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Hotel du Vin - Number one on the list

Hotel du Vin - Number one on the list

2006 Top 50 Winner: Hotel du Vin

31st May 2007, 5:04pm

Hotel du Vin & Bistro came top in Eat Out magazine's 2006 Foodservice Top 50 listing thanks to its business philosophy of creating unstuffy, relaxed yet stylish town house hotels and bistros without 'all the frills' and at sensible prices.

Good food, good wine and a good welcome at a value-for-money price is the aim at all Hotel du Vin establishments.
 
The company now has seven hotels including Winchester, the original Hotel du Vin, which opened in 1994, with Cheltenham and Cambridge set to open later this summer.
 
The Food
As winner of the Eat Out Foodservice Top 50 Award, the hotel's bistros are recognised for their fine food, wine and great cocktails, served in classic yet chic surroundings. Described as "hotels with substance and wit" by one journalist, this small hotel chain is oozing with charm, with each hotel serving freshest of local ingredients cooked simply and without over embellishment in the modern bistro style. 
 
Kitchen Know-How
Mark Nind, Sous Chef at Hotel du Vin Birmingham, knows what it's like at the sharp end, working as part of a team that produces up to 150 restaurant meals on a typical Saturday night.
 
Eat Out asked him about the kit in the kitchen:
EO   Which comes first, the menu or the kit to cook it on?
MN  The equipment definitely, because without the kit, there's nothing to cook on!
 
EO   What's the most important aspect of the equipment you use?
MN   Reliability and safety. We need to know that we're not going to be let down in the middle of service – it's every chef's nightmare. It's worth investing in good quality equipment that works well. Cheaper models are just not worth it, so it's best to stick with names you know and trust. Kit needs to be well maintained as well, to keep it in good condition.

EO What's the hardest working kit in your kitchen?
MN The solid top ranges and convection ovens, they're on all the time. We're also constantly using pieces
of kit like combi ovens, salamander grills, chargrills and fryers.
 
EO How has kitchen equipment changed in recent years as menu styles have developed?
MN Methods of cooking have changed, for instance we do less frying and more steaming; there's a greater variation in cooking methods these days.
 
EO What's your favourite kitchen gadget?
MN The slow cooking bath. We can slow cook from 4 – 24 hours, producing excellent flavours and tenderness.
 
EO What message do you have for equipment manufacturers?
MN More demonstrations of what the equipment is capable of would be really useful.
© Eat Out Magazine

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