The Coach’s head chef Nick Beardshaw, who has worked for Kerridge at the Hand & Flowers for over four years, said: “Rotisseries are a big feature and will be used for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We are doing a whole side of smoked bacon, honey glazed and are cooking sausages on there for breakfast.
"Move into lunch with will be cooking big joints of meat and stuffed quail cooked to order. We are also cooking whole vegetables it it, such as whole roasted celeriac and trays of pomme boulangere which will collect all the nice juices from meat.”
Beardshaw researched the Coach’s menu at top restaurants including the Waterside in Bray which features a rotiserrie and Le Gavroche, which has recently had a new kitchen to see how they are adapting their classical cooking techniques on modern equipment.
He also went to Paul Bocuse brasseries in Lyon.
He said: “We wanted to see what the French are up to on their rotisserie. They are doing whole joints and carving it and when it is gone, it is gone.”
The new 40-cover site, which has an open kitchen, has eight chefs and will be open from 8am daily.
Some dishes on the menu will change daily.
Ingredient led cooking
Beardshaw said: “The menu features smaller plates and is based around what we do at the Hand stylistically. It is modern French/British. Everything is ingredient led, so ingredients treated very simply, looked after and served very simply. Standards are the same as the Hand, but in terms of complexity, the dishes are less complex, with less components.”
He added: “Everything off the rotisserie is very exciting. We are also doing fish fritters, chicken Kiev, Scotch eggs, very classic pub stuff.”
Equipment in the Coach kitchen also includes plancha grills and a bratt pan.
Dishes on the launch menu include:
- Rotisserie of the day;
- whole rotisserie stuffed quail (£14);
- rotisserie roast celeriac and truffle (£4.50);
- crispy pig's head with sweet celery and apple (£6.50);
- smoked eel Scotch egg with watercress soubise and charred onion (£7);
- salmon tartare with rye cracker (£6) and cauliflower cheese soup with crispy ox (5).
Options also include:
- the Coach burger with smoked Lyburn cheese (£10);
- fish fritter of the day with tartare sauce (£9.50);
- steak and ale pie with suet pastry (£12);
- venison chilli with toasted rice cream (£12.50);
- and mushroom “Nosotto” Claude Bosi (£6).
Desserts feature:
- hot chocolate tart with hazelnut ice cream (£6.50);
- whisky and rye pudding (£6.50);
- banana custard with dates and honeycomb (£6.50);
- fruit crumble with custard ice cream (£6.50) and spiced plum fool with brandy ice cream (£6.50).
Breakfast options include:
- a full English with a choice of eggs;
- haddock and poached egg;
- smoked salmon and scrambled egg;
- breakfast hot dog;
- and bacon bagel.
Awards
Kerridge, who holds two Michelin stars at the Hand & Flowers, said he will not be chasing awards for the Coach.
He said: “We all have a standard we want to achieve. If awards come along, that would be amazing, but first and foremost it has to work as a business. It is your own business and own investment and if awards come along great but if they don’t it isn’t the be all and end all. It is a case of it working as a business and offering great food and a concept that we need to make work. For me it feels more positive in terms of it making a high street pub work and that is the most important thing.”
Drinks focus
Kerridge said the Coach will welcome customers who just want to pop in for a drink at the bar or a coffee.
The site also features a waiting area for around 10 people to have a drink.
Seven beers are on offer at the Enterprise site which Kerridge has a 10 year lease on.
Draught beers include Estrellla Damm, Kirin Ichiban and Meantime London Lager.
Cask beers offer includes Rebellion IPA from Marlow Bottom brewery and Courage Best.
Hot drinks includes Builder’s tea in a mug (£1.50), Bailey’s coffee (£7.50) and hot chocolate and Jing teas.