Andy Briggs, head chef and co-founder of The Stable, an establishment famous for its local pizza, pies and cider, tells us about what inspired this award-winning concept
As co-founder of The Stable, Andy Briggs opened the UK’s
first pizza, pies and cider venue in the former stable of a Bridport coaching inn run by his brother and sister-in-law in 2009. Six years later The Stable has venues across the West County from Bath, Bristol and Cornwall to Bridport, Poole and Weymouth.
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My first experience of cooking
I watched my Mum and Nan cook from an early age, Mum’s curries were great and Nan made a mean rabbit stew with dumplings. Dad also enjoyed cooking and gave me the idea to become a chef.
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How did you become a chef?
Dad knew a lot of hoteliers and one of them suggested joining the military as a chef, he said ‘you get trained well, paid well and get to travel the world ‘. I joined the Royal Navy when I was 16 and spent five years training and travelling. I then worked all over the world, France, Greece, Cyprus and Australia where I worked in Sydney for 10 years as a chef and had my own cafe.
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What inspired The Stable?
My brother and sister-in-law owned a beautiful 16th-century coaching inn The Bull Hotel in Bridport. At the rear were the old stable and livery buildings. I had just returned from Australia and a decision needed to be made about the buildings. And so The Stable concept was born – to marry great local pizza with great local cider.
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What influences your menus?
Great local produce. When I created the menus I visited local farms and producers to get them on board. Our most popular pizza is ‘The Lamb Roast ‘ - marinated Dorset lamb, fresh mint, roasted onions, Ford Farm goats’ cheddar and mozzarella.
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Who creates the names for the pizzas?
I come up with most of them. It’s a bit of fun with a few puns thrown in. My last pizza special was ‘The Love Me Tender…Loin’. Our creative team designed a pig dressed as Elvis Presley, complete with shades!
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Any favourtie local ingredie!nt?
Ford Farm cheese, they make the fabulous Dorset Smoked Red, Wookey Hole Aged Cheddar, and Billy the Kid goats’ cheddar.
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What’s exciting your tastebuds?
The Smoked ‘Mack’ Daddy - smoked mackerel, topped with a rarebit cheese and cider sauce, English spinach, garlic roasted field mushrooms and mozzarella. We serve it with a wedge of lemon and watercress.
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What would be your perfect supper?
Slow roasted pork belly with heaps of crackling, hot English mustard, roast potatoes and seasonal winter greens.
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Anything new on the menu?
We have a dessert which uses our pizza base with homemade lemon curd, meringue and raspberry coulis. If you have a sweet tooth you should give it a go!
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SAMPLE MENU
Pizzas from £8.50 (gluten free also available)
• The Bucky Doo: Herb roasted potato, Dorset Blue Vinney cheese, roasted Spanish onions, English spinach, fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella
• The Bridport Blaster: Spicy local chopped pork, Dorset Naga chillies, garlic, red onion, fresh basil, mushrooms, fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella
• The Joe Gundry: Jackson‘s smoked mackerel, smoked salmon, marinated spinach,fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella, topped with fresh parsley and lemon
• Billy the Kid: Rosary goats’ cheese, caramelised onions, field mushrooms, fresh spinach, fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella, topped with roasted hazelnuts
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Local handmade pies (all £9.50) - all served with herb roasted potatoes, pickled onion and tomato chutney
• The Steak Out: Beef, stout and horseradish.
• The Lamb Bam Boogie: Lamb, rosemary, garlic potato and honey.
• The Wild Rooster: Chicken, gammon and leek with a thyme crust.
• The Squish Squash: Spiced butternut squash, sweet potato, goats’ cheese, spinach & plum chutney
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Ciders
There are 80+ different varieties of cider available at The Stable including: Southwest Orchards, Ashridge Devon, Lilley’s, Dorset Draft, Cornish Orchards, Jack Ratt Scrumpy, Talbot Harris, West Milton, Ham Hill Early Drop, Lyme Bay Sparkling, Annings Strawberry & Lyme, Perry’s Barn Owl, and Sheppy’s (half pint £2, pint £4, bottles £4.90)
• Cider Tasting Board: Five different 200ml samplers for £7.50
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The Stable is in Bridport, Weymouth, Poole, Bristol, Bath, Fistral Beach and Falmouth. For more details visit stablepizza.com.
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READ ON
• The Stable - Dorset home grown restaurant and cider house serving artisan pizzas, gourmet pies and over 80 types of craft cider, from all across the West Country, established 2009.
• Eating out in Dorset - best restaurants - Whether you’re looking for fine dining, pub food, a romantic meal for 2 or a taste of something from further afield, eating out in Dorset really has something for everyone. Here’s our guide to the best local restaurants and pubs.
