Herts &amp; Beds


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Alistair-Dibbs-Cowshed-Tewinbury-1000x1000.jpg" alt="Alistair Dibbs Cowshed Tewinbury" class="wp-image-86084" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Alistair-Dibbs-Cowshed-Tewinbury-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Alistair-Dibbs-Cowshed-Tewinbury-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Alistair-Dibbs-Cowshed-Tewinbury-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Alistair-Dibbs-Cowshed-Tewinbury-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Alistair-Dibbs-Cowshed-Tewinbury-1100x1100.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Alistair-Dibbs-Cowshed-Tewinbury.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Alistair Dibbs creates a farm-to-fork menu of refined British classics inspired by the kitchen garden, working farm and produce from local suppliers. We quizzed him on cooking for PMs and Premiership players and his guilty food pleasures.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-first-ever-kitchen-job-was"><strong>Your first ever kitchen job was…</strong></h2>



<p>At a great restaurant called The Case in Leicester, my home town. It was named as such because it was above a suitcase shop. The owner, David, handwrote the menu in such elaborate writing that many of the customers couldn’t understand it!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-career-highlight-to-date"><strong>Career highlight to date?</strong></h2>



<p>Running the main kitchens at Harrods for five years, heading up the food development and innovation and working with some incredible chefs. Also, my initial chef training at the (then Michelin Starred) Fishers at Baslow Hall in the Peak district was such a great introduction to butchery and seasonality.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-describe-your-cooking-style-and-what-diners-at-cowshed-can-expect"><strong>Describe your cooking style and what diners at Cowshed can expect… </strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/dish-at-Cowshed-Tewinbury-2-1000x1000.jpg" alt="Plate of food on a table with meat, carrots and greens" class="wp-image-86085" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/dish-at-Cowshed-Tewinbury-2-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/dish-at-Cowshed-Tewinbury-2-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/dish-at-Cowshed-Tewinbury-2-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/dish-at-Cowshed-Tewinbury-2-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/dish-at-Cowshed-Tewinbury-2-1100x1100.jpg 1100w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/dish-at-Cowshed-Tewinbury-2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Our cooking is very much influenced by ingredients and seasons. We get many of our ingredients from our gardens and much of our meat is reared on the farm&#8217;s land. We employ a variety of techniques &#8211; curing, smoking and preserving. Currently we have local venison on the menu and are curing and smoking our own salmon and bacon.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-have-you-cooked-for-any-vips-or-celebs"><strong>Have you cooked for any VIPs or celebs?</strong></h2>



<p>I have had the privilege of cooking for some famous names&#8230; the Beckhams and many of the Chelsea footballers were regulars at Harrods. I’ve also cooked for arch political rivals Kier Starmer and Boris Johnston (at separate events) as well as cooking the private dinners for both the Conservative and Labour party conferences in 2022. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biggest-mistake-you-ve-ever-made-in-the-kitchen"><strong>Biggest mistake you’ve ever made in the kitchen?</strong></h2>



<p>It wasn’t me (honestly!) but a fellow chef mistakenly used icing sugar rather than flour for his Scotch eggs. Needless to say they went straight in the bin!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-would-you-cook-for-a-date-night-dinner"><strong>What would you cook for a date night dinner?</strong></h2>



<p>My wife is from Lancashire, so it would absolutely have to be Lancashire hot pot with a side of red cabbage.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Cowshed-Tewinbury-1000x667.jpg" alt="The Cowshed, Tewinbury" class="wp-image-86086" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Cowshed-Tewinbury-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Cowshed-Tewinbury-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Cowshed-Tewinbury.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Cowshed, Tewinbury</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-cookbook-ever"><strong>Favourite cookbook ever?</strong></h2>



<p>There are many, but a couple of firm favourites are <em>White Heat</em> by Marco Pierre White, closely followed by <em>Kitchen Confidential</em> by Anthony Bourdain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-re-tired-and-hungry-after-a-busy-day-what-do-you-throw-together-for-yourself"><strong>You’re tired and hungry after a busy day, what do you throw together for yourself</strong></h2>



<p>Smoked cheese on Sourdough. Toasted, obviously!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-guilty-food-pleasure"><strong>Guilty food pleasure?</strong></h2>



<p>Snickers… Or a snickers duo if I’m particularly hungry. If I’m feeling nostalgic then I&#8217;d reach for a bag of spring onion Space Raiders!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-food-nationality-and-why"><strong>Favourite food nationality and why?</strong></h2>



<p>French. The classic techniques are at the centre of just about every other cuisine. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kitchen-gadget-you-can-t-live-without"><strong>Kitchen gadget you can’t live without?</strong></h2>



<p>The Kitchen Aid. We use it for so much. I’ve even got the pasta attachment! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dish-you-re-most-proud-of"><strong>Dish you’re most proud of?</strong></h2>



<p>Venison Wellington with Wild Mushrooms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-underrated-ingredient-and-why"><strong>Most underrated ingredient and why</strong>?</h2>



<p>Pork. It&#8217;s so versatile and flavourful in the right hands, and you can literally use every part of the animal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-personal-cooking-tip-s"><strong>Your personal cooking tip/s…</strong></h2>



<p>Taste as you cook and go with your gut instinct!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-one-dish-every-home-cook-should-master"><strong>The one dish every home cook should master…</strong></h2>



<p>The one pan English breakfast: essential hangover food!</p>



<p><strong>Alistair is the Executive Chef at <a href="https://www.tewinbury.co.uk/eat-drink/cowshed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cowshed, Tewinbury Farm Hotel</a>. Book a table here. </strong></p>


What’s Cooking? Alistair Dibbs, Tewinbury Farm Hotel

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