COOKING COMPETITON, Sodexo Chef of the Year

My latest cooking competition is for The "Sodexo Chef of the Year" Title, sponsored by Knorr. 

I will be competing against some really great chefs who will all be striving for the title. The first part was for me to come up with a three course menu which I would have to produce within 1 hour and 30 minutes as part of a live cook off if considered for the next stage.

My Menu utilises seasonal British produce and traditional cooking methods, fused with Asian spices. Asian cooking styles have long been a part of British culture, bringing unique flavours and textures as well as many health benefits into our diets. I have aimed to produce a well balanced menu, combining classic and modern presentation techniques to set an example for today's cook.

My starter offers versatility in style and plenty of flavour from ground spices and fresh ingredients. My main course will be a twist on traditional cooking, with a great blend of spices that adds texture and compliments the lamb. I aim to finish with a dessert that brings a new insight into an old recipe which is modernised by added flavours, difference in textures and presentation techniques.

Chef of the Year Menu.

To Start:

Asian platter,

Carrot, parsnip and onion bhaji, 

Garlic, coconut and coriander naan,

Noodle salad, lime and sweet chilli dressing.

Main-Course:

Spiced Rack of lamb, Chilli and ginger fused gravy.

Served on curried puy lentils,

Saute leeks and green cabbage, garlic, cracked black pepper and fennel seed.

Dessert:

Creamed rice pudding,

Scented with Cardamom, cinnamon, orange and vanilla.

Honeycomb topping, chocolate and cinnamon tuille biscuit.

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets
ChefGary Cooking Competitions

Previous Dinner Parties

PRIVATE DINNER PARTY, Paul and Lorna Benton

My latest Dinner Party was  for Paul and Lorna Benton at  their beautiful house in North Hampshire. We  planned the menu together to suit Paul's preferences and  I have been looking forwards to the cooking and serving since then. I began the food preparation that morning and brought up everything I needed for the day including crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils. I arrived about 6:30p.m to serve dinner for about 8 and I was greeted by Paul and  Lorna before being shown to the kitchen.

I unpacked my equipment and ingredients and began to get ready for the dinner service. I laid the table before getting to work in the kitchen, whilst chatting away to Paul and Lorna. I was very comfortable getting things started and the kitchen had plenty of space for me to work on. I was confident that I would produce another great dinner party and I was really happy with all the positive feed back that I received.

Menu

To Start:

Warmed Goats cheese, blush tomato and fresh basil pesto,

Rocket leaves and roasted red peeper and balsamic dressing.

Toasted Ciabatta bread.

Main course:

Pan fried organic chicken breast, wrapped in Parma ham, crispy sea salted chicken crackling,

Tomato and basil sauce, 

Diced paprika roast potatoes,  Wild mushroom risotto, Roasted carrots, Saute green vegetables.

To follow:

Trio of desserts:

Chocolate and Bailey's Tiramisu,

Chocolate tart, fresh strawberries,

Lemon and raspberry Panna cotta.

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

Previous Dinner Parties

PRIVATE DINNER PARTY, Mark and Cindy Billington, September 30th

I have now cooked for Mark and Cindy a total of three times. They became "Fans" when they were guests at a previous dinner party and almost immediately booked me in for two parties round at their lovely home in Rownhams. This has defintely been one of my favourite menus to prepare and serve as they just seem to get better and better. Mark is a great lover of my food and we tailored up this menu, with Mark taking the lead and I helped choose the garnishes and finishing touches.

                Dinner Party Menu for Mark Billington                         

To Begin

Warmed goats cheese, blush tomato and fresh basil pesto,

                                    Roasted red pepper, virgin olive oil and balsamic dressing.

Freshly baked ciabatta bread, blush tomato and basil.

Main-Course

Pan roasted duck breast, marinated in soy and honey, 

Served pink with crispy roast duck shank in 5-spice and crispy duck pan cake roll. 

     Hand-cut chips, sauté cabbage, shallots and peas, buttered sesame and fennel seed carrots.

Red wine, cranberry and rosemary gravy.

To Follow

Vanilla and cardamom brulee, crunchy honeycomb, caramel tuille and orange shortbread. 

"Hi Gary, just a short note of thanks for a tremendous dinner on Friday. Once again you and your food stole the evening and our friends were simply blown away with the standard of cooking and presentation. You delivered another fine dining experience for all  and though every element was brilliant, for me the trio of duck was a simply stunning combination. We are working on pulling together the next evening and really looking forward to working up the next menu with you. 
Looking forward to seeing you at ours again soon." 


Mark and Cindy billington.

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

Previous Dinner Parties

Chef@chefgary.co.uk

Private Dinner party, Kavita Deepak-Knights

I had the recent pleasure of catering for a Birthday Dinner Party for some great friends and cooked up some delicious favourites for the menu. Fillet of beef Wellington has definitely become one of my more popular dishes at dinner Parties and it is obvious to see why. The most tender cut of beef is used, and I seasoned the meat well, before searing and wrapping with Proscuitto ham, wild mushroom pate and puff pastry. It was a fantastic menu which was chosen by my good friend Carrie, and I was invited to join in on the dining experience which is always a pleasure.

Menu

To Start:

Mixed platter of: Parma ham, Sliced Chorizo, Bresaola, 

Sesame and honey glazed Pork Sausages, Chorizo Picante,

Served with: 

Cheddar, blush tomato, basil and red onion loaf, 

Rocket salad, Blush tomato and Olives.

Main course:

Fillet of British Beef Wellington, 

Wild mushroom pate, wrapped in proscuitto ham and puff pastry.

Red wine gravy.

Served with:

Dauphinoise potatoes, 

Sesame and honey glazed carrots, Saute asparagus, green beans and brocolli.

To Follow:

Trio of chocolate desserts;

Chocolate and orange tart,

Chocolate and Bailey's Tiramisu,

Chocolate Brownie, Caramel and chocolate ice cream.

"Hi Gary, just wanted to thank you so much for the most delicious dinner! The starters were so yummy, especially the chorizo and homemade bread. The beef Wellington was to die for and the desserts were my idea of heaven! You cook with such passion and love and this is most certainly reflected in the food you serve! Thanks so much Gary, we will most certainly be having you over to cook for us again soon!"

Quote from Kavita

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

Chef@chefgary.co.uk

SCALLOPS AT HOME

Scallops are a great treat and I had some beautiful Scottish ones that I couldn't resist cooking up for my wife and I. I cooked them in two different styles, both tasting amazing! I served some that were simply seared in butter and served with a sweet and spicy mango and chilli salsa and I skewered the rest with Parma ham and brushed with balsamic vinegar as they cooked in the pan.

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

Chef@chefgary.co.uk

PRIVATE DINNER PARTY, Mark and Cindy Billington

I first met Mark and Cindy at one of my previous Dinner Parties with Julian and Sue Porter hosting the event. Mark was really enthusiastic about my cooking and it was great chatting with him. It wasn't long after that Mark contacted me and arranged  for me to cook for him again at his house in Rownhams, Hampshire. This was the first of two Dinner Parties booked in September and we had designed a fantastic first menu together which I really enjoyed preparing and finally getting to cook and present it on the night in their lovely home in Rownhams.

Fajitas are a great dish and I made my own marinade with fresh chilli, ground cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic and lime zest. Served sizzling to the table was a brilliant way to give the wow factor to the meal and accompanied with freshly made guacamole and salsa provided a fantastic touch to the dinner.

Melon swan table decoration (More)

            Dinner Party Menu                       

To Begin

Seared Scottish King scallops and King prawns
       Chilli, lime and mango salsa, Lemon and black pepper basmati rice.

  

Main-Course

Mexican Fajitas

                               British rump steak, Corn fed Chicken breast and King Prawns,      
                    Marinated with: Olive oil, paprika, garlic, crushed cumin and coriander seed. 

 Pan-fried with onions, peppers and tomatoes, fresh coriander and squeezed lime juice.

Served with:  Warmed flat breads, rocket leaves and lambs lettuce, 

                           Soured cream, tomato, red onion and smoked chipotle salsa,

grated cheese and guacamole.

               

To Follow

                                            Apple Tartin,Cinnamon custard, caramel and vanilla ice cream. 

    

Thanks Jules for your amazing photography, bringing out the best in my food. 

"A big Thank You for the fabulous dinner last night and for being so helpful and supportive in the planning. The scallops were awesome, succulent and oh so tasty. The salsa and the lemon and black pepper rice made for a beautiful combination. Every combination tasted fantastic and I am completely spoiled. Tart tartin, ice cream and cinnamon custard was sumptuous, the caramel baskets being the ultimate finishing touch. We all loved it and are looking forward to seeing you at ours for round two! 

Very best regards, Mark & Cindy"

"Top nosh again Matey!"   Julian Porter

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

SEARED DUCK BREAST, Soy, honey and chilli.

Crispy duck spring roll, saute broccoli and glazed carrots.

We had the Olds round for dinner tonight and after cooking a duck dish  for a Private Dinner Party on the weekend, I really fancied cooking some duck at home. I like using the breast and the leg, utilising different cooking methods to give varied textures. I used Barbary duck and I rubbed the skin of the breast with sea salt and freshly ground 5 Spice before searing it skin side down until it became really crispy. I turned it over and took it off the gas to let it finish cooking in the residual heat of the pan. I had already confit the leg, shredding the meat and putting it back in the oven to crispen up. I tossed it with chilli, soy and honey and wrapped it up in pastry with some finely cut celery, leek and carrot. We enjoyed the dinner immensely and I will definitely be cooking duck at home more often.

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

Chef@chefgary.co.uk

PRIVATE HEN PARTY DINNER, Elaine Rutherford

There is nothing more rewarding for me when one of my functions goes well, my latest Private Dinner Party being no exception. I  become passionate about  a function from the moment I start designing the menu  and I was especially excited when the evening arrived for this weekends Hen Party Dinner. It is always a great buzz for me when I finally get to produce and serve the dishes, seeing all the planning and hard work come together.

This weekend the "Hens" were celebrating by hiring a beautiful house in Sandbanks and having me cook for them on the Saturday night. I put the three course menu together with Elaine Rutherford to make sure that every one's tastes were catered for and that we would provide an innovative menu that would give a wow factor to the guests. I offered a choice of scallop dishes upon request for the starter, some  duck dishes were narrowed down for the main course,  and we decided on offering a trio of desserts to follow. I sourced the scallops from Scotland as their cool waters provide excellent quality fish and seafood, especially at this time of year. I used Barbary duck breasts, being a farmed breed that are   very lean, but still have an amazing flavour, being perfect for the occasion. 

                                 Hen Party Dinner Menu                                                    

To Share

Freshly baked blush tomato and basil pesto bread, 

Marinated olives and hummus.

To Start

Char grilled scallops, wrapped in Parma ham.

                          Shallot, garlic and tarragon butter sauce, char grilled asparagus spears.

Main-Course

5 Spice marinated duck breast, crispy duck shank and duck and vegetable filo parcel..

                                 Honey, sesame and fennel glazed carrots, broccoli florets, honey and rosemary gravy.

OR

Mille fuille of char grilled Mediterranean vegetables and mozzarella.  

Roasted plum tomato sauce, fresh basil pesto, balsamic roasted beetroot.

To follow

Trio of desserts

                                                     Vanilla crème brulee, caramel tuille, 

Lemon and fresh raspberry cheesecake, 

Chocolate chip and honeycomb ice cream.

Water melon carving (View more)

Apple bird (view more fruit carvings)

Table setting

I did most of my preparation in the morning and arrived at the house in Sandbanks just before 6 to serve the starters for 8:00p.m. I was greeted very warmly by Elaine and her sister Annette and unloaded my equipment into the kitchen. Although working with a small oven, the kitchen area was very spacious, giving me plenty of room to work with. It was also open planned next to the dining area so that I had no place to hide from the 12 Hens that were to be dining! However, everyone was really friendly and I was very comfortable getting on with the rest of my preparation. 

The evening went very quickly as I got my head down to serve the starter and I was really pleased from the feed back I received. I was offered a glass of red wine between courses which was very difficult to refuse but it put me in good stead for the main course, which again went well and I was very grateful for all the compliments. I was especially looking forward to serving dessert, but provided a little break as I was sure all the Hens were quite full. When I plated the final course, I was really pleased with my presentation and I was full of self relief and gratification that always comes when I feel that my job has been done well. 

While I was cleaning up after, I enjoyed a beer with the ladies and the atmosphere was very friendly as I even joined in a bit with their after Dinner games. I had a great evening and this was definitely one of my top menus that I have enjoyed preparing. A big, big thank you to all the hens and especially for helping out as waitresses when needed. I hope that I will get to cook again for such a lovely bunch of people. 

Rustic blush tomato and basil pesto bread

Char grilled Scottish scallops, tarragon and garlic beure blanc

5 Spice duck breast, roast shank and crispy duck and vegetable parcel.

Trio of desserts

Trio of desserts

"Lovely, lovely, lovely. What a fantastic evening. Gary is such a nice man and his cooking is amazing - it was one of the nicest meals I have ever had - and so beautifully presented. He even kept the kitchen spotlessly tidy. I definitely recommend him for any private party - I shall be keeping his number for sure. Thank you Gary (and my daughters for arranging him of course!) x" Jan Rutherford

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

Chef@chefgary.co.uk

SMOKED MACKEREL FISH CAKES

AVOCADO, MOZZARELLA, TOMATO, RED ONION AND BASIL SALAD.

I made some great tasty little fish cakes to eat for our tea tonight and a quick salad to go with them. I also made up a batch of sweet chilli sauce which is a definite favourite of mine. I always make it fresh as I like to make everything from scratch, controlling what ingredients I use. I can also adjust the heat intensity by making it myself and it keeps well in the fridge for a good while after. Mackerel can take on plenty of other flavours and  I added some fennel, lemon and horseradish in my recipe. The sweet chilli sauce complimented them really well.

Recipe for fish cakes.
Ingredients:

200 grams hot smoked mackerel.
200 grams cooked new potatoes.
1/2 diced red onion.
1/4 diced fennel.
Zest of 1 lemon.
1/2 inch grated fresh horseradish.
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard.
Handful chopped parsley.
25 grams sesame seeds.
Little flour and milk.
Salt and pepper.

Method:
1) Flake the fish and mix with all the ingredients, reserving the sesame, flour and milk.
2) Flour you hands before rolling the mixture into balls.
3) Roll the fish cake balls in the flour and dip in the milk and then coat in the sesame seeds.
4) Squash the fish cakes into pattie shapes and shallow fry on each side for about 4 to 5 minutes until crisp.
5) Serve with sweet chilli sauce and salad.

ChefGary
ChefGary@Home
ChefGary BBQs
ChefGary Private Dinner Parties
ChefGary Weddings
ChefGary Buffets

Chef@chefgary.co.uk