The annual culinary festival Chefstock 2014 is being hosted by Alyn Williams at his eponymous Michelin-star restaurant at The Westbury this year. Three other star chefs will join him for three Tuesdays in September, and together they will create culinary magic combining their individual talents to produce one unique tasting menu.
The talent ranges from the UK’s home-grown Padstow’s Paul Ainsworth and the brothers Peter and Jonray Sanchez-Iglesias from Bristol to Margot Janse from Franschhoek, South Africa. This never-before-seen collective promises rare London appearances from chefs collectively boasting three Michelin stars and countless national and international accolades.
Alyn Williams said: “I’m very proud to once again be hosting such a spectacular line-up of chefs this September. Last year at CHEFstock 2013 we had fantastic dishes from Simon Rogan, Sat Bains, Bart De Pooter and Ignatius Chan, and this year’s events promise to be just as exciting.
I admire every one of these chefs and it’s very humbling that they are coming to cook with me in my kitchen. When it comes to the menus there are no rules, the guest chefs are in charge and each tasting menu will take its own shape with our different yet harmonious dishes.”
MARGOT JANSE, 9th September (No. 73 in S. Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants, South Africa’s Top Chef 2012)
Margot Janse of The Tasting Room, Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek is named by many as The Queen of South African Cuisine and was named South Africa’s Top Chef 2012. She is one of the few females named by Relais & Chateaux as one of its “Grand Chefs” and one of only two Grand Chefs in Africa.
PAUL AINSWORTH, 16th September (One Michelin Star)
Paul is the chef and proprietor of the Michel starred Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 in Padstow, Cornwall. Ainsworth applies the technical skills picked up during training in his Michelin-starred kitchens. He teases the maximum flavours from humble ingredients. He is a regular on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen and also represented the South West on BBC’s Great British Menu, wowing the judges with his “Taste of the Fairground” dessert in 2011.
PETER & JONRAY IGLESIAS 30th September (One Michelin Star)
Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias are the chefs/owners of highly acclaimed Michelin starred restaurant Casamia, in Bristol. After winning their first star in 2009 Casamia was named as Ramsay’s Best Restaurant in the Channel 4 series in 2010. Casamia is also the only British restaurant to be awarded four AA Rosettes. Peter competed in Great British Menu’s eighth series and both the brothers and their restaurant continue to win recognition and awards for the innovative and meticulous style of cooking. They push the boundaries of modern gastronomy placing them undoubtedly amongst the most exciting young chefs in the UK.
Guests of the event will be welcomed with a champagne reception and canapés created by both chefs, they will then be invited to take a seat in the chic rosewood-accented dining room and savour each of the crafted eight courses from the one-off collaborative tasting menu – four from each chef and of course with a few surprises along the way!
CHEFstock 2014 tickets cost £200 per person and includes all food, wine and Champagne. Make sure you book early to avoid disappointment. Contact reservations on 020 7183 6426 or email alynwilliams@westburymayfair.com
