TWO young chefs are proving to be a formidable team, after winning a prestigious industry award for Brown?s Hotel and Brasserie in Tavistock. Judges from ?Les Routiers? in Britain named Brown?s the Local Food Supporter of the Year 2005 for the South West, an accolade set to help Tavistock?s efforts in becoming the Best Food Town in the Westcountry. And the same week the business in West Street gained a silver award from the English Tourist Board with its four star rating. The restaurant beat off strong competition from the cream of the region?s restaurants to take the Les Routiers accolade and 26-year-old head chef David Jenkins, who took on the role from John McGeever two months ago, and sous chef John Hooker, 24, could not be more delighted. ?It is brilliant for us to get a Les Routiers award, especially one for the use of local produce which is what we pride ourselves on,? said David. ?To be recognised by a national body like this is great. ?We did not expect anything ? we had an anonymous inspection which came about through feedback from customers ? and the next we heard we had won. It is a really big boost for us two months into the job to know we are doing OK.? They will travel to London next month for a special awards ceremony, which will also see the launch of the Les Routiers British hotels and restaurants and pubs and inns guides. David and John worked with John McGeever over the last two years as the hotel has been building its reputation as a top class restaurant. ?We worked with John to build it up and he was very keen for us to take over when he left and we wanted to,? added David. ?He felt he was leaving it in capable hands.? Both chefs, who have spent seven years in the business, trained at the Plymouth College of Further Education and John worked at the Arundell Arms, David at The Bedford Hotel. They head a team of young chefs and front of house staff who are all ?singing from the same hymn sheet.? ?We are passionate about food and to us the key is local ingredients ? we only use asparagus when we can get it locally in season, we buy our meat from Downings the butchers in Tavistock and our vegetables are from Rose Cottage in Bere Alston,? said John. ?The customers can taste the difference.? Both young men were recently involved in the Tavistock Food Festival and have a good relationship with other award winning local restaurants like the Horn of Plenty at Gulworthy and Gidleigh Park at Chagford. They said the area was really gaining a good reputation for its eating establishments and attracting a new breed of tourists for that reason. John Taylor from Tavistock Forward who is leading the drive to make Tavistock the best food town in the South West said the success of Browns was a feather in the cap for the town: ?The staff have worked very hard and deserve this award ? it is fantastic news and will really help the campaign.?
