Chef Sargent

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Summer and rain

Summer is here the kids have broken up and bang on queue it rains ! Every year it happens without fail. But this definitely will not stop Cornwall filling up with egar holiday makers wanting to enjoy what the county has to offer ! This includes me being super busy not quite sure knowing if I am coming or going.

I have not had any time off in July since I was 14yrs old so 2023 was a first, I spent 5 days in Porto for a very special couples wedding. I have never been to Porto and it did not disappoint it was an absolutely beautiful city with loads of Port caves which is right up my street, so I consumed plenty of Port and food in the 5 days I was there. On my way back the flight landed in Gatwick which is not far from Wimbledon which I had been given VIP tickets for (I can not say to much about why I got these tickets more will be explained in the October newsletter). I had an amazing time again eating and drinking plenty. I got back to Cornwall around 14.00hrs and was in work for 15.30hrs. This is the trouble with being self employed it never stops and after 16yrs of being self employed I still work too much. I do not mind admitting it but I am definitely a workaholic, I do not say this lightly, it is only something I realised last year, I know my faults and I work on them daily trying not to create to much work but it is hard when you enjoy work so much. 

I am booked up until middle of September and have been for months with an array of different bookings traveling all over the country and hopefully in between times I will get some time off but I doubt it ! 

I will leave you with this months recipe! I have a delicious Triple chocolate brownie as seen below, you can find this recipe on all forms of social media or wait until the book is out at the end of September !

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Mental health

As it was mens mental health last month (June) I thought I would start by talking about this topic. It is so good that mental health is spoken about a lot more than than when I was younger, for all genders it has been bought to the forefront in the media so much more now. I believe everyone in some forms suffers from this illnesses just depends on how bad. I have suffered over the years in varying degrees and the best thing I have found to cope with it is exercise and talking. If you are struggling there is plenty of people you can contact from various charities or call a friend or family member, I know I would prefer to hear someones thoughts rather than knowing they were struggling.  

Your are never ever alone.

 Back to the cooking. With summer approaching fast, even after 16yrs of cooking in Cornwall on and off summer always seems to be upon us in the blink of an eye ! One minute we are in the depths of winter and business is ticking along nicely without too much stress, to all of a sudden the sun is out and all hell is breaking loose. Cornwall has an abundance of beautiful seasonal ingredients around in Spring/Summer so I thought why not put out a recipe, I could put out a delicious savoury dish but then thought who doesn’t love a SCONE ! These can made at home eat fresh or can also be frozen and defrosted at a later date. There is just one stipulation with a scone they need to be eaten very slightly warm smothered in jam and cream ! Now this is very much up for debate here in the South West it depends on if you are from Devon or Cornwall. If you are from Cornwall you top the scone with Jam then cream but Devon it is cream then jam. If  I ever post on social media about this it causes so much debate, honestly I am so use to putting the jam on first it tastes the best way but at the end of the day just spread it all on and fill your face as long as the scone isn’t dry and it is quality toppings ! Another great one is to have ginger scones topped with honey and cream, now that is one for a future recipe ! 

Have a look at my socials for the full recipe or you can wait for my book which is out in September/October.

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If you want something work hard

The blog has to be every 2 weeks as I am way to busy to get to it done once a week. June July and August are booked up with over 50 bookings in total! I am getting enquiries everyday at the moment October is also nearly booked up which is odd as usually this is a quieter month. 

I set my goals at the beginning of the year and review them every 3 months and at the moment I am above my targets so I really can not complain. It just gets really hard work sometimes and I found myself saying yes to a dinner party when I shouldn't really as it is just to much work. Now the dinner party its self probably wouldn't be to much work it is just I am a hellier for not given myself any time off and I will keep saying yes!

In the last 2 weeks I have had an event for 160 people in Bude never keen on doing events for larger groups and the bottomline is it comes down to me not enjoying them as much they are a lot less personal. You obviously take more money but it is a lot more work so it is all relevant but the larger groups 30 guests and over are less personal, I still enjoy them just not as much. It went really well great local event to put together for some lovely people and the weather held off as the day before it was horrendous! Also I cooked twice for some really lovely regulars, they are from away but these two days were local. I have made some really good friends from the job I have even though it doesn't feel like a job, so when I cook for regulars it just feels like I am cooking or mates. I never ever thought it would be like it is really I get so many groups rebook and people contact me maybe 2-3 yrs later that I cooked for and they were not the hosts they were just part of the group and so it has a knock on effect, I am surprised every week by something that gets emailed to me. The hard work I have put in in the last 12yrs of business really is starting to pay off. Do not get me wrong it is still incredibly hard work and nobody sees what happens behind the scenes everyday but I love it and I can feel it is coming together.

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You are as good as your last meal

Busy busy busy not had a day off for a month up until yesterday definitely not complaining. Fully booked for June, July and August crazy times and turning away plenty of other business.

This is my first blog for 2 weeks as last Monday was Lunch and dinners everyday until Friday so just could not find the time. This week is quieter so I can catch up but the last 2 have been mental. 

May the 20th week started with me in Abbotsham Devon cooking for a lovely bunch of Spurs supporters 4 courses served in the sunshine great night. Wednesday was a long drive to Porthallow nr Coverack in Cornwall, the traffic was an absolute nightmare I arrived around 30mins late which I absolutely hate. If I say I will be someone I have to be on time I am providing a service and has to be done right. The family were absolutely fine but it was very annoying. Unfortunately certain circumstances are out of my control and the traffic is one of them it doesn't make it any easier when I arrive late though! It was a great night a birthday celebration.

Usually when stuff goes wrong it is out of my control, I am so OCD about making sure I have covered every angle so I can control the event to deliver the best experience I possibly can. But if its out of my control and it goes wrong I loose my temper and that is usually when people so oh I thought you would be very laid back and the answer to that is yes I am if you didn't act like a moron!

Saturday was spent in Stawley Somerset a buffet on the Saturday night then a tasty brunch on the Sunday. I was asked to cook the whole week for the family but unfortunately I was booked shame. 

On the Monday - Thursday I had lunch and dinners for regulars near Widemouth it was a great week hard work but great fun. All manner of different food always 1 course buffet for lunch and 3 course plated for the evening. Love cooking for regulars you really get to know people and you can provide an even better experience even though there is more pressure. You are only as good as your last meal!

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Always someone to talk to

First blog for 2 weeks I have not had a moment to catch my breath it has been absolutely relentless. I am definitely not complaining it just sometimes takes hold of you and you can't stop. Its like a drug the feeling of providing food for people I am always looking for that next high. Its not about the money its about providing an experience for guests that will stay with them forever. Its definitely an addiction and with it being mental health awareness week last week it makes you think that we are all in the same boat it does not matter how much money you have where you come from what you have everyone is vulnerable especially in your own thoughts. I heard a stat last week that suicide is the biggest killer of males under 50. So currently I am more at risk of myself than anything else in the world. Let that sink in, I am more at risk of being killed by myself than anything that is bloody frightening. That is a very scary thought that I am more of a risk to my own health than the big C. There is a big push on keeping the body fit but keeping the mind fit and healthy I think is more important even just on that one stat alone. Why is it men in particular struggle so much is it because of feeling weak? Is it pressures of life ? Is it being expected to conform in a particular way? I am not sure I do not think there is one particular answer it is different for everyone I bet if you spoke to any males and they were to be honest they at one point would have struggled. I will admit I have struggled at times and quite recently at that, life is not easy life is really bloody hard at times and it is not easy getting through those shitty times. I have learnt that when you are down thats when you learn your resolve and really have to dig deep and that is not easy when everything is piling up against up. But nothing is that bad I have learnt that you can get through anything it just takes courage and belief. You do not have to cope on your own there is always someone to talk to always just make that call.

On a lighter note work is storming on!! Here is a list of the last 2 weeks events that I have attended -

Pencuke nr Bude for 10 a group of regulars a lovely bunch as always

Bridport Jurrassic coast for 2 in an incredible setting for a young couple with a young baby

Lostwithiel for 15 a lovely bunch of Germans exploring Cornwall. The chap who organised it was christened in the Church up the road from where I grew up and he lived in Launceston where I was born !!

Harlyn Bay for 10 regulars always a great bunch!

Pyworthy a wedding for 50. Buffet style with slow cooked lamb leg and Moroccan shoulder a long day but another great experience.

Truro BBQ for 40 always an absolute pleasure cooking for Aidan and his family and the sun stayed out! Hope Amelie gets better soon after being involved in a horse accident and broke her collar bone she is only around 3-4 yrs old ! She is on the mend now!  

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Never the same

Busy week just managing to keep onto of it all, definitely not complaining business is way above my expectations, I just need to make sure I do not take on to much work. 

I had 3 events this week Friday, Saturday and Sunday so when all the events are bunched up at the end of the week the majority of the start of the week is spent planning and also making sure I am on top of everything for the coming 2-3 weeks. Private Chefing is very different to working in a commercial kitchen that is serving food everyday, ordering is very sporadic along with making dishes so life at work can be very different every day.

Starting with Friday this week it was for a surprise 40th Birthday in St Ives for a lovely family that runs a wholesale company. I have spoken to them for around 15 - 20yrs years but do not know them by face, so as I walked in and spoke to a lady I did not know her face but I knew it was Sylvia from accounts by her voice! It was a great night, they wanted something completely different -

Confit duck Tacos

Fillet steak, asparagus jus

Chicken curry, naan bread, chips

Sticky Toffee pudding, vanilla ice cream

Saturday was in Crediton for 11 guests a 70th Birthday day, once again it was something slightly different. They started with canapés rather than the usual starters then into a main course finished off with pud, it was a great night no stress which is always a bonus.

Sunday was spent in Holsworthy another 70th Birthday for a local family and once again it was something completely different. A hot buffet with a mix of salads served to 50 guests. 

A really full week but not really loads to talk about just lots of enquiries another 8 bookings over the week so on track to smash more records !

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Busy busy

A great week, I said last week you can feel business rapidly picking up and it really is I can not take anymore bookings in May and I am limited in june and July, I am very pleased.

The week started by trying to take Monday off but unless I leave the country trying to take a full day off is near on impossible but I still tried! 

The whole week was building up to a busy weekend like most chefs really. I had a 60th Birthday on Friday near Fowey, 4 courses a lovely place one that I have cooked in many times before. It never ever gets boring what I do you just never know who you are going to meet or where you will end up. Also the drive can be interesting often with the amount of lunatics that are on the road thinking that it is ok to over take with an on coming vehicle. Now to me unless you have someone in the car that is dying there is absolutely no need to drive like it, you can not have any respect for anyone else’s life let alone your own.

Saturday I had a group of regulars in Truro it was also a Birthday celebration another great night with Aidan and his family. I found out a couple of nights previous that they had eat at Lympstone Manor so no pressure! I tend not to put myself under anymore pressure than I do already or it would be to much stress and then I would start making mistakes. We served up 8 courses sorry Aidan maybe 10 next time ! I love cooking for regulars but I do feel there is a little added pressure as you have done it once before and you have hit the mark so you have to do it again and again. 

For the dish below I used Pheasant eggs they are only in season 3 weeks of the year which I never knew and they worked a treat for this course.

Egg and soldiers 

Sunday was spent in Loswithiel at the Restormal estate

it was for a wedding party of 6 and it was amazing. We served up 10 courses starting with canapés at 3.30 and the starters at 6 o clock finishing up at 9.30. It is always a great experience for me any event that I put on but a wedding does feel different you are really part of someones history. I do not do anything different in my approach to a wedding as I try my best whatever the occasion or again if I put myself under to much pressure my brain melts down! 

Sweet potato and goats cheese ravioli

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Easter

It is getting busy the pace is picking up enquiries are always steady but bookings have slowed a little this week, this is normal as it is the holidays. 

I had a great event for 7 guests on Friday in Fowey for a 40th birthday 5 courses and a celebratory cake to finish. Sometimes finding a property can be difficult, I always take the post code and full address but as I have found out to my cost sometimes properties are called different names to what they are advertised as, so possibly the property I have written down is not the real name! So Friday the property was called Lantic barn the post code did not take us very close to the property so I googled the name and it took me into Fowey not a problem I parked up knocked on the door and a lady that answered the door had no idea what I was talking about! So drove on again luckily the guest called as they knew it was very difficult to find so problem solved. But sometimes it can be very interesting especially if you have no internet or phone reception which is often in and around the back roads in Cornwall!

Saturday was in Bude for 5 guests again a Birthday celebration 5 courses and it was a great night ! I love the variety of different guests I get to meet, I was asked do I believe in aliens also do I believe in magic and I love magic especially slight of hand, so a member of the group did an amazing card trick which I still have absolutely no idea how he did it ! I have only ever sat down at the table of a group of guests once before and I did again on Saturday, it is very weird it does not fell right at all. Another thing I like to try to avoid at a dinner party is 2 areas of conversation politics and religion. It can be very divisive I have seen many an argument from both topics now I do not mind a good conversation about anything but obviously when I am trying to be professional I think there is a time and a place.

Sunday was spent in Sherbourne it was a 4hr round trip but well worth every minute. Apart from getting a call early while on location from my dad which made me panic as he knew I was at work the conversation went something like this -

Alright Dad

Alright Sarg

Whats wrong Dad? 

I know you are working but thought you would like to know Arsenal lost!

For F#¢ks##e Dad I thought something had happened !

So once I had calmed down as I was panicking thinking something serious had happened I was happy Arsenal had lost! The evening went really well again it was for a Birthday 5 courses served and another great Experience delivered.

Now this sounds weird I know but I do absolutely love working while everyone is off other than Xmas day. I can not stand going out and everyone is off doing the same thing I prefer going out or just relaxing when it is not busy. It is not just the fact everyone is off I just like to live different to the norm.  

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Everyone needs to be believed in

Another decent week targets being broken all over the shop so can't complain at all but never stop moving forward and setting those new targets. 

I only had one event this week on Saturday for a 50th Birthday in Kingsbridge so passport needed ! It was a lovely old thatched cottage called Rugwell cottage. Now it is all well and good cooking in these nice quaint cottages but when you are 6ft 2 its not ideal as most of the time the ceilings can be very low and this was one of those occasions on Saturday but it was so low I had to take my shoes off to give myself extra head space, always a funny talking point the chef with no shoes on! It was a great evening with a lovely bunch as always I am very lucky to cook for great people. They had steaks and I find it interesting when guests ask for a steak well done they are always very nervous, some chefs get funny or won't even cook a steak well done and I have never understood why? What business is it of mine how a guest wants a steak cooked also chefs get annoyed about vegan and vegetarians why is this? You are the chef so you cook the food period now if you have a really awkward guest then maybe stand your ground but if it is a well done steak or maybe they want the duck cooked more which I have had, you get on and do it no questions.

Earlier in the week I was in a city and I saw a homeless lad in this 20s I felt like I should talk to him so I gave him a few quid and found out that he was done for drink driving and jailed for 4 months and subsequently lost his house and girlfriend. It made me think that life can change in a heart beat there is a lot of homelessness and people living on the poverty line more and more it can happen to anyone. As I got talking to this lad he said that he struggled on the street as peoples perceptions of him had changed and it was a really difficult for him. I really felt for him I told him sometimes its hard to believe but I believed in him and gave him my details and said if he was ever in Bude I would help him out with work. Now I am not trying to save the world but sometimes its hard and you just need someone to say I believe in you and it will be ok. Who knows what is round the corner for all of us but a few words can really change someones thoughts if that be for the positive or negative. I was banging on about something very similar last week about being kind but why not be kind and give someone you don't know words of encouragement. Around mothers day someone said to me that their daughter had not been in contact and rightly she was annoyed but then I find out that she had not contacted her own mother! Unbelievable do the right thing and contact your own mother. Anyone that knows me will know that I go off on a tangent like then so apologies I just think people need to be kinder to others.

Also this week I took delivery of this magnificent beast what an amazing crustacean -

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Spring Clean

A great week I can feel the pace picking up gradually as the weeks go by heading towards the busy period Easter then onto Summer ! 

Got on top of a few different areas in the kitchen last week a general spring clean always makes you feel good and also a move around some new shelving to create some extra space that was lacking! So good to go for the busy period that is looming large! 

I had a lovely event on Thursday for 6 people celebrating a birthday in a property called Ellenglaze nr Newquay. There is always one problem with this property the ceiling is very low and me being very talk creates problems the main one being I smash my head a lot, so to help with this I remove my shoes! Now this doesn't help massively but anything to help my back but I think this is why my hair is falling out after years of banging my head !

Saturday was spent providing the catering for a small wedding and it was absolutely amazing. It is really amazing that I can be apart of someones wedding day and add something special for them. It was 6 courses a lovely experience, I really enjoy the small intimate weddings you can really add so much value to there day, hopefully they can look back in years to come and have very fond memories of the food. 

They had a dog called Diesel that was absolutely huge like a tank but the most placid I have ever met!

Diesel

It was a lovely lunch apart from the coffee machine gave up the ghost and started smoking ! It had a decent innings I did manage to get coffee out of it before it died ! I do not have many fears at an event but machinery that I bring like an Ice Cream machine breaking is one of them cause there isn't really anything you can do other than improvise! It hasn't happened yet but it will one day and when it does and I will have to get through in whatever way that is.

I also launched a news letter last week which is another interesting side to the business that I have to learn how to do it as I have not got a clue what I am doing ! I figure if it is free advertising why not take advantage of it! Love a freebie who doesn't !

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Why not be kind?

Slower week for business still plenty of enquiries but the the only actual dinner party I had was on the Monday for 6 guests a really lovely family again ! It was a great evening at Engollan on the North Cornwall coast. The menu was as follows -

Beef Carpaccio, chilli and rocket

Mackerel pate, radish and sourdough

Pan fried Fillet of Gurnard, coconut curry cream 

Dark Chocolate mousse, salted caramel

Lemon posset, shortbread

I had a sad email on Tuesday from a lady that had booked for June for 2 days asking if I could change her booking due to a terminal illness, so not a problem changed for a different date. Unfortunately I had an email later asking to cancel completely as there was an issue with the house they were renting. When guests book I always get them to pay a non-refundable deposit because in the early days I was caught out and lost money. Now when the guest emailed asking to cancel I returned the £300 non-refundable deposit paid immediately. I am here to make money as a business but sometimes what does it matter life is a little more important than money especially in circumstances like this. 

I try if I can to do a small act of kindness everyday whatever that might be, but it got me thinking why aren't people more kind to others? I don't get it personally, the amount of times you go out in public and people are just dam right rude for no reason. Why not be kind what does it cost ? or even why not be polite ? Say hello to someone hold a door open for the next person when in public. Why is this such an issue in everyday life now. Anxiety and stress is at an all time high for humans so why not help others more? It costs nothing other than a little thought for others. 

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No I am not part time

Full on last week (that makes a change I hear some of you say). My hrs fluctuate from week to week depending on how many events I have. The week just gone I had 2 events but first on Tuesday and Wednesday I helped out my old head Chef at the Bay View. So if you ate at the Bay on either of those days and the food was poor it was because of me !!

The Bay View was the last time I had a proper job until I decided to become self employed. I worked there for around 2yrs as sous chef and it was a top place to work, they had some great staff a great vibe about the place with great owners. Me and the head chef left around the same time when the owners sold and 12 yrs on and after some massive changes at the Bay the head chef position became available and my old head chef took the job back. He needed some help in the week so he offered and I had to say yes, it was amazing to be back working with someone you know inside out. Anyone that has worked in a kitchen with a great team around them with one aim and nothing else matters is one of the greatest feelings because you just know no matter what happens you will achieve your targets day after day week in week out. So Tuesday and Wednesday was spent doing some “real”work. 

Friday was spent in Gorran Haven for a 50th Birthday party it was a great event for 7 guests. One of the guests was a chef and you can always tell if there is another chef in the group I am not exactly sure what it is it might be the way they talk or how they refer to you in a respectful way and this particular guest was absolutely off the wall exactly like most chefs I have ever met, it was a great evening! 

Saturday was spent at Northcott just outside of Bude for 11 guests a surprise 50th birthday. I love a surprise for a guest the look on there face is an absolute picture, they are looking forward to a night out and I turn up!!!

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This isn't luck

A decent steady week various bookings and enquiries for all sorts of events, each week that goes by and I think yeah its been good but it just seems to get better and better. Spoken to a client from Germany this week and he has lived in Germany nearly his whole life but his Mum is English the crazy part is that he knows Bude well, lived in Launceston (maybe a little bit unfortunate living there) and was Christened at Poundstock just outside Bude, it is a very small world ! I did cook for a group around 3-4yrs back down Cornwall and they were telling me that the following day they were going to a place just outside Bude called Poundstock and going to visit friends in a house Dolberry. Which to most people won't seem odd but Dolberry is where I lived when I was younger! Crazy

So I had an event on the Friday for a great bunch of regulars 7 courses -

Canapes

Lobster Bisque

Ravioli filled with sweet potato, goats cheese and a wild garlic and roasted walnut sauce

Seared Scallops, hogs pudding, cauliflower

Monkfish, leeks, bacon, pickled mushrooms

Devon Vension, celeriac, potato rosti

Dark Chocolate mousse, honeycomb, dark fruits

Another great event for Aidan and his family and friends. 

Monkfish, leeks, bacon, pickled mushrooms(not the best pic)

Saturday was for a 90th birthday and wow if I could look like this chap does when I am 60 I will be over the moon! The house was in Dorchester so was a fair old jant over a 4 hr round trip! But was well worth it, 11 guests and a great time was had by all, in a really lovely house. Anyone that knows me will know my geography is absolutely horrendous so I have never really got any idea where I am going its either down Cornwall or out of Cornwall!! This week I had an enquiry to go to the Cotswolds now I know this is up country end of I know nothing more! It is lucky I can cook ! But that is another thing someone said to me recently that really rubbed me up the wrong way that I am lucky, Oh I am really lucky working 16hr days with only 2 weeks off a year missing out on everything oh yeah really lucky. This is not luck its called getting your head down grafting no stop and when you feel like you can't go on you push harder and deeper until you drop. You have to believe and want something so badly that it hurts and that is why I am not working like a lunatic anymore cause I have put the hours in to get to this point. But then again I suppose if others want to call this luck what does it matter really.

Saturday night 

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Always set those goals no matter how small they are

Decent week last week but weirdly I had 8 enquiries in a row that all clashed with other dates which is rare I will get the odd enquiry that clashes but not that amount all at once. When this happens you try to steer guests to dates that are available usually this works but not this time. Strange sometimes I will also go 2,3,4 days without an enquiry then all of a sudden I will get maybe 3-4 new enquiries in one day. Never any pattern other than in the summer it is carnage never any different. 

 I said last week I nearly hit my target for February which I thought was way out but by the end of this week I will have smashed it, so targets for March and April are set and my 2019 total target is set along with a total for 2020. Everything is achievable in small steps and and after a period of time this will have a massive impact, well that is what I believe and it helps me a lot but what do I know being a lanky chef!

I have had a couple of meetings this week for larger events for the year ahead. So the year is looking better than I ever predicted so far, this is through an absolute focus and determination to provide the best experience for everyone I cook for and if this does not quite work out like it should have done I learn and move on. 

Saturday night was spent celebrating in Clawton Devon for a 70th birthday, 4 courses and a great night was had by all! One day I would like to maybe write a book about the experiences I have had with various guests some utterly hilarious and some a tad uncomfortable, like the time I walked in on an elderly lady putting make up. Or the time I asked a lady how does she feed her twins I won't even go into detail but me being a little stupid sometimes didn't realise she was not talking about bottle feeding!! But I do get asked a lot about the naked chef and what is under the apron ooooooo young man and all that ! Love the banter I have with guests.

Sunday lunch was a local event for 12 guests at a stunning location at Widemouth bay nr Millock called Barford House. It was a classic Roast beef followed by Apple and Rhubarb crumble. The guest asked for proper gravy and not that “old Jus” and I immediately knew it was going to be a great lunch. So I got to hang out with my eldest son who was waiting on, cooking great food in a stunning location with a family which where hilarious. So all in all I had Sunday as another day off I do not care what people say but that is not work by any stretch of the imagination!

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Good to laugh

I started the week by taking off Monday and Tuesday well when I say I took them off I wasn't checking emails all the time just a few times a day and also did my blog on the Monday apart from that I had some time off. I actually walked to the beach and sat reading a book for an hr in the blazing February sunshine, I know crazy right. Sounds ridiculous but if I get 2 days or more off and do not do any work or limited work it feels like a mini holiday! Unless I am in another country or drunk (but I do not like the feeling of the next day so that isn't often) I just can not completely switch off. Even if I am abroad for a holiday it usually takes 5-6 days before I completely relax then I am like a toddler for the remainder of the time. Its like in Bude in the busy periods you get people walking up the road without a clue in the world that there is a vehicle driving towards them. I like to think I am not that bad but I am like a dopy baby giraffe all over the shop! Wednesday was quite a relaxed day I helped a mate move from Tintagel to Bude, and just for comedy effect while driving on 3 separate occasions 3 big arsed wasps (now I know it isn't wasp season but they looked like big arsed wasps) flew from the back of the van through into the front! Now I am not to bothered about wasps usually but when they are that large buzzing around your face while driving I am not a fan! Also my mate got stung by a load of them when younger so he really wasn't keen. Being the thoughtful mate on the third occasion I sat crying with laughter as my mate tried to persuade this wasp out the van! Anyone that knows me well will know that I love to laugh its a great medicine but sometimes I do laugh at inappropriate times. Like the time around 13yrs ago when my Grandad died we had to travel up country for the funeral and me and my sister (older and always will be ha ha ha ha ha) spent the whole of the 12 hr round trip laughing it was quite a remarkable day a day that I will always remember in a positive way. I find the most normal but stupid things hilarious, I enjoy watching peoples behaviour and how they are in certain situations. At dinner parties no matter what the size of the group you get the same characters funny, quiet, obnoxious(rarely), happy, stressed, uncomfortable. I find it interesting how evenings play out and maybe after drinks people change maybe towards me or the rest of the party. Conversations I tend not to listen to unless you hear a certain word which makes my ears prick up but I do enjoy watching how guests behave. 

As for real work this week I had a 7 course dinner party for 4 guests. Now this was a unique dinner party as it was where I grew up so this was very weird to be driving around roads that I use to ride my bike on. I didn't really feel any older than when I was last there 25yrs back. I wondered what my younger self would think of me today. Maybe a tinge of disappointment but I think that is just the standards from what I except of myself are sometimes to high. But all I ever wanted to be was the best chef I could be from about the age of 11 and I suppose I have achieved that so maybe I should not be so hard on myself.

It was a great meal with some amazing comments so another experience complete!

Lamb fillet, peas and gnocchi 

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Always aim way past the stars

Its been a great February so far a steady stream of experiences to provide to new and returning guests. 

This week I had 2 small parties to cook for Thursday a lovely family of 4. It was a 50th birthday 4 courses finished off with a Black Forest Cake, I am not the best cake maker in the world but will give it a go if asked. I know I always say it but some of the people I meet are amazing and what they do in their lives. The chap who's birthday it was said that for 3 months a year for relaxation he goes mountain climbing now not just up your local steep hills oh no to places like the North and South Pole well you can imagine my face! Hats off to him he showed me some pics and I thought I am good with relaxing and staying in the kitchen thank you! But sometimes you have to take life head on and do stuff that might be by choice or not and get stuck in and just do it. I was always someone to stay in my CZ (one thing I have learnt this week this stands for comfort zone) which is fine but sometimes you see and opportunity and have to take a deep breath and jump in. Sometimes it needs to be a calculated risk but other times what does it matter if something does not work out if you aim way past the stars surely something good will come out of it? And that is exactly what I did! 

View from the kitchen near Perranporth

I did have a dinner party booked for the Friday but this was canceled. The  week before last I had 3 dinner parties cancel in one day then had no enquiries for 4-5 days and had 10 book in one day (one group was for 7 days) its strange how it works. But I am nearly hitting my targets which I thought were way to high! So I can't dwell on a cancelation here and there. 

Saturday was spent in Dulverton Somserset with 4 guests for a 70th birthday and what a great bunch they were. I just can not say it is work how can it be work when I get paid to cook food for usually amazing guests in stunning properties. How can that be work? Yeah it gets a little stressful sometimes but that is only from the pressure I put myself under or usually the stress that comes when a third party gets involved, whether that be providing flowers or ingredients whatever it is this is out of my control. Once I am at the property it is all down to me and I am always nervous up until I walk through the door then I am relatively calm. It was another great night the menu consisted of -

Fresh Crab, pickled cucumber, salsa Verdi, smoked salmon

Creedy Carver free range Duck breast, Chinese 5 spice, dauphinoise potatoes, celeriac puree

For dessert the specifically asked for ............

Individual Passion fruit and Lemon Curd roulade

[chefsargie-blog]

Picking up and saving dogs!

There is a definite change in business in the last few weeks it is picking up but to be fair it didn't really slow down to much after xmas but I can feel it gathering pace, which is only a good thing as being self employed you just never know one day it might just stop which I know sounds silly but I always have to live that way to keep me on my toes. Never rest thinking you can't do better or push any harder, you always can, sometimes you have to be more clever or approach it from a different angle, never think you can't improve something. Everything I cook no matter what people say it can always improve in some way, whether that be how the dish is cooked or how I prepare it or even which way I place the dish down in front of the customer or what I say to them about the dish.

I had 3 great events this week one near Holsworthy on Thursday lunchtime for 18 guests buffet style. A Red wine stew using their own beef which was absolutely stunning, with duchess potatoes, roasted carrots, parsnips and buttered green beans. Followed by one of favourite desserts Vanilla cheesecake with dark fruit compote. A great lunch was enjoyed by everyone. An absolutely fascinating couple that I have cooked for before, again I love getting to know people hearing there journey through life.

Friday was at Staunton Sands at a Penthouse apartment for 6 guests organised by a lovely couple called Naomi and Adam black who run East Thorne Yurt holidays www.east-thornecornwall.co.uk just outside of Bude at Kilkhampton. A great business and they recently won Silver in the South West Tourism awards, well deserved!!!!! 

Saturday was spent with Aidan from HMG and 5 guests, this week was a little calmer ! They had the following food -

Canapes - Cured mackerel, tartare sauce - Beetroot, smoked Mackerel and horseradish - Smoked paprika chicken, sweet chilli dip.

Course 1 - Celeriac veloute

Course 2 - Crab ravioli, tarragon lemon butter 

Course 3 - Skir Cod, spinach, cauliflower, saffron cream

Course 4 - Creedy Carver duck, Chinese 5 spice, Pan choi, gnocchi

Course 5 - Dark Chocolate tart, creme fraiche sorbet

A great night with wines to accompany each course and I found out that Zinfandel is classically red not rose! If that is of interest to anyone. 

But before I got to work that morning I was driving through Stratton and I saw a young dog running along the pavement and he didn't seem to have anyone with him. So I thought right well I can't leave him so I dumped the van and ran after him as you do. I got hold of him took him back to the van and he had a name tag on with a number so called the number and a frantic owner gratefully came down and collected her dog! That leads (pardon the pun) me onto an absolutely crazy story,  when around 6yrs back I was getting on the A38 at Plymouth a few miles back from the bridge and saw a dog running onto the main road next thing you know I am out the car running up and across the road chasing this dog, eventually I got hold of him he bit me (not bad he was just scared ) and I turned around and there was around 80 cars all stopped! I must have looked like John Cleese from the Fawlty Towers days chasing after Manuel! An ambulance just happened to be there so they got hold of him and took him to the pound. I always figure with situations like that its better I get hurt (one person) rather than have a massive pile up and loads of people get hurt over one dog.

That brings to an end an action packed week.

 I couldn't pronounced his name!

Mackerel tartare - canapé

Skir Cod (skir is in season and sustainable) saffron cream