The PERFECT HOSTE
THE HOSTE Arms, Burnham Market, Norfolk won a Catey Award for Pub Operator of the Year. It was ranked as the second finest place to stay in the UK and the 27th in the world in a recent Sunday Times article. In addition, it has been named Seafood Pub of the Year for East Anglia and Central England, as well as Inn of the Year for three years running (1996, 1997, 1998).
As a hotel, the 34-room Hoste Arms can serve up to 70 for breakfast, up to 190 for lunch and anything up to 230 for dinner.
The bar area is kept strictly for people to have a drink, while there are six different rooms for restaurant service. "People can have a sandwich in the same place as foie gras," Stephen David says. "Our customers are a mixed bunch from business people to locals. The local market is very important to us out of season. August is our busiest period, as well as bank holiday weekends."
When Stephen was promoted from sous-chef to head chef in mid-1997, one of his first priorities was to totally refurbish the kitchen, which cost £110,000. He and his staff of 15 are delighted with the results.
The new equipment includes seven Williams Refrigeration cabinets and counters, 900.
Williams also built a service hot counter, 901, with double-sided hot plate cupboard underneath and instant heat lamps above.
Stephen kept a favourite marble countertop for pastry preparation, which Williams incorporated as the top of an Opal counter freezer, 902, which stores doughs and pastries prepared on the marble counter.
For dishwashing, Stephen chose a Winterhalter dishwasher, 903 and has plans to update his Falcon stove and intends to remain with Falcon for the replacement, 904.
Stephen likes Sharwoods Egg Noodles, 905, for using in oriental cuisine. "The product is very good for stir fries and also as a base for chargrilled tuna with pickled ginger and wasabi (Japanese horseradish)." He also likes using Kikkoman soy sauce, 906, for ethnic dishes.
He likes Fiordirs arborio rice, 907 for making risotto and eight-year-old balsamic vinegar, 908, from Fresh Olive. For pasta, it tends to be Knorr pasta, 909, such as fettucine.
Quaker Oats, 910, are used in porridge for breakfast, made in the traditional way and used in a Scottish dessert ‘Apple Brose', made of whisky, honey, lavender, roasted apricots and shortbread.
Callebaut Chocolate, 911, in white and dark chocolate buttons, is excellent for truffles as the Hoste Arms makes all truffles in-house.
Carrs Water Biscuits, 912 are served with cheese and biscuits at the end of the meal. Every month the Hoste Arms has a speciality cheese - this month it is ‘vignotte', a French semi-soft cheese from Provence.
Stephen likes Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil, 913. "It' s good mid range olive oil - excellent for dressings and vinaigrettes and not bitter."
All desserts are made in-house but Stephen buys in ice-cream from local company Prospero Ice Creams, 914, from Holt, Norfolk, in various flavours such as chestnut and honey, as well as a range of sorbets.
Lyle's Golden Syrup, 915, and Cadbury's Cocoa, 916, are used to make various desserts and cakes.
