PROFILE
Dameon Clarke As Chef/Patron of The Wicked Witch at Rhyall, Dameon has worked under some extremely distinguished Head Chefs in his career, with the likes of Michel Roux Jnr and Gary Rhodes on his CV. But as Deborah Pennell finds out, he is now quite content running his own restaurant and treating the Stamford locals to some properly smart food at incredibly reasonable prices.
Tell me a little bit about yourself? I am originally from Coalville in Leicestershire but having travelled the world, my partner and I chose Stamford as our home. Victoria is originally from Newcastle and we met while travelling in Mexico. Where did you train to become a chef? I trained at Coalville catering college, and soon picked up a job in the butchery department of the local Co-op, which taught me some amazing skills. What jobs have you had since working as a Chef? In 2003 I left the UK for four and a half years in Australia where I managed to pick up a couple of great jobs; working for three years at Tetzuya’s during the time it was awarded the fourth best restaurant in the world, and a stint at Cruise in Sydney. After leaving Australia I travelled through Asia before returning to the UK. On my return, I had spells working for Michel Roux Jnr at The Gavroche and for Gary Rhodes in Edinburgh as well as time in both Jersey and Dublin. As Head Chef of The Wicked Witch since 2012 you took over ownership of the business in October 2014. When the previous owners decided to sell the business, I saw a great opportunity. I found myself a business partner and we haven’t looked back. Give me an interesting fact about the kitchens at The Wicked Witch As a trained butcher, I always get my carcasses whole and do all the butchery myself. What is the most popular dish on the menu and how often do you change the menu? The menu changes weekly so it is difficult to say what the most popular dish is, but I am regularly asked for my chicken liver parfait and scotch eggs. We also supply the local village shop with a delicious range of foods such as sausage rolls, Thai chicken curry, and sweet tarts. Who is your favourite celebrity Chef? My complete hero is Marco Pierre White. However, recently quite a few of my mates, who are chefs, have been appearing on BBC2’s Great British Menu, and they have been amazing – being put in the spotlight, cooking for harsh critics and holding it all together really shows true professionalism and enormous self belief.
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Have you ever cooked for anyone famous? I have cooked for a number of famous people over the years, most notably Alex Ferguson, Victoria and David Beckham, and HM The Queen, when I was working at The Jersey Potteries. Most terrifying of all was cooking for Marco Pierre White himself. If you were stranded on a desert island what three ingredients would you long to have with you? On the basis that the sea surrounding the island would be full of delicious fish, and hoping there might be some coconut trees, I think I would take Thai Green Curry paste, mangoes, because I absolutely love them, and coffee. If you had to choose a favourite meal, what would it be? Like most chefs, it appears to be the simplest things done really well that appeal - Dameon suggested Steak and chips with brown sauce or béarnaise, followed by Sticky Toffee pudding. As he explained “I don’t mind paying £50 for a steak as long as it’s a good one, and so often I am disappointed.” And finally, what are your interests outside of work? I really enjoy a game of Football and going for a drink with the boys. This doesn’t happen very often but it is nice to do it when I have a bit of free time. Family is very important to me, so I love spending time with Victoria and our two children. • To sample some of Dameon’s wonderfully creative and exceptionally delicious dishes, call to reserve a table at: The Wicked Witch, Bridge Street, Rhyall, PE9 4HH 01780 763649 www.thewickedwitchexperience.co.uk Mon: Closed All Day Lunch: Tues - Fri 12pm - 2pm Sat - Sun 12pm - 2:30pm Dinner: Tues - Sat 6pm - 9:30pm