PHILIP ALCOCK REVS UP MENUS AT MEDEOhilip Alcock revs up menus at Medeo

The Palazzo hotel at Montecasino in Johannesburg has undergone a refurbishment. Its menus have also been invigorated by the attentions of new executive chef Philip Alcock. Susan Reynard reports.

	The Medeo restaurant has been revamped and Philip Alcock was involved with setting the standards for table appointments.

Philip Alcock is a no-nonsense chef who has worked with the biggest names in the business. Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc are just two of his mentors.

lcock believes training is essential and looks at product knowledge as well as techniques. By his own admission he is an energetic chef, used to working 18-hour days in European kitchens. The new menu showcases traditional dishes, including antipasti, risotto Milanese, ossobuco and a range of gelato. It also features dishes Alcock calls “safety nets”, such as fish and chips. Other favourites are pan-fried calves liver, wild mushroom and truffle pasta, cherry tomato gazpacho and Amarula bread and butter pudding. The range showcases what the chefs can produce without compromising on quality during busy peak periods.

Eating trends have changed. People want something they can relate to on the menu. They don’t want to be disappointed or overly surprised. I focus on simple, well presented and well flavoured dishes,” explains Alcock. When devising a new menu, Alcock says he looks at the clientele expected in the hotel at different times of the day and different days of the week. Business guests during the week tend to prefer something plain and home-styled. On weekends one can offer something
more extravagant.

Philip Alcock calls his style of cuisine, honed by working in the UK, France and South Africa, “modern African cuisine with French accents and culinary techniques”. He respects the natural flavours and textures of fresh ingredients and looks to highlight these in his classically prepared cuisine.

Particular attention has been paid to the new breakfast buffet, from range of offering to creativity of presentation. Alcock has broken down every section of the buffet into detailed lists of what must be on display. A hotel breakfast is often the highlight of a guest’s day, but it must live up to the luxury image of the hotel and the prices charged. At the Palazzo, the continental selection alone includes a wide range of juices and fruit juiced to order, seasonal and exotic fruit displays, poached fruit, speciality fruit dishes, yoghurts and coulis, cereals, local and imported cold cuts and cheeses, speciality breads and pastries and a variety of interesting condiments.

Add to this a range of English breakfast dishes and an a la carte selection. The layout has also been carefully thought out to fill the space available for maximum guest flow and freshness. Interactive serving stations ensure chefs are on hand to engage guests, prepare fresh dishes and keep displays at maximum appeal. “We want guests to walk out satisfied and to rave about the hotel,” Alcock says. Maintaining strict food costs are now a key consideration across the hospitality industry and essential to profitability, even at five-star hotels. “You get a lot of young chefs who jump up the ladder quickly but lack overall experience. You have to be good at managing people, hygiene and food costs as well. People need to be educated along the way,” he maintains.

For a hotel’s potential to be achieved, it’s all down to training. If you want your hotel restaurant to stand out, you must put in the time with staff.” Alcock also works closely with suppliers. A good relationship with suppliers means always being on top of what’s new, what’s good and at its best and which dishes can be successfully sustained for at least three months at a time.

It also helps to get as much information as possible on forecast price increases.