Adam Purnell AKA Shropshire Lad

Owen - Host: 0:00

Today's episode is brought to you by aos kitchens, the South's leading outdoor kitchen design and installation specialists

Dan - Host: 0:18

Hello and welcome to another episode of the meat & Greet BBQ Podcast. Today we speak to Adam also known as Shropshire lads. We cover things like getting into catering, sourcing local produce, and also foraging. It's a fantastic talk, but we can't wait for you to hear it. So without much further ado, here's Adam. Hello, welcome to another episode of the meat & Greet BBQ podcast. And today we have Adam with us. Adam, would you like to introduce yourself to everyone because Oh, nice. So excited to speak to you. Thank you. Well, yeah.

Adam Purnell- Shropshire Lad: 0:51

The structure lad on all the sort of social channels to get some from sorry. Yeah, just like I will I cook, try to use as much local stuff as possible. I know that's very cliche these days, but I was surrounded by wicked stuff. Great people beautiful. Landscapes love to be outdoors enough to go fishing. You know, just eat nice stuff over fire. Really? And yeah, that's that's me. But I guess we'll delve a little bit more deeply into it as we go. Right? Yeah, absolutely. I don't think it's cliche. Well, I don't think it's there's nothing wrong with actually sharing. I think it's good to celebrate what's what's in your local area, right? If we're talking about food miles, and all this kind of stuff around the environment, is a winner to have what's on your doorstep right off the bat? Oh, of course. Yeah, absolutely. There's nothing wrong with it. I wouldn't I couldn't agree more. It is absolutely what I tried to do a lot. I mean, obviously, it's not always possible, you know, I'm a realist as well. But, you know, I sort of, you always use my local butcher for everything kind of, you know, I try to get as much local seasonal vegetables as I possibly can try to find out alternatives to things that might be in traditional recipes that you know, what might have to be familiar from the other side of the world, the stuff that we can, you know, replicate from the, that's from Britain, then I really, I suppose off that a little bit, you know, little tips and bits and pieces. failure was great. Well, recently, somebody messaged me on Instagram, so I did a green mango salad or so green, mango green papaya salad, both quite similar. And I made one on his on my YouTube channel, where the green mango that I bought from the Indian supermarket down the road, and somebody messaged me and said, luck. I found out a couple years ago that you can replicate almost the perfect replica of that is grated sweet, and I was like, I can't be real. I like I tried it. And yeah, cuz it's like, once it's dressed with a fish sauce and all this kind of stuff. It's kind of like, it's more about texture. And it's kind of like a starchy, crunchy texture, basically. And sweet is like you literally can't tell the difference. I'm like, blown up. So I'm doing this all the time that I like, well, most Swedes and the last few months that are probably great and going to slows basically. But yeah, so stuff like that is really cool. I think you know, not necessarily just about it being swayed from structure, but just the fact that it hasn't flown from, you know, from Thailand or whatever.

Owen - Host: 3:32

is a good thing, right? Yeah, yeah, definitely. And if you found through that kind of experimentation, where things like cabbage in replace of a papaya or mango has surprised you, is there other things that you've done? That you think Well, I'm not sure this is going to work? But actually, it's, it's actually worked out very well in terms of an alternative. Yeah, I saw

Adam Purnell- Shropshire Lad: 3:52

the other day. So I've been doing a bit of work pub in the park. And funnily enough, so so there's a guy I don't know if you've heard of Chef Andrew pan, and he was he's basically got the Michelin Star Plaza we had, unfortunately, the main restaurant burnt down the beginning of the year. listed building listen to the story anyway. Andrews there. Vending, right. And so he supposed to do a demonstration like a lot of the chefs who are selling the food there, or that's the concept of pulling apart, they kind of get these big share chefs come in, and they do like up food. He couldn't do his demo, but for some reason. He has the actor that played a and Bill working for him now on the data. Yeah, right, proper random. And so Andrew couldn't do is do his demo. So he's like, so he says to Adam, who isn't he? And Bill we just call him in in the end. It's so much easier. And he's a good sport. But he said can you do my demo and he's like, he's basically working the front counter so he doesn't even cook really? Um, so he raided the fridge and we did we kind of we made tacos and he basically he brought over a load of stuff that he found in Andrews prison Andrews from York. So they cook a lot of game and stuff. So he brought over like pheasant and universe and basically brought these like, these peas that kind of had like capers and their chili and all this good stuff for it. And I was like, that's almost like guacamole in a way, you know, especially to go with something like pheasant it's probably works better. So that was quite cool. And I thought, you know, I'm doing a taco pop up, I will do tackle problems, they will last slightly under the two more. So I knit that idea for Mike to go with a fish for the fish tacos. I like the idea of, if you obviously just put a piece and attack it's not gonna work. But like, we're gonna play around that a little bit, almost like a version of mushy peas, macho peas, you know, that you get in Nando's, that kind of vibe. It's gonna replace that the avocado. You know, the avocado is like the devil's fruit now, isn't it? Everyone? You know, it attacks the vegans with the avocado argument itself. So I just thought I'm not gonna put any avocado in my tacos. So that's kind of gonna be the replacement for that. So yeah, stuff like that. Really, it's just I think it's quite interesting. And that just came about by accident by doing a demo with the anvil. So it's always comes out the blue these ideas if you go looking for it. It doesn't isn't necessarily, you know, jumping, jumping at you in the face, but kind of Yeah, just as you go along doing things, you kind of find these these little alternatives. And I was off those, you know,

Owen - Host: 6:33

you've got a good story to go with it about doing it within bill. Well, yeah.

Dan - Host: 6:39

I was gonna ask you about that later in our conversation. But since you brought it up the Taco Tuesdays that you're doing at the ugly duckling, how did that come about? And is that something that you want to be doing more and more often? So basically, I know the owner of the place.

Adam Purnell- Shropshire Lad: 6:57

Well, I've met him for being involved in food. And he invited me to go and do something over there. It was, it would have been August 19. And my, my daughter was born on the first of September, and it was like the third week in August, and I was just like, look at the missus, and she's gonna, she's gonna explode basically. And I was like, I really, I can't, so I cancelled it. And then obviously COVID hit. So we didn't do anything throughout that. And then he just messaged me a couple of months ago and said, you want to revisit that? I was looking at my tire. And it was like, really, I'm really busy. But nearly every, I think every weekend to like November or something stupid is booked in with it with something.

Unknown: 7:42

So I was like, I really want this, but I don't know how we can fit it in. And I thought, Oh, well, I've just like the last year really enjoyed making tacos and looking at a lot of Mexican food. And sort of Taco Tuesdays is a thing. And like he just basically spent a lot of money on this amazing outdoor area. Last night was that was the debut. So the first time it was properly used. So but he I guess he wanted it was it's going to be quiet on a Tuesday night. Right? So this pub is on a country road in the middle of nowhere. And it's not like in the middle of town. So it Tuesday nights, not busy night. So you know, for them. There's nothing to lose really by by doing it. And hopefully people will come along, they saw the saw how beautiful I don't know if you saw it on my stories, but it's a really, really amazing job he's done at the place. And like obviously quite a bit of vibe there on a Tuesday. And then people will come back and come to the pub again. It's a great pub, they just got a rosette. So it's just I guess for him, it's gonna be at PR. Like, it's a Tuesday night, we'll see what happens. But we did really well, man like it was basically we were about we're on the backfoot and I started maybe 10 minutes or so start five started at 10 past five, there was already quite a queue. Basically, we were still we're still like we hadn't worked through the checks once still that half eight, we were still constantly churning them out. So and then it kind of petered out because it was such a Tuesday night. But yeah, it was good. And I think that a lot of people sort of said that they're going to come back next week. So I've got to prep for a bit more, but we pretty much sold out of everything. Last night. It was a few bits, few bits left, but not a lot. So yeah, it was it was good. I really know what to expect. I mean, I could have been left with a whole load of food last night. So it went well. As fun.

Dan - Host: 9:30

Fantastic. Gone.

Owen - Host: 9:33

Oh, sorry. So I was just a youth. Are you from a food background? Have you started being a chef before? Is this something that just started off as a passion and a hobby that's grown into I suppose a career for you now?

Unknown: 9:46

Yeah, so Well, I want to just finish working full time. So I finished in February, I was a full time youth worker around the surface over a shrewd break. And I've always been in education really but I've always been In fanatical about cooking, often use that skill working with young people. So like, before, I've trained as a youth worker, professionally, I started I went to uni late in 2009, given my age where but now, I was sort of not in my 20s and graduate 2012 for free previously to that I was working in school while and during during the time I was at uni, I continued to work there working teaching the kids who basically I would like to say this next amount of education were basically the kids who weren't going to get the schools or five agencies were kind of like, pushed in a little corner. And given you know, what, like vocational subjects to kind of do so I was teaching those kids how to cook stuff, then. We were like, foraging on school fields and doing all this kind of stuff, like, cool stuff really good. Because it wasn't a GCSE that was teaching and I wasn't I never qualified teacher. We're just free to just teach them wherever. So we built a pizza oven and did all this cool stuff. What are your skills? Great life skills? Yeah. It was always basic right was it was a food lesson. Still, it wasn't like, it wasn't like learning food technology, which is learning about the food industry and all that kind of stuff. It was just stuff that these kids would engagement. But previous so basically getting into this. So I have always been a fanatical cook. Since about the age of 10. My dad was also a youth worker. So that's kind of how I knew about the profession and got into the profession. But youth workers generally work in the evenings. He's a very good cook, but was never really around to cook dinner much. And my mom's terrible cook, unfortunately, sorry. She was not she's not the best blesser. And because that's so good. So he was cooked for her and she they would eat late, because then obviously she'd wait for him to finish. He come in at nine, wherever and they'd have dinner. But so I just started basically cooking dinner, I found myself using his ingredients, you know, his, his kitchen was pretty well equipped. So I was always quite good. And then started as I got older, so I'd have enough friends over for dinner and all this kind of stuff. So one of my friends really liked my food. A lot of them did, really. And he likes making YouTube videos. So he said, Do you want to make some YouTube videos, you cook and I was sort of like, okay, like it was not something I've ever even considered. So we started we'd made this this video. And I remember standing in this was like a march. And there's a load of wild garlic grown near near where we live. And I'm standing this patch of wild garlic for about half an hour, 40 minutes trying to get a line out of my mind. Like I just couldn't, couldn't like couldn't do it. I just kept fumbling and just just all over Plex. But like we persevered and did a few and this is still just cooking in my house isn't that there was no fire element at this point. And then so at the time I was in between relationships, I've kind of gone back to mom and dad's early 30s. You know, it happens to a lot of us, you know, sort of readjusting what we're going to do next sort of thing. Here we've got the current partner and we moved into the house and then now here and basically the kitchen was just a shithole was just like, horrendous. There's like, tape all over the oven. And I can't film in here. So what we're going to do is we're going to do some barbecue stuff. So I did side cooking a few dishes on the barbecue. And by this point, I just I hadn't set up a page or anything really it was just the posting it on to my own Facebook page. I wasn't even on Instagram or not, I think I might have had a personal account, but not a food account. And because it was shared by friends by friends and friends are friends. Somebody that could i Five also saw it. And they were like, oh, like we like what you're doing. Would you come and do some stuff for their local company. There's only down the road, you see. So I went to meet them. And they gave me a dye and sort of said, you know, would you do some videos for us. And also, we've just sponsored trips to London, where you go to London, we go down to London and do a demonstration on the chest stage. So I'm just like within a couple of months that you've seen like to within two, three months of me, my friend getting me to do this YouTube video was like, find myself in London on stage with Christian BJ barbecue, doing this demo like

Owen - Host: 14:16

baptism of fire. Yeah. And it was literally just

Unknown: 14:19

gone from that one opportunity after another. And now, here I am full time doing it and it's crazy.

Owen - Host: 14:27

But I can't say you loving every minute of them.

Unknown: 14:30

Oh man. It's great. I mean, I love my job as a youth worker. I really did like, but it got to the point. So they were so good to me. Actually town council they kind of as things have grown, they could see you know, like especially locally I was in the press a lot and doing bits and pieces locally all the time. They could see what's coming, I guess and they were sort of saying, you know take as much unpaid leaves because I smashed through my leave in about three months. And then they were letting me take the unpaid leave. So obviously, if I was doing a job that's gonna pay, it could just, it would work out for me anyway. But it got to the point where I felt like I was just keeping the service ticking over and not developing anything. And it just wasn't right and, and now I've left now finished, and I wait, I stayed on until I was replaced. And all this, you know, gave me loads of warning, we had great conversations about it all the way through. So it's not like I just dropped the drop the 30 days notice on them or anything like this. But now I finished I just like, I don't know how I did that. But like for two years, whatever it is just like, yeah, so now I could just focus on one thing, which is this, which is still lots of things. But I always in the back of my mind had that I still supposed to be doing quite a responsible job as well. You know, before. Yeah. So yeah, it's nice to just be focusing on one thing, for sure. Yeah.

Owen - Host: 15:56

And so I think you, you mentioned earlier on when we just started about pumping the park, which is obviously a series of events that are going on across the country, I think it's Tom carriages event isn't at least expanded for this year. So are you are you involved in every, every location this year, are you

Unknown: 16:16

not every location, basically, I've done six out of the nine. So I'm hosting most of them. But I've kind of you know, it's a bit of a because it because it goes on tour. Like I saw, they picked me up last year, they just decided they wanted to try this fire pit stage out and pick me up. In so did two in September, just the last two that he did was chyzyk. And Marlowe, I did for them. And kind of, I guess for them, it was a little bit of a test as well to see if it was going to work, see if I could work with them. And you know all this, but it went really, really well. Like I get on really well with everybody, you know, organize it and stuff. And it is quite unnoticed, again, is another cliche, but they're like a little family. And, you know, if you kind of get on in that it's all good. And, you know, get on with everybody there. So I've been quite sort of involved in helping them to sort of develop it, introducing them to some sponsors, and kind of like finding people who could host where I couldn't, because there are three dates where I'd already got stuff in like friends weddings, this weekend is Warwick and I'm cooking for my butcher's wedding. She booked me a long, long time ago. Thank you for but didn't do that. And yeah, so so I'm kind of working for them. But like, I feel I love it. You know, I think it's a big I think it's a good thing. I think it's gonna go from stroke, stroke to stroke. And so yeah, I kind of felt a little bit involved with it, you know, rather than more than just a host. Post this with the most of this.

Owen - Host: 17:54

Do you find a difference between or much of a difference between something like you were doing that pop up? Taco Tuesday in a local pub, to hosting pub in a park? Do you prefer the big stages? Or do you prefer, you know, something a little bit more intimate, where you can really talk with people? How do you have a brilliance in that respect?

Unknown: 18:15

I guess like, those are the my two favorite things. So I even like I love I love that like, weirdly like love filming. I love live stuff. I love being on that stage. And I don't feel nervous at all anymore. Like I used to. I just love it. I really do enjoy that. But equally, I love meeting people and like those Taco Tuesdays, you know, after I've paid my staff, food, whatever, I don't make a huge amount of money from them. But like, I guess there's this whole thing about if you seen as like an Instagram chef, I suppose. It's like that you can't go out and feed people. And I'm like, I fucking can. And I will. Yeah. You know, I and hopefully, well, generally, like my feedback was pretty good. You know, and like, a lot of people sort of look at people who log in. They couldn't do that, you know, you sit all the time they couldn't do that for for high numbers. So I saw I go dead basically. And so part of it, I suppose is a little bit of just allowing people to eat my food. And you know, you don't want to that is when I obviously it started all online. But I felt like that from the beginning, really. So I registered after maybe six months of doing stuff just posted my dinner. I guess I registered with my EHR, did my first pop up that would have been 2018 in my local pub. And it was like, I guess a bit a bit of hype built up. Because I was I swear I drink as well. So as everybody from the pub started following me turned up and it was like, it was chaos. I didn't really know what I was doing. And we did all right, but like now I feel like I've got some really amazing People who work with me. And like, you know, they make it happen to the point where, you know, if I do a tasting menu or something I'm generally in with the customers. And they I know that they're making it, it's like a well oiled machine at the back, you know, brilliant. So first off that, you know, I love, I love feeding people, as well. So, and then if I could choose if I had to do one, I guess the, I mean, the problem with Catering is it's a real graft, you know, especially if you're, like, you don't have a restaurant. So mobile like me, you've got to remember everything, you got to take everything with you. So the bits of the people that say, you know, my band still needs to be emptied from yesterday. And in the morning, I've got to do all the washing down and clean stuff down. And, you know, it's, it's, it's really tiring. It's a huge amount, and the prep is just crazy, you know, especially for big, the bigger events. So I wouldn't ask the part I don't like I love the delivery, I guess. But it's the, it's a lot of work and sometimes can be fun, not much rewarding. I've done a few where I'm like, flipping back, and I've just done 516 hour days. And, you know, I could have made the same from an ad on Instagram, you know, so you look at it like that. It's kind of, but it's not the set, you know, an ad on Instagram isn't isn't about building the reputation is it? So I get suppose you know, that I'll always try and feed people because I do love to do that. You know, even if it's not necessary. It's not necessarily about how much money you make, but just for people to experience what you you know, what you love doing, I guess

Dan - Host: 21:37

we've got something you can really help us with then. So in the next kind of month or so, oh, Ian and I are doing our first kind of cook for a group of people that aren't immediate family and friends coming up. So and and this is applicable to people listening as well, because there will be occasions when you're gonna be cooking for lots of people. If people know you as the barbecue person, you want to nail it. So what tips would you give someone if they were cooking for a big group of people, whether it be 30 people up to like hundreds, what sort of tips when I first started out doing that,

Unknown: 22:08

it's all in the prep, everything is in the prep. So prep, as much as you can don't think I'm going to just chop those herbs and get there or I'm going to, I'll just be able to do this bit from scratch when I get there. If you could think you can prep it beforehand, go with it, perhaps like every source ready in the bottle, every everything like ready to go have a checklist, make sure you go through the checklist, make sure you've got some some staff are enough staff don't have more staff and make less money and make it easy for yourself than trying to like think, you know, again, if you do really well, right, you're gonna, you'll do you'll make more money next time because people will come back. So don't try and make money straightaway, almost. I mean, I, I didn't really make any money. The first few that I did, it was all I cared about was people having an incredible experience. And that's paid off because now I've got loyal people who come to every property, but I do you know, because I, if you've got to kind of always put your, it's your pride at the end of the day is make sure you're showcasing what you're trying to do. So don't cut corners, you know, use the best ingredients you can. And it will it will pay off. Why hasn't my in my case anyway, you know,

Dan - Host: 23:25

I love that you were like, make sure people enjoy it and enjoy yourself. Whereas my main worry is don't kill anyone.

Unknown: 23:34

You will kill anybody. I mean, yeah. Have you got any idea of what your menu is gonna be?

Dan - Host: 23:40

Oh, it's organized and all that.

Owen - Host: 23:42

Yeah, I mean, it's not a paid job or anything. I'm just helping out. I've got a seven year old son. He's part of the local village football team. And they just they weren't interested do a little summer barbecue for the end of season. So I they just asked for volunteers and I just said, Yeah, I've got you know, I've got a couple of smokers and we'll have down the bottom of the gun, you know, bottom the lane and we'll, you know, help out type thing. They're gonna bite me. But I will probably say to them at the very least, you know, get some brisket or, you know, something like that. I think they just wanted to do

Unknown: 24:19

considering the menu based on what you're going to do, you know, so something like that. I would probably have something, again, like to prep wise, you say bringing the smokers down the bottom the garden. We all know what it's like, you don't want to be standing there saying or doing 20 minutes or half an hour. Hopefully, you know, I would have that meat cooked and hot held to three hours before. You know, like 100% Because there's nothing worse than people sitting around waiting. You know, you've got it. So pulled meats anything like so if you do pull pork or I mean briskets really difficult I would I probably I would. I've never served brisket, I don't think because it's so difficult to do. To get done well, and, you know, I don't really cook through the classic American style stuff, there's probably guys you can, but I don't feel comfortable serving brisket to people just because it's so difficult to catch it the right time and serve it right as soon as you slice it, you gotta get the customer before you know how quickly it deteriorates. But things like pulled lamb shoulder pull pork, stuff like that, you know, you can bring that back, even if it goes cold, you can go here, it's going to be as good as it was, when you pulled it, you know. So it's definitely worth considering sort of your menu really, and logistics and humanity can write, I get carried away like writing a menu. That sounds incredible. And then you fit in, then you rewire your whole. And I'm How am I going to pull this off? Like realistically? So it's definitely worth considering that, you know, I do like, I like to do a tasting menu, you know. So that's, that's one of my favorite things to do. I'm doing one at the ugly duckling. haven't announced the date yet. But I know that in fact, I'm just gonna do it tonight. From too late. But, yeah, so that'll be like six courses, 50 people, six courses. So that was meticulously planned so that I know that that's deliverable. You know, you can't just sort of say I want to do these six dishes, and then you like, run around, like headless chicken. So, but it all comes with experience, because the more you do it, the better. You get, I guess, you know, I don't do all the time. But I've done a few.

Owen - Host: 26:30

So, obviously, YouTube, you mentioned you just kind of started YouTube before you've kind of got into the live live element. And you're still continuing with your channel. And I watched one of your recent videos, actually where you went and picked wild garlic.

Unknown: 26:48

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Owen - Host: 26:51

And then you see me? Yeah, and then used it to actually steam fish. Was that your actual back garden as well, where you've cut out it was like you cut out the grass and just made a little pit for yourself?

Unknown: 27:01

No, I wish that was my back garden. It's actually a very good friend of my Did you see the big heart that was behind? If you remember, don't if you remember, there's a rust. It's called a pole barn actually kill me to call it the pole. Okay, but basically, he built that from timber, like the East fell from the woodland around there. He got gifted that field to build that pole barn as an education center. He's just setting it up as an alternative education center for kids who were kicked out of school and stuff. He's just set that up now. But he allowed me to use the place to film that video. And obviously, I think it's probably helped him because he's got a little bit of sort of, you know, footage going on stuff that's happened there. But yeah, it's not a million miles from where I live, but unfortunately, that's what about Gardner, the kids. Dress

Owen - Host: 27:57

we have to say I suppose it was a it was obviously a great video and but it before we started recording, you mentioned that you went out and forage smelled the flower. And you've just yourself drink and elderflower cordial, you actually went out you went out and forage the wild garlic. Is that something that's, again, a big part of your, your, your cooking regime that you actually go out and find and forage?

Unknown: 28:27

Yeah, I mean, definitely. Well, I mean, so we're lucky like so you see these, these trees here. Those trees is a massive patch of wild garlic from like may to the site from February to May. So I use it all the time. Because it's like, I can literally walk out the front door and within 30 seconds, I've got a bunch of my hands are really lucky. And there's a lake just this way, this way, which is right outside the house. And there's one big elder tree on the far side. So I just noticed it WAS IN FLOWER tonight. My two year old was kicking off at the time. And so I've let some just want to make a drink at some flowers just as a divert. I wouldn't probably wouldn't even picked him and she wasn't thinking into diversion. So she went down and picked pick the elderflowers. And that was kind of like yeah, so so it's kind of happened by chance, I guess. But yeah, I mean, I'm not a massive forger. I wouldn't say I'd like that. So the girl I was with in that video and Leah, she's crazy knowledgeable, like and some people really are. I couldn't go out and tell you a 10th of the stuff that she knows, but I know a few bases. There's a few mushrooms. I know. There's a few, you know, obvious bits and pieces like the elderflowers and like berries and bits pieces that I know and if I see them, I'll grab them, but I don't unfortunately, I'd love to have the time to go out foraging more but it's, you know, it's one of them. It's usually a case of you You'd come across it, rather than you're looking for stuff, then you find nothing. We just stumble across, you know, a big patch or something back soon. But I'm an opportunist. If I see if I see something I love it.

Dan - Host: 30:15

You talked about when we mentioned brisket, you said that you're not so much of like an American, low and slow. So what is it that you like to cook over fire? And why is fire your preferred method of cooking it as well?

Unknown: 30:31

Well, I mean, I think I love I love you know, obviously, like, everybody loves to cook really nice meat, you know. So, I kind of like to try and find alternative cuts, you know, so for example, I tend to cook my, my butcher knows now how I like Chuck to be cooked to be cut. And it's a big old muscle, there's lots of seams within it, where he cuts me sort of a nice sort of oblong piece, which will cook a bit like a brisket, you know, it's not going to be quite the same, but like, it's much more forgiving, and brisket, I can use British grass fed stuff that's not specialist and it won't dry out, which isn't really the case with with brisket, you know, or short ribs or something like that. So I mean, I do it. I do do it sometimes. But I guess, because I've done quite a lot of events and stuff. Like early days, it was like lots of poor pork and lots of like, you know, if you do an event, it's a city before pulled stuff is kind of just easy. So if you design the menu for lots of people, it's usually something pulled like whether it's shot lamb or beef or whatever. It ends up on the menu and kind of, I guess after a while it just even like I put I did an event for a friend the other day, and it pulled a load of beef chuck, and it almost made me feel sick as well, because I've just done it too much. And it was sort of like, I don't know, just you don't want to eat it. You ask anyone who does it a lot. You just select one a week. So I guess I just I really liked cooking over open fire with stuff that I really interested in game playing right, you know, and cooking. Obviously, with game, it's quite lean, it's quite challenging to cook. So yeah, just sort of playing around with stuff like that. Really, what's what's available around me. Vegetables, you know, I love to sort of play around and see what we can do. Infusing things with smoke and fire, you know, like make classes trick. I've used it all the time, but of just when you drop a couple of lit coals and some cream, butter and close the jar that cream is incredible. I can I use that in so many different ways. Like last night, we had, like charcoal infused ice cream on the menu. You know, from doing from from watching him do that. So yeah, I guess just I like to do anything that is kind of new. And, you know, at home, we don't eat the same thing twice. Very often I experiment on my family a lot. I'm always sort of playing around within the next thing and it's only really stuff that goes really well. And we used to do that ends up on a menu. But a lot of the stuff at home sometimes it's horrible. I know you want to talk about sort of later on talk about

Owen - Host: 33:13

let's let's let's do it now barbecue fails. So the stuff that hasn't gone so well for you then adult.

Unknown: 33:20

As I was trying to put the title was run think of some examples. One one a while ago, for pancake day I was trying to do basically with the kid, the kid is in these huge like paella pan things. And I thought I'll do this massive kind of like, Crap thing for Pancake Day. And basically had the kids outside and it was just like, everything was going wrong. And I kind of tried to roll this. I made this this big pancake put all this topping on it. Try to roll it it all just started ripping. And so it like kind of swiped it. And it's not all on film and then like basically all of my all of the fence that fence over there was like I did I don't often have a little party but at a proper party wouldn't do it. And then so you can look at it it's on it's on my socials. No because we actually turned it into because we actually brushed it into a video that was quite funny because it was real like anger that I've just knackered this pancake up but it's all fenced and actually made quite a cool bit of content in the end but not what I intended. But yeah, so that was that was quite a funny one. I'm yet to massively cock up anything looks like public which is Touchwood good because I got my biggest one ever. This Saturday. I'm gonna be cooking a whole cow whole Dexter now wow. Our bedroom fire. So like, yeah, because that was it all night. And I'm really quite nervous about that. So I hope that that's not how

Owen - Host: 35:10

do you how do you plan to cook it almost like on a sourdough cross type thing?

Unknown: 35:14

Yeah. So I've had like across I don't know if you saw one of my favorite chefs from all time, really? Chris Roberts sleep baster. He did it a while ago. Well, Scott

Dan - Host: 35:25

should know him if he's Welsh.

Unknown: 35:27

Sure. He's incredible man. Like, but he did it. He's got an amazing show on exports. See, okay. Yeah. If you can't speak well, she has to watch it with subtitles. But you should check him out. Right. And it's, uh, he did it a couple of years ago, and basically are kind of nicked a bit of his design and added a few things that I've because he was the first guy I've ever known to do it right. And, and I was offensive ago at that he did it in December, as well. And I had a phone call with him the other day of a pep talk. She says, Chris, if you're watching it, he was like it's in your blood, make it be fine and be fine. I'm like, I'm breaking it, to be honest. But he did it in December. So it's two degrees, and it's been 28 hours. Keeping our

Dan - Host: 36:15

temperature and actually like managing everything must have been crazy in December.

Unknown: 36:19

Yeah, I mean, I think he was nuts to do that. But he did it as part of the TV show that he's got right. So you can watch the whole thing. And of course, being Chris he smashed it. And so I thought, Well, if he can do it in December, I'm sure I'll be I'll be fine. You know to do in, in June. But it's a bit it's a lot of pressure, man. There's like 350 people coming to this wedding. Yeah, so. So that's why I'm not a part of the pack. So hopefully you'll you'll, you'll see get to see this. But by the time this comes out, it'll be available to watch on YouTube because we're going to document everything as well. Sounds amazing. Yeah, it should be fun. I am I'm scared. So that might be my biggest fuckup to be messing with but but yeah, the pancake one was was one that stood out. Definitely. I mean, it's been a lot There's been loads of stuff that I just cook at home that's not been not been great. You know just try stuff and just like but not particularly interesting to tell you about to enlist

Owen - Host: 37:29

and just so obviously when you you're still use lots and lots of different ingredients in the things that you try. What is the one ingredient that you couldn't live without?

Unknown: 37:45

Hmm you know probably onions you know.

Dan - Host: 37:52

Yeah, that's that's a realistic answer. I like that because no one talks about onions. You use it with everything. It's the basis of any meals.

Adam Purnell- Shropshire Lad: 38:00

I mean, the base of everything here and everything but like it's not many decent sources without you know, curries will just not happen. I mean, like that's that's it. That's That's it for me. And I guess if you're talking only in family that takes out wild garlic, it takes out spring onions, it takes out you know, lots of stuff garlic, I guess. I don't know if the same, you know, but onions are pretty special. And like, you know, it's the first kind of bit of dirty cooking that people do, isn't it the old bit unions thrown in the fire and like, every time I do those on like what am I masterclasses whatever people are just blown away by the flavor of a red onion. There's a guy I go my mate I go fishing with a lot. I showed it the first time and the next time he went fishing and he turned up in his own bag of red onions just to cook for himself.

Owen - Host: 38:58

Throw them in the fire all right, and just like you're asked is gonna be horrendous man. Incredible. Yeah, absolutely. If you've been looking or thinking about an outdoor kitchen, then look no further now EOS outdoor kitchens,

Dan - Host: 39:15

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Unknown: 40:17

So yeah

Owen - Host: 40:20

what I was actually gonna say I was looking on your Instagram and I noticed that you were doing I don't know if you're planning on a series but I think there's three or four videos that you're doing it's your Black Country series that you were you're trying to recreate local structure dishes

Unknown: 40:42

country difference so I guess my part of Shropshire is just about the Black Country some people would argue it's not the Black Country like just over the border into into Wolverhampton is more proper Black Country Well, yeah, we started that. Sorry, what I've just put in and what are you going to ask me about that?

Owen - Host: 41:02

Oh, no, I was just going to sell it say you know how I suppose How did that come about? On into it? How did you kind of source these recipes? I'm assuming some are not as well known as others. And you know, what are you planning to do kind of moving forward with that? I'm assuming you've got more recipes to come as well?

Unknown: 41:23

Yeah, I've got a few Yeah, funnily enough I'm gonna be on the radio talking about this tomorrow morning. Which won't be it will be ages ago by the time this comes out. But yeah. Yeah, so they basically there's a there's this this dish from Wolverhampton called grey peas and bacon and it's rough and it's not a nice you know, you go to sort of like a proper proper old pub and you'll find this great piece of bacon. It's basically like, they're, these are not the proper name of the pieces but they basically look gray when they're, when they're before they're cooked. I went after the cooked dried peas that are just cooked down with like, chunks of bacon basically and onions and just a bit of pepper like really basic like gruel or most bowls of that. Then there's this, this farm shop, which is just on the edge of Wolverhampton called Essence and fruit farm. And I was just happened to be up there looking round one afternoon, and so they're setting great bees, and I was like, I've never made great piece of bacon like and it's like a local dish and stuff. So I bought this bag of gray peas. And then I started talking so I don't know if you know Phil, brew shack barbecue Phil. But he is basically for malls as well down the road. And he's like, good friend of mine. So I messaged him said I'm gonna do this, like, I'm gonna do this great piece of bacon dish, but I'm gonna make it barbecue. So the fruit farm they gave me a belly cure, like bacon cured belly. Oh. So it was essentially like, you know, barely poor, but it's been through the curing process. So I smoke that like I would a belly pork, you know, and slices, I was just just about to pull a bar and cooked it down with the and cook the bead beans underneath it. So the peas, even the gray piece underneath it, and kind of made this dish. And we've thought, ah, let's start doing the Let's do more of this. It was it was cool to do. So then. So I said to Phil, what do you want to do? What? And we'll we'll do that. So we've been alternating? So he does one every time I do one. He's just one we just like, take it in turns. Because he's local as well. And yeah, so I got I did that one. And then I was like, oh, I want to look at see if there's any books on this. And I found this book. I forgot what it's called notes. Like, it's quite a long title. It's somewhat like Black Country food and life from the turn of the century. Offensive memories, it's called, that's it, like country live from the 10th century. So it's sort of like, rolls off the tongue a year old. From right here, unlike for those people who don't know, the Black Country is basically like Randhir is the birthplace of industry. So that's right, why it's called the Black Country cuz it just basically everywhere was covered in suits, from all the all the you know, the the industry that went on to here, so it's sort of like very, very working class, you know, stuff is poor poor people's recipes and like, lots of pork because everybody had a pig capped at the time. You know, quite very hearty stuff very high fat, very high carbohydrates because it was about like keeping you going, you know, in in the pits or wherever it is you're working. So, you know, some of the recipes in that book are pretty grim. And you want to replicate him to be honest, like brains and all this kind of stuff which might be some people straight bill he loves He loves awful so he's been doing all the often was I did like the stuff Lamsa So the days that we sound too bad but like, I'm not mad into awful so I've just been trying to cherry pick the ones that sound like I could turn them and some people might actually want to eat. And so, so yeah, so for now, the best thing about the West Midlands, if you don't know, is orange chips, so bad chips back to the chips and these like, it's like a luminous orange batter that nobody really knows what's in it and they look terrific. But they're so good. Like, we like batter grits. It's kind of like wood chips just coated in batter bits and more incredible. So I've made a version of them. And I went to visit the Mecca, chippy in Bilston, Wolverhampton. To celebrate the jubilee. Actually, it's on a Thursday for the Jubilee. Bilston, which is like, lots of way you really go to for celebration, but I went and got the the original orange chips marked up in Telford here doesn't, and they're pretty good. But they're they they're fried to be fat. You know that. It's been the same since 1975. The Pretty Boy. So I've made I've never heard of them before. You know, orange chips. Yeah, I mean, literally are bright orange man. Have a look, there's, there's a thing on my Instagram, you'll be able to see my version and the proper ones that might not look anything like the proper ones. But I thought I'd have a go anyway. Because the thing is, there's nobody knows the recipe of how to actually do it. It's like a secret between the chip shops. So I've had to like, try and make them orange. And you know, just with my own knowledge of food, really, rather than following a recipe. But so yeah, it's been it's been good fun, to be fair. Apparently, they were talking about the latest one I did on BBC West Midlands this morning. And so then the producer rang me this afternoon. So they've been talking about your recipe this morning. Will you come on tomorrow. So I'm going on there tomorrow to talk about that, which is, which is cool. So it's, it's generated some conversation and like, I just started ticked up recently, I was late to the party, and was kind of find it hard. It seems like everybody grows so fast on that. I wasn't really getting like much interaction. But the Black Country recipes have done far better than anything else that I've put on there. So it's definitely an appetite for it. excuse the pun.

Dan - Host: 47:24

It's encouraging people to have a go. That's what we talk about all the time on the podcast, you don't learn and you don't improve without taking a risk and playing with ingredients and flavor. Absolutely talk about fails earlier, I accidentally really over smoked some hashbrowns last weekend, I smoked a chicken probably two three days before. And the way I set up, I try and save any coals of wood that I've gotten the Komodo so I can reuse them. The next cook hadn't realized how much wood was in there and destroy these hash browns, they get a taste of like smoke. I'd never over smoked something before. But you learn from doing Oh, God is horrible, so bad when you do sometimes? How would you control your ingredients? When you're trying things out? What do you do? Or control them? Yeah. So if you're thinking of trying something new, do you dive straight in? Or do you slowly start and ramp up different flavors and other cooks? How do you how do you play with those,

Unknown: 48:23

I mean, I'd normally do a little bit of research, probably I mean, it depends on what it is, you know, if it's something that's in abundance, and it's and it's cheap, then I'm more more inclined to, you know, experiment with it, then if it's something that's going to cost me a lot of money. Because you don't want to, you know, obviously I want to cut some like so a nice big cut of meat that maybe you're not cut before you probably do a little bit of research. Whereas, you know, if you foraging something that you've never tried, and you've got a load of it, and it's free, you'll play around more, I suppose. So I guess it really does depend on what that ingredient is. But also try to do like something quite basic with with things first. So like, you actually get an idea of what something tastes like, rather than like, I don't know, if you let's just say if you're using wild garlic for the first time, and he decided the first one was wild garlic and put it in a curry, you're not really going to get an idea of what wild garlic tastes like it because there's so much else going on. So I think you won't want to do things like maybe put it in some scrambled eggs or like just something quite simple way you're going to it's gonna allow the flavor that ingredients come through and then you can start thinking about what it might work with. I guess that's kind of how I answer that I think. Yes, you just get to get an understanding of what of it by stripping it back and not using too much of you know, not not not using too much else with it straightaway, I suppose, but it does depend on what the ingredient is I guess.

Owen - Host: 49:56

I actually want to move completely away from ingredients for a second. We've spent a lot of time talking about live fire cooking and ingredients and recipes. But we actually what would you cook on? You've mentioned the could die fireball. But what were the barbecues or pits to use?

Unknown: 50:16

So the fire squad, so I use a kamado. Joe. I'd like to be fair when I got the call. I've been working with him for like three years now. And it was I was still working. So this lights are getting worse. Let me why did you say that? Yeah, so when I took first call, I was still working full time in the youth service and kind of just starting to, like, see a business emerge out of what I was doing, really. But like, a youth worker salary is a big one. And so I always saw like a ceramic grill as something that was like, maybe I'll be able to afford before when I retire. I mean, like it was not something I really thought about using and just thought I'm not I can't afford to not cheap money, right. And I just thought I'd be able to afford one of those. And I was like Surely it can't be any better than my drums and my kettle or whatever, you know. But then I've got it and it's literally like, parked up by my back my kitchen. I haven't got a fancy, fancy cover or no cover whatsoever. But like, it's great, because even in a storm, you can open the back door quickly do adding to the back door, the KJ sitting right behind the back door, you know, and I use it almost daily. Just because it's so convenient, right? I mean, I can literally lean out, I've got a looftlighter and just like 45 seconds, open events, don't do a bit of prep in the kitchen, come out and it's ready to go. And it's just like, you know, that brilliant. So, you know, I use that a lot. I really enjoy these little yakitori grills as well. So a friend of mine, runs chef slacker. And if you've heard of that, he basically I think he's one of the very few people who imports Japanese yakitori grills from Japan but he does know his and bits and pieces as well. But he's down the road. So like, I get bits and pieces from him. You know, he's always saying try this try that and like I love that kind of style of cooking. I love anything that's kind of I mean, could I can I and and the yakitori are both great because I love open fire cooking, but also they lend themselves to being social or something you sit around and share stuff and kind of people can have a go. That's what I like to cook on. Really. You know it there's no theater with a Komodo whilst it can do an amazing job and can do something. You've got that once you've got that lid. The possibilities are endless, aren't they? But yeah, you know, there's something about cooking over open fire. So anything that allows that I love really

Owen - Host: 52:59

should we should we jump into our barbecue? Bingo. We try and hopefully give you something good to cook for us.

Unknown: 53:09

Yeah, that's good. I love reading.

Owen - Host: 53:15

So what I'm gonna do is, although we call it bingo, it's actually just a spinning wheel but let me just share the screen so you can see it.

Dan - Host: 53:23

I mean always talks it down, he always talks it down but I love this part of kind of the podcast because it takes the guests out of their comfort zone and this is someone like us cooked everything. But the whole point is it completely takes away the choice so there's a number of kind of different options on the spinning wheel and wherever it lands on we'll ask you to cook not tomorrow so you got a bit of time to put together of course and we just asked you that when you post it if you put hashtag barbecue bingo so people can find it. But hopefully you can see the spinning wheel now is there anything on there that really sticks out to you?

Unknown: 54:01

Budget pie What the hell is that

Owen - Host: 54:06

well I put it on that source did a bit of research earlier and apparently you fidget pies Shropshire dish fucking course it is to be fair, I could have just googled in some ways just sent me down the wrong to give me some false information

Unknown: 54:31

and put that in for my benefit. I did. Okay, fair enough. Well, you know what, we'll make that well no, I've got I suppose got aligned on that. But I will look into that and it is a thing I will do it for you as well as

Dan - Host: 54:45

I know. I love how that options come down like a fart and I left to spend time looking for something relevant. What about my signature dish? So we always say to people if it lands on that you pick the thing and Cook that you're most well known of? Or for or you're most proud of? What would that be for you? Would that be tacos? Or what would you think?

Unknown: 55:07

I think it's a dish that I just put in Christians and the book actually, in DJ block his new book five piece, and it's it's my signature honey jet chicken it's always gonna stand really, really well. It's really easy to do, it's very accessible. And, you know, I live in structure and things like scotch bonnet chilies are not easy to come by sometimes. So if you live in London or something like that, it's probably but around here, it's not that easy. So this basically uses a very well known source in the supermarket to replicate those flavors. And it's a bit you know, I tell I do even on mass now it's what I use. I don't use those chilies but just because this works so well. So that would be that one. So I'd be very accessible to everybody as well if they want to try it because it's in that book. Fantastic.

Owen - Host: 55:56

Okay, let's give it a spin and see what comes up

Unknown: 56:02

thanks for it's gonna be carrots and as I Christ fish all day long. Although we're pretty landlocked here in Shropshire about the furthest point from the sea you can be I think tracks oily right? trout and salmon are released. That's all good as well.

Dan - Host: 56:25

Oh, in hates fish. So he's got no idea.

Owen - Host: 56:28

Yeah, it'd be my worst nightmare. So I'll eat some tuna. That's that's about it. That's right. Yeah. The thing is, I come from a fishing town in Devon. And my whole family I've worked on, you know, in the fishing industry in some shape or form. Like just blooming ate it. I've tried so many different types of fish, shellfish, I just don't like it.

Unknown: 56:55

Wow. Okay. I love it. So that's good for me.

Owen - Host: 56:59

Perfect.

Unknown: 57:01

I'll get on that. That's no problem. That's a nice one to have.

Owen - Host: 57:05

Well, I'm gonna have to do now is when we finish, I like to show my source for Fuji pie. And I'll just send you the link. I hope you get something.

Unknown: 57:17

I really I really hope. I'm starting to think that maybe I have heard a bit and it might be a game thing. Which would be true to structurally I mean, there's a lot of game here. So maybe we'll have a look.

Dan - Host: 57:32

And while you're on and talking to us, I wanted to kind of ask you about the experience that was crazy delicious. What that was what it was like being on there. And everything about it because I think its own eyes dream to eventually one day be involved in some sort of cooking show. First of all, everyone how awful that we are. But how was that and what was it like for you?

Unknown: 57:58

Um, yeah, it was. I mean, it was an interesting experience. Definitely. And obviously, you know, I did well, I don't want to say too much say yeah, it's all right. So obviously to win was really nice. Because nobody wants to go on something like that. It'd be humiliating and lose and it didn't start out so well. The first core first dishes didn't go down so well with the judges or the gods. I mean, it was just a bit cheesy, wasn't it? I mean, we had to call them God food gods and I for those of you who didn't what didn't see it, it's on Netflix. Now still. Basically, it's an edible set. We had to go out and forage ingredients from the set to do the certain dishes and then they were judged by these people food gods which was Nicholas extent he was like one of my all time favorite chefs. So it was amazing to cook for him and like the other was Heston Blumenthal and most people would be frightened to hear but I didn't give a shit about Heston it was all about me I mean and then Carla hall so she's a soul food chef I guess and food writer from from America or I guess they had someone from Europe, someone from UK, someone from America because of the whole thing began on Netflix, I needed to appeal to the who was maybe three chefs from the UK they might not have known, you know, when it went worldwide. But yeah, it was it was incredible to be in our three studio and see that set and it was enormous. Like it was like being it was like being in challenge chapter fashion. Like it looks like I'm in the thing, you know, on the screen. That's how I felt it was really quite like what this is, you know, it's a lot of big budget and it was a lot of there's a lot of stuff in there. You know, you really you really if you watch me sort of walking up to the to the food gods are up in place that was real, you know, there's a real staircase it's not like computer computer generated or made up or anything like that. That was so it was it was a crazy experience. And yeah, it was it didn't do so well here in the ratings, but when it went on Netflix, so it was out in like January, here two years ago. And then we're on Netflix like six months later, but it did quite well on Netflix. So you know, and it's still still get people messaging me now saying, Oh, I just watched crazy delicious, that was brilliant, you know, random people on Instagram and stuff. So that's really hard. It was

Dan - Host: 1:00:27

it was Netflix that I stumbled across it before we even reached out to you. I was like it's keeping you cool as well. I know, you said like, there's one person in particular that you want to be cooking well, for but with the cameras and everything on you, how do you keep that calm?

Unknown: 1:00:45

Well, I've done a bit by that point. You know, it's not, that wasn't the first time I've been in front of a camera. You know, I've done little bits and pieces for TV before that, and kind of been doing a lot with Henry and the guy who originally started doing my YouTube videos. So I guess you get more used to it, the more you do it. And I guess I really wanted to do well. So I just was focusing on the food, really, the hardest part of it, or the whole thing is that while you're cooking the whole time, so each three contests, each contestant has one producer, basically who's standing, asking you questions, and you have to answer with the question. Certainly, like, What's your favorite thing to cook? And I can't just say like beef. But I'd say my favorite thing to cook is, um, you have to remember so so because obviously, when they don't, you don't hear the producer asking you that, right? You just then just want the bit of you say that, but if you just have beef of sets not gonna make make any sense. So you have to get into so you're trying to cook and you're constantly being asked questions while you're cooking. And that is hard because you like I just want to like and there's a couple of times in the final bit where I had to say, I can't answer that for me, I just need to do this bit because I'm just like, literally and if so batters your head because you've almost been thrown out by by a producer who's constantly asking you questions, why are you cooking? I also cut myself with with a knife within like two minutes of being in the first round. Which threw me a bit as well. But yeah, it was it was a great experience, a great experience. And the best thing about really to come of it was I'd like to go and do a collab with Nicholas is place extending in STARCO. You know, last one in 2020. It was now a while ago. And so to get that experience from it alone was just like mind blowing. Really. We did a brunch. Did an English breakfast and enriching star restaurant is fun. Yeah.

Owen - Host: 1:02:53

He just hasn't you opened a place in London. Yeah,

Unknown: 1:02:57

the place at the Scotland Yard Hotel. Royal Scott. Scott. I've got his recipe book. Yeah, the latest one.

Owen - Host: 1:03:11

The was the fire food. It's called. Just kind of got the bronze writing.

Unknown: 1:03:23

Yeah, the mysteries. Yeah. Yeah, it's great. There's some some crazy dishes in there. You probably never going to ever make but incredible. The best thing I ate there was a reindeer blood pudding. Wow. Exactly. It was like, it was like a like a sugar cube like black. But it was nothing like black pudding. Like so don't forget that. It was like it makes sense disgusting when I say this, but you put it on your tongue and it like melted like a really loose jelly almost. But it was most incredible flavor like and it was just making like smoke reindeers blow which sounds gross but I was absolutely blown away by it. It was still stands out to me. It's probably one of the most incredible things I've ever eaten is nuts. Really good. You should definitely get to go go go and eat there. I've not been to London one yet. I will do but if you can go to Stockholm. It's there. It's incredible. Really is.

Owen - Host: 1:04:21

Yeah, I definitely want to go to Stockholm wouldn't be nice. But yeah, the very least just we're not that far from London here so we can just nip in and give it a go.

Unknown: 1:04:32

Yeah, I definitely need to go check out the London place for sure. I always try and try and do it while he's here. Ideally.

Owen - Host: 1:04:40

Yeah. You want to you want to have food straight from from the master. Right?

Unknown: 1:04:46

Well, yeah, I think it's like, I mean, his head chef is pretty incredible. I don't think there's a lot of his concepts, but he's a busy man. So I don't think it's that often that he'll be on the pass you know? But just to just to catch up really realize? Yeah, definitely.

Dan - Host: 1:05:04

One of the last things that we like to ask everyone is, you see so much on Instagram, and you hear people talking about food all the time. But is there anything that you feel isn't being discussed enough? That should be talked about that perhaps we can talk about now, or anything that is particularly inspired you? Do you think is worth talking about and discussing?

Unknown: 1:05:28

caught me off guard with that word,

Dan - Host: 1:05:30

it's more fun to do it that way.

Unknown: 1:05:35

I don't know. I think I probably should just be more kind of help for people who are trying to sort of make a career out of food, you know, I'd like to do more stuff with, with young people. You know, I think one of the biggest problems that the industry has the moment as we know it everyday, do, you know, a single place that isn't looking for stuff? Like, you know, we've had since COVID, like so many people left that left the industry. And, you know, they're not being replaced. And there's something, you know, there's a lot of young people out there that need kind of opportunities, and they're creative kids who don't necessarily get along with academia. But for some reason, it doesn't seem to be this, like, you know, what's the word pathway into a career in, in catering. But at the same time, I think that, that converse, a part of that conversation needs to be with restaurants and employees, because, you know, the hours shit, or there have been hours, shit, money, shit get spoken to, like, shit, typically, not everywhere, you know, but it's also given that that's the case and like, so, there needs to be a kind of shift in basically, how people are treated with the industry, within the industry, but also, like, encouraging young people to do it, whether it be to set up their own business, you know, I mean, like, now, with social media, like I've never could never, ever could have done what I'm doing. Now, without the power of social media, you know, every kid knows how to use it, but like, not necessarily, in a good way. So there should be more conversations around that. And like, it's so it's never been easier, like with Deliveroo. And kind of like, all the different things that happen. Now, you can have a go at making a living from, from food, whether it be working in a restaurant, whether it be doing your own thing with blogging, whether it be you know, whatever, like, I just think there should be more conversation around that really encouraged more young people sort of to consider it as a career. Because I know firsthand that, like when you sort of offer that to young people, or show them, you know, a little bit, they're interested, they're keen, you know, every single session I ever turned up, but in the end, as a youth worker, the first question, like what we eat, and what are we cooking tonight? You know, they want it. And so, you know, there's nobody really pushing it. It's not really on the agenda in schools, you know, like Homer is, what's a food technology is shit. It's just about like food industry, like factory farming, and kind of like, how food factories work a bit. There's a bit of cooking, but it's not inspiring. So I think there should be more around that. More conversation around that kind of whole, just getting that industry up and running and fresh and full of young blood again.

Dan - Host: 1:08:36

Yeah, you make a great point, because I've mentioned it before on here. I used to do a lot of cooking with my father when I was young. You know, typical kind of way I was brought up a mom was at home most the time, but when my dad was back from work, in particular, weekends used to like Cook, and he'd always get me involved. So I was cooking from a young age. I mean, I even did catering as a GCSE when I was at school, but at the time, I mainly did that because I was thinking us mainly girls going to be on here, it's a good time to get involved with that. I never really thought or saw what a pathway into that industry would actually be, despite even doing some of the qualifications for it. And even now, if someone said to me, oh, you know, I'm interested in getting into the catering industry or cooking kind of professionally, I wouldn't even know where to start them off. Apart from

Unknown: 1:09:32

watched somewhere. Yeah. And that's not gonna inspire you know, so, yeah, yeah, you're right. It's it's, it's definitely something that he's dressing and like, you know, it's in restaurants interest to be addressing it because they need people like more than ever. I don't. I don't know. I mean, especially, I know in London, it's I've seen it all the time from like restaurants that I follow, that they're always after staff but like Right here, you know, it's pretty rural, you haven't got like the cream of the crop to pick from either, you know, if you've got a country pub, like, there's only really like the kids from the village that you can kind of get to work them because they nobody else can get there because it's in the middle of nowhere, Jeremy, so like, they need to be, there needs to be something that sort of encouraging people, you know, and I guess it's hard because I get I get all of the, you know, the same time we've got, like, you know, prices rising on absolutely everything like that, I guess, like, you know, these businesses are struggling to survive in a lot of cases. So, there's a hard to catch. 22 almost, isn't it, it's like, you know, the money needs to be there, I get that. And, but I just think that, like, you know, something sort of just to show young people because I, you know, I was wanting to go into food. So I lived for five years now, what not now, but like, I'd lodged for five years with somebody that is now one of my best friends where where I do all my master classes, he runs a place for the 100 cases, massive Pope was a massive hotel, it's, you know, they do 120 weddings a year plus they got t rosette restaurant, it's busy constantly, but like, That guy does not have any life. Like he literally, you know, he's so social, and like, really good fun. But like, you might catch him on a Sunday afternoon, like we're gonna finish down the pub or whatever. But he loves to eat love to come stuff. But I just saw how he basically just had to devote his entire life to this. And he completely put me off going to a kitchen as a professional, because I was just like, well, I don't want to give up every Saturday in my life and work 80 hours a week and just look drained. And that's kind of what he's at. He's kind of got a bit of a handle on it now, but totally put me off. And it's only really, like, so many people said to me, you know, when I was younger, why and your chef, why are your chef, why aren't you doing this for a living? And it's like, because I don't want to sign my life away. You don't have to anymore because there are so many different ways. Now the world's opened up with social media and in that you can kind of make a living from food or cooking or, you know, and so I just think that some people, like young people could just deal with some enlightening, really, and in some ways, and I guess, as bloggers and as you know, people in the industry, it's partly our duty to, to go and do that. And I feel like I've done a lot of it, you know, leading up to this point. I still go back, you know, I'm going back to do some work this summer with the kids. I used to work with him in but I always was pushing that, you know, as a as a professional youth worker. But yeah, it's a big, it's a big issue. And I think collectively, everybody who's in the industry could probably offer something to just make it a little bit better. Yeah, well said. Thanks.

Owen - Host: 1:12:57

Well, I mean, it's been an absolute pleasure to have you on the podcast. Listen.

Unknown: 1:13:03

It's been a pleasure for me as well. It's been great chat. Thank you.

Owen - Host: 1:13:06

Now appreciate it. And just actually, before we go, what what is there any kind of what was next for you? You know, is there any kind of new and exciting things you're allowed to share with us for the coming months?

Unknown: 1:13:20

Only fish in it? Well, I did share it with you. I mean, the cow is the big one. You know, that's it would have been I've been the butcher right Lauren, she's she works with the butcher's daughter but she kind of is the organ grinder of the whole business. She's didn't want me to tell anybody really about it. She wants it to be quite a surprise, but it'll come out. You know, by the time this comes out, it'll be available on YouTube and stuff. So it's all good. So yeah, that that is going to be that's big man for me. And I've done a lot now and you know, I didn't start whole lambs three or four lambs on the inside. Oh, no problem, done it a few times. feel completely okay with it. This is a different beast. And, you know, I am apprehensive So, get that out of the way and then it's happy days. We are I'm sorry. Hopefully doing it again. If you're if anybody wants we'd like to witness it. Eat it. Fingers crossed. Bestival Shropshire. The festival has always been in Dorset, but they're doing the doing a version and structure this year as well. week in August, so we bring in that there for the Saturday so it'd be like a prepaid. Basically you buy a ticket to come and get to come on Sunday and get your heartbeats which was the idea. So yeah, if you want to see it, you want to taste it, then we'll be there doing it. Myself. Appreciate it's quite a big ask to come to a festival for four days for a beef sandwich. But you know, it'll be worth it. I'm sure.

Owen - Host: 1:14:58

The best Yeah, the best beef sandwich you've ever If you don't say we have spent brilliant Well, no, we're best of luck for this weekend with a whole cow really look forward to seeing your document it and you said it'll be on YouTube. Yeah, by the time this comes out, it'll be on YouTube. So that'll be fantastic to see.

Unknown: 1:15:19

It will be Yeah, I'd imagine. Well, so basically, it's, we're actually going to work with meter. And we're going to be really interesting. So we're gonna have we're gonna use the meter block and have four probes in different parts of the car. So we have to monitor you know, what the levels of sort of happen if it's dropped in the night and I try and stay up all night but I know for a fact that lads I'm where they're going to be drinking and whatever. And so yeah, there's that that's the most nervous part is just like staying sober enough and kind of like with it enough not to fuck it up at like three o'clock in the morning or whatever, but but actually what we find great stuff. Anyway, the video will be a meter video, but it'll be on my channel. So yeah, we'll be able to sort of see everything from start to finish hopefully.

Dan - Host: 1:16:09

Cannot wait. Cannot wait.

Owen - Host: 1:16:13

Brilliant. Well, actually tell tell people your social handles and channel. It's cool too. They can find you.

Unknown: 1:16:20

It's structured on everything. So YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and ticked off do Twitter. But yeah. It's great.

Owen - Host: 1:16:32

Thank you very much for coming on. Adam. It was great to meet you.

Unknown: 1:16:35

No, it was easy. Thanks very much.

Dan - Host: 1:16:37

Have a great one. Thanks. But

Owen - Host: 1:16:41

that's it for another episode of the meat & Greet BBQ podcast. Thanks so much for listening. It was great to chat with Adam Shropshire lads. And he has such a passion for local produce, experimenting with food fire. And I think it was a really important message around getting the youth back into catering back into restaurants and that and creating that passion around around food as ever we want to hear from you. So please get in contact with us with the usual places. Tell us what you want to hear on the BB on the podcast, whether it's about barbecue or food in general. If you'd like to help us grow the podcast please visit our website you will see the buy me a little coffee in the right left hand side. Any donations that you do we put back into the podcast of grow and bring you more fantastic content. Also, we have an official merchandise store on our website where you can pick up meat & Greet BBQ podcast mugs, T shirts aprons, please go check it out. And until next time, keep on grilling Today's episode is brought to you by aos kitchens, the South's leading outdoor kitchen design and installation specialists