With Peace & Loaf’s Dave Coulson
We’re already well into spring with the latest menu proving really popular. The restaurant is busy and I’m pretty tired, which is always a good sign.
We’re tweaking the menu every day at the moment as we get the first of the spring veg and herbs in. Wild leeks and wild garlic are all over the menu right now. We’ve also got our hands on coltsfoot, which looks a bit like a thin dandelion and tastes a bit like cucumber, which is perfect for the mackerel – which is at its absolute best right now.
I did my own take on a chicken parmo for a special event last month and I liked it so much it’s gone on the menu. It’s a bit different to the traditional parmo; we do it with the inner fillet and serve it with a wild garlic mayonnaise and the best parmesan you can buy – Grana Padano.
Our take on the donner kebab is still proving popular as well and is part of our drive to keep innovating and looking at how we can take an idea and do it our way. It’s good fun and keeps everyone in the restaurant thinking and coming up with ideas.
We had a break at Center Parcs at the start of March as a family, which was really chilled with plenty of eating, sleeping and swimming – and Laura and Thomas loved it.
I’m judging the final of the North East Young Chef of the Year in April, which will be really interesting. We’ve got to inspire young chefs and get them coming into the kitchen, including at Peace & Loaf where we’re looking for chefs – pop in or give us a buzz if you’re interested. I started out at 15 at the Castle Eden Inn and it was a long way from what we have at Peace & Loaf so you’ll get a great start in the kitchen.
All of those, and an event with Adam Riley at the Boiler Shop featuring fine dining and paper plates, should keep me busy in the next month or so. Catch you soon.
