PubChef Awards - Pub Classics
These dishes have stood the test of time, becoming enduring favourites on the menus of British pubs. To stir things up a bit, our category finalists were challenged to recreate those traditional dishes with a modern twist. Natalie Cooper reports
Dishes such as fish and chips, bangers and mash and shepherd's pie have always been favourites on pub menus, providing "comfort food" to customers. But increasingly, gastro pubs are fusing traditional dishes with a fresh twist.
In this category cook-off, chefs had one hour and 15 minutes to prepare and cook their dish with no pre-prepared ingredients allowed.
The Meat category saw finalists producing a cross section of classic dishes featuring the likes of perennial favourites shepherd's pie, lamb's liver and bacon, calf's liver, fish
pie, and bangers and mash with black pudding dumplings.
Judges included Paul Drye, catering development manager of St Austell Brewery, Mark Taylor, food writer for titles, including the Financial Times, Metro and Olive, Adrian Moran, marketing director of category sponsor Lamb Weston, and David Hancock, editor of Les Routiers British Pubs & Inns.
Chef: David Edward, head chef
Pub: Three Fishes, Mitton, Lancashire
Dish: Three Fishes Pie - Fleetwood fish, baked with mashed potatoes, sprinkled with Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire cheese
Menu price: £9
Cost of ingredients: £2.25
Why this dish?: "This is one of our best sellers on the menu. The pie is smooth and creamy. The fish is a combination of haddock, salmon and a cheaper cut of fish, which is coley - it doesn't break up easily, so it holds the pie together."
Background: David worked in London restaurants for seven years before becoming head chef at the Feathers in Woodstock, Oxford, and then moving to the Three Fishes, where classic dishes on the menu include fish and chips and Lancashire hot pot. He says traditional cooking is a part of English culture.
Chef: Anthony Williams, head chef
Pub: Williams Arms, Wrafton, Braunton, Devon
Dish: Tony Reed's pork sausages in Barum Breakfast Bitter with black pudding dumplings and mushroom mash
Menu price: £6.95
Cost of ingredients: £1.48
Why this dish? "It's a winter warmer and is real pub food. I also like cooking with alcohol. At first I tried using Guinness but that was too strong. The Barum Breakfast Bitter adds flavour and goes well with the delicate flavour of the
mushroom mash."
Background: "Pub classics are essential," says Anthony. "We're lucky to have a pub culture in England and we should be proud of our heritage." Around 50% of the pub's menu is dedicated to either pub classics or derivatives of those dishes. "Steak and venison pie is a favourite," adds Anthony.
Chef: Tyrone Knight, commis chef
Pub: The Helyar Arms, East Coker, Somerset
Dish: Sautéed calf's liver with roasted shallots and deep fried sage
Menu price: £12
Cost of ingredients: £1.80
Why this dish?: "Calves liver has a subtle taste. The caramelised shallots add appeal as well as colour and the sage provides a different twist."
Background: Tyrone - winner of last year's Young Pub Chef category - has worked at the Helyar Arms for two years. On the pub's menu there's a selection of three to four pub classic dishes. Popular dishes include fish pie, steak and ale pie and coq au vin. He believes that pub classics are popular because "not everyone wants to go out and eat fancy food". The menu changes every season and Tyrone is responsible for planning the starters section of the menu.
Chef: Claude Paillet, executive head chef
Pub: Bricklayers Arms, Flaunden, Herts
Dish: Aylesbury duck shepherd's pie
Menu price: £9.95
Cost of ingredients: £2.30
Why this dish? "I wanted to use locally supplied ingredients in a classic dish. The sharpness of the grain mustard in the mash goes well with the mellow taste of the duck."
Background: Claude started his cheffing career in France, his native country. He's worked at the pub for two years. "It's important to keep up with traditional cooking," enthuses Claude. "It's great to see a new generation of chefs in England embracing traditional recipes." Pub classic dishes on the Bricklayers Arms menu include steak and kidney Guinness pie with a chive mash, and fresh cod fillet cooked in ale batter and served with chipped potatoes and garden peas. Both dishes retail at £9.95.
Chef: James Blowes, second chef
Pub: Alma, Chelmsford, Essex
Dish: Lambs liver and bacon with mini shepherd's pie
Menu price: £10.95
Cost of ingredients: £2.80
Why this dish? "This is a fusion of two great pub classics. The mash is lumpy so it holds the shape of the pie. The sauce is very rich, so I use baby carrots to cut through it - you need to eat a little of everything together."
Background: James has been a chef for more than seven years and loves "pub life". He says, "I'm old-fashioned and love keeping up with tradition." He believes that dishes like bubble and squeak, made with the leftovers from Sunday roasts, will always be popular. He serves bubble and squeak with lamb's liver, smoked bacon, Savoy cabbage, Puy lentils and fried onions.
The judges' verdicts on the finalists:
David Edward: "Very professional. He worked well in the kitchen and knows what he's doing. He was confident in his
approach."
Anthony Williams: "A great concept, his recipe and ingredients were superb. The dumplings were a good twist. A passionate chef"
Tyrone Knight: "His presentation was spot on. His use of sage was a good twist. The bacon and shallots were cooked really well."
Claude Paillet: "Excellent recipe. Traditional pub food with a twist, his dish was adventurous and different. Good ingredients. Great methods and presentation."
James Blowes: "Great recipe and ingredients. His dish execution was good. His carrots were cooked well and full of flavour. Liked his presentation."
The winner
Having won Young Pub Chef of the Year 2005, commis chef Tyrone Knight of the Helyar Arms in East Coker, near Yeovil, Somerset, says that winning the pub classic category title for 2006 will continue to be an immense booster to his confidence.
Tyrone works closely with head chef Mathieu Eke, who has cheffed for both Phil Vickery and Antony Worrall Thompson.
The pub averages 200 covers a week, with food-sales accounting for 66% of turnover. Best-selling dishes on the menu include grilled lamb chops with buttered Savoy cabbage, garlic rosemary potatoes and a Madeira jus (£14), roast free-range chicken breast, stuffed with apricots and served with pumpkin mash and sautéed squash (£12), pan-fried sea
bass with saffron mash, roasted cherry tomatoes and buttered spinach (£13) and deep-fried salmon fish cake with new potatoes, leeks, spinach and beurre blanc (£10).
Tyrone is ambitious, and though he likes pubs, he's set his sights on moving to London at some point to work in leading hotels so he can gain more experience. Tyrone would eventually like to own a hotel. The judges said that Tyrone - who is a credit to his head chef - has a great future ahead of him.
