Surrey’s chic 1907 restaurant, bar & grill has announced the appointment of a new Executive Head Chef and the launch of a new early autumn menu at the Double AA Rosette awarded restaurant at Brooklands Hotel.
1907 is now headed up by experienced Executive Head Chef Dean Williams who will continue the restaurant’s ethos of seasonal cooking with high quality ingredients and bring his own culinary flair to the main restaurant, the bar and the banqueting and events menus.
Williams joins 1907 after four years as Executive Head Chef at Old Thorns Manor Hotel, Golf & Country Estate, Liphook. His career path has also seen him act as Head Chef of Silvermere Inn on the Lake in Cobham, Senior Sous Chef at Loseley Park in Guildford and Chef de Partie at Morgans Hotel and Oxwich Bay Hotel in Swansea. Dean’s career started in 1998 with an apprenticeship with Marriott Hotels, working at London Marriott Hotel County Hall, London Heathrow Marriott Hotel and Swansea Marriott Hotel.
Originally from Swansea, Williams now lives near Guildford. His unique blend of expertise and skills, relevant experience and excitement at driving a new era at 1907 made him the perfect choice for the role.
Valentino Gentile, Sous Chef
Williams is joined by another new colleague at 1907, Valentino Gentile, newly appointed as Sous Chef. Originally from Italy, Gentile joins 1907 after ten years at La Luna in Godalming where his career developed from Sous Chef to Head Chef and Partner, as well as stints at Zinfandel in Guildford, L’Aroma in Woking and at Ristorante Del Nonno in Malaga, Spain.
Williams and Gentile’s new appointment has been endorsed by Masterchef host Gregg Wallace, who recently hosted a dining and foodie-themed event at Brooklands Hotel. “I’ve got great confidence in the head chef at 1907. There’s a lack of frivolity and he does grown-up, confident cooking. You can see it all over the menu,” said Wallace.
Revitalising the menu
One of the first tasks Williams has undertaken at 1907 is to revitalise the menu, continuing the ethos of serving guests with honest food using local and seasonal produce, and bringing in a taste of early autumn. Newly-introduced dishes include nine new starters and mains, as well as an entirely new dessert menu of six sweet treats. The new dishes join an established list of favourites and grill choices, including cuts of steak locally sourced from a premium range of 28 day matured British beef.
To start, the new dishes are pan fried scallops and crab risotto cake served with Campari tomato coulis and salted samphire; burrata accompanied with blood peach and baby basil; and steak tartar served with baby herbs, balsamic and grilled soda bread.
Diners can choose the appropriate size from the following new dishes to start or as a main, fresh River Yealm rock oysters in red wine vinegar and shallots; split green pea risotto served with grilled courgettes, broccoli, pine nuts and pea shoots; and whole crevettes accompanied by smoked bacon and tomato bruschetta.
The three new main courses are roast sea bass fillet served with pois à la française, chorizo and mash; rack of English lamb accompanied by aubergine and red pepper compote, pine nuts, raisins and a basil crust; and pan roast loin of cod served with toasted cous cous and buckwheat, squid and clams. Newly introduced side dishes include sweet potato fries, summer greens and rainbow chard.
Dessert
To finish, the dessert menu now offers a delectable light chocolate mousse joined by Malibu dark chocolate sauce, coconut sorbet, chocolate macaroon and coconut crumble; warm fig tart with a whiskey and honey sauce, vanilla ice cream and caramelised figs; pistachio and amaretto mousse served with a blackberry compote, roasted pistachios and blackberry sorbet; raspberry parfait accompanied by crushed meringue, raspberry marshmallow, lime semi gel and crisp; vanilla crème brûlée with nougatine and a mint chocolate chip sorbet; and banana cheesecake served with caramel sauce, banana sorbet, chocolate brownie crumbs, chocolate stick and caramelised bananas.
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Pictured: Dean and Valentino with Gregg Wallace
Restaurant News is Sponsored by Tramontina Steak Knives, available from Artis