Chefs

Willie Pike MBE

WilliePike_250vjpg Willie Pike specialises in Sugar Craft and Desserts as well as high quality local recipes. Willie has cooked for many distinguished guests and dignitaries, including the Royal Family.

Willie began his culinary career from very humble beginnings working in a hospital Kitchen, inspired by my his mothers cooking and a great interest in cooking.

He went to Glasgow College of Food and Technology where with the help and encouragement of people like Peter Cushley and Malcolm Fraser I got a good grounding in all aspects of the kitchen and a unique insight into confectionery and sugar craft.

Willie has probably won most culinary accolades in his career including the Coveted Red Jacket from the Craft Guild of Chefs as the best competition chef in Britain. He was awarded a Fellowship of The Master Chefs of Great Britain and last year was awarded the C.I.S Scotland’s Chef of the Year for his outstanding Contribution. He would describe his biggest award as being privileged to continue to lead, teach and develop the young chefs of the future.

Willie is extremely well known in the World of Culinary Competition.
He has successfully trained youngsters for both the Skills Olympics and the Culinary World Cup.

In 1992 Willie helped mentor the Scottish Junior Culinary Team who were crowned World Junior Champions against all the Major Teams in the World in Luxembourg 1992.

Achievments

In terms of his credentials, Willie has won over 60 individual medals at the very highest level including:
Representing Scotland
♦ Gold medal and Nayata Trophy as overall winners Hot Kitchen (100
covers) competing against the world’s top international team at Food
Asia 1994
♦ Gold medal in Hot Kitchen section (110 covers) at World Culinary
Olympics in Berlin 1996 (only six gold medals awarded in this category)
♦ Gold medal and highest marked Cold Buffet in the Culinary World Cup
in Luxembourg in 1998
Representing Great Britain
♦ Gold medal winners of the Golden Platter at the World Banqueting
Championships in Toronto, Canada in 1998
Representing Sodexho/Scottish Culinary Team
♦ Gold medals awarded in all five La Parade de Chefs competitions
entered in the UK and well as plates for either Best on Day or Overall
Winners
♦ Hotel and Caterer Great British Recipe Competition 1997

While Working for Gardner Merchant /Sodexho Willie formed a Company Chefs Team (as a vehicle to motivate and excite, train and further develop the skills of the chefs) this was well received by the Chief Executive who seen the venture as a great initiative to raise the companies profile in the wider marketplace. Under Willie's Leadership the team were crowned British Culinary Champions. A title they defended for the following 5 years against top National and International Teams and won a total of 118 Gold and 6 silver medals.

Bart Van Cauwenberghe

brad_250 Chocolatier Bart Van Cauwenberghe of de zwarte vos was appointed in 2005 as Ambassador of Belgian chocolate.

Bart has been working for more than 25 years with finest Belgian chocolate. In the chocolate-studio, knowledge and craftsmanship are used to create the perfect pralines.

That title, he was largely due to the flavor combinations and textures of his chocolates.

He surprises, sometimes by using pure flavors and by using a ‘twist’ of flowers and herbs.

With his knowledge of chocolate he now gives courses and demos all over the world.

World aromas in harmony with original chocolate leads to surprising taste experiences and a delicate bite sensation.

‘As Belgian Chocolate Ambassador I see it as my duty to design culinary pleasure. Together with my crew, we create refined and exclusive pralines. Let each masterpiece in this box surprise you all over again. ‘

http://www.dezwartevos.be/EN/

Tom Kerridge

Tom-Hand-&-Flowers Originally from the West Country, his early career started in country house hotels and restaurants in Gloucestershire, he moved to London in his early twenties, where he worked with well known chefs such as Phillip Britton, Steven Bull and Gary Rhodes. Leaving London, he moved to Norwich where he was Head Chef at the one Michelin stared Adlards before setting up the Hand and Flowers with his wife Beth.·

In less than a year they gained themselves one Michelin Star,and have maintained that Michelin star since 2006...

6/10 and Buckinghamshire Newcomer of the Year in The Good Food Guide, 3 AA Rosettes and one Egon Ronay Star.

Tom was previously head chef at Adlards in Norwich (one Michelin star), and senior sous chef at Monsieur Max in Hampton (which also had one Michelin star). Before then, Tom cooked at London restaurants including Odettes, Rhodes in the Square, Stephen Bull and The Capital.

www.thehandandflowers.co.uk

Roy Brett

roybrett250 Edinburgh-born Award Winning Chef Roy Brett has spent over 23 years in the industry, honing his skills with some of the country's top chefs including Rick Stein and Mark Hix.
Chef Roy Brett is uncompromising on seasonality and sustainability. Along with his kitchen team, Roy has scoured the country, seeking out the very best ingredients that will allow his restaurant dishes to stand out and keep diners coming back for more.
Roy has a genuine passion for seafood, which is reflected in Ondine's fresh, seasonal, menus. Roy takes an ethical approach to his restaurant menus and is committed to achieving excellence in responsible sourcing to achieve accreditation by the MSC soon after opening the venue.
2010 was the year when Roy's commitment to sustainability and Scottish seafood was clearly recognised.
He was awarded the "Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland" Food Award, crowned Chef of the Year 2010 at the "C.I.S Excellence Awards", Best Newcomer of the Year in Edinburgh in the "List Magazine Restaurant Awards" and his restaurant, Ondine won Seafood Restaurant of the Year at the "Scottish Restaurant Awards". In 2009, Roy was named Hotel Chef of the Year at the Scottish Chef Awards.

http://www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk

Gary Jones

GaryJones_250 Executive Head Chef - Gary Jones
Gary Jones rejoined Le Manoir in August 1999. He has all the qualities of leadership, organisation skills and is also a truly great craftsman.

Gary worked for two years at the Waterside Inn then for three years at Le Manoir. He started as Chef de Partie and took the position of Sous Chef after one year. He left to become Executive Head Chef for Richard Branson on Necker Island in the Caribbean and then gained his first Michelin star at Homewood Park.

He then joined Cliveden as the Head Chef in Waldo's restaurant where he gained eight out of ten in the Good Food Guide, a Michelin Star and Four AA Rosettes.

Gary leads the Kitchen Team in training and development. Le Manoir is a magnificent place to develop and grow the next generation of young talented chefs.

We have training a program in place that transforms raw enthusiasm and commitment into the chefs of the future.

Le Manoir au Quat Saisons

www.manoir.com

link to a piece on Youtube and Gary demonstrating the Lobster Cardoman dish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiQAC2c-DJM