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WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR
BY PAUL ASKEW, CHEF PATRON OF
THE ART SCHOOL RESTAURANT
As the big day draws ever closer the team and I are
working with some of the regions finest ingredients
serving our festive menus to guests new and old.
The quality of produce from Ward’s of Birkenhead
Market, Edge butchers and the Rhug Estate is
exceptional – the Redpoll beef is simply some of the
best meat I’ve ever had the pleasure to cook with and
is proving extremely popular on our Festive Prix Fixe.
We’ve had a number of very special visitors to the
restaurant this year from international dignitaries to
stars of stage and screen, it’s always a great pleasure to
welcome them to the Art School but I remain especially
fond of my Chef colleagues who pop in from time to
time, often unannounced! It was a real joy to welcome
the legend that is Ken Hom and a lovely surprise to see
Andi Olver, one of my judges on the Great British Menu
pop in recently, we reminisced about the show and
discussed a project she was supporting in Liverpool – I
look forward to cooking for her again!
Of course for many Christmas is a difficult time and the
team and I, supported by our wonderful producers, will
be supporting those less fortunate than ourselves with
Christmas dinner. It’s my hope, that for however short a
time, the warmth and happiness that good food brings
can make a small difference.
44 wirrallife.com
We’ll be working in the restaurant until lunch time
service on Christmas Eve and will close until the 27th
December, we’ll work up until New Year’s Eve and then
have our annual close down the first week in January.
I’ve found, since opening the restaurant in 2014, that
the annual breaks are important for the brigade and
help everyone recharge their batteries, after all across
the restaurant, private dining room and cellar bar will
have served over 5,000 guests throughout the month of
December.
Our events have proved a popular addition to the
restaurant and Cellars, the Georgian gin club has been
a real hit, we welcomed the team from Atlantic spirit
to a sensational evening in early December and will
follow this with Ginsmiths of Liverpool in January.
Our winemakers evening will also continue with a
new series in the early part of 2019 with New Zealand’s
Trinity Hills and the stunning Spanish El Coto more
details of these in a future column.
Enjoy the festive fayre – until next month.
All my very best wishes for Christmas and a healthy,
happy and wealthy New Year for 2019.
Chef Askew