
The chef team at The Rose and Crown in Warwick have been treated to a masterclass from celebrated chef Ben Tish, part of their prize for scooping the coveted title of Best Brigade 2017, courtesy of Essential Cuisine.
The dedicated team of seven represented the UK pub sector in the competition, which saw them rise victorious against brigades from seven other sectors including Restaurants; Schools; Universities and Colleges; Event Catering; B&I; Healthcare and Hotels. Part of the celebrated Peach Group, The Rose and Crown regularly turns out a menu of pimped pub classics alongside flat iron chicken and steaks, burgers and smoked meat rolls and is the only kitchen in the estate with its own smoker. It was because of this that we invited Ben, an experienced chef, restaurateur, consultant, food writer, and cookery teacher, to come along to Peach’s HQ and deliver a smoking and barbecue masterclass to remember. Proceedings began with our very own master chef, Jonathan Harvey-Barnes, introducing the winning team to the versatility of the Essential Cuisine Asian Range of stocks. Smoked salmon gravadlax, pulled pork lollypops and an incredible Asian-inspired sweet potato soup were the order of the day and really resonated with the pub team, as Jonathan demonstrated just how easy it can be to add profitable pan Asian dishes to pub menus. Next up was chef Ben who had been watching from the wings, tasting and appreciating Jonathan’s cooking alongside the Rose and Crown brigade. With the barbecue coals lit, and much deserved beers passed around, Ben decamped to the fresh air, brigade in tow, where he began by explaining his cooking ethos; a passion for simple yet authentic Mediterranean food, cooked over fire. He began by delicately grilling a brace of quail, rubbed with paprika for a smoky flavour, adding multi-coloured carrots with cardamom and orange to the heat, wrapped in foil and with a generous amount of butter to allow them to slow cook. Finally he placed scallops, still in their shells, onto the hot coals, letting them cook momentarily before adding a final brush of our very own Wild Mushroom Glace alongside a horseradish gremolata, and serving. The freshness and flavour impact really was something to behold. The vibrant carrots and quail were then served, with the latter benefiting from caramelised onions, alioli and a glaze made using Essential Cuisine Chicken Glace. Simple, delicious flavours prepared with skill and cooked with love. The Rose and Crown brigade devoured Ben’s food with great enthusiasm and were fantastic and engaging throughout, making for a really inspirational day.