Robin Gill - always one of our favourite chefs - has launched another new initiative to support up and coming talent in hospitality. We went along to the inaugural Home Grown Club at The Manor in Clapham to find out more.
So what's it all about?
It's a regular dinner at The Manor, held on the first Sunday of the month, giving young chefs and cocktail mixologists the chance to devise their own menu for the night. At £35 for 4 courses plus a welcome drink its considerably less than the normal tasting menu - plus cocktails and drinks are half price to give the young chefs a bit more freedom to experiment.
What was on the first menu?
The April event was created and cooked by two of the young sous chefs at The Manor, Ross Mangan and Brendan Kearney - with matching drinks by a team from White Lyan.
The food, based around a 'Luck of the Irish' theme, was superb - starting with home made soda bread and toasted barley butter and a snack based on a riff on a Tayto cheese and onion crisp. A starter of fresh peas, lettuce, asparagus and a glorious pea emulsion was a burst of spring - followed by all the drama of a giant roasted shoulder of lamb and a vast dish of spuds and charred cauliflower for the table to share. Dessert - 'Irish coffee' - was a sticky buckwheat almond cake soaked in coffee liqueur with a whisky icecream and cultured milk crumb - fairly potent - especially paired with the matching 'potato colada' cocktail.
As with all Gill's events the night was huge fun, a room filled with music and raucous laughter and people enjoying great food. The chefs clearly relished their chance to do their own thing - and the freedom to create dishes and run their own service.
Where do we get the details?
Find out more on their Twitter feed @homegrownclub - and keep your eyes peeled for details of May's event. We predict seats will sell out fast. And we'll be first in the queue.
