Member of the month May 2020: Sean Noonan

 Here at The Staff Canteen, we feature a different member every month who we think deserves to be celebrated - this month’s winner is sean noonan.

As thanks for being a regular contributor to The Staff Canteen website via the Chef+ app, Sean will be sent a TSC mug and an Essential Cuisine goodie bag!

1. Current place of work, position  

Head Chef of The Wellbeing Farm Wedding and Event Venue

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

My style of cooking is to use and showcase local and seasonal produce from the area of where I am based, people can expect food that brings a smile to your face and I like to play with the classic dishes and doing them with a twist like my carrot cake dish. 

3. What is your favourite dish to cook and why?

My favourite dish would be a slowly braised lamb shoulder, pulled and rolled to set, and served with slow roasted carrot, Pomme Anna potato, red cabbage puree and a lamb glaze. One reason I enjoy doing this is we rear the lamb on the farm 100 yards away from my kitchen. We use a Charollais Texel Cross and using this cross breed offers a delicate, sweet yet mellow herbal flavour, and I love how much flavour you can put into a slowly braised meat, but the dish also brings back memories of the flavours of a lamb hot pot.  

4. Name a food item/dish/ingredient that isn’t considered “cheffy” but that you love to eat?

Nando's peri peri sauces. 

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

I like the website and app to keep up to date with different things going on within the industry and things that are going on with the food seasons. I enjoy seeing other chefs dishes and posting my dishes to help inspire the next generation of chefs coming though.

6. What are your plans for the future?

My career plans are to learn lots of different aspects of the industry and grow my knowledge within it, to look at opening my own restaurant in coming years priding itself on British produce and along side this I would want to promote the development the next generation of chefs.

7. Finally, the Coronavirus has had an immense impact on the industry. How have you managed to keep a level head and how would you recommend others stay positive in this difficult time?

The virus has had a massive impact as I'm currently on the furlough scheme, but trying to keep positive and motivate myself. At the start of the virus I was doing lots of different cooking demos through YouTube and Facebook which I posted on my staff canteen page, but on top of this I wanted to try and support the food and drink industry more and the independent businesses with in it. I developed the Northern Food and Drink virtual festival which took place on the 24th and 25th of May. 

Do you want to be the next Member of the Month? Download the app now for free and start sharing your images, videos and recipes and interacting with other members to be in with a chance of winning!

 >>> The Chef+ app is free to download.