Good_Things_Magazine_AprilMay_2017

goodthingsmagazine.com 19

F

ollowing a 21-year stint at Gidleigh

Park, Michael Caines is now

commanding the kitchen at

Lympstone Manor, a Georgian

mansion-turned-hotel and restaurant

in Devon. With stunning scenery, an

abundance of local produce and plans to

plant a vineyard on site, it seems the chef

has made his smartest career move yet.

You’ve worked under legendary chefs

including Raymond Blanc, Bernard

Loiseau and Joël Robuchon, but who’s

been your greatest mentor?

They all played a part, and continue to

influence me, but I think it’s fair to say that

Raymond is my greatest mentor – and a

dear friend. He remains a strong, important

influence and our friendship has grown.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve

received from a fellow chef?

In my second year of college, a lecturer told

me to take criticism constructively and see

it as a way of be„ering myself.

You were named Food Magazine’s

‘Local Food Hero’ in 2016 – who are

your favourite producers?

I have a long list of food heroes, including

Pipers Farm; lamb farmer and producer,

Stuart Baker; Ma„hew Stevens; Flying Fish;

Cornish Duck Company; Wiltshire Game,

and Westcountry Cheese.

At Lympstone Manor, we’re excited about

working with Darts Farm butchers just down

the road, the Carters at Greendale Farm for

fish, Dart Fresh, Salcombe Gin, and Dappa,

who make a fantastic Devon Grappa. And

then there are the fantastic local wineries

like Lyme Bay, Totnes Sharpham Estate,

Camel Valley, and Somerset Cider Brandy.

You’re instrumental in the Exeter

Festival of South West Food and Drink

(29 April -1 May) – what are some of

2017’s highlights?

We’re looking forward to hosting all the great

chefs who are coming down – including Tom

Kerridge and Paul Ainsworth, plus a great

list of southwest chefs. A huge screen means

be„er visibility of the cooking demos, and

we’re building on previous successes with

our supplier and music line-ups.

You lost your arm in a car accident

after just two months at Gidleigh Park.

How did you overcome the challenge it

posed to your career?

Just by ge„ing stuck back into work so I

didn’t hang around feeling sorry for myself

• that would have got me nowhere. I had an
  amazing opportunity that I was not going to
  give up for anything. At times like that, you
  simply have to chuck yourself back in at the
  deep end, so that’s what I did.

You remained at Gidleigh Park for an

impressive 21 years, so what tempted

you to move to Lympstone Manor?

Gidleigh is a family business, and I knew I

wasn’t going to take over one day. I realised

that, at my age, I have to be in control of my

own destiny. There’s always a point in your

career where you know that you need to

move on and do something for yourself.

At Gidleigh, you held on to two

Michelin stars for an impressive 18

years. Will you continue to strive to

build upon that accolade?

Absolutely; our intention is to achieve two

Michelin stars as a starting point! The

push to achieve our third star is the heart

of everything we’re doing. The success of

any business lies in ensuring you’re looking

a–er your clients and giving them what they

want. People have enjoyed my cuisine for

many years, so it would be silly for me to do

something different!

INGREDIENTS

• 150g unsalted butter


• 150g onions, chopped


• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  and lightly crushed


• 500g carrots, peeled
  and finely chopped


• 1 tsp cumin seeds


• large pinch of Madras
  curry powder


• 300ml chicken stock


• 500ml water


• 1 bouquet garni
  (parsley stalks,
  coriander stalks,
  thyme, bay leaf, celery
  and leek, tied together
  with string)


• fresh coriander leaves


• salt

METHOD

1. Heat the butter in a
   large saucepan set over
   medium heat, add the
   onion, garlic, carrots and
   a pinch of salt, and cook

for 5 minutes, without

allowing the vegetables

to colour.

2. Meanwhile, set a dry
   frying pan over low heat
   and toast the cumin
   seeds. Add the toasted
   cumin and Madras
   curry powder to the
   vegetables, and cook for
   a further 2 minutes.


3. Add the chicken stock,
   water and bouquet garni,
   and bring to the boil.
   Add a little salt, then
   reduce to a simmer and
   leave to cook slowly for
   30 minutes. Transfer to
   a blender and blend to
   a fine purée, then pass
   through a sieve and
   return to a clean pan to
   gently reheat.


4. Season to taste
   and serve, sprinkled
   with freshly chopped
   coriander leaves.

Curried carrot soup

Serves 4

Guest_Chef_Michael_Caines_MATTZP2CathyZP.indd 19 01/04/2017 22: