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Top marks for student chefs
THE ESCOFFIER ROOM
Westminster College, Vincent Square
SW1
020 7802 8391
I OWE the introduction to this remarkable establishment to one of our readers. Thank you Stephen.
The alma mater of celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver, Ainsley Harriot and Antony Worrall Thompson, The School of Hospitality and Catering at Westminster Kingsway College, today enjoys the coveted status of a Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) and runs The Vincent Rooms.
The young people wanting to work in catering hope to qualify in this prestigious college famous for giving their students the opportunity to develop their skills in a working environment under the watchful eye of chef-lecturers.
They are given the opportunity to put all this into practice at the two restaurants open to the public: The Escoffier Room and The Brasserie (and Bar).
They spend four weeks learning the practical and theoretical aspects of fine dining service and are left completely in charge of the restaurants.
From the canapés to the petit fours everything is prepared and cooked by students in their final year while the service and bar are in the hands of students in the second year of their professional Chef’s diploma.
They demonstrate their culinary talents and skills, as well as being attentive and watchful of their patrons and mentors whom they are eager to please.
On the day I visited The Brasserie – the larger of the two restaurants overlooking Vincent Square – were catering for a private party of 70 guests seated at round tables of six or eight.
We had lunch at The Escoffier Room, the smaller of the two with a view of an old church, and decorated with panelled walls and ceiling in beige and various shades of green.
The tables are set with large Villeroy and Boch 1748 plates in salmon with lovely flowers to match. They have a small menu of two courses for £18 or three courses for £20.
This must be the best value for some of the most delicious desserts in town. (Pecan Pie and poached pear with chocolate sauce to name two).
The dish of the day was roast beef with all its trimmings carefully carved from a dinner silver trolley.
We chose the sirloin of beef with wild mushrooms garnished with fresh salad leaves and butternut squash, almond and goats cheese ravioli.
To follow the poached halibut a la Dieppoise was very good and generous portions of Pommes Anna (sliced potatoes) and ratatouille accompanied the dish.
A variety of home-made breads and plenty of tap water on offer.
The young lady sommelier was all smiles.
And she should be with an excellent selection of wines on offer at very reasonable prices. They have a Chemin Blanc or Jack Lurton Les Bateaux Merlot 2004 at £10 a bottle or £2.50 by the glass.
Highly recommended are the Domaine Le Garron Cotes du Rhone Organic 2002 at £13 and their Sancerre at £18.
The house Champagne is Raoul Collet Domaine Durand Loire 2000 at £20 a bottle.
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