Jus-Rol Professional

Pastry Perfect Panel - The Duke of Cumberland

Deep in the heart of the West Sussex countryside, off the beaten track, sits The Duke of Cumberland pub. Previously two 15th century cottages, the pub has become a renowned favourite with foodies and pub goers far and wide thanks to its rustic menu, traditional local ales and stunning décor. Under the direction of award winning chef Simon Goodman and a dedicated team of three, the Duke of Cumberland has got everyone talking about them, including the Good Food Guide.

"We are 60% food led;" reveals Simon, "our focus has always been to do rustic dishes really well and maintain a simple menu which we can regularly update. We don't do any marketing or PR, and because of our location we don't get traffic from people driving through Fernhurst - the pub's customer base has been built purely on reputation and through word of mouth."

And the commitment to showcase the very best of the South East's abundant produce is working, with Simon and his team averaging 75 covers a day.

"We use quality, local ingredients, all our meat is sourced from a local supplier, the pub has its own trout ponds and the rest of our fish is sourced from the south coast, we even bake the bread ourselves! Offering homemade dishes give us the edge with customers, they know when they come to us they are getting quality. We aim to achieve a GP of 70%, which is possible (despite the premium nature of the produce) with the right team and equipment."

With two menus available, Simon has found a balance between providing his customers with old favourites and speciality dishes which have earned him rave reviews in The Times and The Sunday Telegraph.

"There is a huge trade for pub grub when it is done really well, but we wanted the Duke of Cumberland to compete on a restaurant level when it came to evening dining. The lunch menu includes classics such as Ale Battered Haddock, Free Range Ham, Egg & Chips as well as our famous 8oz homemade burger and the dinner menu provides something a little more premium such as free range Confit Belly of Pork with an Apple Glaze, creamed Cabbage and Thyme Jus. We update both menus on a regular basis and as a result we get a lot of repeat business as there is always something new to try."

As a member of Jus-Rol™'s Pastry Perfect Panel, Simon and the team trialled the latest additions to Jus-Rol Professional's pastry range.

"Pastry is so important to a dish; Jus-Rol's Puff Pastry is fool proof so we were keen to try out the latest products. I was impressed with all of them especially the Twisted Corner Basket. It rises well, has good flavour and it looks great, leaving you to focus on your filling. For one of my signature recipes, I developed a Ratatouille, Basil & Mascarpone filling topped with a Parmesan crisp, I love the combination of flavours and the Twisted Corner Basket made it a visually impressive, vegetarian dish.

For the Open Pigeon Pie with Wild Mushrooms, I used two Jus-Rol Shortcrust Ovals to make an individual pastry carrier for my pie.

We put on lunch for the local shoot, so it seemed fitting to make a Pigeon Pie now that we're in shooting season. There are a lot of strong flavours between the pigeon and the wild mushrooms which I balance with creamy, mash potato and fresh, local vegetables. I'll definitely be offering it at our next lunch!"

So would Simon recommend Jus-Rol Professional to other pub chefs?

"I would recommend Jus-Rol Professional; part of being a chef is playing with food, being creative and inspiring your customers. Jus-Rol gives you the freedom to do just that, there's no greater feeling than making something yourself and being proud to send it out of the kitchen."

For more information on Jus-Rol call 0800 626 893

Press Office Contact Details:

Gemma Buckley-Roberts / Jellybean Creative Solutions, 4 Bridge Street, Leatherhead KT22 8BZ
Tel: 01372 227 956 / Fax: 01372 383359 / email: gemma@jellybeancreative.co.uk