Chef's Message...

Peter McLaren

After initially training at the Brands Hatch Racing Circuit in Kent, near to where I grew up, I moved into the kitchens of gastropubs believing that great food should not just be available to the lucky few - everyone should be able to experience good quality food. My aim is to deliver seasonal food, simply cooked and stylishly presented.

Although my approach to cooking is greatly influenced by that of the very first Head Chef I worked under, I have more recently found myself influenced by the work of well-known chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Tom Kitchin. I admire their use of sustainable ingredients that are seasonal and locally sourced. Ethical cooking is important to me – you will only find fish from British shores on our menus, and we endeavour to use British ingredients as much as we can. In the UK, we are lucky to be able to produce some of the best cheese, vegetables and meats, and I think we should be using them! The intriguing work of Heston Blumenthal is also of interest to me – his ideas about the multi-sensory experience of eating bring a whole new meaning to dining out!

Some of my favourite dishes involve using the cheaper cuts of meat, such as pork belly, lamb shank or beef skirt. They require more love and attention than some of the premium cuts of meat but all taste delicious when slow-cooked and teamed with earthy flavours of garlic and herbs. These types of dishes will be featuring on our menu so look out for them and give them a try.

Myself and the rest of the kitchen team – Phil, Sam, Mark, Lewis, Wirek & Rajan - look forward to having you dine with us at The Bear. Hope to see you soon!