet

Menu price: £5.50

Cost of ingredients: £1.86

Why this dish?: "This dish is one of the top five sellers on the menu. I think it works well because the platter offers three different textures and flavours. I use the subtlety of chicory leaf to spice up the salmon and mackerel, top the tartlet with a hollandaise sauce to make it creamy and use

Parma ham because of its coarse texture that goes well with the scallops."

Background: Martin comes from a restaurant background but prefers working in a pub. He believes that pub food should be about serving traditional dishes with creativity and flair.

Chef: Andrew Bruce, head chef

Pub: Rose and Crown, Snettisham, Norfolk

Dish: Crispy local organic pork belly, Cromer crab mayonnaise, cracked pepper caramel

Menu price: £6.25

Cost of ingredients: £2.10

Why this dish?: "I created this dish because I'm a lover of fat, pork and crab. It's a variation on sweet and sour pork. I put it on the menu once over summer. Instead of being hung out to dry with this dish, customers actually loved it. I now put it on as a special."

Background: Andrew has been with the pub for a year. He previously worked at the Gin Trap in Ringstead, Norfolk, gaining two AA rosettes, and before that cheffed in London restaurants. During the winter, Andrew offers homely and warm food, including game dishes that sell really well. In the summer, his seafood and crab are very popular.

Chef: Martin Weatherley, sous chef

Pub: The Alma, Chelmsford, Essex

Dish: Surf and turf pan-fried scallops, mini burgers with pickled vegetables and pea purée

Menu price: £6.95

Cost of ingredients: £2.25

Why this dish?: "The pickled vegetables are more unusual and used to spice up the dish. The surf and turf was created for customers to taste a variety of different flavours. I've added in wasabi to give it bite, because it goes well with the fish."

Background: Martin likes to experiment with ingredients to create a mixture of starters. He talks to customers regularly. The menu is changed about every six weeks and dishes are available in two sizes to give customers more choice in the range of starters and light bites. Martin started off his cheffing career at the Alma then took time out to go and work at a restaurant down the road for six months before his return.

Chef: Andrew Doree, landlord/chef

Pub: The Royal Oak, South Brent, Devon

Dish: Chargrilled scallops and wild venison with a red wine, red onion and cranberry dressing

Menu price: £7

Cost of ingredients: £2

Why this dish?: "I stumbled upon this wild venison through Dartmouth Smoke House. I find it works well with scallops and the tartness of the cranberry. This dish was designed to be made from fresh, and is quick to do."

Background: Since taking over the pub three years ago, Andrew introduced food and quickly built up a good local reputation. He says that some people expect huge portion sizes, but big is not always beautiful. He says: "It's important not to fill your customers up with one course as you want them to order a starter which puts extra money through your till."

The judges' verdicts on the finalists

Jonathan Furby: "A simple dish. He has a complete understanding of his flavours and demonstrates an honest

approach to pub food. All elements of the dish worked well individually."

Martin Rudley: "He demonstrated courage to produce three different dishes in one, using very distinct flavours on the

plate. He put a lot of effort into creating his dish. Very

tidy and disciplined in the kitchen."

Andrew Bruce: "Very enthusiastic and keen. His dish was innovative and the flavours all worked well together.

He is highly knowledgeable and passionate about his

local produce."

Martin Weatherley: "A very confident chef. The dish had fantastic presentation and colours. His scallops and burgers

were cooked really well. An ideal sharing concept."

Andrew Doree: "He understands his ingredients. Andrew is proud of his local produce and knows about his suppliers. He's very confident and calm in his approach. A good concept

and impressive presentation."

The Winner

Jonathan has been licensee of Wadworth's pub the Linnet, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, for five and a half years. He leaves most of the kitchen decision-making to his head chef, although he spends 90% of his time cheffing.

He says: "I'm merely a landlord, but I find it hard not to be in the kitchen." Jonathan has worked with Linnet head chef, Neil Clark, for over four years. Neil was the winner of PubChef of the Year 2005. Following his triumph in the Starters category, Jonathan now intends to devote more of his time to developing the business side of the pub.

Jonathan's staff constantly tell him that he works too hard. He admits that's because he's so passionate about food and cooking, and he's also a perfectionist.

The pub averages 375 covers a week, with 80% of turnover from food sales. Jonathan believes in honest, fresh food. The menu is seasonal and is changed every 10 weeks.

Judge Mark Taylor said: "He's very experienced and his passion for food is obvious. He used classic ingredients to produce a simple but quality dish that could be eaten as a starter or light bite. A real pub dish."