This week was very busy with 100+ bookings with Chefs, Catering Staff, Bar Staff and Kitchen Porters all working in Bristol and Bath.
After a crazy Friday afternoon I decided to put a stew in the oven and go to the pub for a few well deserved beers.
I decided on making a popular stew that we have made on a number of occasions in our household. The best advice on this recipe is to cook slowly over a low temp and the meat turns out lovely and tender.
Ingredients
Olive oil
A knob of butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
A handful of fresh sage leaves
800g stewing steak or beef skirt, cut into 5cm/2 inch pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour, to dust
2 parsnips, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and halved
1/2 a butternut squash, halved, deseeded and roughly diced
500g small potatoes
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1/2 a bottle of red wine
285ml beef or vegetable stock
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
A handful of rosemary, leaves picked
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• Preheat the oven to 160ºC/300ºF/gas 2.
• Put a little oil and your knob of butter into an appropriately sized pot or casserole pan.
• Add your onion and all the sage leaves and fry for 3 or 4 minutes.
• Toss the meat in a little seasoned flour, then add it to the pan with all the vegetables, the tomato purée, wine and stock, and gently stir together.
• Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and just a little salt.
• Bring to the boil, place a lid on top, then cook in the preheated oven until the meat is tender.
• Sometimes this takes 3 hours, sometimes 4 – it depends on what cut of meat you’re using and how fresh it is.
• The only way to test is to mash up a piece of meat and if it falls apart easily it’s ready. Once it’s cooked, you can turn the oven down to about 110°C/225°F/gas ¼ and just hold it there until you’re ready to eat.
• Mix the lemon zest, chopped rosemary and garlic together and sprinkle over the stew before eating. Just the smallest amount will make a world of difference – as soon as it hits the hot stew it will release an amazing fragrance.
Foot Note: After a few beers this was a nice way of filling the stomach. There was plenty made so we even managed to feed some friends.
Showing posts with label Chef Jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chef Jobs. Show all posts
Monday, 21 March 2011
Monday, 14 March 2011
Chef makes a curry
At Back-2-Front we have been catering for a number of Indian Weddings in Bristol, Bath, North Somerset and Cotswolds.
With waiting staff, catering staff and cooks supplied to each of the weddings I have decided that I would get authentic and cook another curry dish.
This week I made an Aloo Gobi (Potato and Cauliflower).
Ingredients
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 onion, finely chopped
200 g potatoes cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large cauliflower (about 1.25 kg), cut into florets
2 cm piece of ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
• Heat the oil in a karhai or a deep,heavy-based frying pan over low heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover the pan and wait for the seeds to pop.
• Add the onion and potato and fry until lightly browned.
• Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander and garam masala to the pan and fry for couple of seconds.
• Add the tomato and stir until the spices are well mixed.
• Add the cauliflower florets and stir until well mixed.
• Stir in the ginger, sugar and 125 ml water, increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt to taste.
• Uncover the pan and if the sauce is too runny, simmer it for another 1-2 minutes before serving.
Foot Note: This is a very quick and easy dish to make. I had it with boiled rice and naan bread. It tasted delicious; however it could do with a little bit of a chilli kick.
With waiting staff, catering staff and cooks supplied to each of the weddings I have decided that I would get authentic and cook another curry dish.
This week I made an Aloo Gobi (Potato and Cauliflower).
Ingredients
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 onion, finely chopped
200 g potatoes cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large cauliflower (about 1.25 kg), cut into florets
2 cm piece of ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
• Heat the oil in a karhai or a deep,heavy-based frying pan over low heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover the pan and wait for the seeds to pop.
• Add the onion and potato and fry until lightly browned.
• Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander and garam masala to the pan and fry for couple of seconds.
• Add the tomato and stir until the spices are well mixed.
• Add the cauliflower florets and stir until well mixed.
• Stir in the ginger, sugar and 125 ml water, increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt to taste.
• Uncover the pan and if the sauce is too runny, simmer it for another 1-2 minutes before serving.
Foot Note: This is a very quick and easy dish to make. I had it with boiled rice and naan bread. It tasted delicious; however it could do with a little bit of a chilli kick.
Monday, 28 February 2011
Umm Cake, I like Cake :o)
This weekend I was on call for catering staff bookings, bar shifts and chef placements. We had 45 of our Catering team out at various locations across Bristol, North Somerset, Bath and the Cotswolds covering a Wedding, birthday meal and a local football game.
During the afternoon on Saturday I decided that I would put my hand to a bit of baking again. This time I decided to bake a Banana Tea bread. Perfect with a nice cup of Tea :)
Ingredients
175g Plain wholemeal flour
50g Medium oatmeal
100g Butter, softened
100g Dark muscovado sugar
2 tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 ripe bananas, about 350g peeled and mashed
100g Walnuts, roughly chopped
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Gas 4/ fan oven 160°C.
• Butter and line the base of a 1 kg loaf tin with baking paper.
• Put the wholemeal flour, oatmeal, butter, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and eggs into a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, beat together until evenly mixed.
• Stir in the bananas and walnuts, taking care not to over mix.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 ¼ hours or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (cover the cake with foil halfway through cooking to prevent the top from overbrowning).
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, and then carefully turn out, peel off the lining paper and cool completely on a wire rack.
Foot note: This bread was very easy to make and tasted absolutely divine. This is a definite winner.
Does the banana make this cake 1 of your 5 a day?
During the afternoon on Saturday I decided that I would put my hand to a bit of baking again. This time I decided to bake a Banana Tea bread. Perfect with a nice cup of Tea :)
Ingredients
175g Plain wholemeal flour
50g Medium oatmeal
100g Butter, softened
100g Dark muscovado sugar
2 tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 ripe bananas, about 350g peeled and mashed
100g Walnuts, roughly chopped
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Gas 4/ fan oven 160°C.
• Butter and line the base of a 1 kg loaf tin with baking paper.
• Put the wholemeal flour, oatmeal, butter, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and eggs into a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, beat together until evenly mixed.
• Stir in the bananas and walnuts, taking care not to over mix.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 ¼ hours or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (cover the cake with foil halfway through cooking to prevent the top from overbrowning).
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, and then carefully turn out, peel off the lining paper and cool completely on a wire rack.
Foot note: This bread was very easy to make and tasted absolutely divine. This is a definite winner.
Does the banana make this cake 1 of your 5 a day?
Monday, 7 February 2011
Chef Agency makes a new recipe
As a Catering recruitment agency it is important to have a good knowledge of Chef skills and Chef work. In Bristol I have worked as a Chef de Partie in a few different restaurants and in Bath I had the Sous Chef job in a Hotel.
With various Chef work and Chef Jobs in North Somerset and South Wales I am still keeping on with my new year Catering recruitment blog and have cooked a Minced Beef Wellington.
Ingredients
1 Medium Onion
1 Carrot
1 Stick of celery
1 Potato
2 Cloves of garlic
2 Large Portobello mushrooms
olive oil
4 Sprigs of fresh rosemary
A Big handful of frozen peas
1 large egg,
500g good-quality minced beef
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour, for dusting
500g Puff pastry, chilled
To prepare your mince
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4
• Peel and chop the onion, carrot, celery and potato into I cm sized dice
• Finely grate the garlic
• Clean and roughly chop the mushrooms so they're about the same size as your other veg
• Place all the veg into a large frying pan on a medium low heat with 2 lugs of olive oil
• Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks, finely chop them and add to the pan
• Fry and stir for around 8 minutes or until the veg soften and colour lightly
• Add the frozen peas and cook for another minute
• Put the vegetable mixture into a large bowl to cool completely (approx 20 mins)
• Crack the egg into a cup and beat it up
• Add the minced beef to the bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper and half the beaten egg
• With clean hands, scrunch and mix up well
To roll and fill your pastry
• Lightly dust your clean work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out the puff pastry so it is roughly the size and shape of a small tea towel
• Dust with flour as you go
• Turn your pastry so you have a long edge in front of you and place the mince mixture along this edge
• Mould it into an even, long, sausage shape
• Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg
• Roll the mince up in the pastry until it's covered completely
• Squeeze the ends together - it will look like a big Christmas cracker!
• Dust a baking tray with flour and place your Wellington on top
• Brush all over with the rest of the beaten egg
• Bake in the preheated oven for an hour until golden
To serve your Wellington
• Slice the Wellington up into portions at the table
• Lovely served with some lightly boiled or steamed greens, cabbage tossed in a little butter or mashed potato
Final Verdict: This dish went really well with steamed spinach with garlic. Next time I will add more vegetables to the recipe. I also think that this would taste good as a spicy meat wellington with chilli and kidney beans.
With various Chef work and Chef Jobs in North Somerset and South Wales I am still keeping on with my new year Catering recruitment blog and have cooked a Minced Beef Wellington.
Ingredients
1 Medium Onion
1 Carrot
1 Stick of celery
1 Potato
2 Cloves of garlic
2 Large Portobello mushrooms
olive oil
4 Sprigs of fresh rosemary
A Big handful of frozen peas
1 large egg,
500g good-quality minced beef
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour, for dusting
500g Puff pastry, chilled
To prepare your mince
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4
• Peel and chop the onion, carrot, celery and potato into I cm sized dice
• Finely grate the garlic
• Clean and roughly chop the mushrooms so they're about the same size as your other veg
• Place all the veg into a large frying pan on a medium low heat with 2 lugs of olive oil
• Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks, finely chop them and add to the pan
• Fry and stir for around 8 minutes or until the veg soften and colour lightly
• Add the frozen peas and cook for another minute
• Put the vegetable mixture into a large bowl to cool completely (approx 20 mins)
• Crack the egg into a cup and beat it up
• Add the minced beef to the bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper and half the beaten egg
• With clean hands, scrunch and mix up well
To roll and fill your pastry
• Lightly dust your clean work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out the puff pastry so it is roughly the size and shape of a small tea towel
• Dust with flour as you go
• Turn your pastry so you have a long edge in front of you and place the mince mixture along this edge
• Mould it into an even, long, sausage shape
• Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg
• Roll the mince up in the pastry until it's covered completely
• Squeeze the ends together - it will look like a big Christmas cracker!
• Dust a baking tray with flour and place your Wellington on top
• Brush all over with the rest of the beaten egg
• Bake in the preheated oven for an hour until golden
To serve your Wellington
• Slice the Wellington up into portions at the table
• Lovely served with some lightly boiled or steamed greens, cabbage tossed in a little butter or mashed potato
Final Verdict: This dish went really well with steamed spinach with garlic. Next time I will add more vegetables to the recipe. I also think that this would taste good as a spicy meat wellington with chilli and kidney beans.
Monday, 6 December 2010
Chef Jobs for Christmas
Back-2-Front are in the Christmas spirit and are currently looking for Chefs, Cooks and Kitchen Staff to join our ever expanding team.
If you have worked in Hotels, Restaurants or events and are either a Head Chef, Sous Chef, CDP or a component Cook we would like to talk to you.
We are currently looking for Chefs in Bristol, Bath, The Cotswolds and North Somerset.
To join our agency please visit our website and register online.
If you have worked in Hotels, Restaurants or events and are either a Head Chef, Sous Chef, CDP or a component Cook we would like to talk to you.
We are currently looking for Chefs in Bristol, Bath, The Cotswolds and North Somerset.
To join our agency please visit our website and register online.
Monday, 25 October 2010
Chef bookings come in Thick and Fast
Back-2-Front Chef agency has had an influx of Chef Bookings come in over the past couple of weeks.
We are slowly but surely becoming the 1st choice for Chefs with caterers, hotels and restaurants in Bristol, Bath and the South West.
If you are a qualified Chef who is looking to work in various Pubs, restaurants and hotel kitchens and have a great work ethic then we have the hours to give you.
We are looking for committed, reliable and friendly Chefs to work across South Wales, Cotswolds, Bath, North Somerset and Bristol areas.
Head Chefs, Sous Chefs, CDP and Freelance Chefs are all welcome.
To apply for a Chef position then visit our website and apply through our online registration form.
We are slowly but surely becoming the 1st choice for Chefs with caterers, hotels and restaurants in Bristol, Bath and the South West.
If you are a qualified Chef who is looking to work in various Pubs, restaurants and hotel kitchens and have a great work ethic then we have the hours to give you.
We are looking for committed, reliable and friendly Chefs to work across South Wales, Cotswolds, Bath, North Somerset and Bristol areas.
Head Chefs, Sous Chefs, CDP and Freelance Chefs are all welcome.
To apply for a Chef position then visit our website and apply through our online registration form.
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Chef agency looking for chefs and kitchen porters
Back-2-Front Chef agency are looking to recruit experienced chefs who have a real passion for cooking within various kitchen environments.
Do you love the challenge of service, ensuring that the food is served on time to the restaurant always exceeding the guest’s expectations?
Are you the kind of Chef who takes pride in his work?
Do you believe in turning up for shift early to check that the produce is all fresh for the days menu?
We only recruit the best Chefs in the South West, supplying top Hotels, fine dining restaurants and high profile events and weddings.
Covering areas of Bristol, Bath, South Wales, Cotswolds and North Somerset we are always busy and would love to hear from you.
If you would like to join our brigade then visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
Do you love the challenge of service, ensuring that the food is served on time to the restaurant always exceeding the guest’s expectations?
Are you the kind of Chef who takes pride in his work?
Do you believe in turning up for shift early to check that the produce is all fresh for the days menu?
We only recruit the best Chefs in the South West, supplying top Hotels, fine dining restaurants and high profile events and weddings.
Covering areas of Bristol, Bath, South Wales, Cotswolds and North Somerset we are always busy and would love to hear from you.
If you would like to join our brigade then visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Back-2-Front Chef Agency now supplying events all over Avon, Somerset, Thornbury and Wales
With our expanding business comes a great need to find intuitive people to help us grow.
So if your currently residing in the Avon area and are prepared to work in such far flung places as Bournemouth, Chepstow, Cheltenham and South Wales then we would like to hear from you. All we ask for is your skill?
Chef de Partie, Sous Chef and Head Chefs are currently being recruited for weddings, BBQ’s and as hotel relief.
It is of the upmost importance to supply the right staff for the right function so if you have experience with large or small event catering and work well both as an individual and as a team member, then contact us through our website.
Interviews are being conducted weekly in the centre of Bristol. If we know your availability we can work to your schedule and find work that suits you.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us- Quoting "Blog" - using our online registration form.
So if your currently residing in the Avon area and are prepared to work in such far flung places as Bournemouth, Chepstow, Cheltenham and South Wales then we would like to hear from you. All we ask for is your skill?
Chef de Partie, Sous Chef and Head Chefs are currently being recruited for weddings, BBQ’s and as hotel relief.
It is of the upmost importance to supply the right staff for the right function so if you have experience with large or small event catering and work well both as an individual and as a team member, then contact us through our website.
Interviews are being conducted weekly in the centre of Bristol. If we know your availability we can work to your schedule and find work that suits you.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us- Quoting "Blog" - using our online registration form.
Monday, 14 June 2010
Summer Chefs and Kitchen Staff required
Back-2-Front Chef Agency that supplies chefs, cooks and kitchen porters in Bristol and the Cotswolds are gaining more business every day.
We have various Kitchen roles including a Head Chef position in central Bath. Also a contract catering unit based in Bristol.
We are currently looking to increase the size of our Chef brigade to help manage the increase in catering bookings.
If you have had previous experience as a Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, Head Chef or a Kitchen Porter and would like to earn extra money over the summer months we would like to hear from you.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
We have various Kitchen roles including a Head Chef position in central Bath. Also a contract catering unit based in Bristol.
We are currently looking to increase the size of our Chef brigade to help manage the increase in catering bookings.
If you have had previous experience as a Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, Head Chef or a Kitchen Porter and would like to earn extra money over the summer months we would like to hear from you.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
Monday, 17 May 2010
Chef Agency goes from strength to strength
Back-2-Front Chef Agency that supplies chefs, cooks and kitchen porters have just secured a outside catering contract for the rest of the summer.
The Caterer has 4 weddings every weekend over the summer and has pre-booked kitchen staff for every event.
We are currently looking to increase the size of our Chef brigade to help manage the increase in catering bookings.
If you have had previous experience as a Chef de Partie, Sous Chef or Head Chef and would like to earn extra money over the summer months we would like to hear from you.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
The Caterer has 4 weddings every weekend over the summer and has pre-booked kitchen staff for every event.
We are currently looking to increase the size of our Chef brigade to help manage the increase in catering bookings.
If you have had previous experience as a Chef de Partie, Sous Chef or Head Chef and would like to earn extra money over the summer months we would like to hear from you.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Weekend Chefs Required
Back-2-Front's Chef Agency is looking to recruit dedicated chef's to work every weekend over the summer.
We have various clients that have outside events on every weekend and require Chefs, Kitchen Porter's and Catering staff to help them to cook and serve.
Are you free on Saturday's and Sunday's? Do you want to earn some extra money this summer?
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
We have various clients that have outside events on every weekend and require Chefs, Kitchen Porter's and Catering staff to help them to cook and serve.
Are you free on Saturday's and Sunday's? Do you want to earn some extra money this summer?
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
Monday, 12 April 2010
Chef agency looking for chefs and kitchen porters
Back-2-Front catering recruitment and chef agency are just about to move into one of its busiest seasons and we are looking to recruit a brigade of chefs to supply the numerous chef jobs that we have available.
We already have a number of weddings and outside events that we will supply chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to in Bristol and around the south west.
We are actively looking to register a brigade of dedicated and skilled chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to help us fill all of our catering jobs.
If you have had previous experience working at outside events weddings and banquets we would like to have a chat with you to discuss our future catering events and weddings.
Interviews are being held on Wednesday in central Bristol.
We pay a very competitive rate for all our chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff and with a busy summer ahead of us we will have plenty of chef jobs and catering work available.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
We already have a number of weddings and outside events that we will supply chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to in Bristol and around the south west.
We are actively looking to register a brigade of dedicated and skilled chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to help us fill all of our catering jobs.
If you have had previous experience working at outside events weddings and banquets we would like to have a chat with you to discuss our future catering events and weddings.
Interviews are being held on Wednesday in central Bristol.
We pay a very competitive rate for all our chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff and with a busy summer ahead of us we will have plenty of chef jobs and catering work available.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Chef agency looking for chefs and kitchen porters
Back-2-Front catering recruitment and chef agency are just about to move into one of its busiest seasons and we are looking to recruit a brigade of chefs to supply the numerous chef jobs that we have available.
We already have a number of weddings and outside events that we will supply chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to in Bristol and around the south west.
We are actively looking to register a brigade of dedicated and skilled chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to help us fill all of our catering jobs.
If you have had previous experience working at outside events weddings and banquets we would like to have a chat with you to discuss our future catering events and weddings.
We pay a very competitive rate for all our chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff and with a busy summer ahead of us we will have plenty of chef jobs and catering work available.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
We already have a number of weddings and outside events that we will supply chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to in Bristol and around the south west.
We are actively looking to register a brigade of dedicated and skilled chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to help us fill all of our catering jobs.
If you have had previous experience working at outside events weddings and banquets we would like to have a chat with you to discuss our future catering events and weddings.
We pay a very competitive rate for all our chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff and with a busy summer ahead of us we will have plenty of chef jobs and catering work available.
To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.
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