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Raising the game
When Gordon Ramsey chefs Mark Sergeant and James Durant came to Scotland for a tour of some of the country's best shooting estates, little did they know they'd be walking the hills, guns in hand, experiencing their first-ever stalking days. Joining them were the What's Your Game competition-winners Mary Shaw from the Lodge at Carfraemill, Simon Ridge, formerly of the Waterside Inn,* and Tristin Farmer from Enverdale House in Coupar Angus, who came first and runners-up respectively in Braehead Food's and the Scottish Countryside Alliance's game-cookery contest.
Catering in Scotland joined them on part of their trip and witnessed an eye-opening journey that changed their game forever…
It's not often a couple of London-based chefs get the chance to escape the rat race to see Scotland's countryside in all its splendour. But when James, who's currently sous chef at Gordon Ramsay's Maze, and Claridges' head chef Mark went stalking, pheasant- and clay-pigeon-shooting at the end of January, they never expected to witness such a first-hand experience of what it takes to get food to the kitchen.
And for the others, including Kenny McPherson and Simon Ridge from the Waterside Inn, it was equally eye-opening:
'It was an invaluable insight into how wild it really is,' says Simon, 'and you realise what effort goes into getting it; we crawled for two hours on our hands and knees to get close. Every time we order in venison in the restaurant, someone is getting cold and wet to bring it in for us.'
The chefs spent a day pheasant-shooting at Braco in Perthshire, and bagged 85 birds between them which, considering only two had shot before, was an impressive result.
'We tried the clays first to get our eye in', says Tristin, 'and it made such a difference the next day when we went pheasant-shooting; we felt more confident and we had an idea of what it was all about. It's very different to stalking, as you constantly have to be on the ball, but it was wonderful to see the birds flying so free, and to think they go straight from the sky to the kitchen.'
James Durant was equally enamoured with the whole experience: 'Craig [of Braehead Foods] really looked after us. I don't know if I'll ever get another chance to do it again but even if I don't it was just amazing to have witnessed it.'
Mark Sargeant was somewhat more resolute about the effect it would have when he returned to Claridges: 'If any of my chefs ever throw venison away in my kitchen again, I'll throw them out there and then,' he says. 'Having seen how beautiful the beasts are on the hill, and how much effort goes into bringing just one of them in, I have a whole new respect for the process. It's also a credit to the supply chain to see it all from start to finish; the care and quality that goes into it, and the quality control ensured by Braehead Foods throughout.'
After the shooting the group enjoyed a gourmet game dinner prepared by Jonny Greer at Ballathie House Hotel and finally retired to bed, some considerable time later, content in the knowledge that they had just witnessed in a single weekend what many of their diners might never see in an entire lifetime. Game on, indeed…
* Simon has since left the Waterside Inn now works at Lochgreen House Hotel in Ayr
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature please see Catering in Scotland magazine February/March 2007.
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