James Goodyear

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Meet James Goodyear, the new Coventry-born head chef of Michelin-starred Birmingham restaurant Adam’s. Classically-trained, James was previously in charge of the kitchen at Hide in Piccadilly Circus, London. So, what makes him tick? 

Tell us about your cooking

There is an implicit simplicity with good food – I like to work with nature, following the seasons and using great produce to bring my ideas to life. My style comes from a mix of my life experiences. I trained for five years at Le Manoir with Raymond Blanc. I’ve travelled to Scandinavia, where the culture is all about foraging for beautiful freshness. I also worked in the Basque region of Spain, cooking over fire and tasting some of the most beautiful food imaginable. Working in a beautiful kitchen with a fantastic team is what excites me and that’s what we have at Adam’s.

How did you become a chef?

I wasn’t always passionate about food as a child – I was more interested in sports and physical activity. I did enjoy being at school but didn’t want to go to university. When school finished and it was time to look at what I could do next. I always enjoyed eating food and watching Ready, Steady, Cook with my mom so thought I’d give cooking a go. As soon as I stepped into my first kitchen, I really loved it and I’ve just kept learning ever since.

What do you eat at home and what was your favourite food as a kid?

My mom would make a homemade meal for the family every day when I was growing up. I’ve travelled all over the world but when I go back home to Warwickshire, that’s what I crave. A nice cottage pie or a stew are among my favourite dishes even now.

Who’s the best chef in the world and why? And who’s the best in Brum?

I’ve worked with some amazing chefs across so many different styles of cuisine. I don’t put one on a higher pedestal than another, so I’d have to play it safe and say my mom is the best chef in the world for me! Obviously, Adam Stokes is a fantastic chef and someone whose food I greatly admire. I am relatively new to Birmingham so I am excited to meet some of the talented chefs across the city! 

Food heaven and food hell?

Heaven for me is all about my days off in the Basque country. Myself and the team would use the money we’d saved through the week and go out to get a whole grilled turbot, caught on the day and cooked over coals, slowly and beautifully. Served on a beach in San Sebastián with a fresh tomato salad on the side, it felt like heaven! Hell for me revolves around kidneys! I appreciate being resourceful and not being wasteful with food but that’s one thing I just can’t eat. 

Share a cooking tip

There is a real amount of skill in putting together a really well-cooked breakfast – making sure the bacon is crispy and getting the sausages just right. Eggs are a big one too. Poaching an egg is relatively simple but so worth doing right. I think if you take the time to learn how to do each element of a traditional cooked breakfast properly, you will acquire skills that help you in other areas.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

I’d love to say I’d be a footballer, ever since I was old enough to kick a ball I loved it. If I wasn’t doing that it would be something sport related.

Tom Shepherd

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There’s nothing as exciting as the arrival of each season’s new crop of ingredients for Adam’s head chef Tom Shepherd – unless it’s a bacon sarnie on a Sunday morning, of course!

Tell us about your cooking

It’s modern, flavour driven, educated, clean and seasonally led. The start of every season excites me when all the new ingredients come into fruition, especially when we work so closely with our suppliers. All the hard work has been done by the growers and producers, we’re the lucky ones who get to finish it off and showcase it to our customers.

How did you become a chef?

I fell into cooking really. I was a trainee manager at New Hall Hotel in Walmley and part of the training was working for three months in the kitchen. Within a week, I discovered a genuine passion for the environment.

Who are your influences?

The main influence that got me into cooking was Gordon Ramsay. Watching his programmes and seeing his natural desire and demands inspired me greatly. Also, my family. They have always been so supportive and so proud of my achievements.

What do you eat when at home?

I love a bacon sarnie on a Sunday morning and still adore my mom’s roast dinner. I rarely cook on my days off so a takeaway is often on the cards.

Who’s the best chef in the world and why? And who’s the best in Brum?

One of my personal favourites is Daniel Humm at Eleven Madison Park in New York. His simplistic approach and level of execution is of the highest I’ve seen and I am lucky enough to be dining there in August. In Birmingham, I love the fact that my generation is coming through the ranks and taking charge of some of the best kitchens in the city. Such as Leo Kattou at Simpsons and Brad Carter and Ben Tesh. I’ve had fantastic meals at both Carters and Folium.

Is the customer always right?

At the end of the day the customer is here to try our food and hopefully enjoy it. But we have to accept that we can’t please everyone all the time, as much as we try.

Share a cooking tip

Make sure meat is always brought to room temperature before cooking – it’s vitally important if you want even cooking throughout your meat. Also once cooked, remember to rest it.

What was your favourite food as a kid?

Sausage and mash. I literally lived off it and was all I would ever ask for.

Food heaven and hell?

Heaven is anything rich and indulgent, such as roast pork belly in a great sauce made from its own juices, followed by a large portion of tiramisu. Hell is sea urchins.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve eaten?

I was at a friend’s restaurant and was served chicken’s feet with a wild garlic pesto. The idea was to mop up the pesto using the feet. It wasn’t for me!

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

Involved in sports in some way, football or motor racing. Maybe a coach or a technician.

What do you recommend from this evening’s menu?

Our Best End of Herdwick hogget with English peas, broad beans, mint and goat’s curd. A celebration of everything that is in season right now, and all British.

TOM’S HOGGET WITH PEAS, BROAD BEANS, MINT AND GOAT’S CURD

hogget-with-peas-broad-beans-mint-and-goats-curd

Ingredients:

  • Herdwick Hogget rack and shoulder (bone separate)
  • 100g garden peas
  • 100g broad beans
  • 1 bunch of mint
  • 50g goat’s curd

For the sauce:

  • 2 shallots
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 sprigs rosemary
  • 1ltr chicken stock
  • 150ml Madeira
  • 150ml red wine
  • 75ml brandy

Method:

Prepare the lamb shoulder and brine in a 10 per cent salt brine for 24 hours. Cook it for a further 24 hours at 78 degrees after the brining process, make sure you wash the shoulder for at least 20 minutes before cooking. Once cooked, carefully flake it down and roll it into a ballantine (sausage shape) allow to set in the fridge and then slice it into 1cm thick slices ready to fry in pan later.

For the sauce, roast the lamb bones for 40 minutes, take out and drain excess fat. In a large pan, fry the shallots, garlic and rosemary, add the bones and fry for a further 2 minutes. Deglaze with all the alcohol and reduce to a glace, add stock and cook down until desired consistency. Pass through a sieve ready to serve.

Roast the lamb rack for 8 to 10 minutes at 180 degrees, allow to rest for 10 minutes. While the meat is resting, ensure your sauce is hot and begin to cook the peas, broad beans and fry lamb shoulder disc. Once cooked begin to assemble on a plate, and finish off with a few spoonfuls of goat’s curd.

Adam Stokes

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The Michelin awarded chef and his wife Natasha moved to Birmingham this year because of its growing restaurant scene. We find out more about his new city centre restaurant and his passion the kitchen 

Tell me about your cooking

The food at ‘Adam’s’ is modern British. I use modern techniques to produce food that uses familiar flavour marriages. I try to excite and enthuse our diners with dishes that have inventive twists. The food I enjoy cooking is food that is at its peak, for example Asparagus for the six weeks a year that it is in season, or woodcock during the shooting season. The quality of the ingredients is key. Without that we are unable to do our part which is to listen to the ingredients and combine them together with care.

Describe your perfect meal

Dining outside by the coast with my wife Natasha, with a glass of vintage champagne and some fresh as shellfish. This would be followed by a great rib-eye steak, chips and a glass of full-bodied red wine.

How did you become a chef?

My father had an allotment and always cooked freshly grown food. On a Saturday night he would produce enough food to feed the family throughout the working week. The kitchen was an out-of-bounds area, he produced good quality food, while enjoying a beer and listening to music. It always seemed to be so exciting.  I learnt my trade at Hambleton Hall in Rutland where I spent seven years, under the tutelage of Aaron Patterson where I learnt how to cook, properly.

What do you eat when at home?

Very little, I am always at the restaurant. On the odd occasions we dine at home it is normally something quick, fresh and, of course, tasty.

Who’s the best chef in the world and why?

There are some great chefs in the world, Rene Redzepi, Ferran Adria and Michel Bras to name only a few. All these chefs firmly believe in their food and style, that is why I think that they are great chefs. There are some fantastic chefs cooking here and that was one of the things that attracted us to come to the city.

Is the customer always right?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so yes.

What’s the best thing about being a chef?

Being able to work with the best ingredients every day and produce exciting dishes that bring enjoyment to our guests. Also meeting new chefs and bouncing ideas around to develop and progress.

What’s the worst thing about being a chef?

Being away from the family for long periods of time. But it is a part of the job that you must understand to be able to do it.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

No idea, probably a racing driver, or attempting to be one.

What do you recommend from this evening’s menu?

In the evenings we serve a ‘tasting 5’ and ‘tasting 9′ course menu, both are highly seasonal. The ‘tasting 9’ is in itself a culinary journey of taste, textures and temperature. To get the full experience of ‘Adam’s’ I would recommend this menu.