PubChef Food Excellence Awards WINNER - Pub Company Menu of the Year
This award recognises the pub company that has most successfully developed
and delivered a new menu offer in the past year and judges were looking for evidence of vision and creative flair, innovation, balance and seasonality.
Merchant Inns
Background: Merchant Inns is a small but dynamic privately-owned pub company with four freehold pubs.
The company was set up in 2005 by Robert Breare and Michelin starred executive chef Rob Clayton, who came from the Priory Hotel in Bath. Rob oversees the kitchen teams in all pubs. The pubs are the Carnarvon Arms, in Whitway, Berkshire; the Horse and Groom, in Charlton, Wiltshire; the Black Boy, in Milton, Oxon and the Mermaid Inn in Ellington, Cambridgeshire.
Menu philosophy: About 70% of meat, fish, poultry, cheese, fruit and vegetables are sourced regionally. "We have moved away from national suppliers as much as possible, although there are some exceptions due to the excellent quality of produce they offer," says head of marketing Gabrielle Grazebrook.
Robert has devised menu selections for each pub that comprise bar snacks, classic pub dishes and an à la carte menu.
"We are focused on keeping our pubs as pubs and not turning them into restaurants. We are not just special occasion or evening venues," says Grazebrook.
The bar menu changes quarterly and the à la carte changes monthly.
Sample dishes include:Starters:Cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup with Parma ham (£4.50)Risotto of chestnut mushrooms, chives and Parmesan (£4.50)Crispy braised duck leg with celeriac mash (£5.25)
Mains:Slow-cooked lemon and thyme corn-fed chicken breast, gratin potatoes, savoy cabbage and smoked bacon, mushroom sauce (£13.50)Honey roasted Gressingham duck breast, fondant potato with braised red cabbage (£14.95)Sautéed fillet of Loch Duart salmon, creamed leeks and pancetta (12.50)
Desserts:Strawberries in pink Champagne jelly, mascarpone cream (£4.95)Warm walnut and dark chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream (£5.50)Glazed lemon tart with raspberry coulis (£4.95)
