News: Expert chef shares experience with students
Professional chef Daniel Cain is returning to his training roots at Nottingham College to pass on his culinary experience to current hospitality and catering students.
Daniel, 27, has been working at the award-winning Palfrey in Derbyshire for the past year, but he’s taking the night off on the 7th November to bring his special five-course tasting menu to the College’s Adams Restaurant for a one-off takeover evening.
Since completing his training at the College back in 2008, Daniel has been busy working his way up through the ranks – from commis chef to sous chef at The Wollaton Pub and Kitchen, to Head Chef at the Punch Bowl Inn in West Hallam. Now Daniel’s running the kitchen at The Palfrey, alongside Head Chef Thomas Burton, where in the first year of opening they won best restaurant in the East Midlands as well as Restaurant of the Year in the recent Derby Food and Drink Awards.
Thomas commented: “Dan has made a massive contribution since starting at the Palfrey and he’s grown from strength to strength. We work in a small team so Dan is a crucial cog in the machine of our kitchen. His work ethic and desire to better himself and the Palfrey have been an important factor in us winning several awards in our first year. I’m excited for people to experience his new menu that will showcase everything he’s learnt over the last few years.”
Daniel has fond memories as a trainee chef at the College. He said:
College taught me the ins and outs of the restaurant trade — front and back of house — which I believe is very important for every chef to understand. I learnt the basics and the classical side of cookery and gained the necessary foundations for my career.
Nottingham College is a great way to start your catering training. You get to experience service in a real kitchen environment before taking that important leap into the real world.
— Daniel Cain
The impressive five-course tasting menu, which Daniel will be preparing with the help of Nottingham College students, includes: pheasant breast, game faggot, smoked pomme purée and a port jus; followed by a white chocolate and jasmine tea mousse, dark chocolate sorbet and milk chocolate soil, and quince fruit.
He said: “The menu I’ve created for this takeover is seasonal which is very important to me as a chef. Using ingredients that are in season, and making them interesting and exciting is key. It’s easy to chuck ingredients on a plate, but developing different textures and flavours in dishes, without over complicating them, is my ethos to developing great dishes.”
We’re so proud of Dan and how far he’s come since his training with us. He’s a fantastic inspiration to our students and we can’t wait to welcome him back. Our customers are in for a real treat and our students will learn so much from the experience.
— Adams Restaurant Manager and Lecturer Christopher Stamp
To book your table call: 0115 910 4510 or visit the website at: www.nottinghamcollege.ac.uk
Published on:
- 16th October 2019 (1:43 PM)
Media enquiries
If you are a journalist and would like to contact us about this news story, our PR and Communications team will be happy to assist you.