The Head Chef
I first fell into the catering trade at the age of 15, starting work at the Drewe arms in Broadhembury. From pot wash, to prep, to service, I learned the basic in’s and out’s of kitchen life, and maybe most importantly of all, I learned how to prep and cook fish. After five years part time in Broadhembury I went on to study and gain a diploma at Leith’s School of Food and Wine. A visit to Italy introduced me to the most beautiful and simple foods; fresh pasta, truffles and vegetables that you could smell the ripeness of. It was at this point that I learned that simplicity is the corner stone of all good cooking.
My first qualified job was at the Cheddington Court Hotel and this was my first experience with fine dining and a daily changing menu. The importance of the kitchen garden and excellent local produce was a great lesson in natural flavours. After a year or so of playing drums more than cooking, my then girlfriend, now wife, Kate and I went to work in the south west of France in Meribel catering and managing a traditional chalet in the Alps. This is where we tried (and started to love) the French regional cheeses and cured meats as well as learning the benefits of curing and smoking in lean seasons without the aid of electricity. Snow and ice are very handy things for a chef!
On our return from France in 2000 we moved to London and I found a job at Terrence Conran’s Butlers Wharf Chop House and this was my first experience as a line chef. This is where I learned discipline, to plate food with precision and care, organisation and above all how to work hard, and then even harder! In 2001 I made a move into outside catering with Create in south London catering for 200 to 2000 people on a regular basis. The stock and staff control alone were major jobs. This showed me how much foresight is needed for this kind of work and the need for contingency plans and also being able to think on your feet.
It was at this time I was recommended to the owners of a private house in the Devon countryside who would arrive there for the shooting season, or for parties or just family social events. I was not restricted by budget which left me to a great new freedom in being able to make food that is designed to impress visually as well as just tasting good. From London we moved back to Devon and with my brother Joe started the catering side of Otter Brewery Bars and Catering. We proceeded to have a successful couple of seasons doing weddings and various jobs and the decision was made to move to a fixed base and it is from this point that the Holt came to life.
With Joe as front of house, Kate in the pastry section and myself in the kitchen, we had a tried and tested team bringing the lessons we had taken on board from our combined experiences and learning the whole time. The cured and smoked foods that were always such a fascination are now a permanent fixture on the menu and we have now launched merrily into the world of sausage making, with promising results so far.
Thanks to all those who taught us and helped us get here.
Angus McCaig, June 2010