A year after its launch, The Chefs’ Forum returned to Berwick Lodge on the 28th January 2013 for a celebration of game with Country Sports South West to mark an extremely successful first year.
Top chefs from Bristol and the surrounding attended a clay pigeon shoot where Chris Wicks (Chef/Owner Bells Diner and Executive Chef Berwick Lodge) showcased the plethora of delicious ways in which game can be incorporated into restaurant menus. He created delicious canapés of wood pigeon, partridge, pheasant, venison saddle and venison liver.
VRQ level 2 and BTEC students from City of Bristol College aided Chris’ brigade of chefs in preparing and serving the canapés at the event. These students (Chefs and Front of House) will be placed in apprenticeships with Forum members over the coming months. This proved a great chance for them to demonstrate their impressive culinary and service skills.
Miriam Garstang from City of Bristol College delivered a fantastic speech on the attributes involved in excellent front-of-house service delivery.
Sarah Arikan, owner of Berwick Lodge, then spoke of the extremely high standard of apprentices at the college and her delight in the chef and front of house apprentices placed with her at Berwick.
BASC and Country Sports South West organised a brilliant clay shoot for the Ivy League of south west chefs to raise awareness of the versatility of game with the aim of encouraging more chefs to include it on their menus.
Annette Cole, Senior Manager of Country Sports South West, said, “Country Sports South West offered a fun clay shooting experience for the Bristol chefs, to showcase the connection between the sport of game shooting and game meat. We have hopefully inspired the chefs to use more game meat in their repertoire. Chris Wicks’ game canapés were amazing!”
The Chefs’ Forum launched a year ago in January 2012 and has since expanded to include highly accredited chefs, catering colleges and top suppliers on a South West regional level.
Catherine Farinha, Founder Committee Member of The Chefs’ Forum and event organiser stated, “It was wonderful to revisit our stunning launch venue to commemorate an extremely successful first year. We have forged valuable links between the catering colleges and top chefs in our outstanding local restaurant scene. Communication between the two entities is now effortless and this will lead to the next generation of top chefs learning from the very best in the business.”
The Chefs’ Forum plans to roll out nationally this year working with prestigious industry organisations to facilitate this.