Open throughout the day for brunch, lunch, drinks and dinner, the charcuterie bar and restaurant is the first of its kind on Teesside and was the founding restaurant on the popular foodies’ street in Middlesbrough town centre. He runs it with his wife, Sarah.
I always start the day with…
a good quality, strong cup of coffee. Then it’s off to walk my crazy rescue dog Dexter – the perfect start to a hectic day!
For me, its savoury all the way…
while I do enjoy sweet treats from time to time, I just love earthy, salty flavours. A bit of cheese, some good bread and perfectly-cured meats and I’m in heaven. One of the reasons I started The Curing House was so I could have access to the best charcuterie and cheese there is and make it accessible to all without a trip to France, Italy or Spain. And it’s great to see just how popular ours has become.
My idea of the perfect brunch is…
our chef’s salt-beef hash with a glass of Beaujolais. On a weekend, a cheeky mimosa or a Bloody Mary. But having the time to enjoy it – that’s the important part.
I’d be lost without my…
Kenwood kMix. It takes all the hard work out of kneading bread – and there’s nothing better than homemade bread, when I get the time!
The perfect fry-up would have…
everything! Bacon, black pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, sausages, brown sauce and toast. I don’t eat one often, but after having one too many the night before, my body feels like it needs vitamins, fat, carbs and protein! Good quality ingredients are important – as is a nap afterwards.
My go-to healthy ingredients are…
tomatoes, peppers, garlic and olive oil- anything Mediterranean really. Their diet has been proven to have significant health benefits so, who am I to disagree. I believe it’s refined sugar that’s bad for us – not fat.
My ultimate naughty treat has to be…
chips, followed by ice cream. I rarely have the time to eat during the day anymore, so after a busy Saturday night service this is my sustenance. I’m normally so hungry by this point, I don’t feel guilty!
Quick and tasty food means…
a good old sandwich! Cheese, cured meats and pickles or tomatoes. Everything the body needs and all my favourite things with no cooking necessary.
I like my eggs…
scrambled with some buttery fried mushrooms. I’ll throw them in the pan with whole milk and a good slab of butter, then whisk until just done. Best of all, my one-year-old daughter loves them too and we share them for breakfast on my day off.
Like many, I’m an avocado fan…
it’s becoming quite the staple these days!
Our brunch menu is stands out because…
everything’s made in-house in our kitchen. We brine and cure meats to make our own bacon and salt beef, we stuff our own sausages and bake our own bread – our aim is to create everything from scratch from the raw materials of meat, fish and vegetables. The only products which we buy in are the artisan dry-cured meats and cheeses because these have been made lovingly by people whose families have been perfecting their craft for generations. And we have carefully selected the best.
I’ve had some of the best meals at…
places like The Clev
eland Tontine, when the McCoy brothers owned it, The Fat Duck in Bray and The Star at Harome, where I had some superb veal. But nothing steak and chips, cooked by my wife. A dish so good, I never order steak at a restaurant.
There isn’t a single food that I can’t say no to…
I just love everything. And I get to try so many different foods these days – all in the name of research, of course!
Local and homemade produce rocks…
you know exactly what goes in it if you’re making it yourself and because local food doesn’t need to travel hundreds or thousands of miles. Eating homegrown produce means supporting our local businesses rather than sending our money to another economy.
The one food I’m trying to give up is…
biscuits!
My favourite brunch dish on our menu is…
our beef burger. We buy our beef on the bone for our steaks, so it includes bits of rump, sirloin and fillet, grind it in-house and bring it to life with our own seasonings. We top it off with good quality British cheese, our own cured pickles and serve with beef dripping chips – delicious!
