Where have you worked before ?
Reads restaurant was my first full-time job , after that Gidleigh Park for three years with a stint at The Bath Priory for two . Michael Caines asked me back to Gidleigh as head chef , where I stayed for another three years . Then onto Pembrokeshire for a further three years before heading back to Kent .
Why Kent ? And why Hide and Fox ?
It always felt natural for me to come back to Kent as it ’ s my home county . We went to see many premises all around the Kent coast , but we stumbled across Saltwood and this little restaurant , and it just felt right . The right size , decent little kitchen and with some character . I knew the area well , so I was familiar with the audience I was hoping we ’ d attract .
Tell us about the dishes and menu you have created at Hide and Fox .
My food is very seasonal , classically based with some modernity and Asian influences . I just try to create well balanced dishes that are packed with flavour . Of course , we try to source locally where possible , and that can be difficult with meat and fish , but it ' s all from within the UK . I use local vegetable suppliers and my meat comes from individual farms or suppliers for specific breeds , so I always source the best possible produce I can from within the UK . We offer a five- and an eightcourse tasting menu which are slightly different , and have recently added a three-course lunch menu for midweek trade .
What is your signature / favourite dish ?
My salmon dish with apple ponzu , horseradish , dill , seaweed and caviar for me is a perfect dish . It has been on and off the menu now for almost four years , but it is often the highlight when I speak to our guests . The menu changes quite often and I try not to put the same dishes on year after year .
What is your guilty pleasure ?
I am a bit of a fiend for a Wine Gum and an Indian takeaway .
Hide and Fox The Green Saltwood , nr Hythe Kent CT21 4PS hideandfox . co . uk
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