The Antarctic Chef's Blog: Outside Jobs

Outside Jobs

As far as outside jobs go and setting up different kitchens. I must have worked in every type of kitchen there is, from Top Hotels and restaurants, to Pubs, clubs and cafes. From Big Ships, small ships and yachts, to barges, narrow boats, rigs and trailers. From Big Marquees and tents to civic halls and church rooms. From Stately homes and castles, to shops and private homes. I have even gone into school meals and lectured at colleges..As a freelance chef, I have worked at most of the major sporting events such as, Silverstone, Brands hatch, Twickenham, Donington Park, Ascot, Newbury, Cheltenham, Grand national etc,etc. Football clubs like Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City, Leicester Tigers, Stoke City, Birmingham city, Derby County etc... Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and the oval for the Cricket . Here is a variety of outside jobs that i really enjoyed...Although there have been far too many jobs to mention, not all of them were enjoyable..

The Launch of the New Range Rover

This was launched in the Highlands of Scotland and we were based at a stately Home called Novar.

Novar was just outside Inverness and had it's own estate with game keeper. We set up our kitchens in one of the service rooms attached to the dining hall. Here the guests would come for lunch after putting the range Rover through it's paces off road.

This range Rover was given to us to ferry staff and supplies back and forth.

The car on the left was for mine and marks use only. Mark controlled the front of house. The cars on the right where for clients to test drive.

Kitchens are set and I'm ready for lunch.

Outside in the snow, good training for going south, me thinks!

The Kitchen and the Dining room, with Rob Banks and Mark.

Rob bringing in supplies and taking pics of the set up.

One table laid for lunch, and the waitresses waiting for guests to arrive.

After a morning of putting the Range Rover through it's paces, the clients would come to me for lunch at the Novar estate,where during lunch the cars would be washed and polished and ready for the afternoon

Upon leaving the estate, they set off for another blast around the Highlands for a couple of hours. Which leaves me time to prep for tomorrow and order more fresh venison and pheasant from the gamekeeper, for my consomme

The next stop is a place called Loch Glass, nestled right in the Highlands North of Inverness. We set up a glass structure here right on the Loch to serve the clients and their designated drivers with afternoon tea.

Mark and two girls where sent here to wait on and serve them with hot drinks and afternoon sandwiches and cake. Then off they would go again for another couple of hours.

Later that evening they would stop at the House and estate of Tim Rice (of Andrew lloyd Webber fame) for dinner. Where i would be waiting, having whizzed all the way from Novar nr Inverness to Unapool on the north west coast of Scotland.

This was on the Tim Rice estate. Me and Mark exploring

Tim Rice Had a beautiful setting for his composing.

Here we are at his piano. It doesn't sound like this when he plays it !!

This is the Hotel where we all stayed for 6 weeks, a lovely place and we got to know the owners very well and it became more like a home. Land Rover booked the whole place just in case they needed any more rooms for their clients. So we had the Hotel to ourselves for 6 weeks, all paid for by Land Rover. Bonus. We had a great time as the clients only came for 3 days every week. Which meant we had 4 days to ourselves, with a Range Rover each, accommodation scattered around, staff that we got to know and the open Highlands. Happy Days!

Inside our Hotel. Mark, Kath and Mel

Mark on the turret of the Hotel

We went every where that we could get.

Loch Glass

Oil Rigs on the Moray Firth

On route to Loch Ness

Top pic Tarbet Ness, bottom pic, Loch Ness

Somewhere in Scotland??

We had to go to Aviemore and sit on a ski lift

Aviemore ski slopes

Highlands monument

The scenery was stunning

We stopped, because we could

It was my Birthday while we were there, the chambermaids decorated my room. bless 'em!

We stopped to look at Balnagown Estate, owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, North of Inverness

Top pic Kath, bottom pic Mark

A walk on a Scottish beach..

Launch of the New Bentley

This was in Hampshire at the Bentley showrooms Chefs admiring the Bentley

We turned their showroom into a restaurant, with stage and plasma screen for Leslie Waters (the chef from ready steady cook) She was demonstrating my menu while i was serving it.

Twist Events was my outside catering company, this was a good job for me

We turned the Valeting bay into the Kitchens

Where shall we put the stoves?

we'll do it like this!

Nearly set

A briefing before we start

Here we go

Salmon Gravlax

all got their jobs

Everybody happy

mains going out

Meet and greet area

My refrigerated van outside the cooking area

A fitting end to the day

Twist Events

My Unit in Oswestry

From use as a garage

stripped

equipment installed

walk in cold room comes flat packed

Extraction unit on back wall

Floors painted and sealed

Fridge in place

Curtains hung

Stoves positioned

Dish washer plumbed in

Kitchen In use for all outside functions

Marquee erected for Jennings Homes. A lunch for 250, for the launch of their new show homes in Oswestry. Kitchens built onto the side of the Marquee.

Top picture is of me with Digby Jones, Director General of CBI. Bottom picture is the Marquee set for Lunch and presentation speeches

Shropshire Country & Border magazine

one of the many magazines i have appeared in

I did a monthly recipe for this Mag

wild mushroom Rissotto

Pheasant with orange and chestnuts

I had to produce a shropshire pie for this event, using all local ingredients

The new sculpture in Shrewsbury was unveiled

The pies were a great success, here i am with Fay Easton (Top Left) who organised the event in partnership with the Shrewsbury Town management. The Guy on the left of the picture is the Sculptor.

School Meals