Member of the Month February 2023: Samuel Lewis

Here at The Staff Canteen, we feature a different member every month we think deserves to be celebrated - this month’s winner is SAmuel Lewis, Head Chef of Chez Dominique restaurant in Bath

As thanks for being a regular contributor to The Staff Canteen, Samuel will receive an item of TSC merch of their choosing, a TSC mug and will be entered in our Member of the Year 2023 competition. The Staff Canteen Member of the Month feature is brought to you in association with Major.

Current Place Of Work/Position?

Samuel Lewis Head Chef of Chez Dominique restaurant in Bath.

What is your cooking style and what should people expect from the food on your menu?

I’d say my cooking style is very much based on flavours and extracting as much natural beauty from the wonderful seasonal produce our land and sea has to offer, whilst maintaining a strong grasp on sustainability and keeping it humble, following trends and techniques from my food hero’s Simon Rogan, Sat Bains or Josh Niland. 

You can expect unfussy bold flavours with strong French classic methods yet using local ingredients but also spices and certain ingredients this amazing world has to offer.

You’ll see Beurre Blanc sat hand in hand with lentil dhal, stunning cabbages grown a stones throw away, our butcher is top quality using single breed animals and stunning fish mostly coming up from our glorious fishing towns on the south coast.

We use timeless flavour combinations and methods in a way you wouldn’t have at home or from a supermarket which keeps our little restaurant full every lunch and dinner with customers always returning for more.

What is your favourite dish to cook and why?

My favourite dish or ingredient to cook has to be a good old hunk of Turbot on the bone as god intended, served with some samphire, Cornish new potatoes and beurre blanc treated with a good squeeze of lemon and a whack of perfectly cut chives.

Saying that our best seller at the moment is a bit more left field using scallops, kimchi, seaweed and honey.

Name a food item/dish/ingredient that isn't considered "cheffy" but you love to eat?

A Twirl hands down the most magnificent thing known to man, woman or beast, 2 flakes nailed in more chocolate decedent complex and masterful all in one bite.

What do you like about The Staff Canteen app and website?

I really enjoy using The Staff Canteen app keeping up to date with culinary news and enjoy seeing the dishes the members share. I’ve always found The Staff Canteen so informative and a great source of inspiration and keeping me up to date on the goings on.

It was a Sat Bains duck dish posted about 12 years ago that inspired me on how I work and plate food today there’s something quite romantic about me being able to write this for The Staff Canteen like a full circle moment.

What are you looking to get out of 2023?

Looking forwards, I’d like to learn more about the process of certain aspects of the trade visit more farms, fisheries, producers, and get to know the science behind the soil.

I would also like to be more focused in teaching new young talent coming up through the ranks. I still consider myself young but my knees sometimes don’t tell the same story, saying that I’ve never been so happy with my cooking and food in general.

Seeing out the rest of 2023 myself and my owners Chris and Sarah who come with a wealth of knowledge and experience in catering which has helped me no end in my 4 years at Chez Dominique.

We’d like the restaurant and our amazing team to fine tune our already successful restaurant to push for a rosette or to be included in some of the guides again for this year but all in all keep making our wonderful customers new and regular happy intrigued and keep on coming back.

If you want to feature in March's Instagram Top Ten, keep posting your great pictures on your TSC member's profile and using #thestaffcanteen on Instagram and we'll share the best!