We recently caught up with Michael Lloyd, the Head Chef responsible for the beautiful Riverside Restaurant at the MacDonald Compleat Angler, in Marlow. Overlooking the Thames, the Riverside Restaurant is open to both non-residents and hotel guests for breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea seven days a week with outside dining on the terrace, weather permitting.
Michael has a wealth of fine dining experience, having worked previously alongside the Executive Chef at Cannizaro House Hotel in Wimbledon, South West London, as Chef de Partie at the Vineyard at Stockcross, near Newbury, and having also worked at Heckfield Place in Hampshire.
Why made you want to become a Chef and what is your inspiration?
My Mum was an amazing cook and my Dad loved eating the food he was presented with and so I loved helping out in the kitchen when I could. I gained a degree in Psychology while I was still cooking and came to a turning point where I had to choose and it was my love of cooking that won out. I had also been a fishmonger and had learned a lot about preparing fish, it was this skill that led me to helping out in a local hotel and therefore got me into the world of professional kitchens.
My inspiration is seasonality and the constantly changing food that is available. It gives my team and I the opportunity to look for new dishes using these seasonal ingredients and constantly evolve dishes for our guests to dine on. An example of this is the availability of muscat grapes at the moment and I can’t resist a ‘cep’, I really enjoy foraging in the woods when I get the chance. Mushrooms are so versatile and there are now many options available, including Autumn truffle.
What keeps you motivated?
I am very passionate about food and what you can achieve with flavours and the combinations of those that you can create. I am always working with my team to look at what we can change, how we can improve and be attractive to our guests in this competitive market.
How do you unwind?
I enjoy being with my wife when I have time off along with spending as much time as I can in the great British outdoors. We are expecting our first child, so I am guessing that this will change our current leisure time, but we are really looking forward to the birth of our Son.
Do you design the dishes at the restaurant?
In actual fact the whole team plays a part in coming up with the dishes we present in the restaurant. I have a team of 13 in the kitchen ranging in age from 17-26 years old, who are all really keen to learn and we all take inspiration from each other. My team work in pairs and move around the different stations in the kitchen so that they can learn about all parts of each dish not just one. It keeps everyone very motivated and I think that this shows as passion in the dishes we produce.
What would you say to anyone wanting to become a Chef?
Being in a kitchen is not an easy life as it can have very anti-social hours but it can be very rewarding. Anyone considering this as a career should go in to it with your eyes wide open and be really passionate that this is where you want to be. Make sure you know the type of cuisine you want to be involved with and secure a position accordingly. It is really important that you get the right experience with a good kitchen as this will make a difference in the positions, and the ability to fit into a team, as you progress. With a shortage of Chef’s at the moment there really is a lot of opportunity out there for anyone who shows aptitude and desire for this profession.
I’m currently looking at building for the future through the development of the menu, with the aim of putting the hotel back on the map as offering exceptional value and beautifully presented cuisine.
We really want our diners to feel comfortable in the Riverside Restaurant and whether you want one course, a full al la carte meal or to relax listening to the Jazz we have on offer once a month, we really believe we have something for everyone. In fact if you want to visit us during the day you can enjoy a cup of coffee and use the free wifi to keep up with your clients. We cater for everyone from the formal to the informal and don’t insist on a dress code, so you can feel right at home!
As a result of this philosophy, the Riverside Restaurant has just won its third Rosette, which for Michael and his team is a wonderful accolade to the ingredients they use and the very tasty and beautifully presented meals, whist not forgetting the fantastic customer service from the front of house staff. If you would like top experience fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere the Gourmand menu is very reasonably priced at £50 per person and will give you the opportunity to taste six different dishes along with an amuse-bouche, pre-dessert, coffee and petit fours. If you would like to come in for a Sunday lunch, you can enjoy a roast, fish or a vegetarian option, but booking is essential.
To more information or to book the Riverside Restaurant, please call 01628 484 444 – email address?? Or visit us at http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/macdonald-compleat-angler/
Marlow Bridge, MarlowBuckinghamshireSL7 1RG (SatNav SL7 1RH)
