Thursday, 22 September 2011

Bioghraphy of Mark



Mark was born in London in 1968.  Adoption took him to York and then Leeds and at age thirteen onto Norfolk.  His parents, Canon Roger George Robinson and Pauline, followed the path of dedicated Church of England Vicar and even more dedicated Vicar’s Wife which led them from one parish to another across our green and pleasant land.

Failing to gain any significantly good grades at comprehensive school other than in art,and nutrition and home management Mark’s initial goal of studying Veterinary Science for the next 10 years was stifled resulting in the careers officer sending him on his way into the simmering heights of catering -.you can become a chef, fully qualified, in 3 years they say ?  
 
His first job was washing up in a pub and making 1980s carvery food, then, moving on, he gained good experience and a sound background in a Country House Hotel - Stower  Grange, Drayton, Norfolk, where the proprietors followed the literature and recipes of Robert Carrier very closely (he left as a sous chef).  During this time Mark also worked to broaden his knowledge by attending Norwich City Catering College once a week over 3 years gaining excelent grades in city and guilds qualifications.

In 1989 Mark moved to a Relais Chateaux Hotel – Hintlesham Hall, Suffolk, previously owned by Robert Carrier, then in the hands of Ruth & David Watson, here he spent a lot of time learning the pastry section  and gaining sound knowledge as a chef tournant.In 1991 he moved to a Relais Gourmand in south Australia -Delgany country house then  travelled the country before moving on to tour South East Asia and India eating every possible new food in his path.

Mark spent 2 weeks work experience with Franco Teruchio at the legendary Walnut Tree Inn in Wales before moving on to run an Italian Restaurant in Norwich Norfolk. In 1993 He moved  to London where he worked for Sir Terence Conran at his flagship restaurant – Le Pont De La Tour, for one year and then went on to Martin and Vanessa Lamb’s acclaimed Ransomes Dock Battersea for 16 months followed by The Blue Print CafĂ©, head chef  Jeremy Lee.  Mark then moved to the  Gastro Pub the Anglesea Arms.  Following this was a sudden change in which he moved into event  catering with the amazing Rhubarb Food Design,working with them for 2 years and leaving as head chef. Cooking for rock stars and royalty; here his restaurant food and experience was put to good use in large and small number catering at a high level, with venues from The Natural History Museum,the Victoria and Albert museum,corporate catering ,to a tent in a field.

In 1999 he joined the gastro pub, Havelock Tavern, a move in which he was able to enjoy good and simple seasonal cooking again, this was the beginning of an important relationship with his  partners, Peter Richnell, Jonny Haughton and Jonathan Cox. After 2 years at the Havelock, Mark took the helm at the Masons Arms gastro pub in Battersea and then on to The Pilot another newer gastro pub (run by the same group)in Chiswick where he gained runner up in the Evening Standard Pub of The Year Award.

In late 2002 mark teamed up as a chef director with the then owners of the havelock tavern,they took over a run down large edwardian boozer in south london and after several months renovation re opened the Earl Spencer in Southfields which in 2003 was runner up in the Time Out Gastro Pub of The Year competition and then winner of the Evening Standard Pub of the Year Award in 2004. During his six years at the helm the earl spencer found its place in all the major food and pub guides, gastro pub cookbooks and Alastair Sawday's special places of England and Wales

Mark then relocated to west sussex with his family,  working as a freelance chef and wild food forager, in 2009 the beginings of Sloe and Wild were started, private catering using local and wild food wherever possible and the ethos of the slow food movement.

At the beginning of February 20011 mark took on another head chef position with an old work colleague from the Havelock Tavern . The Horse Guards Inn , Tillington, West  Sussex is a beautiful pub set in the Sussex downs  adjacent to Petworth park. Whilst still continuing with a few private functions and foraging mainly for cooking within the pub , the wonderful  local artisan suppliers and game on the doorstep of this location is proving an ideal palate for the creative juices.
Since joining the team the Horseguards has gained a place in the Michelin pub guide, the good food guide, and a commendable write up from food critic Giles Coren of the Times.


Head chef


Bolete







HEAD CHEF

Since January 20011 i have been head chef at the Horse Guards Inn , Tillington, West Sussex.

Set in the heart of the south downs i have been busy cooking with lots of local game and foraged food, even some home grown produce . since taking on this new time consuming position we have gained a page in the michelin pub guide, the good food guide and an excellent write up from food critic Giles Coren who writes for the Times .





 www.thehorseguardsinn.co.uk

Friday, 7 January 2011

Acorn Liqueur

Back in october i made my own version of a spanish liqueur from roasted acorns,


Ingredients

300g white sugar
400ml mineral water
150 -200g roasted shelled and finely ground acorns (see october blog for detail)
1 x 70cl bottle vodka  ( or white rum for a more tia maria taste)
quarter of a vannila pod (optional)

Method

bring water and sugar to the boil in a stainless steel saucepan with vannilla,
add the ground acorns and leave to infuse till cool.
Add the booze then leave out of sunlight in a sealed container at room temperature
 for around 2 months minimum.
when you can wait no longer strain through a coffee filter or fine muslin
and bottle.
I am sure it would get even better over a few more months but the raw vodka taste
 mellows massivly after just 2 .
you can easily play with this by boiling the sugar and water to a thick syrup then it
will be more like a Khalua .
Add more acorn to make more of a nutty drink, or use muscavado dark sugar.

The Liqer de Bellotta from spain actually takes on a slight ammeretti taste,
i didnt manage to get this but maybe adding whole acorns and leaving for longer
would produce this ?.

My version is a reasonable and interesting after dinner sipper, if you have never
tried the Liqer de Bellotta  then you wont be in anyway dissapointed in this recipe .

If anyone can find me the actual method for spanish acorn liqueur that would be great
as i cant find any imformation on the www.