Sarah Hayward, a former Royal apprentice turned Michelin Star Chef, embraced her Island roots once more at The Royal Hotel in Ventnor, the venue for a highly awaited, sold-out seven-course fine dining event on Saturday, 30th September.
Now the Head Chef at Tom Kerridge’s Michelin-starred pub, The Coach, in Marlow, Sarah recently clinched the illustrious Michelin Young Chef of the Year Award 2023, marking a notable milestone in her career.
Cirrone: A delight to work with Sarah again after 13 years
Maria Cirrone, Events Manager at The Royal expressed,
“The entire team at The Royal worked really hard to host the best evening possible.
“All her former colleagues are extremely proud of what she has accomplished to date, and it was a delight to work with Sarah again after 13 years.”
Collaboration to design bespoke menu
In the months leading to the event, both teams of award-winning chefs from The Royal and The Coach collaborated to design a bespoke menu, featuring dishes from both establishments.
The menu highlighted the finest Island produce, including Cheverton Farm Lamb, Mermaid Gin, and Living Larder Fennel and Potatoes, with each dish meticulously crafted to showcase these ingredients.
The Royal selected exquisite wine pairings for the menu, with additional recommendations from The Coach’s wine expert to complement Sarah’s dishes.
Joined by other Michelin star chefs
On the event day, other Michelin star chefs from Tom Kerridge’s team, Warren Geraghty (Executive Chef) and Tom De Keyser (Head Chef of The Hand & Flowers), joined Sarah in the Royal kitchen.
Together, they collaborated with the Royal’s kitchen team to display their culinary prowess to an audience of over 100 guests, comprising her family, former colleagues, and loyal patrons of The Coach and The Royal.
Hayward: Such an honour to return to The Royal Hotel as a guest chef
Reflecting on the night, Sarah shared,
“It was such an honour to return to The Royal Hotel as a guest chef, cooking in the kitchen I remember so well.
“Those early years as a chef were really formative for me and I learnt so much from the team and will always be grateful for their support and friendship.
“The dinner was a huge success and it was even more special to be surrounded by my family and friends too.”
The Royal’s front of house staff and seasoned management team served over 700 plates of food and 300 glasses of wine in the fully booked Geranium Restaurant.
Dobson: You could tell at 16 she was going to be a great chef
At the age of 16, Sarah embarked on a one-year apprenticeship at The Royal under the mentorship of Alan Staley.
Nick Dobson, a long-standing member of The Royal for over 20 years, fondly reminisced about working with Sarah in the kitchen,
“You could tell then [at 16] she was going to be a great chef, she always got stuk into the less glamorous side of working in a kitchen and put in the extra effort that she didn’t have to because she had the passion and a love of good food.”
Kerridge: Sarah is a brilliant chef
Sarah has been part of Chef Tom Kerridge’s team since 2015. In 2017, she took on the role of Junior Sous Chef at The Coach, later advancing to her first Head Chef position at The Bull and Bear in Manchester’s The Stock Exchange Hotel.
Now, she has come full circle as the Head Chef of The Coach, the distinguished one Michelin-starred pub in Marlow.
Tom Kerridge adds,
“Sarah is a brilliant chef, she understands ingredients, techniques and what makes a great dish.”
The beginning of a great culinary journey
An apprenticeship at The Royal can begin a great culinary journey in the hospitality industry.
Sarah is an inspiration to young Island chefs and a shining example of how dedication, determination and hard work can progress a career.
The 2 AA Rosette Geranium Restaurant in Ventnor welcomes everyone seven nights a week.
To book your table, call 01983 852 186.
News shared by Maria on behalf of The Royal, Ventnor. Ed
