Darren – Our Really Wild Guest Chef

Darren – Our Really Wild Guest Chef!

Over our busy August Bank Holiday weekend we were delighted to welcome guest chef Darren, from Soul Sauce Catering Company,
to accompany our Development Chef, Phill Lewis, in our busy kitchen!

We asked Darren to write a few words on his experience with us, and also a bit about himself too!…

“I am chef that has been classically trained in a French restaurant, with 40 years experience of cooking and creating dishes inspired by travelling
and interesting ingredients! You never stop learning as a chef, the basics are always there, taking a raw ingredient and producing a delicious dish,
whether it is for a fine dining experience, retreats, wedding, party, the attention to detail, the balancing and experimenting of flavours are crucial for
each individual recipe.

Over the past 10 years I’ve really embraced creating and producing recipes and dishes using foraged ingredients, making use of what beautiful
Mother Nature’s pantry provides us! I’ve substituted flavours with different plants; magnolia for ginger, daisies for lemon, the list is endless!
My children are now used to me eating flowers when we are out for a walk, and using our Christmas tree to make tea and ice cream!

There is something very special and exciting about letting your creativity flow, in creating dishes and recipes from foraged, seasonal and locally
sourced ingredients. It provides the food with a different meaning and a different energy; which then allows my energy, passion and love to flow
in to each dish I make!

The aim with the dishes I create?… to awaken your senses and to feed your mind, your body, your soul….and your belly!

When I was approached to work as a Guest Chef at The Really Wild Emporium I jumped at the chance!

Having eaten at The Emporium and delighted in the atmosphere and food served, I just couldn’t wait to work alongside the incredibly talented and
knowledgeable chefs! Speaking to them and working alongside them, I could hear and feel their passion about producing dishes and menus, from using
the freshest,local and foraged ingredients! It was music to my ears; we were like children on Christmas morning!

To have two catering and hospitality businesses who share the same ethos, menus and dishes – ones that are based on (and inspired by)
using fresh, locally sourced and foraged ingredients, is just a dream! The creativity flows, the flavours are unique, and the love shows in every
dish that gets plated up!

I had such a wonderful time and experience working alongside everyone at The Really Wild Emporium, the Chef’s, Front of House staff,
Kitchen Porters and Owners are just beautiful and a delight to work with!

I can’t wait for my next visit as a diner or Guest Chef!”