FOOD + DRINK
HIDE AND FOX CONT .
A Kent local born and raised in Whitstable , Allister moved to Devon when he was 19 years old to chase his culinary dream having worked in two classic Kent treasures , Wheelers Oyster Bar and Reads Restaurant in Faversham . In Devon , Allister was made head chef at Gidleigh Park at just 24 years of age , maintaining two Michelin stars and regaining five AA Rosettes before taking the position as executive chef at Grove of Narberth in Pembrokeshire , Wales . “ We have always worked in boutique venues ; the luxury side of hospitality ,” says Alice , who herself is an award-winning restaurant manager and esteemed sommelier .
Raised in Liguria , Italy , Alice attended the renowned Stresa Hotel School on Lake Maggiore for five years before working in the five star Gallia Palace in Tuscany ; the start of a glittering career that took her to high-society locations around the world . Now , Alice leads what the Michelin Guide dubbed , a ‘ charming service team ’, whom it is clear she has great admiration for and nurtures alongside the two junior sous chefs . “ Our team are all in their 20s . It is our belief that when you look after your team well and give them a good balance of work and life they have more energy , more motivation , are well rested and happy to put their utmost into their career and work . That ’ s why we give them a four-day week . The hard-work and the long days of the hospitality industry need to be recognised ,” she explains warmly .
Alice and Allister met when they both worked at the Bath Priory . Between them , they have lived in a myriad of different places and have experienced a host of unique cuisines and cultures . I ask them what brought them back to Allister ’ s home of Kent . “ Every time we would come back to visit Allister ’ s family , he would say ‘ I do love it here !’” Alice laughs affectionately . “ The timing just felt right . We were ready .” They nod in a solid agreement . I ask them what they love most about the county and Alice , a true wine connoisseur and accredited sommelier praises its Wine Garden of England title . “ I love being surrounded by the vineyards here . We work closely with Simpsons Wine and have almost their entire collection on our wine list . But we ’ re not exclusively wine . I take just as much pride in our cocktails too .” Alice tells me that she and Allister do not encroach on each other ’ s areas of expertise . “ Every day I am in awe of his genius . We keep it professional , I always call him ‘ chef ’ at work , never Ali ,” she says . When I ask her what makes them such a good team : “ Trust in each other ’ s knowledge and ideas is crucial to our success .”
When I quiz Allister on what he loves most about the county , he praises the agricultural element of Kent ’ s identity . “ We are committed to quality when it comes to ingredients . We are definitely able to showcase the best quality of Kent ,” he says . “ However , I don ’ t restrict myself to Kent alone ; I use the best of what Britain has to offer . A spring menu staple is of course lamb . I use Kentish lamb from the local Longlands Farm . I also use butter from The Cheesemakers of Canterbury , and during game season I use local birds and venison . The fruit and vegetables from Kent are also top quality , that ’ s what ’ s great about running a kitchen from the Garden of England .”
I ask Allister what makes his approach to cooking and creating his menus unique and his answer is one which reflects Michelin ’ s description of him . “ For me it ’ s all about the balance of flavour : sweet , salty , acidic , whatever they might be , the flavours of each dish and every menu are my focus . At Hide and Fox , we only do tasting menus .” When they first opened , the locals of Saltwood came to Hide and
Fox intrigued by what they offered . “ We were welcomed like old friends ,” says Alice . “ And what we ultimately want to do is make fine dining and our approach to high-end cuisine a relaxed and enjoyable experience .” The ambiance and interior of the restaurant does indeed lend itself to Allister and Alice ’ s desire for Hide and Fox to be an intimate space in which to enjoy good food and wine in the company of friends . “ We were both very used to a ‘ butler style ’ service and we wanted to move away from that ,” says Allister . “ We don ’ t want to be stiff , but we still want to provide guests with the quality , elegance and professionalism that people expect from fine dining at the same time as engaging with our diners . There ’ s no pretension here .”
My final question for Alice and Allister is about what the future has in store for them and Hide and Fox . “ There ’ s always room for improvement and progression ,” says Alice . “ But we are happy at the moment ; this is the perfect venue for us and we love our clientele . We meet everyone from locals to London foodies and even those from abroad that have been magnetised by the Michelin star .” Alice reaches out to Allister affectionately and smiles . They make a magnificent team and it is clear they bring out the very best of each other ' s wonderful talents ; a true appreciation of these reflected in the other ’ s eyes . “ It ’ s also my prediction that Hythe and this side of Kent will rise to meet the North Kent coast ’ s critical foodie acclaim ,” says Allister ; I nod in agreement , knowing that he and Alice have had a solid influence in putting it well and truly on the map already .
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