EATING OUT: Who's in the Kitchen
Hannah Crocker speaks to Rikki McCowen, the new head chef at the Royal Oak, Bishopstone
Tucked away off the beaten track in Bishopstone, the Royal Oak is the only place within 10 miles of Swindon on the Good Food Guide 2013, and it’s definitely one to visit – indeed, when Giles Coren visited last month he raved about the place in his Sunday Times column.
Having started at the Royal Oak on 01 July, Rikki McCowen was just getting underway as Head Chef when Coren visited – taking over from Barny Haughton, who Coren hailed as the ‘organic food hero of the West Country.’
Surely quite a lot to live up to? However, Rikki remains quite blasé about the whole affair: “I don’t really think about that sort of thing to be honest,” he admits.
At just 29, Rikki already has a wealth of experience behind him. Having trained and worked in Ireland, he went on to work at an ethical bistro in Edinburgh and spent several months in France.
After spending five months in India at the beginning of the year, Rikki found himself at the Royal Oak when he returned to the UK. “It really falls in line with my ethos,” he says.
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Good Food Guide 2013:
Swindon's only entry |
“I like the fact that we barter for fruit and vegetables. A lot of the produce comes off our farms, especially in terms of pork, beef and veal, which is brilliant. I’d say at the moment probably about 95% of our produce is British.
“We’ve got some dishes which are essentially very traditional French or Italian, even some American influences, but all the produce is sourced locally which is fantastic.”
Having been Head Chef for nearly two months now, Rikki is still working on putting his own stamp on the pub. “There are certain things that have stayed the same, but the menu’s heading in a very different direction,” he says.
“At the end of the day it’s a pub, and people treat it like a pub – so they expect ribs, and burgers. But then, we’ve got this amazing produce, and I want to show it off to its best possibility.”
So posh pub-grub, then? “I wouldn’t really like to label it,” says Rikki, somewhat hesitantly.
“There are certain things that we do which are definitely in line with the pub, but then there’s stuff that we do that’s more in the style of a bistro or a restaurant.”
“I don’t think I’m quite there in getting the style down. But part of being a chef is to adapt what you do to fit the place. The Royal Oak has a very definite vibe, and it’s about finding the balance for this place. But I think we’re getting there slowly – it’s got quite a lot of variety, it’s quite eclectic sometimes – but really good.”
Good Food Guide Review
"A free Land Rover taxi service, live blues gigs, Arkell's ales and bartering deals on fruit and veg... just some of the prime assets at this cheerily revitalised pub-cum-B&B."
"Helen Browning is one of England's organic pioneers, and produce from her showpiece Eastbrook Farm is the star turn on the menu. Steak pies and cracking burgers get tops marks, but the daily menu covers a lot of ground: from seared pigeon breast with home-pickled beetroot salad to roast squash and chickpea fritters with spicy dips, via soused herrings with horseradish créme fraiche, or roast gurnard fillets on saffron potatoes with fennel, curry & mussel broth."
"For afters, try one of the buffalo-milk ice creams. A zesty little organic wine list starts at £19.50."
To purchase your own copy of the Good Food Guide 2013, head to Waterstone's in the Brunel Shopping Centre.
For more information, please visit the Royal Oak website via the link below.
Royal Oak, Bishopstone
