A slice of Yorkshire will be coming to the historic Castle Dairy Restaurant in Kendal this November in the first of a new series of guest chef events.
Taking place on Wednesday 14th November, Paul Leonard, head chef at the 4AA rosette Burlington Restaurant at the Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa in North Yorkshire, will be joining Castle Dairy head chef, Chris O’Callaghan in the kitchen for a special charity evening.
Both chefs are passionate about building, developing and nurturing future talent in the hospitality industry and Paul will be bringing along some of his apprentices to work alongside the mainly apprentice-run Castle Dairy team.
In 2017, the Castle Dairy became the first apprentice-run restaurant in the country to be awarded 2AA rosettes for the quality of its food, and has recently retained this achievement in 2018.
Chris said: “When we first came up with the idea of holding guest chef evenings at the Castle Dairy, we wanted to do it in a way that would really benefit our apprentices. With Paul bringing some of his team along, it will give both sets of youngsters a really valuable insight into how other professionals work and to learn from them.
“Paul was eager to be involved and we couldn’t think of a better chef to launch our new guest chef evenings. Like us, he sources some of the finest ingredients from his rural location and is also a keen forager. We hope to be able to build on relationships like this to develop and enhance the skills of our apprentice chefs and front of house staff in the future.”
Chris and Paul have joined forces to create an array of enticing dishes that will showcase the talents of their respective teams. Each head chef will take on different courses and the two restaurant managers from both venues have worked together to produce an optional wine flight to compliment all of the dishes.
Paul Leonard added: “I am really looking forward to working at the Castle Dairy. It’s so important for the future of the industry that these places exist, and with Chris at the helm, the future looks bright for everyone involved. Alongside Chris, we have put together a fantastic and interesting menu using some of the best ingredients we have around at this moment and I cannot wait to get cooking.”
The evening will get under way with a selection of canapes and breads before leading onto the mouthwatering 5-course menu of tartare of salt aged beef, Jerusalem Artichoke, sorrel, and bone marrow brioche, followed by dressed crab, wonton, bisque, grapefruit, tarragon, and finally wild duck with red cabbage, potato mousse and wild mushrooms. To finish, there will be dessert of Kendal ‘mint slate’, salted chocolate, yuzu and aero washed down with speciality Carvetii coffee and Petit Fours.
The evening will also be raising money for Hospitality Action – a charity supporting people in the hospitality industry – with £5 from every ticket sold plus all of the proceeds from a raffle going directly to the worthy cause. To find out more or to book a table, visit https://castledairy.co.uk/ or call 01539 814756.
Further guest chef evenings at the Castle Dairy Restaurant will be announced in early 2019.
