FOOD&DRINK

Tony Benjamin puts his money on our hottest new rising stars

One of last year’s highlights (if you were lucky enough to get into one) were ‘evenings with the chefs’ organised by a discreet cohort of local kitchen artists. Representing some of our most influential and successful culinary projects, Nathan Muir (New Inn, Backwell), Toby Grittin (Pump House, Bristol), Josh Appleton (Pony and Trap, Chew Magna) and the Sanchez brothers (Casamia, Westbury-on-Trym) took turns to host a special meal, with each contributing one of four courses. Inevitably competitive, the evenings were also a collective recognition of a ‘new generation’ whose work brought fresh style to the local gastroscene and whose pioneering ideas about foraging, plot-to-plate and hi-tech wizardry brought both TV crews and Michelin stars to the area.

They’re far from being played out, of course, as the newly unveiled ‘research kitchen’ at Casamia proves, but they can’t rest on their laurels, either. There’s already another bunch of talented foodmeisters coming up to challenge them, and we’ve hunted out some bright sparks who are setting the dining scene alight in their turn. Many are self-taught and all share a respect for great ingredients, freshly sourced and celebrated with artistry. And we think they’ll all go far.

Ash Bennett

Age: 28

Works at: New Inn, Backwell

Training/experience: While he was working as a personal trainer, a meeting with Conran-trained chef Nathan Muir (Robin Hood’s Retreat, Bristol) led to a skill swapping that launched Ash’s career as a chef. He worked in top-notch hotels around the UK before taking up his role at Nathan’s new venture.

Food philosophy: “Head in the sky but feet on the floor – it’s about refined food but making sure people get fed. I like transforming ‘average’ ingredients with chef’s technique and a bit of love - like peasant cooking with cheffy flair.”

George Kostka

Age: 33

Works at: Ronnie’s, Thornbury

Training/experience: A trainee forester in Slovakia, George became a self-taught chef, with Marco Pierre White’s ‘Canteen Cuisine’ a big influence (“such simple and beautiful dishes!”). He’s still open-minded about new techniques. “Not every new trend is good but I’ll always try them to see.”

Food philosophy: “Keep flavours simple but do things with a twist, so that people rediscover them. Get that perfect and the food speaks for itself. In these hard times you need to be making exceptional food - ‘good enough’ is not good enough!

Richard Buckley

Age: 30

Works at: Demuths, Bath

Training/experience: Lifetime vegetarian Richard started in gastropubs at 16 and eventually worked at the renowned Willow veggie restaurant in Totnes. Influences include meatless legends Dennis Cotter (Café Paradiso) and Mark Evans (the former Cafe Maitreya, Bristol).

Food philosophy: “Totally ingredient-led - a local producer brings us something and we make a dish that really shows it off. We’re using more modern techniques to do so much more with the food. It must have the ‘X factor’ - something on every plate that really grabs you.”

Lee Evans

Age: XX

Works at: Apple Tree Inn, Glastonbury

Training/experience: After catering school, Lee worked in Michelin-star hotels, including the Bath Priory under Robert Clayton. Having put The Wheatsheaf at Combe Hay firmly on the gastropub map, Lee embarked on his first solo venture, the Apple Tree, early in 2011.

Food philosophy: “It’s all about good-quality ingredients and not doing stupid amounts with them - enough to enhance without overwhelming. And it has to work together - a dish is a dish, not clippings off other dishes. Four flavours – five, tops - is more than enough on a plate.

Eddy Rains

Age: 28

Works at: The Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay

Training/experience: After winning the Gordon Ramsay Scholar award while at college, Eddy’s career went global, including stints with New Zealand fusion pioneer Peter Gordon, Shaun Rankin’s Michelin-starred Bohemia in Jersey and Michael Caines at the Bath Priory.

Food philosophy: “Using good technical cooking to glorify really local seasonal produce. At the Wheatsheaf we’ve got the garden and hedgerow stuff all around - you can find our chickens’ eggs out there, too. I’m aiming for a combination of fine dining and country pub, with an emphasis on simpler dishes.”

Copyright Tony Benjamin 2011