Be a chef for the day, cook with a Michelin starred chef and learn some of his kitchen secrets.
Located in the pretty riverside town of Marlow in Buckinghamshire, UK, in a traditional half-timbered inn, is The Hand & Flowers, a laid back, Michelin starred pub and dining room owned by husband and wife team, Tom & Beth Kerridge. Responsibilities are split with Chef Tom to be found in the kitchen and Beth overseeing the running of the business.
Gloucester born Tom’s CV includes time at the Capital, Rhodes in the Square, Odette’s in Primrose Hill and Monsieur Max in Twickenham. Prior to The Hand & Flowers, he was head chef at one-Michelin-star Adlard’s in Norwich, which gave him the opportunity and confidence of running a restaurant kitchen. After a two-year stint there he decided it was time to return to the South-East. “I wanted to re-focus the food I was doing; maybe I was trying to be too clever at Adlard’s and that’s not really what I’m about. I’m about basic, strong, good cooking and a pub seemed right.”
It took a year to find the Hand & Flowers and it was a “stinking hole of a place” when Tom and Beth took over in February 2005. Following a thorough refurbishment, the pub reopened.
The Hand & Flowers has allowed Tom to develop his signature menu of robust dishes. “Ingredients are key to what we do and we make sure that we source the best available according to the season” – chicken and pork from Suffolk, oysters from Northern Ireland, vegetables from Covent Garden – and local suppliers are used where possible. Signature dishes include potted Dorset crab with brown bread, cucumber and dill chutney and seasonal specialities including rack of lamb, braised white beans, pickled girolles, broccoli and herb sauce; or braised shin of beef with herb dumpling and parsnip purée.
In 2008, Tom built a new, state-of-the-art kitchen in an extension at the back of the pub. That space is now given over to training and Tom is looking to launch a series of cookery courses in the summer, along themes such as preparing and cooking fish and baking. Keep an eye on the website for updates.
The roomy new kitchen has also allowed Tom to offer diners the opportunity to join him and the team for a ‘chef for the day’ experience, offering hands on experience in a Michelin starred kitchen, prepping and cooking the lunch service before taking a “well earned rest”.
Since opening, Tom has established the Hand & Flowers amongst the highest rated food pubs in the country, with a Michelin star, a rating of 6 in the 2007 Good Food Guide, and three AA rosettes. Tom and the pub have also won numerous awards, as diverse as Best Pub Chef at the Craft Guild of Chefs awards, Best Newcomer from the Publican, Buckinghamshire Newcomer of the Year from the Good Food Guide and Best Fish and Chips in Restaurant Magazine. Heston Blumenthal, who lives in the area, and his fellow Michelin men the Roux brothers are regulars.
For more information or to book for ‘chef for the day’, call The Hand and Flowers on +44 (0) 1628 482277 or visit their website.
Tags: chef, cookery course, cooking, hand and flowers, learn to cook, marlow, michelin star
Hi Tom.
I watched the TV with Jacqui, We were very proud of you, hope I had a little input at your time in Odette’s.
Loved the cress and Scotch egg dish (inspired). Brilliant!
You look like you’ve lost weight!. The TV says you put on 20 pounds when you go on TV, it looked different to me.
Again really pleased to see what you’ve done, and look forward to you winning (maybe!) the last gasp tonight.
I am planning to take Jacqui to the restaurant (anniversary comming up!). but will check to see you are there so we can share a glass of fizz, We still remember your wedding, and even after these years apologies for being so drunk in the pub afterwards! Remember us to Beth! It is still the most memorable wedding I’ve been to!!!!
Wish you well
Dicky Boulert
Tom,
Watched you on TV. Well done Mate. Good to see you doing well.
If I am in the area I will come and see you to taste the food.
Congratulations
Andy Heal
Hi Tom,
I have been watching you on the Greta British Menu and would like to congratulate you on your success in winning the main course.
Over the course of the Great British Menu, I have come to admire you not only as a chef but also as a person. when all the Chefs did the tasting of the dishes of the other chefs ,you were the only one who had the guts to stand up and say that the other chefs dish was good.
Also the way you punched above your weight in the heats and to see off 2 chefs of that calibre was awesome.
I havent been to The Hand and Flowers but it is on my ”to do” list.
Regards
Ankur Singhal
Wish you well
Dear Mr Kerridge
We have just (literally!)finished watching the conclusion of the GBM on TV! Congratulations / llongyfarchiadau! You have been tremendous to watch; your amazing temperament and constant good humour lifting the whole event! We are so looking forward to eating at your restaurant in the very near future. D&R.Robinson
Hi Tom,
I couldn’t agree more with Ankur. Your personality and your cooking really were the highlights of the Great British Menu. It was a pleasure to watch.
And those chips really looked great! Will try to cook the duck breast dish for my better half asap.
Congratulations!
Best regards,
Jakob Larsen
Just finished watching The Great British Menu !
We are in Ireland. Tom you were the real winner this year.
Your Dish was amazing, you were gracious and humble, it was such a pleasure to see you come through to cook the main course.
We will be driving through England this summer and will make every effort to get a bite to eat in your place.
Thank you for being an inspiration
Margaret.
Hi Tom
Congratulations on your fantastic achievements in the Great British Menu! You came accross as a very sincere and genuine person, and a brilliant chef! My husband and I will definitely be paying a visit to your restaurant in the near future; we haven’t stopped salavating over your duck dish.
Kind regards
Hazel Lees
Hi,
Congratulations on your success in the Great British Menu.I really wanted you to win the main course.You have a fantastic personality. It wasn’t about your ego.It was about the food and celebrating it and I am so glad that you won through .I am not local to you however if I get the opportunity would love to visit. I hope to see more of you on the television.
Best Wishes
Tracy Graham
Southampton
Hi Tom,
Congratualtions on winning the main course on GBM! I was so pleased you did. All your dishes looked amazing!
Im definately not local (Glasgow) but i do plan to visit marlow within the next year specificaly to eat in your restaurant as it is number 1 on my wish list over any others.
Thank you for making the series so enjoyable!
Elaine
Hiya Tom,
Congratulations on winning the main course on GBM, I`ll bet the diners thouroughly enjoyed it.Will you be serving your winning main course on GBM at the Hand & Flowers? Thank you. John
Well done on the GBM.
How do you make those chips. I have tried and they just dont look the same. (not golden) or as chispy