Chefs on Lockdown: 7 Ways to Keep Busy (and Make Money)

It’s a tough time for our industry, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make use of our newfound time. Do something for our frontline workers; find a way to make an extra income; delve into our creative side; study for a diploma. Anything is possible.

Take a look at some of the ways chefs are keeping themselves on balance, helping others, and in a few cases, raking in much-needed cash:

1. Feeding NHS workers

Various groups and UK chefs are arranging food deliveries for NHS workers (here for example) – get in touch with us (news@chef.co.uk) for more details in your area.

2. Create teaching videos showing how to make cost-efficient meals

Do your part to help family and friends in the simplest of ways: share your knowledge and pass the time with a fun activity!

You never know – you might also generate some business from locally based viewers who like your style.

There has been a surge in purchase of yeast, flour and other bread-making essentials since the lockdown began, as people begin to realise the importance of cooking and baking. Learning to make kitchen staples like bread and pasta might become more important as dried pasta and rice fly off the shelves at your local store.

3. Volunteer or cook for the homeless, or your neighbours

Reach out to your local charity and find out what you can do to help ease the difficulties of homelessness during these trying times. A simple Google search will reveal charities in your area that accept food donations, volunteers and more. Now more than ever: Cook healthy food

4. Host a virtual recipe party live

Being under quarantine can extra tough if you live alone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the company of friends and family. Apps like Houseparty and Zoom will let you set up a video call with multiple contacts at once, so put on a nice outfit and prepare your favourite meal as your guests watch, then enjoy a virtual dinner party with your group of friends or family in the next street or abroad!

5. Take an online course

Now’s a chance to learn a new skill! If you were normally a line chef at an international restaurant, perhaps now is the time to practice your patisserie. There are loads of courses available online to help you discover your true potential.

If you’re looking for a free course or are happy to invest some money into a long-term class, there are courses for every budget and skill-level readily available in sites like Udemy.com, Master Class and the like.

6. OFFER an online course

If your video skills are slick enough you could slowly build up a library and teaching aid. Put a Patreon link on your site and ask people who use your recipes to show their appreciation.

7. Start a cookbook

Whether you’re serious about publishing your own cookbook or simply want to start a fun project you can later pass down to your children, writing down your favourite recipes can be a great place to start. Once you have 10 recipes, open a Patreon account and ask people to show their appreciation if they use your recipes.

Think about what people are looking for at the moment – nobody is going out to restaurants. Perhaps they want to experiment with new dishes.

Instagram is the choice for three of the capital’s top chefs – here is what they cooked up for their fans this week:

Jason Atherton – Filipino adobo chicken

Top chef and restaurateur Jason Atherton has had to shut all of his seven London restaurants, but is keeping himself (and us) entertained with his new Instagram Live series Social Kitchen Isolation. Atherton is travelling the world with his recipes, using leftover ingredients from his cooking the day before as a starting point.

Among the many dishes he demonstrated this week is a dish of Filipino adobo chicken, which Atherton marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, garlic, black peppercorns and served with rice and fresh coriander. Watch him make his chicken here.

Karan Gokani – Squash and spinach kari

Hoppers chef Karan Gokani has a motto for all of us struggling during the lockdown: “Keep calm and kari on”. The director of the Sri Lankan restaurant is looking to showcase regular recipes on his Instagram during the lockdown, kicking off with a squash and spinach curry that is “inherently mild, but packed with flavour”. The 20-minute vegetarian dish is flavoured with the likes of mustard seeds, star anise, turmeric, Jaffna curry powder and creamy coconut milk. Check out the “Recipes” highlight on his account for the full details of how to make it yourself.

Tom Kerridge – Tuna and sweetcorn pasta

Michelin-starred Tom Kerridge is no stranger to cooking on-screen, but last week he swapped the TV for Instagram. In his new Lock Down Dinners series, Kerridge is showing his followers how to cook simple dishes made largely with store cupboard ingredients and food he’s found at the back of the fridge. This week’s dishes included a tuna and sweetcorn pasta, amped up with some avocados, sun-dried tomatoes and a bit of feta cheese.

From robust can-openers to dynamic mixers and colour-matched jacket-and-trouser sets, chefs have the choice of a multitude of top-quality items designed to help them and their skills stand out in the kitchen. Sonya Hook reports on the pick of the crop

Pub food has come a long way in the past 10 years or so, so it should come as no surprise that a pub chef’s kit has also developed in leaps and bounds to keep pace with such change.

“With some pubs now rivalling restaurants for the quality of their food offerings, a pub’s kitchen has become a core part of its business,” says James England, director at Fourth Hospitality.

His company has a product for chefs called StarChef Light, which is software designed to run on any iPad, tablet or smartphone to allow chefs to review dishes, track ingredient requirements, look up cooking methods and more.

“More pubs are also beginning to follow the nutritional example set by Harvester and JD Wetherspoon by introducing calorie counts to their menus,” says England.

“StarChef Light can calculate nutritional values, allowing pubs to provide their customers with basic calorific information.”

Another piece of technology for chefs is Call System Technology’s (CST) WaiterCall software, which wirelessly connects front-of-house staff with the kitchen to ensure efficient service.

WaiterCall consists of a multi-buttoned transmitter sited in the kitchen and matched pagers carried by front-of-house staff.

Meanwhile, Rational has launched a free iPhone App for its SelfCookingCenter Whitefficiency users.

The Rational Expert App is designed to make cooking with the combi-boiler even simpler and to help users exploit their combi steamer’s potential to the full. The app provides recipe ideas as well as tips for getting the best results.

Food prep

Henry Stephenson, managing director at pub equipment supplier Stephen-sons, says the rise of gastropubs championing locally sourced produce and restaurant-like presenta-tion, is “responsible for rising consumer ex-pectations of the pub-food experience”.

He explains that this change has required chefs to get technical with their cooking and presentation, necessitating a wide range of food preparation kit, especially good knives.

“High-end chefs’ knives have experienced a revival over the past couple of years,” he says, “with Japanese knives in particular gaining momentum in the UK market. Lines including the Zwilling Pro series knife and the Miyabi knife have stood out at the latest trade shows. Additionally, Victorinox Chefs Sets continue to sell well as junior chefs seek out good value, quality knife sets with roll-bags.”

Chefs may be called upon to open large cans, wider than 150mm and containing more than 2kg, which may prove a struggle with a standard can opener. To overcome this, Mitchell & Cooper has introduced the Bonzer EZ40.

The company says it is the only industrial can-opener to include a quick-release blade for easy cleaning, which also features an anti-bacterial component.

“Trying to open larger cans with an opener that has been calibrated for regular-sized ones will not only be difficult, but also damages the intricate settings,” says MD Guy Cooper.

The company also offers a product designed to remove lemon zest delicately. The Zip Zester is designed to zest citrus fruits quickly, easily and with minimal mess. It comes with four detachable blades to allow a chef to create thin ribbons or even flaky zests, ideal for syrups, sauces and marinades.

Cooking, mixing and blending

Some additional new products for pub chefs are the Dynamic Senior Mixer XL GF348 and the Dynamic Junior Mixer Plus XL GF343, which are stainless steel stick-blenders.

Both models, which now feature in the Nisbets catalogue, have a titanium-coated blade for improved strength, enabling them to blend the hardest of ingredient, including nuts, root vegetables and even ice.

Nisbets can also offer pubs chefs its KitchenAid CA987, which it describes as the most powerful and quietest heavy-duty stand mixer available. The mixer is strong enough to process large amounts of food with minimal noise, ranging from 19 egg whites to 3.6kg mashed potato. This model also has a range of attachments including a meat mincer and citrus juicer.

Another food blender suitable for commercial kitchens is the Hamilton Beach HBF600s from Foodservice Equipment Marketing (FEM), a heavy-duty model with a large capacity and special features to help reduce the risk of motor burnout.

Meanwhile, FRIMA can offer chefs a product that will allow them to pressure-cook meals without needing constant monitoring. The VarioCooking Center Multificiency models 112+, 211+ and 311+ constantly check the temperature and pressure throughout, adjusting as necessary. All the chef has to do is select the desired result on the touch-pad.

And for even quicker cooking, chefs can use Samsung’s latest CM1929 microwave oven, which has the capacity and power to handle bulk food containers and over-sized dinner plates.

And finally, another product that claims to cook faster than conventional models is the Synergy 900, which is a British-manufactured grill. The producer, Active Food Systems, says it not only saves energy but it improves flavour and cleaning is simpler as there is no fat to deal with.

Serving food and tidying up

Mitchell & Cooper has a new design addition to its Bonzer Litegrip and Unigrip Portioner ranges. Each range now has colour-coded handles to highlight portion size, with 15 sizes in the range.

“We have had the largest range of portioners in the world since 1928, all designed and manufactured in the UK,” says Cooper. “The new colour- coding system is designed to make the product even quicker to use.”

And for chefs it is essential that food is cooked for the correct length of time.

The SuperFast Thermapen, which costs £48 plus VAT, can help pub chefs ensure their food is never over or underdone. The producer, ETI, says that the food probe gives a speedy and accurate temperature reading in under three seconds, and it is also available in 10 colours.

ETI has also launched the Gourmet Folding Probe Thermometer, which measures temperatures between -39.9°C and +149.9°C. The product is available in six colours and it costs £20, exclusive of VAT.

Meanwhile, to keep the kitchen area tidy, Winterhalter has the MTR range of conveyor dishwashers, which has a high speed of throughput. The range is designed for highvolume catering kitchens, but the machines are also economical, energy-efficient and simple to use. According to the company, the enhanced speeds now make the smallest MTR2, capable of processing up to 155 racks per hour, while the largest (MTR4) can process 350 racks per hour.

The machines are said to be a big hit with staff, as a time-controlled start-up allows the machine to fill and heat up automatically before they start their shift.

Clothing options

Stephenson explains that chefs are increasingly in view of customers as pubs design eating spaces with open kitchens.

“Chefs are now renewing their clothing more regularly and opting for more modern designs, rather than just the traditional chef’s whites,” he says.

“Coloured jacket-and-trouser combinations are in demand, and are good for masking splashes and marks. And we’ve noticed that chefs are paying more attention to their footwear.”

Debbie Rosher, marketing manager at London Workwear Rental, agrees that there is a very distinct trend towards having chefs and kitchens on display.

“Branding is an increasing trend as businesses need to stand out from the crowd.”

The company has a range of items in chefwear, workwear and uniforms that can be branded and made bespoke. Garments can be personalised and the company can work with pubs to source exactly the right clothing for their business.

Its new EkoChef range is also available, consisting of chefs’ jackets, trousers and aprons made from re-cycled plastic bottles and waste polyester fibre.

“This range has huge environmental benefits, including the fact that 80% less energy is used in production, and there’s a huge saving on landfill,” she says.

Pub chef earns his crust with remarkable lamb pie; EATING OUT John Woodhouse begins his new restaurant review by taking the family to The Talbot, Biddulph

A TALBOT is a large white or light-coloured hound of an English variety, having long hanging ears and heavy jaws.

Basically, it’s the Boris Johnson of the mutt genus.

Formerly used for tracking and hunting, it’s not hard to imagine, in its pomp, one such romping through the woods and meadows of Biddulph Grange. Although one imagines the neighbouring Talbot pub these days sources its fowl in rather more orthodox ways.

The Talbot, below, is on the verge of celebrating its double centenary. Times have changed since original publican Ralph Lowe had his name above the door. While Ralph presumably wafted smoke signals up the chimney, the modern Talbot is rampant on Twitter.

But, although extensively refurbished for a 21st century clientele – these days women rarely want to sit by the spittoon – it’s maintained a certain olde worlde charm, tastefully decorated in hues of beige and brown with plenty of timbers and the odd hunting hound captured in frosted glass.

Of course, none of this was noticed by the kids. Their first question when I mentioned we were going out for a ‘treat tea’ was ‘is it McDonald’s?’.

We don’t go there often, I promise. It’s just coincidence that when we arrive, Antonio, the manager, greets us with a cry of ‘Ah, the Woodhouses! Five minutes early! I’ve reserved your usual table!’. The ‘treat’ factor of eating out is totally lost on the children. I keep telling them that when I was little we never ate out. And it’s true. The first time I ate in an organised environment was in the canteen when we visited Uncle Sid in prison.

We simply never ate out. Ever. I was astonished when I got to about 13 and realised other kids were doing this kind of thing on a regular basis. Not that I’m bothered. Chances are it wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience. I’m not saying my dad had a problem but I’m fairly sure he’d have chosen all three courses from the wine list.

Anyway, I wanted to sit by the window, a fine looking table beneath a chandelier. Steph, however, felt we’d be better ‘tucked away in our own little corner’. Whether that was a reflection on me, or the children, I’m unsure.

Whatever, it soon became apparent we were going to have a fine time. To describe the staff at The Talbot as ‘welcoming’ is akin to saying that Frankel was a moderately OK thoroughbred. You know you’re in a place that understands children when the tomato sauce just arrives.

Every Wednesday at The Talbot, I discovered, is Vintage Pie Day, to my mind a national holiday in the making.

I originally fancied the duck leg pie, wondering whether they’d be sticking out the top à la Stargazy, but it wasn’t available on the day. Instead I plumped for spiced pulled lamb pie (£11.95), one of three created for the pub by celebrity chef James Martin.

It was a remarkable affair, reminiscent, as ‘vintage’ would suggest, of when a pie was a pie, something put afore a farmer after a hard day’s ploughing, or, in my case, someone who’d just completed a 450-word review of Big Body Squad.

While reprimanded for sticking my elbows out, crust penetration proved simple.

The filling was an intense and aromatically spicy experience. Next time I go for a curry, hold the pilau, I’m asking for pastry.

Steph, meanwhile, had aromatic braised pork belly served with bubble and squeak potato cake, black pudding, apple fritter, and sticky ginger beer glaze (£11.99). She reports herself ‘not usually a black pudding fan’ – even 10 years into a marriage you can always find out something new – but found it not bitter and with a pleasantly crumbly texture. The pork, meanwhile, was meltingly soft with good crackling, all in all, a ‘lovely tasty combination of flavours’. The children’s menu was a more than reasonable two courses and drink for £6.95.

Archie had sausage and mash (replaced on request with chips) with peas and gravy. Barney had battered cod loin and chips (he held the mushy peas, if you see what I mean).

They even talked to us while eating. Although I wasn’t actually that keen to hear one of Archie’s school friends had been sick on his sandwiches.

They finished off with chocolate ice-cream, while Steph had raspberry sorbet (£3.45), a ‘good mixture of tartness and sweetness’, and I had Eton Mess Sundae (£5.25) – strawberry mousse, meringue, ice-cream, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. Both were served in vast, heavy, glass-stemmed bowls. I fear the consumption of mine has put at least five minutes on my expected time for the Potters ‘Arf. With side orders and drinks the bill came to £58.70.

The myth goes that Eton mess was first created when a meringue dessert was accidentally crushed by a Labrador during a picnic at Eton College. I prefer to think it was a Biddulphian hunting dog.

Simple but top-quality cooking

Award-winning pub chef Tim Bilton has opened a second pub in Hepworth, near Holmfirth in West Yorkshire. The Spiced Pear joins the long-standing Butcher’s Arms which has earned a stellar reputation for its top quality but relatively simple country cooking. Despite this success, Bilton has opted to transfer his kitchen to The Spiced Pear with The Butcher’s Arms now drinks only. Formerly The Hepworth, the site has had a radical makeover and now boasts an open-plan kitchen, cocktail lounge and tearoom along with a clean, modern look.

The Spiced Pear, Sheffield Road, Holmfirth HD9 7TP

01484 683775

Pub chef says customers are in for a right royal treat

A HEAD chef whose cooking won praise from Prince Harry has taken over a popular Abingdon pub.

Romanian-born Dan Sminticiuc has stepped up to run The Broad Face in Bridge Street with his brother Bogdan.

He worked as head chef for Michael Riemenschneider who opened the pub on February 22.

But after Mr Riemenschneider fell ill and backed out, Mr Sminticiuc set up his own company to run the Greene King owned pub and reopened it with a new menu on June 25.

Mr Sminticiuc said: “I am starting up everything. It is all ready. I have changed the menu to what people want and dropped the prices a bit so it is cheaper.

“I have been very busy building up the business. I will struggle this month as the weather is so nice but we know we can make it.

“I enjoy Abingdon. It is not as busy as London and it is a historic town with good customers so we are determined to make it work.”

Mr Sminticiuc formerly worked as a chef at Brown Cow, in Fulham, London, where Prince Harry was a customer.

Mr Sminticiuc added: “Prince Harry came directly over to me and told me he liked it.”

The team at The Broad Face is the same as under Mr Riemenschneider, with Bogdan Sminticiuc managing the pub.

Mr Riemenschneider said he decided to back out of the business after becoming ill.

He said: “I am not very well at the moment so I couldn’t run it. I haven’t been cooking for seven to eight weeks.

“I was diagnosed with diabetes and couldn’t work there any more. I am still in Abingdon but I just feel unwell.”

A Greene King spokesman said the company was disappointed that Mr Riemenshneider had decided not to continue with his business venture.

Pupils salute Army chef for turning round school kitchen

A FORMER Army chef who took over at a primary school kitchen has already drilled the staff in hygiene discipline – winning full marks in a recent inspection.

And since Neil Salvage joined Markeaton Primary School as catering manager in February, he has helped introduce a fresh new menu cooked on site, which has proven a hit with pupils.

Youngsters are now enjoying Chinese chow mein, roast dinners, Spanish rice and home-made burgers at lunch times, made with Derbyshire ingredients.

And they are enjoying it in spotless surroundings, as the kitchen was recently awarded five stars in an inspection from Environmental Health.

Mr Salvage, who spent 19 years serving around the world as a military chef, said he and his team spent four hours every morning preparing the fresh food.

He said: “We come in at 8am and work until 12pm. The kitchen used to be a servery, where you get in prepared dinners and heating them up. But we make things fresh from ingredients sourced within five miles. I think we are quite unique in what we do and to get the hygiene review was brilliant.”

Along with the main meals, the school has a salad bar and also provides baguettes, jacket potatoes and fresh fruit. “We do pizzas, chips and burgers but we make them on site with fresh ingredients. We make the burgers ourselves, with fresh beef, for example. “We make sure that each day has a range of food, balanced to strict health guidelines, and we have a varied weekly menu.”

Pupils eat the meals in the school’s new hall and kitchen, which were built between April and December last year, with Government and local authority funding.

Many of the youngsters enjoy the fresh food.

Caspian Mansell, 11, likes the range of dishes. He said “It’s different most days and I like the Chinese food and the rice. “The puddings are good too and the pizza, because it’s made fresh.”

Pupils are also rewarded for polite behaviour by being given a seat at the “golden table” where they are waited on by kitchen staff.

Caspian said: “You get a drink in a wine glass. It’s good because it makes you want to be more polite.”

Special offers

Bonzer solution

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Bonzer Hexdome is a unique solution to cup dispensing that will bring ease, increased hygiene and style to any catering outlet.

If your outlet has surface space issues and you want to shout about your brand while keeping your work surface tidy, then the Bonzer Hexdome is ideal. It is completely customisable with branding possible on almost every surface.

The Bonzer Hexdome’s modular design means the product suits any surface size, with each hexagon an individual piece that can slot together making one unit as large or small as required. The modular design can be cleaned easily with every element of the design dishwasher safe. Each hexagon also has a customisable dome for cups, lids, or stirring sticks, with the domes available in a range of colours.

Bonzer is offering two Product Zone readers the chance to win a new Hexdome worth £75. To enter the giveaway, e‑mail your name, business address and contact number to offers@rlpltd.co.uk by 31 May.

For more information on Bonzer products please call 01825 765111 or visit www.bonzer.co.uk.

Frying tonight

Investing in a top-selling fryer is only half the story when it comes to producing high-quality fried food. Oil specialist AAK Foodservice knows that effective oil management is also a vital aspect in the delivery of a perfect fried dish, while providing caterers with the right tools to look after their oil is paramount.

The Prep website (www.prepoils.co.uk), the launch of the DVD, “Prep Guide to Good Oil Management”, and the brand new Prep oil management kits are guaranteed to help caterers with this challenging issue.

To celebrate the launch of the DVD and Prep oil management kits, Prep has teamed up with fryer expert Imperial Catering Equipment to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an Imperial Fryer IFS40, as well as a Prep oil management kit plus two tubs of Prep ZT (15 litres).

Imperial’s IFS40 (22-litre oil capacity) fryer is one of the best-selling fryers in the UK. Extremely powerful, yet slimline and inexpensive, this model offers operators exceptional value for money, with the ability to produce 100lb of fries per hour. This fryer heats the oil quickly, which results in less absorption and better-tasting food.

AAK’s Prep range offers better quality, long-life oils, which deliver a better appearance and texture of food due to the low-absorption rate, together with less downtime and waste.

For a chance to win, e‑mail your name and contact details to aak@proactivecompetitions.co.uk by 31 May.

For more information, visit www.aak-uk.com

Hot stuff

When it comes to providing hot water on demand in the kitchen, the FlowMax Hot Water Dispenser model FM2SS-7 is the perfect meal ticket. To celebrate the launch of this fabulous water dispenser, Hatco is proud to make one available for one lucky reader.

Whatever the need, whether it’s for hot beverages or soups, this seven-litre capacity, multi-purpose appliance has it all. The appliance, worth about £200, helps to keep hot refreshments on tap all day long for staff.

With a FlowMax you’ll be saving both time and energy in the kitchen. This top prize comes complete with a selection of County Range Rainforest Alliance Tea and Coffee, in order to ensure the perfect brew.

As a leader in creating hot ideas for the food service industry, Hatco is a one-stop shop for essential kitchen equipment. Its product range is designed to handle the rugged demands of today’s food service operations and every piece of kit features bold innovations that improve efficiency, reliability and cost savings – all vital considerations for today’s caterers.

To stand a chance of winning, please e‑mail your contact details to hatco@proactivecompetitions.co.uk by 31 May.

For more information on the Hatco range, call 01509 260140 or visit www.hatcocorp.com

Special blend

Tetley Tea has combined the best of green tea and black tea with a new product, Blend of Both.

Blend of Both combines the delicious full flavour of original Tetley black, with the naturally refreshing goodness of its green tea cousin. In fact, by just swapping three cups of black tea each day with the new Blend of Both, the customer is drinking the equivalent of one cup of green tea. What’s more, with the ability to consume with or without milk, there is still that comforting feeling of a regular cup of tea.

Now is your chance to trial Tetley’s new Blend of Both on your menu. Tetley have 10 cases to give away. To be in with a chance of winning one, all you have to do is send your name, establishment and contact details to offers@rlpltd.co.uk by 31 May.

For more information on Tetley’s Blend of Both, please call 0845 606 6328 or visit www.tetleyforcaterers.co.uk

From Fashion to Food, one of the hottest new chefs in town

A HEAD chef who switched career from fashion to food after a family tragedy has been named one of London’s brightest rising restaurant stars.

Florence Knight, 26, pictured, who runs the kitchen at Soho’s Polpetto, is one of “30 under 30” nominated by restaurant guide and website Zagat and tipped to dominate the capital’s future culinary scene.

Ms Knight revealed how a twist of fate made her decide to pursue her true passion at the age of 19.

Her father David was killed in a car crash and the money she inherited — and his philosophy to “be the best you can” — allowed her to fund her training as a chef, abandoning a fashion degree.

She said: “He was an incredibly amazing father. We had a great relationship but he was quite tough on me, in a positive way.

“In kitchens you have to be able to deal with being teased and bullied, told you’re crap. You have to have the right personality and go back again and again.”

Chefs are the sexisest beats on the planet

And we all know that

Raymond Blanc – exclusive interview

Guess what’s coming for dinner

Raymond Blanc first talked about sustainability 18 years ago; now, it’s all the rage. We caught up with the original ethical chef for an exclusive interview about the current trend for all things sustainable.

While other chefs are now jumping on the greenwash PR bandwagon, Blanc developed his passion for food and quality ingredients many years ago. Where does his enthusiasm come from?

“It’s my culture. I was born in a tiny little village in a very rural part of France where, basically, there were about 25 peasants – each with six or seven cows called Margarite, probably,” he reminisces.

“We would partake in the running of the house, at the age of five or six – getting the wood from the forest, helping at the time of the harvest. And of course lots of wild hunting, too. At the age of seven my father had already taught me to hold earth in my hand, he’d say, taste it, look at it, and tell me if it’s good earth or bad earth – ask a chef that now!” Continue reading →

Chef Jobs, Chef News, Recipes, Gossip

Category Archives: FOOD