GREAT BRITISH DINING

BEST of BRITISH

As Pride goes to press, the BBC’s Great British Menu chefs will be presenting their season finalé banquet, the culmination of a tireless search to find the greatest chef in the UK for 2021. Representing Lincolnshire in the North East heat of the competition was Gareth Bartram, whose day job sees him heading up the kitchen of Winteringham Fields in North Lincolnshire...

IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, as the saying goes, stay out of the kitchen. If, on the other hand, you thrive on the buzz and the creative potential that producing cuttingedge dishes provides, the ideal kitchen to be in is that of the Great British Menu... just ask Gareth Bartram.

Millions of people recently tuned in to the Great British Menu to see the North Lincolnshire chef compete in the North East regional heats of the BBC show, which is in its 16th series and has screened over 540 episodes.

It’s not the first time that the Rag Doll studios in Stratford-upon-Avon had seen a Lincolnshire chef walk through the doors either. Indeed, Gareth’s employer Colin McGurran of Winteringham Fields has appeared on the show in 2012, 2013 and 2014, whilst Boston-born Jason Atherton has appeared as a judge in the series, too.

“I grew up in Cleethorpes and worked in a number of restaurants around the area before leaving to work in Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café in 2004. I returned to the area for a bit before working in the South West in Bath and Bristol, returning to see family and meeting my future wife Lucy in the gym.”

“Family brought me back to the area, and back in Lincolnshire there was only really one place I wanted to work; Winteringham Fields. I realised that if I wanted to work in a fine dining kitchen, that was the time and this was the place.”

“Before working at ‘the Fields,’ I went for a meal there and I was really impressed. I passed my CV to the owner, Colin, and went for a trial in the kitchen to meet the team.”

“He said that he’d keep my details on file and true to form, as soon as a vacancy arose he called me. He’s a really good employer and recognises the need to ensure that his staff are happy and that they aren’t worked into the ground, which is a progressive approach for the hospitality industry.”

“I usually have a Sunday off to spend time with Lucy and my two children Ivy and Frances. Colin recognises enthusiasm and talent, too, and nurtures that, so it’s an environment which suits a chef who’s keen to develop and to progress their skills.” “There are usually six of us in the kitchen but of course Covid has caused disruption across the industry.”

“During lockdown I was able to watch the series just as a viewer would, instead of having to binge-watch it on a Sunday afternoon. I messaged the programme and received a call from the producer who set up a sort of screen test, via Skype.”

There are four contestants in each episode, competing in seven different regions including the North East. Participants are asked to design a menu and filming for each region begins on a Monday morning with the task of creating an amuse bouche.

“The day serves as a sort of introduction to filming too, and it’s when many of the in-between sequences are filmed so you’re not disturbed during the rest of the week when you’re trying to concentrate on the cooking.”

“Tuesday is dedicated to preparing a starter course and a fish course; Wednesday is for preparing a main course, and a pre-dessert – which serves as a tie-breaker – then on Thursday you get to prepare a dessert.”>>

“I received lots of messages of warmth and support when the show aired. I’m really glad to have kept up Winteringham Fields’ reputation on the show, as established by Colin!”

>> “On each day, one of the chefs has to leave the competition, which is really sad because you build a really strong bond with the other people from your region.” “Even though you’re competitors, the respect and the camaraderie is really strong, and the level at which you’re cooking and presenting your dishes is so high, the slightest problem with timing or seasoning or with one element of a dish can upset that precision.” “It’s something you wouldn’t wish on any of the people you’re sharing the kitchen with, and all of the plates emerging from the pass are so strong that there’s only ever the slimmest margin for being named ‘best.’” “A winning dish is one that hits the brief, takes risks and one in which tonnes of development work has been invested. It’s also one that can be replicated 100 times because that’s how many people will attend the banquet at the end of the series.”

“I was very fortunate to be able to get through to Thursday which means I could cook my entire menu. That meant a lot to me. Filming took place in October and you’re subject to a strict non-disclosure agreement, which means that none of the chefs in my kitchen knew how far I’d gone on the competition.” “So my work colleagues had to wait to find out what had happened, and even my participation in the programme wasn’t released until a week before the programme aired so I couldn’t even say publicly that I was a competitor!” “I received lots of messages of warmth and support when the show aired, and I’m really glad to have taken part. Hopefully I’ve kept up Winteringham Fields’ reputation on the show, as established by Colin!” “I haven’t had anyone asking for autographs yet, but I’ve had a few double takes whilst I’ve been out shopping!” “2021 has been a difficult time for the hospitality industry, and I’m not used to having so much time on my hands, but it’s meant that we’ve had plenty of time to prepare for the reopening of the restaurant and that’s enabled us to push our menus really hard. We’ve some exciting dishes on the menu and though I’ve only put one of the

dishes from the TV on the menus, our diners will recognise some of the techniques that they’ve seen on the series.” “We’re reopening the restaurant with just two tasting menus, nice and simple. There are six courses during lunchtime service and eight courses during evening service. Like the rest of the menus at the restaurant they’re also governed by the availability of seasonal ingredients, so the menus change all the time.”

“Having more time during Covid has also meant that we can continue our efforts to make Winteringham Fields greener. We’re using all of our green waste from the kitchen to create fertiliser for our kitchen garden and we’re removing as much plastic from the restaurant and from our rooms as possible.” Gareth’s magnum opus was his traditional meat and vegetable dish entitled ‘The Linc to Yorkshire,’ which comprised lamb loin, and belly skewers – depicting the Humber Bridge – with braised cabbage. His follow-up dessert was Zeer, and was a combination of chocolate with buckthorn and rum chocolate mousse. The technical challenge of the dish though proved too demanding and though only a few minutes late to the pass, it was enough to cause judges to send Gareth home. At the level each of the chefs were working, there’s no shame in that. And if Gareth’s Winteringham Fields dishes are even a fraction as inventive, delicious and successfully implemented at the ones we’ve seen him prepare on the Great British Menu, his diners are in for a real treat when the restaurant reopens at the time of writing. “It was a really great experience,” he says. “The whole team there were amazing. They made you feel so welcome and relaxed you really enjoyed your time there, so you could just concentrate on doing what you were there to do, and take pride in it.”

In the KITCHEN

Whether you’re seeking a speedy midweek dish for two or something to cook for friends at a dinner party this Summer, the pink grapefruit, samphire and capers here combine to add freshness and piquancy to your dish!

ROAST HADDOCK with pink grapefruit and samphire salsa...

Preparation time: 20 minutes.Cooking time: 30 minutes 1 medium potato (about 200g) cut into 2cm dice • 2 turnips (about 200g) cut into 2cm dice 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 clove of garlic (crushed) • 1 rosemary sprig • 1 pink grapefruit • 240g pack skinless boneless haddock fillets, 20g unsalted butter • 1 shallot (finely diced), 90g pack samphire • 1 tbsp nonpareille capers in brine (rinsed)

Preheat the oven to 220°c. Toss the diced potato and turnip Heat the remaining ½ tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over with ½ tbsp oil, the garlic and rosemary. Roast for 25-30 a medium-high heat. Season the haddock fillets and fry for minutes, stirring halfway. 2½ minutes on each side. Set aside on a plate. Slice the top and bottom off the grapefruit. Using a sharp Add the butter to the pan, then stir in the shallot. Add the knife, slice downwards around the grapefruit, following the samphire and a tablespoon water and fry, stirring over a curve, to remove the skin and pith. medium heat for three minutes. Stir in the capers, remove from Finally, holding the grapefruit over a bowl to catch any juices, the heat and carefully stir through the grapefruit and juice. slice between the connective membrane to release the segments. Divide the roasted vegetables between two plates, top with the Chop the segments and mix with 3-4 tbsp of the juice. haddock fillets, then spoon over the grapefruit salsa. n

In the KITCHEN

There’s nothing better than enjoying a couple of liberal scoops of ice cream on a hot summer day... and if you eschew the supermarket in favour of making your own, you can really reap the rewards in terms of flavour...

HOME-MADE ICE CREAM

Preparation Time: Two hours including chilling time. Serves Six. Four free range egg yolks • 100g (3 1/2 oz) golden caster sugar • 300ml (1/2 oz pint) double cream 300ml (1/2 oz pint) full fat milk • 1 vanilla pod or good quality essence • Flavour to suit (optional)

MAKING YOUR OWN ice cream at home is so easy it beggars belief that we just put up with watery mass-market ice cream. There are a tremendous number of variations on making your own ice cream at home, from non-churn to more labour- intensive methods, and from methods involving anything from ice cubes to condensed milk. This custard-based method is a little more involved, but uses fewer shop-brought ingredients, and because it all comes together in the saucepan, it’s really easy to flavour it to your taste. Start by separating the eggs and retaining the yolks. The whites can be used to make meringues. Add the caster sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until they’re pale, frothy and thick. Put the cream and milk into a medium saucepan, then cut open the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and add these to the cream and milk, along with the pod, then heat gently. Don’t let it boil, or it will curdle! It’s a good idea to remove from the heat after and allow the cream mixture to cool and to infuse for five minutes. You can use vanilla essence or extract, but a vanilla pod will offer a better flavour and give your ice cream those lovely dark speckles. Once it’s cooled a little, take out the vanilla pod and stir the milk and cream into the eggs and sugar, whisking as you go. Sieve the mixture back into the saucepan and heat slowly and gently until the custard mixture you’ve created thickens. It’s ready when it coats the back of a wooden spoon – usually this takes around 10 minutes. Tip the mixture into a large freezer-proof container and cool to room temperature before putting in the fridge overnight. Next day, transfer the custard to the freezer and remove it every hour for three hours to whisk with a handheld electric whisk. This disperses the ice crystals and helps to make your ice cream smooth. Return it to the freezer after three whisks until it’s solid. It’s worth mentioning at this point that this is the only fiddly bit of making ice cream, however, you can purchase ice cream makers – brands include Magimix and Tefal – whose chilled vessels sit in the freezer ready to chill and churn your ice cream. Simply allow your custard to reach room temperature or chill it for an hour, then set your ice cream maker’s churning paddle to rotate over the frozen vessel before pouring in your custard. It’ll chill, churn and set in 20 minutes... much easier! Early on when you’re heating the milk and cream in the saucepan, you can add dulce de leche for caramel ice cream, stir in good quality espresso coffee, or you can melt in dark or white chocolate. If you’re adding fruit like strawberry, raspberry (as we’ve done here), or mango, it’s best to purée it and stir it through the mixture prior to chilling in the fridge overnight. n

World Gin Awards accolade for Ormsby based distillery...

Massingberd-Mundy Distillery, in the Wolds, has won double at the Gin Guide Awards 2021 Tristan Jørgensen, head distiller at Lincolnshire’s Massingberd-Mundy Distillery will be raising a glass to two awards in the Gin Guide Awards including winner of the Flavoured Gin category for Marie Jeanne’s Pink Gin is named after Marie Jeanne Rapigeon of Versailles, who fled the French revolution before becoming the owner of Lincolnshire’s South Ormsby Estate where the gin is made. It’s vibrant and fruity with strawberries, raspberries and hibiscus. n Marie Jeanne’s Pink Gin and Burrell’s Dry Gin are available from the South Ormsby Estate website www.southormsby estate.co.uk £39/70cl bottle.

The Wine Cellar

Wine of the Month

Derringstone Pinot Meunier 2019, Kent, UK

£117, 6 x 75cl / 13% ABV

The market for English wine has established itself beautifully in recent years, not least because climate change has caused the unique weather of the Champagne region to move north, into England. As a result the rosbifs now produce wines of comparable quality – albeit without the provenance – of France’s most famous wine region. Produced in the chalk terroir of Kent, Simpsons’ Derringtonstone is made from Pinot Noir grapes and has a sweet, poached fruit aroma and delicious red fruit finish.

Available from Simpsons Wine, 01227 832200 or www.simpsons wine.com.

JUST IN TIME FOR BASTILLE DAY ON 14TH JULY, WE’VE THREE FRENCH FANCIES, PLUS AN ENGLISH SUPERSTAR AND TWO LOCAL SPIRITS... ENJOY A TIPPLE IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH! Banking on Berries

BASTILLE STORMERS: Celebrate Bastille Day with these glorious Gallic gods...

in the Nene Valley

1. Produced with Pride in Provence, this super-dry Syrah has Cinsault and Grenache, for a dry, white, peppery acidity over red berries and citrus, £13.49 / 75cl / 13% ABV.

2. Born in Bordeaux, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this medium bodied cassis and raspberry wine is a delight. Tannins are well integrated and lush with a bite of pepper to finish. £24 / 75cl / 13.5% ABV.

3. Heroically hewn from Pinot Noir grapes in Burgundy, there’s a strawberry-scented medium bodied drinkability to this Vosne-Romanée. £55 / 75cl / 13% ABV. Straight from Nene Valley Spirits, it’s a tale from the riverbank with a happy ending, namely the sweetness of strawberries over the gentle botanicals of small batch gin. Based at Sacrewell Farm, the Nene Valley Spirits distillery is the first to be based in Peterborough and the Nene Valley region. Enjoy as a G&T, with Prosecco or a sparkling wine, or with soda water. The taste of summer suffused into a quality local spirit. £22 / 70cl / 25% ABV, www.nenevalley spirits.co.uk

n Our featured wines are available from the best local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary from those stated.