Apprentice Chef Cassi Vollmer

Once in a while you get a promising apprentice chef.

Now that might take a long time to come, I have been a chef now for over 24 years and can count my promising apprentices chefs on one hand!!!. You might think that’s crap, well if you want to count the crap then the number will definitely climb.

I am from the old school and probably not many out there still cooking can relate to that, the most of us are well gone from the industry, sad to say but that’s the way it goes.

I am quite demanding in the sense that all I ask for is perfection within certain boundaries. The very best they can do is great, but generally we can always do better.

Anyway back to my apprentice. Cassi started out as a school based apprentice whom came to me with her mum for an introduction chat. This was very impressive and reminded me of the time when I had my first interview at the London Hilton on Park Lane, a bit different from Beaches but none the less a key moment within my career. Read more

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My Dad is a Champion

My dad is part of a three person team that compete in the four pair horse driving trials. My dad is bottom right of this picture.

He is the man at the back of the carriage that leans out side to side that balances and nudges the carriage around the course and hopefully not hitting any obstacle’s, and not falling off.

He has been competing at the world class level for many years now. Previously with the Irish team competing cross country courses as well. The past ……. years he has been part of the  Boyd Exell team.  Boyd Exell from Australia has been competing with his horses for……. years and finally all his effort has payed off.

This year the FEI World Cup™ Driving Final was held in Gothenburg Sweden. Starting second out of three finalists Boyds fast time with only one obstacle hit (which results in a ball dropping off a bollard and a 5 second penalty) put the pressure on the reigning champion, and clearly it was the pressure that Boyd Exell fast time set.

A fast round by Ysbrand Chardon but with two balls down was not good enough for the four time champion.

This was just the perfect end to the 2008-09 season to win the final and become World Champions was awesome and Boyd Exell was crowned FEI World Cup Champion for the first time in his career

Credit Images: hoefnet

Kids in Restaurants

The topic about kids in restaurants is fiercely contested and I just want to add my view on the whole kids in restaurant scenario. So before I start rambling, I wish not to offend any body personally with this. Read more

Mother’s Day

After another busy Saturday night with a wedding for 106 in the conference room & 82 in the a la carte restaurant it was back in the kitchen for the wedding breakfast followed by Mother’s Day brunch. Having had a week of last minute event’s what could be more fitting than rain on Mothers day. Jude deciding to Read more