Japanese fusion food, fabulous flavours and a sophisticated dining experience were the order of the day at the Cheshire Life Women in Business Luncheon at Hale Country Club
Scott Gavin’s love affair with food started as a boy. It was while working with his dad, Roy, when he was just 12-years-old that his enthusiasm for becoming a chef was first ignited. But just two years ago, after working at prestigious hotels and restaurants including at Manchester’s Radisson Blu Edwardian and The Lowry Hotel, the now 35-year old executive chef at Fuzen at Hale Country Club, was able to indulge his true passion – fusion food.
He said: ‘I got my first taste of fusion food at The Lowry. I love Japanese fusion food. It excites me. That was a big draw for me coming to Hale Country Club because this type of food along with a small plate and sharing idea was part of the concept.
‘We use big, bold flavours. It is rockstar sushi and meals with relaxed yet fine dining. It’s something we’re very proud of and we want to make an impression.’
Scott and his team have certainly done that. Since Hale Country Club opened just over two years ago, following a £15 million investment from owners and brothers Andrew and Stuart Taylor, Fuzen’s reputation has grown.
The club attracts members including footballers and Coronation Street stars. It has a state-of-the-art spa, a relaxation pool overlooking the Cheshire countryside and a cinema room where you can exercise and catch up on your favourite movies or watch big sporting events – World Cup matches and Wimbledon were screened here.
And Scott and the Fuzen team have definitely followed suit in providing and extraordinary service and, most importantly, food that gets people talking.
They did not disappoint for the Cheshire Life Women in Business Luncheon.
Glasses of Louis Roederer champagne served in the country club’s pretty grounds with canapés of tuna carpaccio, lobster and mango sushi rolls and goats’ cheese and asparagus tarts set the scene for a spectacular dining experience.
Scott’s luncheon menu was perfectly executed and provided a real talking point as well as being healthy to match the restaurant’s surroundings. Bold, well combined flavours and dishes prepared with flair quickly impressed the diners at this ladies luncheon which took place in the restaurant’s elegant and sophisticated surroundings.
The starter – a mouth-watering dragonfly sushi roll, wrapped in lemon sole and served with delicately spiced carb – left no doubts as to the skills of the kitchen team at Fuzen. Our second dish brought divine salmon, lobster and tiger prawn dumplings with a lemongrass bisque and the third dish kept up the pace with a steamed fillet of cod with broccoli tips, tempura flakes and nori with a smooth carrot and orange butter sauce; a real hit.
Pudding was a rich chocolate peanut butter brownie with salted caramel ice cream. Although not quite as health conscious as the previous dishes, it provided the perfect finish to a fantastic culinary experience.
To start:
Dragonfly sushi roll: tuna reverse roll, wrapped in lemon sole, bakes with spiced crab
To continue:
Salmon, lobster and tiger prawn dumplings and lemongrass bisque
Steamed fillet of cod with broccoli tips, tempura flakes and nori with a carrot and orange butter sauce
To finish
Chocolate peanut butter brownie with salted caramel ice cream
Details
Fuzen Restaurant, Hale Country Club, Clay Lane, Hale, WA15 7AF, 0161 904 5931, www.fuzen.co.uk.
