The Staff Canteen Live 2018 Networking Lunch at Old Downton Lodge

This month, The Staff Canteen Live Networking Lunch was held at Old Downton Lodge.

• Read more about The Staff Canteen Live Networking Lunches
• See the latest recipes from all member accounts 

Chefs and sponsors enjoyed a five-course meal with matching wines plus bread and snacks from chef patron Karl Martin and his team.

Chefs

Chefs in attendance were: Andy Link, head chef, Riverside Aymestrey; Liam Dillon, chef-owner, The Boat Inn; Gennaro Adaggio, chef-owner, La Dolce Vita; Simon Barnett, sous chef, The Tame Hare; Jonathan Mills, chef director, The Tame Hare; Ryan Shilton, head chef, Swinfen Hall; Elliot Hill, head chef, Oddfellows Rooms;  Sean Bradley, sous chef, Lion and Pheasant; Joe Gould, head chef, Fishmore Hall; Debra Wright, chef-owner, Baron at Bucknall; Richard Nair, head chef, Drapers Hall; Mark McHugo, head chef, Cellar Door; Dan Gibbons, senior chef lecturer, Shrewsbury College; Georgia Bruce, private chef; Tom Jacks, head chef, Old Black Lion;

The menu at Old Downton Lodge

Upon arrival, guests enjoyed Pommery champagne and then chef Karl Martin gave a tour of the kitchen before everyone sat down to lunch.

Karl and his team prepared a five-course menu with matching wines presented by wine consultant Lionel Periner, followed by coffees and teas.

Dishes included: Duck ham, smoked cheese and beetroot, Herefordshire honey bread, Wagyu with parsley, maple vinegar and mushroom, Norwegian salmon with fennel, buttermilk, cucumber and caviar, Mangalitza with gem, peas and gooseberries followed by two puddings of rice pudding with elderflower, strawberries and tarragon and a slab of white chocolate with rose and rhubarb.

What the chefs and sponsors had to say about The Staff Canteen Live networking lunch

Mickey Provis, head chef, Green Cow Kitchen said: "I follow the Staff Canteen on Facebook and I was approached about the event. Cheffing can be a bit of a lonely job at times, so it’s good to be able to go and see the other guys and hear about their experience and why they do what they do, share problems and share the benefits of working in the industry. It’s been a fantastic day. All the dishes were very, very good but I think the beef was my favourite – I really like the beef and the mushroom, but the pork dish was also fantastic too. It was all superbly executed, well presented – beautiful food and great wine. Could you do it every Monday?!"

Dan Gibbons, Senior chef lecturer, Shrewsbury College was in agreement: "I am grateful to be invited to this event today, it was absolutely fantastic – the food was fantastic, the company was fantastic. I have met a few different suppliers and producers which was really nice. Interacting with other chefs – I have not met many people here before so it’s really nice to get a feel for what’s going on in the industry. Being from a college, we are really keen to interact with as many industry professionals as possible. This was a great event and I am really pleased to be here and I found it really interesting."

Karl Martin, chef patron, Old Downton Lodge was the man behind the fantastic menu for the networking lunch. He said: "I really really enjoyed today – it was great to cook for so many chefs from so many different places. The Staff Canteen has been one of my main focuses for a very long time, so to be able to do this lunch is a bit of a wish come true really! It’s something we have been really keen to do for a while and it’s amazing we have had the opportunity to do it. It’s such a great event!"

Jocelyn Sowden, PR Manager, Seafood from Norway commented that: "We really enjoy sponsoring the events with The Staff Canteen Live. For us, it gives us an opportunity to get outside of London often you find that you can get quite bogged down and London-centric. It’s nice to meet other different chefs, different people and learn different mindsets outside of London and learn what makes them tick. For us, it’s about reaching our wider audience and it’s been really enjoyable meeting everyone."

Lastly, Joseph Tomenga, Key Account Manager at Lactalis said: "At the networking lunch, I have met with a lot of interesting chefs working in different areas and it’s been really good so far. We have had really good feedback on our products as well as tips on what is going to be popular in the coming year. I have also learned about the usage and the way the chefs use cheeses within their kitchens. It’s been very helpful and I am looking forward to feeding this back to our Marketing team at Lactalis."

The lunch was sponsored by HIT Training, ChefWorks UK and Ireland, Seafood from Norway,  Champagne Pommery, Maple from Canada and Lactalis Professional.