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LE MONT BLANC : BEHIND THE SCENES By Samantha Willett
I have been lucky enough to work alongside many wonderful Chefs over the years , so I guess this is where my inspiration for good food came from . Over the next 11 months in Wirral Life , I am going to take you behind the scenes at Le Mont Blanc to illustrate my passion for food and service .
I would like to emphasise that we pride ourselves on the freshness of our ingredients . We make everything from scratch , including our own butter . Let ’ s touch on our produce for a moment , our fresh fruit and vegetables are sourced from Veg of Oxton and Karim from K & N Fruit , he goes above and beyond to supply us only with the finest fruit , vegetables and edible flowers . My Chefs take so much time and effort with preparation , there is nothing fast about the food at Le Mont Blanc . Our Vichy carrots are marinated for 12 hours in Grand Marnier , cinnamon and freshly squeezed navel oranges for a rich buttery glaze , they just melt in your mouth . ( Vichy carrots are so called because they were traditionally cooked in the natural mineral water that springs up in the spa town of Vichy , situated halfway between Paris and Montpellier ). Each dish is prepared individually ( not en masse ), once an order goes into the kitchen , the artwork begins .
Throughout the year there are lots of occasions that we cater for , where we will create a bespoke menu as well as changing our core menu as the seasons change . This keeps the ingredients current and allows for new signature dishes . We have adapted to the local way of thinking , for instance ... in Cheshire , ox cheek and game are a huge hit , however here on the Wirral , not so much . Or are they ? A simple name change can make all the difference , which just goes to show that people eat with their eyes .
At the heart of our menu is our quality meat . We have racks of lamb , braised beef , belly pork , and the finest fillet steaks . We host a steak night on a Wednesday evening which is not your average steak night , we are becoming famous for our Le Mont Blanc boards , starter sharing boards , dessert sharing boards , cheeseboards and our Chateaubriand and lobster sharing boards . ( A traditional Chateaubriand is one of the most tender cuts of beef and one of the most desirable cuts of beef you can find on the market , named after the 19th-century French aristocrat François-René de Chateaubriand , whose chef is said to have invented it ). As far as we are concerned it ’ s go big or go home .
Thursday , Friday and Saturday is our à la carte menu and Sunday is all about Chef ’ s homecooked , hearty roast dinners . We are talking old school , carrot and swede mash , honey roasted parsnips , beef dripping roast potatoes . Absolutely delicious , it ’ s the only reason I come to work on a Sunday .
I have a huge passion for wine , although I ’ m a rum girl ! Our wine is supplied by Majestic of West Kirby . I personally go in-store each week to taste and select our wines for our carefully considered selection , our guests can pick their own bottle or I can recommend one to pair with their meal . This is where we met Laura from Lingo Vino who hosts our wine tasting evenings on the last Thursday of every month , where we pair 6 wines with a 6-course taster menu . Her passion and knowledge of wine is excellent , our evenings are not only an interesting tasting experience but extremely good fun , which is what Le Mont Blanc is all about .
Let ’ s end it on a little bit about the service . As important as the food is , for me , it ’ s all about the experience , which means service is everything . We are not just another restaurant , here it ’ s all about the people and we like to be on first name terms . Arrive as strangers , leave as friends and hopefully regulars .
We look forward to seeing you soon . Samantha x
34 wirrallife . com