RAF Leeming Excalibur Awards Dinner

On the success of RAF Leemings families day, WO Stag contacted us asking if we would be available to do the catering for their prestigious Excalibur Awards Dinner. The event was to celebrate & champion the achievements of serving and non serving station personnel. They wanted to base us outside of the dinning room that had a large glass front in order for the guests to see our amazing brand of theatre during arrival and dinner service. They requested as much coming from the fire for the guests to see as possible.

This was a great opportunity for us to do a awards dinner service with tight timings to hit between speeches and awards. It would be a new challenge and one we accepted

The forecast for the event was a storm!!! 25-35mph gusts, rain & single digit temperatures. We had too adapt our plan, hence our wet weather plan was born and put to the test.

We bought extra cinder blocks and an extra event shelter & racket strapped the event shelter to the heavy cinder blocks. This gave the fire cage and the 4 lamb frames cover from the rain. The wind tested the plan to its limit but the plan held strong and we were able to cook! With the rain persisting it was important we kept the wood dry so we resorted to carrying the wood in batches from the van rather than storing it close to the fires. This was a long but necessary process. The wind was blowing all the heat away from the meat so we had to position the meat closer the normal to the fire. These were all great learning points and we are confident now we can still produce exceptional food and incredible theatre in the worst of weather.

Starter - SharingBoards

Somerset Camembert -Smoked grapes - Blossom Honey

Whipped Chic Pea -Pink Onion - Smoked Paprika

British Charcuterie -Halkidiki Olives - Toasted Focaccia

The smoked grapes we put on the fire cage on an low fire, spritzing with muscatel vinegar every 20 minutes until they start to shrivel and go sticky. This results in anintense, sweet, sharp, smokey grape that is incredible with the baked British cheese.

We bake the focaccia ourselves, giving it a healthily drizzle of confit garlic, herbs,Extra virgin Olive Oil & Malden sea salt. This results in a rich airy saltcrusted bread that is absolutely to die for!

Mains - Buffet service (table by table)

Authentic Shredded Lamb Al Asador

We finished this with sherry vinegar, fresh mint, tarragon, parsley & some revolution rub! It was by far the best lamb we have ever produced, it came out insane!

Chain Hung Cotswold Chicken - Confit Garlic - Burnt lemon & rosemary

Slow cooked for 4 hours, continually basted, we finished this with Fresh lemon, dill,coriander, parsley, & Miami Mojo rub, confit garlic oil & chardoney vinegar. The end flavour was a deep comforting lightly spiced flavour with fresh lemon and herbs giving an incredible zing!

Coal Fired & Scooped Butternut Squash

Cooked direction the coals, scooped and seasoned with a pumpkin seed dukkha spice, wood fired red peppers, pink onions and fresh herbs.

Beef Pichana

This for me was the star of the show! Cut and skewered in a specific way to ensure that the meat is tender when carving. We marinate it in Black Gold Rub, consisting of activated charcoal, garlic, salt and pepper which gives the meat an incredible black crust.

Cooked fat-side down to render the large fat cap we then turn it and seal all side allowing that fat to season the meat. Once rested we carve and the result is beef that melts in your mouth like butter. It has a smokey, richness that is unrivalled! Incredible! 

Sauces:

• Mint & pink pepper Salsa Verde

• Smoked Garlic & Herb Labneh

• Harissa Honey Sauce

Salads:

• Signature Pink Cabbage & Heritage Carrot Slaw - Toasted Caraway - Dill

•  Maincrop potatoes - Hung Creme Fraiche- Chives