Thank you to Sam Ryley from Canteen Create for the image
It is a well-known fact that hospitality has become more than a challenge over the last few years and attracting really good quality and impassioned young people into the industry feels so much harder now than in years gone by.
But that doesn’t mean we’re not attracting any talent into the industry – and right here in Chester there are several young hospitality superstars waiting in the wings to step out onto centre stage when the time is right.
One superstar is Liam Gill, the demi commis chef at The Forge Restaurant at Hotel Indigo.
I first met Liam when he hit the Taste Cheshire Food & Drink Festival demo stage at Chester Racecourse over Easter weekend this year. Being just 17 at the time, Liam was supporting The Forge’s head chef Dan Regan with a couple of stunning dishes focusing on great British produce and food sustainability.
It was clear from this moment that here was a hugely passionate young chef living his best culinary life, and that his future in food was going to be very bright indeed. Dan and Liam delivered a superb demonstration and Liam’s commitment, passion and knowledge didn’t go unnoticed.
Fast forward to just a few weeks ago when we went to a special Chef’s tasting dinner at The Forge – with Liam in the spotlight supported by head chef Dan and big brother Shaun, a hugely talented and inspiring young Chester chef.
Before we get the star ingredients, I have to mention Liam and Shaun’s parents, Dawn and Andy, who dined with us that evening. Dawn had contracted covid very early on in the pandemic, and it was because of this that Liam and Shaun started cooking at home to look after her when she came home from a long stint in intensive care.
Their hobby quickly took hold to become a very healthy obsession, and the two brothers immersed themselves in not only the love of ingredients and flavour – but also the very science and essence of cooking and preparation, leaving no stone unturned. The intense learning they have both undertaken off their own backs would leave any college lecturer completely bowled over.
The menu served by Liam for this event was seriously impressive, and the pre-starter of brioche with beef fat brown butter set the tone of what was to come, perfectly.
The first course was Jerk wing with burnt Scotch bonnet jam, and I was amazed to learn that Shaun makes a trip to Jamaica every year purely to source ingredients for their menus, and it was the Jamaican Scotch bonnet from his most recent trip that provided the inspiration for this delicious dish.
Next up was Heritage carrot with koji, wild rice and carrot top Nahm Jim. It was fascinating to hear how they brined the carrot in fermented rice for hours which broke down the enzymes making the flavour so much more intense, and it really was fantastic.
The BBQ Scottish scallop with cauliflower, miso and caviar was number three, and Liam felt the real star of this dish was the dashi sauce with prosecco which took around eight hours to make.
The main course (and my favourite) was Welsh lamb; BBQ neck and braised shoulder with mint and pea, which was divine. Liam is super passionate about taking less popular cuts of meat and elevating them beyond all recognition, and once again it was the job of the koji (marinade) to ensure the lamb was as soft as butter for service. And it was, stunning.
Much to my delight, there were two sweet courses to finish. The first included my favourite ingredient of all time – Cardamom panna cotta served with strawberries, basil and handmade honeycomb, which was sublime. For the finale, Liam served Jaffa cake with chocolate mousse, orange and demerara. When I asked him about the unique and very decadent mousse, he told me it was that gorgeous and rich in consistency because they had made it with tofu.
This event was incredibly special for so many reasons. Firstly, I found Liam’s family story very impactful and moving, but also because here are two brothers completely in tune with each other’s passion for creating incredible food experiences for others to enjoy, and this alone should give us so much hope for the future of our industry.
The Forge Restaurant & Bar
Grosvenor Park Road
Chester
CH1 1QQ
Tel: 01244 735765
