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At the age of 18 Ian decided to go to college to train as a chef. He always had an interest in catering as his mother ran a hotel near Boroughbridge.
Ian went to Craven College in Skipton completing a two year catering course. He began working at Pool Court as well as various establishments in and around Harrogate often doing two or three jobs at a time. He worked with Chris Cope at the Tannin Level for many years who became one of Ian’s biggest influences. Ian then started his own business 15 years ago, Kings Catering, doing work for friends and family but it finally took off when he produced a dinner at the Pavilions of Harrogate back in 1996 when they first opened. They were so impressed they asked him if he would become one of their caterers. Kings Catering has been the only in house caterer there for the last 10 years, of which they should be very proud.
As Pavilions of Harrogate grew so did Kings Catering. Ian’s wife was a company accountant for Honda in Harrogate but soon joined Ian in the year 2000 as a strong leader out front was needed. Since then they have gone from strength to strength and we were very proud to present Ian with the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Award, Chef of the Year 2011, in May. A great achievement and very well deserved.
Ian sources only the best local produce at Kings Catering and continues to find and use products that are really interesting and inspirational.
Ian’s cut of the month is duck leg. Here is a simple recipe which Ian loves at home in winter with some leek and potato gratin or in summer with a salad.
Confit of Duck
Recipe serves 4
Place 4 Yorkshire duck legs on a plastic tray sprinkle with sea salt (2 tablespoons) and a couple of roughly chopped sprigs of thyme. Cover with cling film & place in the bottom of the fridge for 24 hours.
Pre heat oven to gas Mark 5.
Place the duck in an oven proof dish with a lid and add a roughly chopped onion, a medium carrot chopped, 4 cloves of garlic (crushed), a good pinch of sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and half a glass of white wine.
You can add extra duck fat at this stage but with so many people on diets these days I do not feel it's that important as we are going to eat it straight away and not leave it in the fat for weeks like the French do to preserve the duck. Just add some water until the legs are almost covered.
Cook for about 2 ½ hours
Let the ducks go cold in the cooking juice
Then to reheat take out of cooking juice place on a tray in a hot oven, gas mark 8, sprinkle a little sea salt on and reheat. Serve with a nice salad in summer with some raspberry vinegar from Womersley Foods or in winter with some leek and potato gratin.
You can make a sauce with the cooking juices. Sauté a couple of banana shallots in some butter, add some red wine, and reduce. To season, the sauce may need a little chicken stock and thicken slightly with your desired method. Simmer for a few more minutes and serve.
