Wirral Life March 2020 | Page 44

W FOOD & DRINK L AND WE’RE OFF… BY PAUL ASKEW, CHEF PATRON OF THE ART SCHOOL RESTAURANT As those of you who read my column will know, earlier this month I concluded a very successful Guest Chef series with my old friend Steven Doherty and National Chef of the Year, Kuba Winkowski, at the restaurant. The two events followed very enjoyable evenings with Tom Parker and Tommy Heaney. Steven and I joined forces again for the 4th annual food festival at Gordale Garden and Home Centre at the beginning of February. Our Chef demonstrations formed part of a fabulous farmers market with over 30 speciality purveyors of artisan food and drink magnificently demonstrating the diversity and quality of produce available to one and all through local suppliers. The weekend event has got bigger and better each year since its inception and it’s a joy to play a part in it, meeting consumers and hearing feedback and ideas from the many visitors. Closer to ‘home’ these events also play an important addition to our own culinary journey, providing the team and I with the opportunity to experience and learn different techniques and styles acquired by the visiting chefs. It’s an opportunity the team look forward to with real relish (no pun intended!) and has undoubtedly helped to inspire and re-energize their creativity following a very busy festive period. Keeping the kitchen and front-of-house team motivated and passionate is a challenge felt by many in the hospitality sector and it is no different at The Art School. I’m fortunate that some of my original team from our initial opening have remained loyal, have continued to work with me and have helped me to develop and expand my vision over the past 5 years. Much has changed, however, in the four decades since I first joined the industry and, thanks to television, the role of the Chef has raised in profile. In the ever-changing digital world in which we now operate we seek to overcome the many fresh challenges we are faced with on a daily basis to attract and keep the next generation of culinary talent. It has always given me pleasure to see young people take their first steps onto the employment ladder and it is encouraging that the local colleges and the Local Enterprise Partnership are, once again, working together to address that challenge with the annual Visitor Economy Week initiative. I was, of course, 44 wirrallife.com happy to play a small part in it by returning to Wirral Met with my Young Chef of the Year, Ed, to deliver a masterclass in the culinary arts to some young eager and talented young people. My hope is that these sessions inspire the students to become the chefs of the future. As the seasons change and we prepare to welcome the arrival of Spring, the hard work in the kitchens continues at a pace. New dishes will grace our menus in the coming weeks and we very much hope to welcome you to taste them. We’ve worked hard over the last five years and are privileged to say that our reservations for Friday and Saturday evenings are booked well in advance but there’s always the opportunity for diners to join us early week or at lunchtime when all of our popular menus are available. The finishing touches to our Mothering Sunday and Easter menus will shortly be completed as we prepare to open the restaurant on two special Sundays and reservations for both are now being taken by the Reservations team. And finally, something that has been several months in the making that I’m now in the position to share. Myself and the team are hugely proud to be given the chance to work with The Jockey Club to bring The Art School to Aintree for the Grand National Festival at the beginning of April 2020. We have been working behind the scenes since late last year on transforming the late, great Mirabel Topham’s house, on the edge of the parade ring, in to The Art School at Aintree. Mirabel’s love of art saw her act as a patron to the Walker Art Gallery, so for us it was a very natural extension of the restaurant that we will include exhibits from her collection amongst some of our own works of gastronomic art in the development of the venue. Engaging the interior design team, who I worked with on the creation of the restaurant, Moriarty Private Dining Room and The Cellars, we will create a sanctuary of luxe cuisine on the course. Hospitality tickets are available from the course for the three days of the festival and the team and I are incredibly excited about this new venture. Until next time Chef Askew