J'AIME OCTOBER 2021

THOM IS CHEF PATRON OF THE
FLINTLOCK IN CHEDDLETON
“Staffordshire cheese is exceptional - it’s like cheddar,
but better!” he insists. “We use it a lot and we
hope to help promote it at the show. Likewise, the
attention to detail that the Brewery put into making
their range of beers lends them to so many uses aside
from the obvious.”
Thom has risen to social media fame in recent
years through his popular Instagram account @
chefthombateman (previously @bboxfood). It
opened the door for him to work with comedian Jack
Whitehall and FoodSlut on Taste of London, about
which he says: “The exposure that’s given me has
been great and it brings people to the restaurant who
perhaps wouldn’t have known about it otherwise.”
More recently, he has appeared at Tom Kerridge’s
Pub in the Park at Marlow, an opportunity he
believes was made possible by his enthusiastic social
media following.
Meanwhile back at The Flintlock,
preparations for the festive season are
well under way, with Christmas and New
Year menus being finalised as we speak.
“If I favoured a season it would be
autumn or winter, definitely,” Thom
adds. “There are elderberries and
blackberries around at the moment, and
we’re coming into game season with all
that lovely venison, grouse, partridge, and
so on. I’m a bit obsessed with Jerusalem
artichokes - you can get them from
abroad already but we don’t do that, so
I’m looking forward to their UK season.”
So, what can visitors expect to see from
Thom when he cooks on the Eat + Drink
Staffordshire stage?
“I don’t do pedestrian! I bring
something different wherever
I go. The decision about what
to make will be left fairly late
to facilitate that process. It’s
not going to be a dish we make
a thousand times a week at
The Flintlock. It becomes a
more authentic experience
then - the audience will see
‘me’ a bit more. I’ll probably
forage some bits and bobs.
For Pub in the Park I foraged
some elderberries along the
canal, which left me with a few
scratches!”
Showcasing what the county
and its chefs have to offer is
what Thom is looking forward to most, although
there is a well-known face he would love to see.
“Even if Marco Pierre White told me off for
something, I’d be happy,” he jokes. “Meeting famous
chefs is grand, but watching people’s reactions and
seeing their enjoyment of what you’re doing is much
more valuable.”
Online ticket sales for Love Cheese Live closed on
30 September. Tickets are available on the door
priced at £20 for adults, while under 16s go free.
Tickets for demonstrations by Marco Pierre White,
Matt Tebbutt, James Martin and Michel Roux Jr are
just £5. Many more chefs and experts - including
Thom - will be cooking on both Friday and Saturday
with no booking needed. For more information, visit
www.lovecheeselive.co.uk
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