The BBC’s Great British Menu,where top chefs compete to serve at a banquet for D-Day Veterans, is now finished but we still had to review Wales and the chef’s restaurants. Here’s what we found on the battle fronts of style, accessibility & disabled facilities.
The welsh judge was Angela Hartnett whose Murano restaurant is both stylish & accessible and has been awarded 3 BBS Ticks (see previous review).
Andy Beaumont runs the restaurant at Hammet House a country house hotel in a Georgian building with a contemporary interior. Located in Cardigan it certainly appears very stylish. The house is accessed via a portable ramp over 3 steps and then it’s all level. There is a disabled toilet near the Library Bar And Dining room. Unfortunately the rooms are all upstairs and there’s no lift but with regard to the restaurant we’re giving them a provisional 2.5 BBS Ticks.
David Kelman is Executive Head Chef at Ellenborough Park in Cheltenham. He’s a welshman and his food looks imaginative and sounds tasty according to the GBM judges. Ellenborough Park is accessed via a portable ramp up the three steps to reception and this is where the disabled toilet resides. The Beaufort restaurant is then up a further 4-5 steps again via a portable ramp. Not ideal but they have thought about access in a very old building dating back to the 1500s. They also have 4 accessible bedrooms which are in the outbuildings and each has a wet-room. This elegant and thoughtful venue gets another provisional 2.5 BBS Ticks.
Mary Ann Gilchrist is Chef Patron at Carlton Riverside in Powys. Described as a restaurant with rooms (just 4 rooms) and a ‘home from home’ located in a stone clad townhouse. There’s a permanent ramp to access the house and restaurant but the disabled toilet is in the Cellar Bar which is back down the ramp and down a slope. The food specialises in local produce and the restaurant looks over the river. They get a provisional 2.5 BBS ticks as the location looks lovely and their food has been universally applauded by Time Out, The Guardian, The Good Food Guide etc.
So it’s bingo – the only heat where all three restaurants and that of the judge, are accessible with disabled toilets and plenty of style. The D-Day veterans will get a smooth landing in Wales/Cheltenham.
As for the competition……….Andy Beaumont didn’t get through to the judging so Mary Ann and David went head to head.
Mary Ann’s “Shore to Shore” of mackerel cooked three ways had a bread crumb “beach”, pickled cucumber “waves”, mackerel roe, beetroot boats (probably not the best colour to depict the D-Day Landing??), mackerel fried with oatmeal, bacon and finally soused mackerel. It didn’t get a good response, “The whole dish is terrible,” said judge Oliver Peyton. We’re sure her food tastes good but presentation let her down throughout the heat.
David’s “End of Rationing”, was inspired by his grandmother who worked at a munitions factory during the war. It was an unusual banana curry: carrot puree, minted cucumber, butternut squash, chicken-wrapped banana, quail egg onion bhaji and chicken jus. The judges loved it and Angela gave it her highest score. He won the heat and went through to the final.
Wales didn’t get a course into the final banquet but they do get a round of applause from BBS. Finally a full house of inclusive restaurants. All three of the chefs have restaurants in old buildings and this hasn’t stopped them from being ‘inclusive’. Thank you, from BBS HQ!!