Good things come in threes, right…!? Well, that’s certainly the case for us here at the Bank House.
Not only is it International Chef’s Day (on Sunday 20th October), we’re proud to introduce you to our new head chef, Phil Waring, AND our new range of menus.
On this momentous day… we thought we’d catch up with our top man in the kitchen.
Firstly, congratulations on your promotion to Head Chef… you must be delighted?
Thank you and yes, it’s a real privilege to be the head chef of such a great hotel. Well, actually it’s so much more than a hotel – myself and the kitchen team here serve all the food at the Bank House. So that’s in the restaurants, for meetings and conferences, events and weddings, Afternoon Teas… it’s a pretty big operation that we need to orchestrate.
Before we go any further, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
I’m from Devon originally, which is where my kitchen career began. Like many chefs, I began washing dishes at just 16 and worked my way up. I moved to a local hotel and gained some valuable qualifications – something I’d encourage any up and coming chef to do. But it was at that hotel that we earned our first Rosette and since then, I’ve never looked back.
I moved to Worcestershire in 2004, and I’ve been a head chef at various pubs, hotels and my local golf club. I’ve been at the Bank House for just over a year now, working as Sous Chef. In between I took some time away to assist in caring for my son, who has autism. I was doing a bit of agency work as the flexibility was important. Being a head chef is what I love and it’s great to be back.
The new menus are officially out, and you’ve been working hard on these for a while?
Yes, the new menus are being used in the restaurant as of last week and the early feedback has been great. Myself and all the kitchen team have been working on these for a few months now so it’s good to have them in full use.
It’s important that we keep menus fresh and on-trend. We also try use local suppliers and produce in the dishes we serve, so that was a big focus of our Autumn/Winter menus.
International Chef’s Day is on Sunday 20th October – is this something you are aware of?
Absolutely! There are lots of ‘novelty’ days around, but when you dig a little deeper you find that they actually serve a really useful purpose.
There are many stereotypical thoughts in our industry and days like this help to educate people and raise awareness. Firstly, it’s great to have the opportunity to promote the idea of having a career as a chef to children and young adults. Yes, it’s a tough job at times and the hours can be a bit unsociable, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Also, most chefs aspire to encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle and if International Chef’s Day can help a few more people to get in the kitchen and whip up nice healthy meal, then that’s fantastic.
Whether you’re staying at the Bank House Hotel or not, you can try the new menus by booking a table in our Pear Tree Restaurant, or pop into our Sportsman’s Bar.
