Case Study: Chequers Bar Restaurant
As Pieter van Zyl continues his mission of bringing new standards of dining to Deal and the Kent coast, Fresh Skills for Chefs has given him new impetus.
“I loved the whole programme. It’s been great to meet up with other people who have your passion. It has made me even more enthusiastic about offering fresh produce and proper cooking, and given me the opportunity to make it work.”
Chequers Restaurant is sited right on the coast in Deal, mid-way between Dover and Ramsgate - ideal for fresh seafood, but with few other natural advantages.
“There are not huge numbers of local vegetable and herbs growers, or people rearing quality meat or offering other produce,” said Pieter.
“However, the Chefs’ Tours have shown me that there is produce available within reach, and the training has given me new enthusiasm to use fresh produce more widely and creatively on the menu.”
Pieter, chef and co-owner of Chequers, has a long background in the catering and hospitality industry. Originally from South Africa, he trained as a chef in Switzerland, and also spent more than 20 years in senior front of house roles in major hotels.
The restaurant has 45 indoor covers, which increases to 95 in the summer when outside tables come into use. However, it cannot call on a large local potential customer base of people used to quality dining, and the tourism sector has declined in the area over many years.
“We are trying to do something different, and the signs are promising. Price is a huge factor here, but people are starting to recognise what we do as different. The menu is smaller and we are starting to build up a decent customer base as people appreciate what we are doing which ties in with them wanting to eat better food.”
Pieter and colleagues discovered new suppliers and ideas from the Kent Chefs’ Tour and from attending one-day training courses such as “Local Cheese” and “Sushi and Sushimi”.
“We have introduced local cheese, found some new butchers, and of course we continue to offer fish caught on the day and brought ashore just beside the restaurant. I just wish there was even more local produce available.”
The Fresh Skills for Chefs events provided many other benefits too, though.
“We don’t get many opportunities to meet other chefs committed to the same things locally, so it’s exciting to meet new people, network and pick up on their enthusiasm and ideas.
“The training courses were exceptional - probably the best chefs training I have come across. All credit to the team at Tourism South East Training and Skills for making this available and targeting me as someone who would really benefit.
“The organisation and content of the programme have been outstanding and made it a really valuable investment of our time. My upbringing in South Africa always helped me appreciate fresh ingredient and quality meat. Fresh Skills for Chefs is helping me put my vision into practice."
