These are a few of
my favourite things
Michael on what makes him smileRESTAURANTS Belmond Le Manoir Quat’
Saisons, The Ledbury, Zuma and Ynyshir.
CHEFS Gareth Ward, Simon Rogan,
Raymond Blanc, Tom Kerridge, Gordon
Ramsay, and all the Roux generations.
SPRING INGREDIENTS Watercress,
asparagus, wild mushrooms and spinach.
TIPPLE St. George Gin, blanc de blanc
Champagne and a nice sipping rum.
DOMESTIC KITCHEN GADGET Chef’s
knives, garlic crusher and my Vita-Prep.
COOKING SOUNDTRACK At the
moment, Dusky and Drake.
SPRINGTIME LUNCH MENU It would have
to be Jacob roast leg of lamb with garlic,
rosemary and thyme, served with minted
Cornish new potatoes, the last of the
winter root vegetables and, hopefully
some sweet, new-season peas.What should people expect from your
food at Lympstone Manor?
As always, my food is focused on eliciting
the best expression from the produce itself.
I’ve developed some great signature recipes
over the years, and a great starting point is
to evolve these into what we’re doing here,
whilst creating new dishes inspired by
our landscape. We will run an additional
estuary and sea tasting menu alongside our
signature and à la carte menus, which will
be inspired by produce from the bay at Lyme
and the estuary of the Exe.Lympstone offers a vast global wine
selection – what are a few of your
favourite items on the list?
I share my passion for wine with my
co-Director Steve Edwards. Some of my
favourites come from classic regions, and
I particularly enjoy Albariño grapes fromthe North East of Spain and the amazing
reds from Ribera del Duero. I love northern
Italian valpolicellas and Tuscan barberas,
and Steve and I can’t wait to showcase some
great pinot noirs and chardonnays from
Australia’s Mornington Peninsula. From
South Africa, we love cabernet sauvignons
and merlots from the Stellenbosch Estate.
And you can’t beat a South American Malbec
from Mendoza in Argentina.What about the English wine scene?
We’re really excited about it. Estates like
Nyetimber, Ridgeview, Camel Valley,
Furleigh Estate and Lyme Bay, Totnes
Sharpham Vineyard, and Pebblebed are all
producing some great English wines. This
has inspired us to plant our own vineyard at
Lympstone on our south-facing slope. More
investment in the sector means even beer
results – there are even French properties
looking at investing in English wine now!Any more television appearances in
the pipeline?
Yes, I’ll be filming My Kitchen Rules and
MasterChef this year, and have recently
been on Pointless Celebrities and Countryfile.
I recognise the value of television and the
impact that these kind of appearances have
on my career and business, and am grateful
that the opportunities allow me to connect
with people through my passion.You’re both a supporter and patron of
adoption charity Families For Children.
Why is this particular cause one that’s
so close to your heart?
I am adopted myself and am hugely proud
to be involved. Being the recipient of
a family’s love has been a very positive
experience, and I can only thank them for
helping me to get to where I am. Acting as a
charity patron is a credit to the values that
the family gave me and a good endorsement
for the cause. I want to ensure as many
children and families as possible are
supported. The love of a family is the best
way to start one’s journey in life.(^) My
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Image: David Griffen
Guest_Chef_Michael_Caines_MATTZP2CathyZP.indd 20 01/04/2017 22: