The Staff Canteen Live 2022: Networking Lunch at Heft

Kevin Tickle and his team at Heft in High Newton excited guests a fantastic November 2022 networking lunch.

We invited chefs from around Cumbria to join us and our sponsors for drinks and tasting menu.

Ingredients throughout the menu, as well as the wine pairings, were provided by some of the events' sponsors.

Chefs

Ory Vanes, Owner of the Happy Bread Company and Co-Owner of The Happy Jam Company; Steven Doherty, Executive Consultant; Nicholas Martin, Chef Consultant, Leeu Collection; Mark Coulton, Chef Owner, Pub Grubz; James Hill, Head Chef and Owner, The Lounge on the Green; Callum Williams, Head Chef, Tickton Grange; Carl Semple, Head Chef, Merewood Hotel; Noel Breaks, Head Chef, Armathwait Hall Hotel and Spa; Hrishikesh Desai, Executive Chef & F&B Manager at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House; Phil Corrie, Head Chef, 1863; Nigel Haworth, Chef Owner, Three Fishes; Chris Hibbert, Self Employed Chef Owner; Laszlo Papp, Head Chef, Dodd’s Restaurant; Steve Smith, Chef Owner, Freemason’s at Wiswell; James Ashworth, Sous Chef, Storrs Hall; Jaid Smallman, Executive Head Chef, the Wordworth Hotel; Richard Swale, Head Chef, Alium at Askham Hall; Dean Ball, Head Chef, Derby Arms

Sponsors

Supporting the event were ChefWorks; Seafood from Norway; Udale and Mara Seaweed

What the guests said

Victoria Braathen, from the Norwegian Seafood Council attended. She said: "This is my third lunch and it's a fantastic arena to come together, talking and connecting with chefs, learning more about them, in this wonderful venue."

Discussing the benefits of the event, Victoria said: "For us coming from the Norwegian Seafood Council, it's very good to be able to connect and talk about Norwegian Seafood and seafood in general, to just get feedback."

She added: "I would recommend this to other suppliers. It's a very good arena and a very informal and very nice way of networking. Nothing is forced and you have those really good conversations over a really nice lunch."

Emily Wallace, from Chef Works, said: "It's always a great experience because its a more intimate setting. You're meeting with amazing chefs outside the heat of the kitchen and it's for that reason that we love working with The Staff Canteen and these environments are perfect for networking. I'm really getting know the chefs and what they like on a different level and we like it from that perspective."

Emily added: "For us it's really important that we do these events because the range of chef that come are hugely versatile. We love it and long may it continue because I think having different styles of chefs is really important for us."

Steven Doherty, said: "I've really loved today. I'm delighted to have been invited to attend this networking event, meeting lots of old friends, old faces, people I've not seen for a while. It's a great venue, one of my favourites in the lakes, the food and the whole day has been absolutely phenomenal."

Hrishikesh Desai, Executive Chef & F&B Manager at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, said: "This is the second time I've come to a TSC networking lunch and I've always found them very informative, inspirational, and it's a very nice forum to network with like minded people, share thoughts of what we're going through, support each other but at the same time know what the chefs are doing and meet suppliers and producers, so overall it's an incredible thing to do."

He added: "I would like to thank them [suppliers/sponsors] for supporting a forum like this because without them events like this would not happen. Secondly, some of the sponsors we had today, I've worked with a lot of them in the past, but to know new ones like Mara Seaweed who I've heard about but now I know the contact is brilliant. Overall what it's given me is the confidence with the suppliers I use but at the same time I can explore a little bit more of what others can supply with me."

Discussing his favourite course, Hrishikesh said: "My favourite dish was the pudding, it was really nice and very fresh, but at the same time I would comment on the wines served today, which I've not tasted before. They were of supreme quality."