Brisket & Barrel are returning to the Old Fire Station in October to serve their 14 hour (yes 14 hours!) smoked meats and delicious sides. There’s pulled chicken, pork, sausages, beef brisket of course, and even goat on offer plus their stand-out sides – exciting mash and slaw to name just two. If you’re thinking of popping along, don’t be afraid to take the children – the sausages are very popular with little ones I’m told. And now for the competition: Richard and Sam from TOFS are kindly offering a lucky Eat Around Tonbridge follower 2 main courses and a side dish for either 14th or 15th October! This is just over 2 weeks away so plenty of time to get organised for a night out! To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, just answer the following question: October 15th is the anniversary of The Old Fire Station opening its doors and hosting pop-up events. How many years are they celebrating? To enter, comment on the Eat Around Tonbridge Facebook page, reply by tweet on Twitter (@eat_tonbridge) or comment under the blog post on the website. This won’t be posted on Tonbridge mums by me – it’s just for the Eat Around Tonbridge followers! Deadline will be Friday 30th September 10pm; winner chosen at random. Good luck and enter now! p.s. don’t forget to check out the new Eat Around Tonbridge jobs board….new jobs coming soon!
Category: Archive
Jobs…Vacant Positions… Employment around Tonbridge
Welcome to the first job board on the Eat Around Tonbridge website! It’s Monday morning, you’re feeling positive – this is going to be a good week. All of the jobs shown are for immediate start so there’s no time to waste. The vacancies advertised on this page are around Tonbridge and in the hospitality industry. Good luck and don’t forget to mention where you saw the job advertised at interview! If you have any questions about any of the roles shown here, please contact the establishment directly using the contact details provided. If you would like to advertise, please email reviewer@eataroundtonbridge.com for further information. Havet, Tonbridge High Street Job: Barman/Mixologist – Looking for someone to join our vibrant team at the weekends. Must have a basic level of experience in cocktails.Salary: CompetitiveHours: Part-timeStart: ASAPContact: Serhan or Corey on 01732 387387 or email havetrecruitment@outlook.com Job: Kitchen work – Looking for someone to join our vibrant team at the weekends. Must have experience in Mediterranean food.Salary: CompetitiveHours: 10.30am-midnight; Part-time roles available too.Start: ASAPContact: Serhan or Corey on 01732 387387 or email havetrecruitment@outlook.com The Plough, Leigh Job: Wedding day team members – Looking for enthusiastic, energetic people with keen attention to detail to help set-up & deliver our dream weddings.Salary: £8-£10/hour + TipsHours: Part-time, flexibleContact: Send your CV to Mike & Hazel, info@theploughatleigh.com or call in to the pub itself for an application form. · Graze, Tonbridge High Street Job: Bar positions – Experienced bar staff required for working in a busy bar; good knowledge of cocktail making required.Salary: £6-£8.50/hour dependent on experienceHours: Vary depending on shiftStart: ASAPContact: Email trevor@graze-kitchen.com with your CV. Job: Weekend wait staff – waiting staff required for this busy restaurantSalary: £5-£7/hour + Tips dependent on experienceHours: 8-10 hour shiftsStart Date: ASAPContact: Email trevor@graze-kitchen.com with your CV. If you have any feedback on this page, please contact me: comment below, comment on my Facebook page, Tweet me @eat_tonbridge or email me reviewer@eataroundtonbridge.com.
News: New places, new nights…Tonbridge continues to change…
Recently, I’ve been catching up with some of the owners and managers of our local Tonbridge eating places and wanted to share with you what I’ve learnt about our evolving & exciting eating scene…get your diaries out, there’s lots going on! The Old Fire Station will continue to bring great chefs to Tonbridge and some are starting to come back to serve us second helpings including Tonbridge’s own Gurkha Planet & Sulston’s Kitchen (brunch weekends) as well as Brisket & Barrell (14th & 15th October – no ticket required) & Ben Spalding (7th & 8th October). Ben tells me that the menu will be revealed on the night but “expect 14 servings of delicious, playful & well-balanced cooking with maximum vibes!” They’re also doing their bit for charity by hosting pizza nights in their courtyard 7th & 8th October. All you need do is buy a drink and then the pizza is as much as you want to donate to ‘Tonbridge Calling’ – a great cause. There’s so much going on at TOFS over the coming weeks and months that I can’t write about it all! I heartily recommend following TOFS on Facebook so that you can be one of the first to hear about these fantastic events and something very exciting that they have planned towards the end of the year! Sadly my lips are sealed but it’ll be worth it… The Bakehouse at 124 is diversifying, bringing us pizza nights and chef Dan Hatton in this lovely old setting. The pizza nights are with Mission Pizza, “trying to save the planet one pizza at a time”, 7th & 8th October. Dan Hatton, a purveyor of fine foods at his store and café in the Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, as well as Michelin starred chef, generously gave his time and efforts to TOFS’ Empty Bowls event back in May. The soup that he served was amazing (read about it here), so if that one bowl of soup is anything to go by, these should be great nights! (Dates for all events are at the bottom of this page). Little tidbits of info… The Slug & Lettuce is set to change: it will become a Town Pub & Kitchen. On the group’s website the images of other TPKs, as they’re called, look promising, quite Graze-esque. Dates are still to be finalised so watch this space. Fuggles, the beer café that started in Tunbridge Wells, has planning permission to change the use of its premises and it’s now just waiting for the alcohol licence to be agreed by the council. The Chequers is ‘under new management’ but what the future holds for the oldest building in Tonbridge, we’re not quite sure. The rumour was that Sankey’s, the fish & seafood restaurant currently found in Tunbridge Wells, was going to take over but they tell me that’s not the case… If you missed my previous post on Facebook, our Thai restaurant, just across from The Chequers, Gaab Kao is now delivering. I know lots of you love it in there and love the takeaways – now you don’t have to leave the house! 01732 358730 Eat Around Tonbridge is launching a jobs board for the hospitality/food industry. There are many seasonal jobs being advertised in the town and you will now be able to find these all in one place. We’re aiming to go live with that next week so watch your feeds and share the Facebook page, tweets and website itself to spread the word and maybe earn some extra cash for Christmas. Lots going on! Surely there’s something for everyone on the High Street these days…but I’m sure it’s going to get even better! Keep liking and sharing my Eat Around Tonbridge Facebook posts, Tweets (@eat_tonbridge) and the website so that you can stay right up to date with news, openings, offers and competitions. Key dates & details 7th & 8th OctoberOld Fire Station – Chef Ben Spalding – if you’d like to book, tickets are £65 for 14 courses and can be booked by emailing Ben directly Ben@benspalding.co.ukOld Fire Station – Tonbridge Calling pizza fundraiserThe Bakehouse at 124 – Mission PizzaCall 01732 360382 14th & 15th OctoberOld Fire Station – Brisket & Barrell – no ticket requiredThe Bakehouse – chef Dan Hatton 18th, 19th November, 16th & 17th DecemberThe Bakehouse – chef Dan Hatton Eat Reviewer
*** COMPETITION TIME *** Wrapper’s Delight
Ben Sulston is the grandmaster of healthy food in Tonbridge at Sulston’s Kitchen. He’s not happy to sit on his laurels though – his new healthy takeaway shop on Quarry Parade has only been part of our lives since June (feels like longer doesn’t it?), he’s launched his cookery classes (details below) and now he’s moving onto his next venture. Ben and his friend and former colleague, Rob Dant, are collaborating, bringing Tonbridge its very own street food – Bez & Kho wraps. Khobez is a Mediterranean bread that’s similar to a tortilla (that you’d use in a Mexican fajita) but more substantial. Rob describes himself as a ‘food tourist’, always trying a wide variety of local food wherever he goes in the world and the culinary duo want this to be reflected in the wraps, “…an artist sees a pallet of colours, we see a pallet of flavours and want to draw from them all, mix them up…” The result it some, quite frankly, mouth-watering taste combinations, such as whole roast pulled chicken with lemon & harissa, caramelized onion humus, herb tabbouleh, flame roast peppers & sesame & miso glazed pork, apple slaw, red chicory, truffle mayo, pickled shitake (veggie options are available). I found those difficult to type – sound too good. The chefs, with 30 years’ experience between them, are keen to take any ‘elitism’ out of food, “Why can’t food for everyone, street food, have the same integrity as Michelin quality food?” asks Rob. The wraps will be thoughtfully crafted using quality produce from local suppliers where possible (Ian Chatfield for example) plus their secret recipe hot sauce. Sam & Richard at The Old Fire Station frequently introduce Tonbridge to new culinary experiences and this is no exception: they are helping the guys launch this addition to the Tonbridge eating scene this weekend. On the evenings of Friday 19th & Saturday 20th August, as well as the bar being open at TOFS, food will be provided by Bez & Kho. The wraps or khobez (£6) will be served open, piled high with their tempting fillings, and can be accompanied by some tantalising sides (£3)such as roast sprouting broccoli with garlic, chilli & parmesan, and curried roast cauliflower. These events really are a showcase of Tonbridge foodie entrepreneurs as Favola, the new ice cream parlour, are providing a yoghurt ice cream for dessert, served with Jamaican ginger cake and roasted pineapple (£4). Saturday 20th August 9am-2pm is the open brunch event at TOFS – Sulston’s Kitchen is at the helm and alongside its own healthy menu, wraps will be available too. And then, if you still haven’t sampled the wraps, Sulston’s Kitchen is officially launching the wraps on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August 10am at their HQ on Quarry Parade. Plenty of opportunities to try our very own street food. The Tonbridge eating scene continues to evolve and delight our taste buds. *** Competition *** For a chance to win a meal for two (two wraps + 2 sides) on your preferred evening of Friday or Saturday night, answer the following question: Which artist is behind the 1979 rap classic ‘Rapper’s Delight’? You can answer as a comment on my Facebook page or blog page, or send me a tweet @eat_tonbridge. The deadline is 10pm on Thursday 18th August and the winner will be chosen at random & announced Friday morning. Enter now! And if you don’t win, why not go along anyway this weekend to try something unique? Sulston’s Kitchen cookery classes – 3rd September, 1st October. To sign up email Ben at sulstonskitchen@gmail.com. @sulstonskitchen @bez_and_kho @FireStationTN
Final Push – Kent Life & Kent on Sunday Food & Drink Awards
The deadline for the Kent Life & Kent on Sunday Food & Drink Awards is this coming Sunday 7 August. It would be great for Tonbridge to receive some recognition for its great gastronomic leaps but that requires nominations from YOU! If you need inspiration, all my previous blogs can be found on the Eat Around Tonbridge website. The posts relating to these awards are: Café of the Year Newcomer of the Year Independent Food or Drink Retailer of the Year / Food Producer of the Year To nominate, click here. It really does take just 5 minutes. Thank you in advance from me and your local foodie places! Eat Reviewer p.s. remember to add a comment to your nomination!
Ticking a lot of boxes – The Bakehouse at 124, Tonbridge
The deadline to nominate for the Kent Life & Kent on Sunday Food & Drink Awards is looming – 7 August. So far I’ve covered the categories ‘Newcomer of the Year’ and ‘Café of the Year’ as Tonbridge has plenty of potential nominees for these categories. On or around Tonbridge High Street we have some lovely independent shops doing their bit to promote food & drink too. ‘Gorgeous George’ sells wines & spirits and would be eligible for ‘Independent Food or Drink Retailer of the Year’, as would Ian Chatfield The Butchers, a reliable & very friendly source of good quality meat with its accompanying deli counter. Next year, we may be nominating Favola, the new artisan ice cream parlour. This week I’d like to highlight a venue that is eligible for both ‘Independent Food or Drink Retailer’ and ‘Food Producer’, as well as ‘Café of the Year’ & the newcomer award – quite a feat: The Bakehouse at 124. The owner, Clare, & her team would love to win an award from Kent Life & Kent on Sunday, “Kent Life covers the whole county…to win an award is amazing customer feedback.” The story behind The Bakehouse is about a passion for food and in particular food education: Clare is allergic to many foods and she found it frustrating when staff didn’t know the origins or the ingredients of the food they were serving. Educating others about food was important to Clare but she decided to focus on herself first, training as an artisan baker. 124 High Street, a bakery in the first half of the 1900s, is one of the oldest buildings in Tonbridge & listed. Its size lends itself well to the café and open kitchens. Clare has lovingly restored it, maintaining the quirks of a building with history. Education comes in the shape of a ‘viewing bench’ for anyone who wants to watch the bakers kneading away; a little bit of calm is available on sofas upstairs; and tranquility can be found with a view of the castle outside in the walled garden. So what is ‘artisan’ bakery, and what makes it different from what I might try at home after watching ‘The Great British Bake Off’? “Artisan means that you are making a product from start to finish, using the best ingredients and making it in its simplest form, be it ice cream, chocolate, bread etc….,” says Clare, “At The Bakehouse we use flour, water & salt, we don’t even use yeast in most of our breads as we use sour dough.” Clare’s training means that she understands the science behind the bake and also the results achieved by using different flours. Artisan is different to ‘craft’ bakery and, of course, a world away from the sliced loaf you buy at the supermarket. The Bakehouse is a café offering a wide variety of artisan baked goods to suit appetites from breakfast to afternoon tea & cake, & it sells its on-site baked loaves too – there’s a ‘loaf timetable’ so that customers know when their favourites are available. We discussed that bread often gets a bad press, people thinking that bread doesn’t ‘agree’ with them but, Clare explains that she has converted quite a few customers. I have tried in the past to make bread by hand, inspired by Mr Hollywood and the GBBO contestants but have failed miserably. I like to know the origins of my food and to be able to see it being made in front of my very eyes, certainly ticks that box. Clare has converted me. If you’d like to nominate The Bakehouse or anywhere else in Kent (preferably Tonbridge!), you can do so here.