This week, we were very lucky to speak to Paul Thatcher, Head Chef at St Mellons Hotel, Cardiff, he has been with the hotel for 26 years! He told us that food trends come and go, but the traditional route is still the favourite.
“I have always wanted to be a chef, ever since I was 15 years old at work experience.”
“I really enjoy cooking prime cuts of beef and lamb, I love when brides and grooms give me a free hand to create a menu for them. An example of one of our popular menus would be:
- Smoked Salmon & Prawn mousse, queen scallop lolly pop, petit pois & roasted garlic puree
- Avocado & vegetable mousse, sweet corn fritter, petit pois & roasted garlic puree (v)
- Marinated Lamb Rump, fried leek & potato cake, roasted vegetable broth & red wine jus
- Red Pepper & Asparagus risotto, cream & Parmesan cheese (v)
- Meringue Roulade, lemon syllabub & fresh fruits
- Cheese, celery, apple & chutney
- Coffee or tea”
“We host between 10 and 220 guests at events, I prefer the larger receptions. People think larger events are more pressure, but it only becomes pressurised if we fail to plan ahead!”
“A big wedding event is all hands on deck. Our day starts from after breakfast, where we complete our prep, some of the prep may even happen a few days before the event. It really depends on the menu and how complex it is.”
“There are some food trends around but, the more traditional 3 course wedding breakfast is still the favourite. However, we do get some requests for BBQ’s Hog Roasts etc.”
“I work about 40 hours per week, these can be made up of split shifts dependent on the business needs. In my spare time I like to fish (river & sea) – most of my menus are created whilst fishing.”
Thanks again to Paul for talking to us, check out the St Mellons Hotel, Cardiff wedding venue for more information on this wonderful venue.
