The Staff Canteen Live 2021: Networking Lunch at etch. by Steven Edwards

Today we were delighted to host our first networking lunch  of the year at Etch. By Steven Edwards in Hove, finally putting industry-leading chefs and suppliers back in the same room.

Chef and MasterChef: The Professionals 2013 champion Steven Edwards and his fantastic team pulled all the stops out to welcome us, providing the best environment for our guests to have a long-awaited catch-up with their peers and foster new professional relationships to take into the future.

Would you like to attend our next networking lunch on Monday 19th July at The Bull and Bear in Manchester? 

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After enjoying a glass of English Blanc de Blancs, our guests sat down for a seven-course tasting menu and wine flight created especially for the lunch, using ingredients from the food suppliers backing the event.

Guests

Attending the event were Alan Parker, head chef at Hotel du Vin; Alexander Tzimos, head chef at Nostos restaurant; Jamie Gibson, head chef at The Lodge Hotel; Oliver Geering, sous-chef at Cin Cin Hove; Mark Bradley, head chef at The Ginger Fox Brighton; Michael Sutherland, head chef at The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne; Phill Bishop, head chef at The Greyhound on the Test Hotel; Marc Hardiman, head chef at Galvin at Windows; David Jaram, senior-sous at Galvin at Windows; Richard Mann, head chef at Golden Barracuda Kitchen; Kyriakos Baxevanis, managing director at Nostos restaurant; Oscar Kirkpatrick, sous-chef at Riddles; Jean Delport, head chef at Restaurant Interlude; and finally, Tristan Mason, chef and owner of Restaurant Tristan.

Sponsors

Our sponsors for today's event were ChefWorks,  Zenith Hygiene, Koppert Cress, Gusbourne, Diversey and WPA.

What attendees said about the event

Host chef Steven Edwards said that "to host the first get-together" since the beginning of the pandemic was "a real honour," adding that "I can't wait to see more of them." 

"The best networking events are the ones where people get to be themselves," he continued, "and what better way than to host a group of chefs in a restaurant where they get to sit down, they get fed and have lots of wine?" 

As a host, he said, "it gets your name out there a little bit more - because how often do chefs have time to come and eat out in a restaurant?"

"It's a great way to meet new people, make new friends and have a good time."

Prestige development manager at Gusbourne, Rebecca Nightingale, said she "really enjoyed" the event, and despite not knowing what it would be like given the ongoing restrictions in hospitality, "it was just really lovely to be able to chat to people and connect."

Meeting chefs in such an environment is a great way to network, she said, "because they're relaxed, they're with colleagues, they're enjoying other people's food - which is a rare treat with them, so they've actually got time to think about wine." 

"It's a very low-pressure environment it's very relaxed, it's not in any way salesy, and that's what might put people off - and what would put us off as a producer coming into something."

Marc Hardiman, head chef of Galvin at Windows said "it was great to be out and to socialise with people, lunch was excellent and it was more than what we expected."

To have met suppliers in this way, he said, "felt very intimate. You get to speak to them one-on-one," he added, "and you can really get your points across." 

"It's great to meet people, great to network, great to chat to other chefs."

New practice development manager at WPA Daniel Wade said: "The calibre of chef has been great, the food was epic, it was really well run and it was nice to share ideas and hear chefs share ideas about each others' businesses."

"I would strongly suggest that the next event that you run, that any chef in the area goes, because you'll learn a lot and you'll make some good connections." 

"If you're into hospitality, if you're into food and drink, 100% you should be supporting this event." 

Jean Delport, head chef at Michelin-starred Restaurant Interlude also said the event was better than he had expected given the circumstances, adding that "it's not often that we get to get out anymore, so for one of the first times out it's been fun to link up with the people that I do know, meet some new faces, meet some new clients and hopefully meet some new suppliers. I really enjoyed it, it's been great."

While he doesn't usually have time to engage with people outside of the restaurant, he said, "this is a good way, it's a bit more informal, you get to have a good chat with people and you remember them a lot more so it's much better."

As the restaurant of choosing for the lunch, he said, Etch "has been great. Location-wise it's central," but "nobody gets to come out this side, so it's been a treat."

Sophie Edwards, National business development manager for Diversey Zenith, said the event had been "so wonderful."

"Before we came, I was wondering how it was going to work out, but not having spoken to strangers for God knows how long, it's been so nice. Everyone's been really friendly, everyone's been really welcoming, the food has been insane, it's just really nice to be back and actually at a business lunch." 

"The restrictions haven't really affected things at all," she said, "the tables were small enough to be able to adhere to social distancing and it felt more intimate, which meant more conversations and you felt closer to the chefs that were here." 

"I think it was not hindered but helped."