Wirral Life February 2018 | Page 28

W L ALL SYSTEMS GO! BY PAUL ASKEW, CHEF PATRON OF THE ART SCHOOL RESTAURANT It’s been a very busy start of the year for the team and I at the restaurant. We’ve completed our expansion plans and now have a 24 seat private dining room to complement our cellar Champagne and cocktail bar with a private tutored tasting room. Both new facilities are accessed from the restaurant, with the Champagne bar also benefitting from below street level access on Myrtle street. The new bar has proved a real hit with Art School regulars and word seems to be spreading that it’s not just for our diners. It’s very much a place for all to enjoy. The tutored tasting room has been very popular as we’ve hosted over a dozen sommelier led experiences in there already since the turn of the year. The private dining room is now fully operational and taking bookings. I was honoured that one of our first parties was a Chinese delegation to commemorate the launch of the Terracotta Warriors at the world museum, an exhibition I’m very much looking forward to seeing. The dining room is a great addition to the Art School family, but for me it’s also important for the gastronomy scene in the city. I know our guests really enjoyed their evening and that can only be good for the city in the medium and long term. Of course our expansions have meant new faces joining The Art School team. It’s no secret that we like to develop our own staff from the local Colleges. I remember when we first opened the restaurant we took on several individuals, some were classed 28 wirrallife.com as NEAT (Not in Education or Training) on a Mayoral youth contract, they hadn’t laid a table or picked up a knife before – you’ll lose some along the way for sure but one’s a Chef de Parti, the other front of house and they are two of the most valuable members of the brigade, the loyalty they show rubs off on the other members of the team. I returned to my old college, Wirral MET, just last week for a demonstration event as part of Visitor Economy Week. It’s a collaboration of all of the Further Education Colleges in the city region and does a really good job and showcasing the careers available in the Visitor Economy, which is vital for our region. I was delighted to welcome another Wirral boy to the restaurant when my good friend Simon Rimmer popped in for a catch up. Simon (pictured) and I chatted over plans for the future and I hope to be in a position to share those in a future column. The calendar is filling up for the year ahead. I enjoyed a recent visit to the second food and drink festival at Gordale Garden Centre and I’ll be at The Marram Grass on May 9th. Chef Ellis Barry will be at The Art School on April 11th and another Great British Menu Chef, Tom Brown will join me at The Art School for a very special night on 8th March, tickets for that night are available now from the restaurant. Until next month. Chef Askew