1863 is an award-winning two-rosette restaurant with rooms in Pooley Bridge, in Ullswater, Cumbria. It recently launched its new lunchtime tasting menu, so Savour writer Deile Purvis caught up with head chef and business partner, Phil Corrie, to find out more about his inspiration behind the menu.
The new lunchtime tasting menu features 5 courses, can you talk us through what people can expect from the menu …
“We have tried to bring back what a traditional tasting menu offers, such as vegetarian, fish and meat dishes. This is a good format for a lunchtime menu, giving the customer one of each. Lamb being the main, which being in Cumbria, is one of the signature products we use.”
Where do you draw inspiration from when putting together a new menu?
“The landscape. Our dishes evolve over the years, they evolve when we evolve. We started as a bistro six years ago which then moved quickly into this relaxed fine dining format. We have done the dishes you see on the menu in different ways over the years. Also, the village gives us inspiration; with over 2.5 million people visiting Pooley Bridge in summer, it’s important we hit the right clientele with our menu. I also get inspired by things I enjoy cooking, dishes that are very close to my heart and the team’s unity.
What’s your favourite dish on the new lunchtime tasting menu?
“Everyone asks me this (while laughing) I don’t have a favourite dish as such, because you then take your eye off other things.”
Ok then, what would be your go-to dish?
“The dish that brings it together for me is the lemon sole, followed closely by the apple dish. It took a lot of development to bring this to the table. I really enjoy eating the apple dish, as the balance is not overly sweet. The apple is cooked in caramel, whereas the brown butter ice cream almost has the caramel savoury note.”
The new tasting menu features dishes such as Cumbrian lamb, how important is it for you to work with local producers and what’s the produce like here in the Lake District?
“The produce is amazing here, more so than ever. In Cumbria there is a limited number of suppliers therefore, working with local people is important. We like to know where our produce comes from, and you don’t want to lose track of the chain. Food miles also, you must do the best you can for that product to be sustainable. We have a kitchen garden up the road where local growers, Jean and Alan, grow soft fruits and red cabbages, all sorts of things like that for us – and have done for the last six years. Lakeland Dexter is a local company that supplies us with beef and lamb.”
How would you describe your cooking style?
“I would say modern British, but it’s very much produce lead. Our menus can change daily. Not necessarily the whole dish but an element of it, we are tweaking things all the time.”
A lot of chefs left the industry post-Covid – what made you stay?
“I love my job, always have. I’ve enjoyed everywhere I have worked. This is almost home, like my second home. It’s a family-run business and there is no way I would just leave because it’s not just a job to me. I love it, the rest of the team has also been with us for a long period. Everyone is invested in the business.”
What has business been like at 1863 this year? Many people have been overwhelmed with bookings, and staff shortages, how have things been for you?
“1863 is so close to our hearts and we wanted to keep everyone together, we didn’t want people leaving because they couldn’t afford to be out of work. The furlough scheme helped but we managed to top the wages up to 100% and keep everyone by doing our home boxes, which included three courses. We prepared it and you put it together at home. Coming back from Covid we were inundated with bookings; however, we weren’t short-staffed as we had retained everyone – if you look after people they will stay.”
You started cooking at an early age and learnt the basics from your grandma. What was her name and what did you use to cook with her?
“My grandma was called Elise, and it started with Sunday Lunch. I was in charge of the gravy every week, that’s all I was allowed to do. Then onto desserts. I loved it! Then when I was 13, I started as a pot wash, and that’s when I knew this is what I want to do. I just loved cooking, then when I came here to 1863 this is where I refined my style.”
The hospitality industry, as well as other industries, have had it rough after Covid. What would be your advice to youngsters looking to take up a career in this industry?
“The industry is changing, and I think people’s perception is too. It used to be a 70-hour working week with no social life. I think it starts at the top, owners and management have realised that it’s all wrong. I think Covid is the realisation of it, that it was a rubbish lifestyle. So, youngsters now must go in with an open mind and realise you can have a great social life around hospitality. Most of our friends are in hospitality, our weekends are midweek now, you adapt and your life changes round that. I feel if a business gets staff at a young age, you nurture them and help bring them along, then suddenly, they have a career, the path they may not have chosen originally but it’s happened organically – that’s a big thing.”
Outside of business, tell me a little bit more about family life and how you spend your time relaxing.
“I have a wife and two children, Charlie and Arthur. My wife Katie is also in hospitality, working part-time at Granny Dowbekin’s in the village. We enjoy walking and going up fells – we don’t have a lot of time both being in hospitality, but we do like to get out as a family. I also like to do a bit of photography.”
Lastly, tell me three ingredients you can’t live without
“Salt, butter and cream – all the bad ones. With those ingredients, the world is your oyster. You need those ingredients, maybe in smaller quantities.”
For more information or to book 1863 new tasting menu, visit 1863ullswater.co.uk
