Worthing Lifestyle Sep - Oct 2021

celebrate The new normal? the
harvest season
Jean de Rien, Chef Patron at The Dining Room
restaurant in Worthing talks to us about his experiences
It’s
during
no coincidence
the recent lockdown
that most
and
UK
how things are getting
back to normal… albeit a new normal...
food festivals take place at this time
of year, the harvest season. Fruit,
How did you react to the news that restaurants should be
avoided, and then the instruction to close your doors?
vegetables My wife and I were and on holiday meat for a are short break at their when we best heard,
but we immediately started making plans on how we could
and “pivot” should and change rightly the ways we be operate celebrated.
to make sure we got
through it all. Because of the different facets of our business –
from cake sales to fine dining and everything in between – we
Both have confirmed always been foodies flexible and and the happy curious to try will new congregate things. to seek
out the latest tastes and flavours from local food and drink
producers, What did you and do? watch chefs demonstrate some new dishes to
give We switched them the to inspiration home delivery they need. straight away with a range of
ready meals, afternoon teas and a full 3-course meal that came
Food with instructions festivals can on be how a real to reheat mix of it, really assemble local products the dish and
cuisines present it. from All far, three far offers away seemed – with delicious to go down seasonal well with produce our
like existing locally-grown customers tomatoes and some or new plums ones right too! next to a stall selling
street food dishes from South-East Asia. One common factor is
the Then passion came that re-opening the stallholders in July – have how for did what that they go? do – you’ll
We opted to stay with home deliveries in early July… seeing how
“Both other restaurants confirmed and eateries foodies coped with and the restrictions the on
social distancing and other safety measures. We tweaked a few
curious things and then will opened congregate 17th July, deciding to seek to “go out big” the with
latest a 9-course tastes tasting menu and that flavours paid homage from to our local lock-down food
experiences – dishes like a “store cupboard experiment” of tuna,
and mushrooms, drink pasta producers, and popcorn, and and a rainbow watch dessert chefs called
“Thank You NHS”.
demonstrate some new dishes to give
them And since the then? inspiration they need.”
It’s been interesting, looking at lower numbers of tables and
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customers, and making
sure that both they and our
staff feel safe during their
dining experience. Our notouch
hand sanitisers have
been popular and although
our staff wear masks,
see we’ve it in managed the care to they keep take over the food and how they talk
about the friendly how they and intimate got started atmosphere and why. in the restaurant. We still
offer home deliveries on Tuesdays for those people who remain
We nervous ourselves about regularly going out attend to eat… festivals and the with “Eat our Out street To food Help stalls
The Out” Outside scheme Dining August Room, worked where well you in getting can find people Middle-Eastern to dine in,
dishes bringing like us chicken a new audience. shawarma, Sadly, kofte the and issue falafel, of customer and Vice “no
Puddings shows” persists, for artisan even cakes, in these brownies tough times. and sweet treats.
What’s happening here in the Worthing area? Check out the
following The real benefit events: of only having 12 to 16 covers now is that our
guests feel special and I get chance to come out of the kitchen
• to chat East with Preston them… Food from & a Drink distance Festival of course! 28th August I’ve even 12pmmanaged
5pm to Village reintroduce Green, some East songs Prestonfrom the Singing Chef.
• Sundowners on Tour (Street Food) 3rd September 5pm-
Have 9pm there Mayflower been any Park, silver Angmering linings the crisis?
• Lock-down Worthing brought Food communities & Drink Festival and 11th neighbours & 12th September closer
together 10am-5pm and I think Steyne that we Gardens, played Worthing our part in that, offering
doorstep deliveries of good food. It also gave me time to rework
And my approach that’s just to for menus, starters… with there new ingredients are plenty of and other cooking events
to techniques, find by looking as well online. as recording So go explore some live and demonstration
find the culinary
treasures videos. I have waiting to for say you that at it the has festivals! been great to finally see my
food back on plates rather than just delivery boxes!
In terms of masks, we’ve always been ahead of the curve, so…
Venture out for some
Amazing, award-winning and unique dining experiences, from midweek
menus to fine dining and tasting menus, from brunch to private venue
hire - we’ve got it all, including a singing chef, and all for less than you
might think…
01903 204194
www.the-dining-room.co.uk
info@the-dining-room.co.uk
14 Crescent Road
Worthing BN11 1RL
16 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk