Wishing on a star
Since taking up his post in May, Billy Butcher, the new chef de cuisine at Amberley Castle hotel in the West Sussex village of Amberley, has made no secret of his intention to gain a Michelin star for the hotel's restaurant.
The ambitious 28-year-old was on the team that last year helped regain a star for Gravetye Manor hotel in East Grinstead, and this experience spurred him on to seek his first head chef's post at a restaurant with aspirations equal to his own.
Butcher waited a modest six weeks before putting his own touches to the menus for the hotel's 35-seat restaurant. Out went the five-choice menu, which featured traditional English fare and on which two dishes changed daily. In came a fixed-price lunch menu (two courses for £12.50), a three-course table d'hôte dinner menu (£32.50), both of which change daily, and an extensive à la carte menu.
"There was no consistency in the old menu. You had no time to perfect a dish before it was replaced," he explains. "I am still doing country house food but experimenting at the same time."
Creating dishes for the new menus is a team effort. Any one of the eight-strong brigade, half of whom also list Gravetye Manor on their CVs, can put forward a suggestion. Searching for a replacement for the previous season's lamb and also for an inspiring new way to cook beef, Butcher and sous chef Nick Craft came up with pan-fried fillet of Angus beef, crispy red onion, herb salad, parsley potato and rich tomato jus (£26.50). The dish proved instantly popular and was rapidly promoted to the à la carte menu.
Butcher's other menu favourite is squab pigeon, although he admits it's not as popular as the beef. He roasts the pigeons, bought from a French supplier, and serves them with a stir-fry of Savoy cabbage and sage, prosciutto and cappuccino of garden peas (£27).
He is also a fan of scallops, and currently features the shellfish in a starter of millefeuille of scallops and sesame won tons, wasabi purée and lemon grass butter (£11). But his favourite starter at the moment is the tian of marinated salmon, topped with sevruga caviare, avocado and tomato mousse with a verbena dressing (£15). "It looks so pretty and eats very well. I could take it to bed and hug it," admits Butcher, unashamedly.
The restaurant is currently turning over 30-48 covers in the evening, with 15-30 at lunch. Customers are spending an average of £35-£40 including wine. n
Amberley Castle, Amberley, Near Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9ND. Tel: 01798 831998
