Oxford students get 10/10 for Thyme lunch
The Chefs Forum hosted their recent networking lunch at Thyme Hotel and Restaurant in the Cotswolds.
Local students from Activate Learning at City of Oxford College and Reading College cooked up a storm yesterday at a special 10th Anniversary lunch in the Cotswolds.
A mini tradeshow and ‘Velfrey’ Welsh Sparkling Wine reception took place, where the guests could network and talk with sponsors, finding out about the latest catering equipment and ingredients.
Taylor UK showcased the Orved Evox vac packer machine and the new Teddy stand mixer, both of which garnered a great deal of interest from the culinary professionals who attended.
The menu:
Tomato and onion Foie Royale tartlet
Velfrey Sparkling Wine
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Starter by Lucknam Park (Hywel Jones) & Crockers Henley (Tom Westerland)
by Tom Westerland
New Season morel mushrooms, hazelnut and Wiltshire truffle pesto, Pedro Ximenez
by Hywel Jones
Monty’s Brewery Sunshine
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Fish Course by The Calcot Collection – Richard Davies & Jamie Mccallum
by Jamie Mccallum
Ravioli of Loch Duart salmon, English asparagus, peas, broad beans and wild garlic
by Richard Davies
Gwinllan Conwy Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
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Bavette, asparagus, tropea and anchoiade
White Castle Vineyard Regent 2019
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Dessert by The Kingham Plough – Ashleigh Farrand
Aberfalls Distillery Salted Toffee Liqueur
The Chefs’ Forum director Catherine Farinha was overwhelmed by the level of expertise amongst the students and the chefs who created the dishes. She said
“It was very special to be celebrating our 10th Anniversary with some of our longest-standing members. The Cotswolds is where it all started for us and it was a joy to see so many old friends including our unbelievable suppliers. And it was also incredible to be at Thyme. This is a special place, and I am so thankful to Charlie Hibbert and the team for welcoming us to his family’s estate and gorgeous restaurant.”
The students joined forces with seven top chefs to cook a delicious menu, with some courses served alternate versions to spark real culinary conversation among the fifty chefs who attended, celebrating the fantastic produce from sponsors including Foie Royal, providing the Foie Royale for the delicious amuse bouche, New Wave Seafood, providing the fish, Hanks’ Meat & Game for providing the sensational Longhorn beef, Lovejoys providing fresh produce and ingredients use in all the courses and the Welsh Drinks Cluster for supplying the amazing drinks paired with each course.
The event couldn’t have been possible without our equipment sponsors Taylor UK and longstanding supporter Adande.
Taylor UK were showcasing two of their new equipment ranges – Orved Vacuum Packing Equipment and Varimixer Stand Mixers.
Andrew Slater, Director of Lifestyle from Activate Learning College Group said
“What an incredible event! It just shows that when you connect education and industry the magic happens. Out students were thrilled to be involved and work with such renowned chefs and it really gave them an insight into the profession they have chosen, and I am so grateful to The Chefs’ Forum for making it happen.”
Dan Moon, chef ambassador of Foie Royale, who cooked the amuse bouche, said: “We were very excited to produce a course for The Cotswolds & Bath Chefs’ lunch. We have a strong relationship with The Chefs’ Forum and it was great to be able to get students working with our product and see it shine.”
This 10th Anniversary lunch was the third in a series of ten Chefs’ Lunches set to take place throughout 2022 to mark ten fantastic years of The Chefs’ Forum, now national and spanning across eleven areas.
Any chefs wishing to get involved in The Chefs’ Forum events or Chefs’ Forum Academies should contact alicia@redcherry.uk.com
Photography by Gareth Davies Media.
