Simon makes excellent pie man

In PubChef's latest menu watch feature we talk to Sussex chef Simon Goodman about his winning menu.

Deep in the heart of the West Sussex countryside, the Duke of Cumberland pub has become a favourite with foodies and pub goers thanks to its rustic menu, traditional local ales and stunning décor.

Under the direction of head chef Simon Goodman and a dedicated team of three chefs, the Duke of Cumberland has got everyone talking about them, including the Good Food Guide.

"We are 60% food led;" says Simon, "our focus has always been to do rustic dishes really well and maintain a simple menu which we can regularly update.

"We don't do any marketing or PR, and because of our location we don't get traffic from people driving through Fernhurst — the pub's customer base has been built purely on reputation and through word of mouth."

The commitment to showcase the best of the South East's abundant produce is working, with Goodman and his team averaging 75 covers a day.

"We use quality, local ingredients, all our meat is sourced from a local supplier, the pub has its own trout ponds and the rest of our fish is sourced from the south coast, we even bake the bread ourselves.

"Offering homemade dishes give us the edge with customers, they know when they come to us they are getting quality, we aim to achieve a GP of 70%, which is possible (despite the premium nature of the produce) with the right team and equipment."

With two menus available; a lunch menu and more a la carte evening menu, Goodman has found a balance between providing his customers with old favourites and speciality dishes which have earned him positive reviews in The Times and The Sunday Telegraph.

Goodman says: "There is a huge trade for pub grub when it is done really well, but we wanted the Duke of Cumberland to compete on a restaurant level when it came to evening dining.

"The lunch menu includes classics such as ale battered haddock, free range ham, egg & chip and homemade 8oz homemade burger. The dinner menu provides more fine dining dishes such as free range confit belly of pork with an apple glaze, creamed cabbage and thyme jus. We update both menus on a regular basis and as a result we get a lot of repeat business as there is always something new to try."

Goodman is a member of Jus-Rol's Pastry Perfect Panel and he and his team trialled new additions to Jus-Rol Professional's pastry range.

He said: "Pastry is so important to a dish; Jus-Rol's puff pastry is fool proof so we were keen to try out the latest products. I was impressed with all of them, particualrly the twisted corner basket. It rises well, has good flavour and it looks great, leaving you to focus on your filling. For one of my signature recipes, I developed a ratatouille, basil & mascarpone filling topped with a Parmesan crisp, I love the combination of flavours and the twisted corner basket made it a visually impressive, vegetarian dish."

Goodman also created an open pigeon pie with wild mushrooms, using two Jus-Rol shortcrust ovals to make an individual pastry carrier for the pie.