New Head Chef at Earl of March Pub 24 December, 2008

 

New head chef at Earl of March pub

Mathias Thumshirn has joined Giles Thompson, executive head chef of the Earl of March pub, as head chef in charge of four chefs for the 55 seater restaurant and pub overlooking the South Downs at Lavant, near Chichester on the West Sussex-Hampshire border.

 ‘I am delighted to be joining Giles again,’ Mathias says. ‘We worked together when Giles was executive head chef of the Ritz and then with the Admirable Crichton Catering Company for the V-Day 50th anniversary party at Buckingham Palace.’ Both chefs also paired up for the Queen’s 80th Birthday Party at Mansion House, London.

 ‘The pub is a fantastic platform to cook unpretentious honest food with quality ingredients from the area including game for the Game Shack, part of the business set up in the adjacent 16th century Old Bake House which Giles launched recently.’

Mathias, 32, from Bavaria, trained in Germany before landing a job at the Ritz Hotel, London, joined Giles in October and is getting to know local suppliers of game, fish and meat. ‘It’s all part of the journey to talk to them about different cuts of meat, locating wild mushrooms and duck’s eggs, our game birds from local West Sussex shoots, the pheasant dish with risotto cake and sage butter sauce literally flying out the door.’

The seasonal menu includes a game terrine with field mushrooms and pistachio, truffled game broth with roast quail breast, New forest venison with roasted root vegetables and Sussex beef with rosti potatoes. ‘We’re also keen to promote local fish,’ Selsey crab, Solent fish, mussels in cider cream and halibut found on the menu alongside salads, baguettes, hand cut chips, Sussex ham and fried duck eggs.

‘I am looking forward to my first Sussex Christmas cooking local turkey with all the trimmings,’ Mathias adds, New Years’ Eve’s party fully endorsing the Earl of March pub’s proximity to Goodwood with Goodwood Fireworks and hot toddies in the garden after the Gala Dinner.

‘It’s a great privilege to be a chef working in Sussex alongside Giles, a most exciting time as there is so much excellent produce around, getting lovely responses from customers just what we’re aiming for.’