It's another busy lunchtime session at the Millbrook Inn – and the head chef and his kitchen team are hard at work preparing meals for hungry customers.
The outlet, which boasts proudly that it is "reassuringly pubby", has become a big draw for foodies from far and wide across Devon. Indeed, such is its success that it has won numerous awards including The Guardian's '10 best places to eat in Devon and Dorset' and The Times 'Best 50 places to eat by the sea'.
Head Chef Jean-Philippe Bidart's passion for excellent quality, his deserved culinary success and reputation have transformed the pub into a Devon culinary hotspot. The pub originally set out to serve up inspired locally-sourced food, mixing up good pub grub and simple restaurant food – and then along came Jean-Philippe (or JP as he is known to everybody) with an in-built belief that rural French Auberge-type food was the way forward.
That French formula has certainly proved a winner for the pub which serves up a classic menu featuring an enticing selection of British and French-inspired dishes with a strong focus on fresh, locally-sourced fish.
Located in South Pool, Kingsbridge, the pub is just a few hundred yards from the Salcombe estuary. The quality, taste and appeal of the locally sourced ingredients is matched by that of Tilda's Arborio rice which is used to create one of the pub's signature dishes, the delicious Start Bay Crab, Chiperones and Squid Ink Risotto.
JP said: "Risotto is always a popular choice on the menu and so easy to update seasonally. You can create a really impressive, delicious dish so easily using a few fresh, seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients and Tilda Arborio Rice because it is so easy to cook with."
Another style of rice that is a popular choice with visitors is Tilda Easy Cook Basmati & Wild Rice. "It is so easy to work with, it goes with so many ingredients and is perfect with fish, poultry, meat, vegetables – anything! It also keeps its flavour consistently with a lovely nutty taste and texture.
"The flavour and the quality of Tilda's rice is a key reason I would recommend it to any chef: you cannot make a proper dish without these two crucial factors.
"Risotto is the perfect dish to include on the menu as it can be updated so easily according to the seasons and creates a great vegetarian option.
"Tilda rice is a perfect substitute for potatoes or pasta – it doesn't leave customers feeling as full and beautifully absorbs the flavours of the dish. Tilda rice is an excellent healthy option and also perfect to serve allergy sufferers because there is no cholesterol, it is very low in fat and it is gluten free."
A hugely important issue for JP and his team at the Millbrook Inn is looking after local suppliers and so he appreciates Tilda's fair play business approach. "The fact that Tilda looks after its Basmati farmers sits well with how the Millbrook is run. You know that if the farmers are happy they will produce the best rice which in turn also means the best product for us."
Mark Lyddy, Tilda's Head of Foodservice, said: "The Millbrook Inn experience shows once again the growing importance of rice on the menu. The product quality, versatility and practicality of rice means that it has a key role to play at the heart of the culinary offering in a wide range of pubs."
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