Standing outside the kitchen door to have a think about this month’s column, I can’t believe it’s summer already. It’s sunny (today at least) and we’ve got amazing, fresh, vibrant produce coming in the doors everyday. I’ve also now got a lovely little 70th anniversary Vespa to pop around Low Fell and Jesmond in the sunshine, should it keep shining, that is.
In the kitchen, we’re spoiled for choice. The summer months are all about letting the ingredients sing so we’re cooking things nice and serving them simply.
We work with Hamish and Vanessa Dell from Heaton and they’re bringing in some amazing veg from their allotment plot. The stuff is properly exceptional.
We’ve also got some really nice heritage tomatoes coming over from the Isle of Wight, which are beautiful; and there’s amazing produce coming from Northumberland right now with the spring lamb and some really good quality beef. Ingredients like that make every chef happy.
The restaurant is going really well and we’ve got a couple of young keen chefs in which is always great to see. Two of our chefs, Hugo and Simon, smashed their guest appearance for the Experimental Diner’s first outing in Newcastle and it was a proud moment to see them come up with an impressive menu and execute it to some really good feedback.
I’ve got a little break coming up to get my new house in order – and build some furniture for it. My son Thomas has just turned one so we’ll be spending some time with him up in Northumberland and maybe down at Flamingo Land for a day or two before we get stuck in for a busy summer. See you soon!
