Mr Blue Sky

Despite a season of inclement weather, the sun didn't let us down for this year's third Chef Eats Out event in association with British Meat, at London's Orrery. Amanda Afiya reports.

It was a classic piece of British understatement. "Sorry it's so warm," said chef-patron Chris Galvin, as he greeted the visiting chefs attending Caterer's latest Chef Eats Out event, which took place at London's Orrery last week. For warm, read 33°C outside on the street and, presumably, nearer to 40°C in the kitchen. So, the heat was quite literally on for Galvin and his brigade as they prepared lunch for 60 guests at the British Meat-sponsored event.

Arriving at midday, visiting chefs were at least given the chance to cool down as they sipped chilled cocktails on the terrace above the restaurant before descending the stairs for their six-course meal. For many, it was their first experience of the Conran flagship restaurant (the only one in the stable to hold a Michelin star) and the small matter of a sizzling summer's day was not going to spoil their enjoyment.

Galvin and his team (many of whom had come in on their day off) launched the meal with an amuse-gueule of gently boiled quail's egg with truffle served on a bed of Alsace cabbage and bacon - a twist on eggs and bacon. Delivered on a small china sauce spoon with accompanying teaspoon for eating it with, the novel presentation tested the dexterity of diners but provided a deeply satisfying way to kick off the meal. It was followed by foie gras trois façons, a terrine of foie gras and Ratte potato, red onion marmalade, ballotine of foie gras wrapped in smoked duck, and foie gras parfait.

A palate-cleansing lobster gelée was served next, accompanied by a delicate pissaladière - a pastry tart topped with onions, anchovies, black olives and lobster. "I wouldn't have ordered it off the à la carte," commented Giles Denton, group executive chef at Sodexho at JP Morgan in the City. "I've cooked it too many times on banqueting menus in the past - but it was excellent. I probably wouldn't have thought to use the aniseed or the crème fraîche, but the fraîche cut through the gelée really well."

The highlight of the meal for many was Galvin's assiette du boucher - a dish combining pork, lamb, veal sweetbreads and black pudding - which showcased the team's technical skills at their best. The dish comprised braised pig's trotter stuffed with pork cheek, girolles and fines herbes, served on a bed of Puy lentils; caramelised calves' sweetbreads with braised endive; lamb shoulder, slowly cooked with cinnamon, thyme and garlic, and served with spinach; and black pudding. "Stunning," said Peter Heslop, owner of Mallyan Spout hotel in Goathland, near Whitby, North Yorkshire, who had recently returned from a trip to Michel Bras's three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Laguiole, France. "This meal is equal to any three-star in France."

Childhood memories were sparked with a pre-dessert of banana milk shake with a caramel froth served with the obligatory straw - a perfect mini-cooler for the hot day. This preceded the ultimate indulgence - palette de chocolat (chocolate mousse, chocolate fondant, raspberry sorbet, white chocolate bavarois) - which was for Frank Gamble, chef-manager of the Golden Grove Arms, Carmarthen, the best dish of the day.

The menu

Canapés with mango, Pimm's and grapefruit cocktail
Quail's egg with truffle on a bed of Alsace cabbage and bacon
Foie gras trois façons
1999 Grüner Veltliner, Smaragd, Freie Weingärtner, Austria
Lobster consommé en gelée, lobster pissaladière
2000 Irouléguy, Xuri d'Ansa, Cave de Saint Etienne de Baïgorry, Pays-Basque, France
Assiette du boucher
1999 Châteaux Val Joanis Réserve "Les Griottes" Côtes du Luberon, France
Banana milk shake with caramel froth
Palette de chocolat
Maury Mas Amiel 10 ans d'age Roussillon, France
Petits fours et café

The sponsor - British Meat

British Meat is delighted to sponsor Chef Eats Out, which provides a unique forum for caterers from all sectors of the industry to meet, exchange ideas and experience for themselves how red meat dishes are being incorporated into the menus of some of the best restaurants in this country.

Chris Galvin's signature dish of assiette du boucher, combining pork, lamb, veal sweetbreads and black pudding, provided an excellent example of the way in which quality red meat can be used with great creativity and imagination by one of the country's leading chefs.