#bigupbude

I started the week by taking off Monday and Tuesday well when I say I took them off I wasn't checking emails all the time just a few times a day and also did my blog on the Monday apart from that I had some time off. I actually walked to the beach and sat reading a book for an hr in the blazing February sunshine, I know crazy right. Sounds ridiculous but if I get 2 days or more off and do not do any work or limited work it feels like a mini holiday! Unless I am in another country or drunk (but I do not like the feeling of the next day so that isn't often) I just can not completely switch off. Even if I am abroad for a holiday it usually takes 5-6 days before I completely relax then I am like a toddler for the remainder of the time. Its like in Bude in the busy periods you get people walking up the road without a clue in the world that there is a vehicle driving towards them. I like to think I am not that bad but I am like a dopy baby giraffe all over the shop! Wednesday was quite a relaxed day I helped a mate move from Tintagel to Bude, and just for comedy effect while driving on 3 separate occasions 3 big arsed wasps (now I know it isn't wasp season but they looked like big arsed wasps) flew from the back of the van through into the front! Now I am not to bothered about wasps usually but when they are that large buzzing around your face while driving I am not a fan! Also my mate got stung by a load of them when younger so he really wasn't keen. Being the thoughtful mate on the third occasion I sat crying with laughter as my mate tried to persuade this wasp out the van! Anyone that knows me well will know that I love to laugh its a great medicine but sometimes I do laugh at inappropriate times. Like the time around 13yrs ago when my Grandad died we had to travel up country for the funeral and me and my sister (older and always will be ha ha ha ha ha) spent the whole of the 12 hr round trip laughing it was quite a remarkable day a day that I will always remember in a positive way. I find the most normal but stupid things hilarious, I enjoy watching peoples behaviour and how they are in certain situations. At dinner parties no matter what the size of the group you get the same characters funny, quiet, obnoxious(rarely), happy, stressed, uncomfortable. I find it interesting how evenings play out and maybe after drinks people change maybe towards me or the rest of the party. Conversations I tend not to listen to unless you hear a certain word which makes my ears prick up but I do enjoy watching how guests behave. 

As for real work this week I had a 7 course dinner party for 4 guests. Now this was a unique dinner party as it was where I grew up so this was very weird to be driving around roads that I use to ride my bike on. I didn't really feel any older than when I was last there 25yrs back. I wondered what my younger self would think of me today. Maybe a tinge of disappointment but I think that is just the standards from what I except of myself are sometimes to high. But all I ever wanted to be was the best chef I could be from about the age of 11 and I suppose I have achieved that so maybe I should not be so hard on myself.

It was a great meal with some amazing comments so another experience complete!

I was genuinely humbled after the blog I posted last week I had people direct message me thank me for posting. Obviously I am very grateful that people took the time to message and comment like etc but I am unsure how I feel about the reaction why is it such a difficult subject to talk about? Because I didn't see it as a big deal posting it. I know I was putting myself out there in the world of social media and talking frank about a difficult subject and I was nervous but it was very easy to talk about really. 

Thank you for the lovely comments but it needs more of the same people need to talk, now I know from talking to my dad that its not that easy when the darkness falls, help is the last thing you will ask for but I think if you can learn your triggers beforehand it would help to avoid the edge of the pit and stop you from falling in. I don't bloody know the answers but from watching people I know fall and rise again this is what has helped them.

I have had a very interesting week I went to London to see the Smashing Pumpkins a lifes ambition achieved what a amazing night on Tuesday. Then back to Cornwall by 3 o clock for an hr and 45min drive to Gorran Haven to cook for a family of 6. Felt fine had a great evening guests were more than happy with the experience I delivered but felt exhausted when I got home.

Up early on Wednesday morning for a local dinner party in Camelford guests from Netherlands and Mexico that lived in Germany. I had an absolute blast I learn so much from guests that I cook when they are from different countries. I learnt this week that when a man comes of age at 50 in the Netherlands they get bought an Abraham, it is a heavy almond based cake like thing but it looks like a man it has religious links but as we all know my memory isn't great!

Then on Friday I thought ideal a few days to take it easy then at 10.30 in the morning I had a call from someone asking if I could cook for them and 11 friends that night, lunch and dinner Saturday and lunch Sunday as there was a mix up with their chef. Well I couldn't turn down a challenge also in Cornwall it is a long hard winter so you never know how much business will come in, this winter was great but that is unusual.

So after a few phone calls the menu was arranged 2 courses Friday, an early start Saturday and worked straight through until 11 o clock that night serving a 2 course lunch and a gourmet dinner. Early start again Sunday serving delicious Roast Beef followed by Pavlova perfect hangover food for the guests that partied hard the night before. Like the good old days having to make meringues again!

It is getting busy the pace is picking up enquiries are always steady but bookings have slowed a little this week, this is normal as it is the holidays. 

I had a great event for 7 guests on Friday in Fowey for a 40th birthday 5 courses and a celebratory cake to finish. Sometimes finding a property can be difficult, I always take the post code and full address but as I have found out to my cost sometimes properties are called different names to what they are advertised as, so possibly the property I have written down is not the real name! So Friday the property was called Lantic barn the post code did not take us very close to the property so I googled the name and it took me into Fowey not a problem I parked up knocked on the door and a lady that answered the door had no idea what I was talking about! So drove on again luckily the guest called as they knew it was very difficult to find so problem solved. But sometimes it can be very interesting especially if you have no internet or phone reception which is often in and around the back roads in Cornwall!

Saturday was in Bude for 5 guests again a Birthday celebration 5 courses and it was a great night ! I love the variety of different guests I get to meet, I was asked do I believe in aliens also do I believe in magic and I love magic especially slight of hand, so a member of the group did an amazing card trick which I still have absolutely no idea how he did it ! I have only ever sat down at the table of a group of guests once before and I did again on Saturday, it is very weird it does not fell right at all. Another thing I like to try to avoid at a dinner party is 2 areas of conversation politics and religion. It can be very divisive I have seen many an argument from both topics now I do not mind a good conversation about anything but obviously when I am trying to be professional I think there is a time and a place.

Sunday was spent in Sherbourne it was a 4hr round trip but well worth every minute. Apart from getting a call early while on location from my dad which made me panic as he knew I was at work the conversation went something like this -

Alright Dad

Alright Sarg

Whats wrong Dad? 

I know you are working but thought you would like to know Arsenal lost!

For F#¢ks##e Dad I thought something had happened !

So once I had calmed down as I was panicking thinking something serious had happened I was happy Arsenal had lost! The evening went really well again it was for a Birthday 5 courses served and another great Experience delivered.

A great week I can feel the pace picking up gradually as the weeks go by heading towards the busy period Easter then onto Summer ! 

Got on top of a few different areas in the kitchen last week a general spring clean always makes you feel good and also a move around some new shelving to create some extra space that was lacking! So good to go for the busy period that is looming large! 

I had a lovely event on Thursday for 6 people celebrating a birthday in a property called Ellenglaze nr Newquay. There is always one problem with this property the ceiling is very low and me being very talk creates problems the main one being I smash my head a lot, so to help with this I remove my shoes! Now this doesn't help massively but anything to help my back but I think this is why my hair is falling out after years of banging my head !

Saturday was spent providing the catering for a small wedding and it was absolutely amazing. It is really amazing that I can be apart of someones wedding day and add something special for them. It was 6 courses a lovely experience, I really enjoy the small intimate weddings you can really add so much value to there day, hopefully they can look back in years to come and have very fond memories of the food. 

They had a dog called Diesel that was absolutely huge like a tank but the most placid I have ever met!

Diesel

It was a lovely lunch apart from the coffee machine gave up the ghost and started smoking ! It had a decent innings I did manage to get coffee out of it before it died ! I do not have many fears at an event but machinery that I bring like an Ice Cream machine breaking is one of them cause there isn't really anything you can do other than improvise! It hasn't happened yet but it will one day and when it does and I will have to get through in whatever way that is.

Decent week last week but weirdly I had 8 enquiries in a row that all clashed with other dates which is rare I will get the odd enquiry that clashes but not that amount all at once. When this happens you try to steer guests to dates that are available usually this works but not this time. Strange sometimes I will also go 2,3,4 days without an enquiry then all of a sudden I will get maybe 3-4 new enquiries in one day. Never any pattern other than in the summer it is carnage never any different. 

 I said last week I nearly hit my target for February which I thought was way out but by the end of this week I will have smashed it, so targets for March and April are set and my 2019 total target is set along with a total for 2020. Everything is achievable in small steps and and after a period of time this will have a massive impact, well that is what I believe and it helps me a lot but what do I know being a lanky chef!

I have had a couple of meetings this week for larger events for the year ahead. So the year is looking better than I ever predicted so far, this is through an absolute focus and determination to provide the best experience for everyone I cook for and if this does not quite work out like it should have done I learn and move on. 

Saturday night was spent celebrating in Clawton Devon for a 70th birthday, 4 courses and a great night was had by all! One day I would like to maybe write a book about the experiences I have had with various guests some utterly hilarious and some a tad uncomfortable, like the time I walked in on an elderly lady putting make up. Or the time I asked a lady how does she feed her twins I won't even go into detail but me being a little stupid sometimes didn't realise she was not talking about bottle feeding!! But I do get asked a lot about the naked chef and what is under the apron ooooooo young man and all that ! Love the banter I have with guests.

There is a definite change in business in the last few weeks it is picking up but to be fair it didn't really slow down to much after xmas but I can feel it gathering pace, which is only a good thing as being self employed you just never know one day it might just stop which I know sounds silly but I always have to live that way to keep me on my toes. Never rest thinking you can't do better or push any harder, you always can, sometimes you have to be more clever or approach it from a different angle, never think you can't improve something. Everything I cook no matter what people say it can always improve in some way, whether that be how the dish is cooked or how I prepare it or even which way I place the dish down in front of the customer or what I say to them about the dish.

I had 3 great events this week one near Holsworthy on Thursday lunchtime for 18 guests buffet style. A Red wine stew using their own beef which was absolutely stunning, with duchess potatoes, roasted carrots, parsnips and buttered green beans. Followed by one of favourite desserts Vanilla cheesecake with dark fruit compote. A great lunch was enjoyed by everyone. An absolutely fascinating couple that I have cooked for before, again I love getting to know people hearing there journey through life.

Friday was at Staunton Sands at a Penthouse apartment for 6 guests organised by a lovely couple called Naomi and Adam black who run East Thorne Yurt holidays www.east-thornecornwall.co.uk just outside of Bude at Kilkhampton. A great business and they recently won Silver in the South West Tourism awards, well deserved!!!!! 

Saturday was spent with Aidan from HMG and 5 guests, this week was a little calmer ! They had the following food -

Canapes - Cured mackerel, tartare sauce - Beetroot, smoked Mackerel and horseradish - Smoked paprika chicken, sweet chilli dip.

Course 1 - Celeriac veloute

Course 2 - Crab ravioli, tarragon lemon butter 

Course 3 - Skir Cod, spinach, cauliflower, saffron cream

Course 4 - Creedy Carver duck, Chinese 5 spice, Pan choi, gnocchi

Course 5 - Dark Chocolate tart, creme fraiche sorbet

A great night with wines to accompany each course and I found out that Zinfandel is classically red not rose! If that is of interest to anyone. 

But before I got to work that morning I was driving through Stratton and I saw a young dog running along the pavement and he didn't seem to have anyone with him. So I thought right well I can't leave him so I dumped the van and ran after him as you do. I got hold of him took him back to the van and he had a name tag on with a number so called the number and a frantic owner gratefully came down and collected her dog! That leads (pardon the pun) me onto an absolutely crazy story,  when around 6yrs back I was getting on the A38 at Plymouth a few miles back from the bridge and saw a dog running onto the main road next thing you know I am out the car running up and across the road chasing this dog, eventually I got hold of him he bit me (not bad he was just scared ) and I turned around and there was around 80 cars all stopped! I must have looked like John Cleese from the Fawlty Towers days chasing after Manuel! An ambulance just happened to be there so they got hold of him and took him to the pound. I always figure with situations like that its better I get hurt (one person) rather than have a massive pile up and loads of people get hurt over one dog.

That brings to an end an action packed week.

 I couldn't pronounced his name!

Mackerel tartare - canapé

A downfall of mine is I can never say no to work I love it way to much! I was asked a few weeks ago to cook for a group through another company and I said at the time no as I needed to take some time off but I did say if you are desperate please do get back in contact. So on Wednesday I get a call asking again as they could not get anyone would I reconsider, now I know I need time off but I do not like to see others in the muck and need help so I said YES. It was a great evening at Deer Park Forest near Looe, the weather made for an interesting drive back with all the thunder, lighting and rain! That was the end of my week the start was just as full on with a family in Camelford I have cooked for the last 11yrs wanting an event for 12 as they were celebrating 2 80th birthdays. Henry and Ruth hines were the very first group I ever cooked for back in September 2007, I had to cook 2 whole beef wellingtons which I did nearly burn but just got away with it! I have been back every year since so must be doing something right.

Sunday was 11 years to the day when we launched Sargies Cornish Kitchen. It all started because I wanted to see more of the kids and still be involved in food. So we launched from home making soups and flavoured butters after 6 months we moved into our current production kitchen. We have gone from making breads, curds, biscuits, cakes and even pasta sauces ! It has been one heliver ride from the lowest of lows not knowing where the money will come from day after day to the highest of highs making meringues for the multiples.To date we have made over 5 million meringues which are still hand piped and wrapped! But watch this space .......................    

On a personal note I saw a great comedian on Friday night at a charity event held at Penstowe Manor, the comedian is called Johnny Cowling a lot of locals will know him and if you ever get a chance you have to go. My dad had a particularly good night when he ended up telling his rude joke at the end which got the biggest laugh !

Below is me with the kids around 6yrs ago at Royal Cornwall Show doing a dem for Annette from www.tasteofgame.org.uk