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The Bell Inn, Horndon on the Hill

Head Chef, The Bell Inn, Horndon on the Hill

The Bell Inn, Horndon on the Hill

Head Chef Stuart Fay, who has worked alongside the family at The Bell Inn for 7 of those years, thrives on the daily challenges of providing the highest quality ingredients and an ever varied menu for his customers.

Catering for an average of 100 covers a day, Stuart’s task is to constantly exceed the high expectations of his customers by creating mouth watering dishes.

This is not an easy task, but Stuart, alongside his dedicated team, rises to the challenge by combining carefully sourced local produce with other high quality ingredients such as Tilda rice. This allows his creative flair to flourish in the kitchen:

“It’s important to me as a chef that I work with good produce, as it gives me freedom to experiment, safe in the knowledge that the ingredients will always perform well. Tilda’s range of rice in particular has always allowed me to do this – they are fantastic to cook with and have great flavour!”

A key aim for Stuart has always been to ensure that The Bell Inn’s menu features quality fresh dishes, reflective of the season, to keep his customers happy and coming back for more.

“Tilda’s rice provides a wonderful base for a massive variety of dishes as it is so versatile and carries flavours really well. We have found that Tilda Easy Cook Basmati & Wild in particular is going down very well with our customers at the moment. We’re currently using it in our Pan-fried sea bass on smoked salmon, with a Basmati & Wild rice parcel recipe, which honestly tastes as good as it looks!”

Another classic dish which is a staple on The Bell Inn’s menu is risotto. Stuart’s innovative take on this traditional Italian dish, in his Sautéed diver scallop, broad bean and pea risotto recipe, shows real flair and his superb attention to detail.

“You cannot beat Tilda’s Arborio Rice – it really stands out from its competitors in terms of quality.” Stuart concludes, “I’m a true believer that a good product will speak for itself and with Tilda it does just that.”

STUART’S TOP TIPS…

Always use good quality ingredients in your cooking – it may seem obvious but it really will make all the difference to the end result.

Experiment with rice – Tilda’s range is a great base for a multitude of dishes and allows you to try new things.

A seasonal risotto using Tilda Arborio Risotto rice always goes down well with our customers. Try my Sautéed diver scallop, broad bean and pea risotto recipe to add a real wow factor to your menu!