Lord of the manor
Above: Chris Wheeldon
Which dish on your current menu do you most enjoy preparing and why?
I particularly like the Taste of Romsey Pork as it uses more than one cut of meat and a different preparation for each cut. There is Pork loin, organic pot-roasted belly, braised Cheek and with the spring greens and root vegetable jus, it looks good, it’s tasty, eats well, and it’s local.
Who did you train under and what did they teach you that you’ll never forget?
I trained under Neil Thrift, he was a incredibly talented chef, who rarely lost his temper under pressure. I feel I need to emulate that.
What advice would you give to anyone interested in a career as a chef?
Find an establishment renowned for good food which uses good quality ingredients and who will develop the individual. Working at Careys Manor would be a fabulous opportunity for any chef as we have three restaurants to work in, and we use high-quality organic ingredients. What’s very helpful for a young chef is a manager who is willing to put you through a college-based training programme.
How would you describe your approach to food?
Using the best ingredients which are both local and organic.
What are your predictions for the next food trend?
I think the next new food trend will be a raw food culture. The raw-food fad has already hit America and invariably anything that happens there comes here.
What local product do you value most?
I’ve got to say my most valued supplier is Ron Lakey at Owls Barn Farm. His organic beef, free range pork, bacon dry cured has amazing flavour.
Wines: new world or old world and why?
I enjoy French wine, but I have had excellent new world wines. It’s really difficult to choose because there are fantastic bottles in both categories.
Who is your customer from hell?
I had one customer at my last hotel who would frequently phone and ask to speak to me about his requirements. He always asked for the Turbot. I would create these dishes for them – he would receive them at his table, nod his head in approval and then slather them in tartar sauce!
How do you source local produce?
We source local products in the New Forest, we drop in, speak to them, see what they are doing and find out if they are able to supply the amount that we need on a regular basis. The hardest part is dealing with volume keeping up with the demand.
Book your table
Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa, Brockenhurst
Tel: 01590 623 551
manorrestaurant@careysmanor.com
www.careysmanor.com