Liberation Group is celebrating after two of its Butcombe Pubs & Inns’ chefs triumphed at the prestigious International Salon Culinaire. Sam Seedhouse, Head Chef at the Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill near Reading scooped Best in Class in the ‘Pub Chef of the Year’ category while Mo Farnhan, Head Chef at the Horse & Groom near Malmesbury won a worthy Bronze and a hygiene award.
Sam won Best in Class for his homemade Cumberland sausage, sticky braised pancetta, red onion and mustard marmalade with creamed potato – a real hero dish, representing everything that’s great about quality pub food. In addition to the prestigious title Sam also won a trip to Venice.
Alice Bowyer, Head of Food, Liberation Group says:
“We are delighted Sam has won this prestigious award, particularly for his technical skills on this classic pub dish which should be celebrated. We will be adding it to the menu! Sam has been quietly building a team of young people into promising new talent and the food they are sending out at the Bird in Hand is some of the best in our group.”
Alice Bowyer continues:
“Congratulations to Sam for his Best in Class and to Mo for his Bronze and hygiene award. We are so proud to be working with such talented chefs and to be supporting their career development at Butcombe Pubs & Inns.”
For the first time in two years, chefs from around the UK and beyond were able to demonstrate their skills and creativity to a prestigious judging panel of over 70 experienced professional chefs including Michel Roux Jr, Mark Hill, executive chef at the House of Commons and Gary Jones at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.
