Our Chef Director Chris Holland worked as Head Chef at the prestigious Alderley Edge hotel before joining us. He has a passion for using the best produce and never compromises on quality. Author of our best selling book Sous Vide The Art of Precision Cooking, Chris is a expert on the sous vide technique.During the later part of my school days at Wardle High School Rochdale I always wanted to be a chef . I knew from the very start that my path to work was never going to be academic it was always going to be something practical and hands on.
As a young boy growing up I was inspired to cook with my Grandma who was and still is an inspiration to me . I have memories of helping make the cakes that she always had made for visitors and family alike . She made the most amazing cakes and I loved nothing more than eating the sweet raw cake batter straight from the bowl . We used to fight over who got to lick the bowl/spoon after the cakes were made. My grandma’s philosophy for cooking even on a shoe string budget was always to use fresh and seasonal ingredients either home grown or bought from the market.
School was somewhat of a drag for me as I was itching to learn to become a chef.
I started at Hopwood Hall college as a chef and instantly fell in love with it .To me it was the only real time I excelled in something and this inspired me to really get my head down and put in the hard work. College was the first time I really excelled in something and gave me the opportunity to laugh at the teachers who said I would never make something of my life!!!!
During the three years at college I also took on a part time position in a local hotel working the bar and restaurant first and then the kitchen. These were great days and gave me the opportunity to see how the industry ticks. I learnt a lot from those days both good and bad !! But I have to say I was itching to work only in the kitchen but it was a good insight into the catering world .
After completing college I moved away from Rochdale for a full time roll at one of Cheshire’s most talked about Hotel restaurants The Stanneylands Hotel.This was the school of hard knocks for me as I quickly realised that although excelling at college meant nothing in “The Real World”.
I loved every minute of the 18 hour days 6 days a week on minimum wage . Although difficult I feel that without this grounding I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today. After 18 months of hard graft I left Stanneylands and went with the Head chef to open a fine dining restaurant at Mere Golf and Country Club. The opportunity to work alongside Matthew Barrett was too good to turn down. I learnt so much from the ex-Ritz chef and working in a much slower paced role helped me develop a much better understanding of how to organise and run a kitchen. We were a very small team and teamwork was and still is the only way to go for me.
After 2 years at Mere I got the opportunity to go into The Alderley Edge Hotel as Junior Souschef. The Early days at the Edge were all about learning new styles of cuising which is invaluable in any role as a chef. I got the opportunity to grow and learn all aspects of every section which was inspiring . I was offered the opportunity at the age of 29 (2004) to take the role of head chef. For me this was when I really started to develop my own style of food.
After 9 years at the top winning Cheshire restaurant of the year , Chef of the Year and appearing on GBM amongst many highlights including cooking for many celebrities and famous people I decided to move on into development with Sousvidetools.
The main inspiration for this was to train and educate people . I always had a great passion for education but could never really see myself at a college . The job is super rewarding and I am proud to say we have become the leading light in sous-vide education in the UK . This is something I am very proud of . Food is my biggest passion and this is what keeps me interested the most . I love to travel and try out other countries cuisines. I am constantly inspired by ingredients and the pursuit of getting the best out of them without destroying their natural flavour .It is super important to me to continue to try and be at the forefront of the food scene this is what inspire me and the team to keep driving forward .
Technology is now widely used in the industry and I am super proud to say we have been a big part of spreading that message.
I am very lucky to be in the position I am and the drive to constantly improve our training and links to the next generation of young budding hospitality chefs.
TI feel that my experience over the last 25 years really enables me to get close and educate the “next generation” of chefs .
The industry which I love is really struggling to bring through new recruits and if I can help that process I will be immensely proud.
The food seen in the Uk has improved dramatically over the last ten years and I feel this will continue with the correct education. What happens next only fate will tell us...
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FAQs
Osso Bucco is from a beef shank which is a cross-cut of meat that comes from the lower leg of the cow. Beef Osso Busso also contains a bone with marrow in the center. While you can make Osso Bucco with either veal or beef, it is more common to use beef because it is widely available and less expensive than veal.
What is the best meat to sous vide? ›
The best meat to sous vide for 48-72 hours at 135°F (57°C) is beef brisket, while pork shoulder can be cooked between 24-36 hours at 165°F (74°C). Results are always tender and juicy, making for perfect leftovers in sandwiches, tacos, or any other dish calling for shredded meat.
What meat is osso buco traditionally made from? ›
Osso buco is an Italian dish of braised veal shanks, which are cross-cut from the leg bone beneath the knee and shoulder. The shank is a tougher cut of meat, so slow cooking in liquid is essential for the melt-in-your-mouth texture that osso buco is known for.
How to cook sous vide beef? ›
Directions
- Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 130ºF (54.4ºC).
- Generously season the steak with salt and pepper. Place in a medium zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the dry setting.
- Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 2 hours.
The obvious substitute would be beef shanks. A quick google for "osso bucco beef shanks" will give you all sorts of recipes. Veal shank is traditionally the cut for Osso Bucco, and gives the best result. Beef Shank can be substituted for Veal, but it will be much different in flavor and texture than veal.
Why is osso buco so expensive? ›
This was essentially once a peasant dish that has become so popular that veal shank is now incredibly expensive. In North America and in Britain, it's expensive, and hard to find. Even in Italy, veal shank is so expensive now that butchers have come up with a substitute.
What should you not sous vide? ›
Produce that no longer looks completely fresh or already smells strange is, of course, no longer suitable for the sous vide procedure. This particularly applies to fish and meat that is cooked at relatively low temperatures.
Do high end chefs use sous vide? ›
Over two decades ago, Thomas Keller introduced sous vide technology to the kitchens of his three-Michelin-star restaurants, The French Laundry and Per Se . You'll see his team regularly using their sous vide devices in their pursuit of culinary perfection.
Why is my sous vide meat tough? ›
Rare sous vide steak (120°F/49°C): Your meat is still nearly raw. Muscle proteins have not started to contract much and will have a slippery, wet texture. Chewier cuts, like hanger or flap meat, will be particularly tough at this stage. Fat has not yet started to render, so fattier cuts will have a waxy texture.
What does osso buco mean in English? ›
Veal shank. Ossobuco or osso buco is Italian for 'bone with a hole' (osso: 'bone', buco: 'hole'), a reference to the marrow hole at the centre of the cross-cut veal shank. In the Milanese variant of the Lombard language, this dish's name is òss bus.
Ossobuco Is One Of The Best Known Italian Words In The World. The Word Means Hollow-bone.
What is the best temperature for sous vide beef? ›
3. Sous Vide the Steak for 1-3 Hours
- Rare: 120-128°F.
- Medium-rare: 129-134°F.
- Medium: 135-144°F.
- Medium-well: 145-155°F.
The short answer is that it's very tough to predict exactly how spices are going to react in a sous-vide bag. I've found that if I want spice flavor, it's better to rub the spices into the meat after the sous-vide cooking phase and before the final searing phase.
What temperature do you sous vide beef? ›
Sous vide steak temps: Rare- 130ºF, Medium Rare- 140ºF, Medium- 155ºF, and Well Done- 165ºF. Option to leave the steak in the sous vide for up to 4 hours for ultra-tender steak, but 2 hours is just perfect, as well! Both will come out medium-rare.
What is a substitute for veal in osso bucco? ›
If veal shank is unavailable or out of your budget, substitute short ribs or nice meaty oxtails for a less expensive dish that will be every bit as delicious!
What is a good substitute for veal in osso buco? ›
While osso buco is traditionally made with veal shanks, there are several suitable substitutes: 1. Beef shank: This is the same cut of meat, just on a full-grown cow, so it is the ideal substitute for veal.
Can you use beef instead of veal for osso bucco? ›
Osso Buco are thick steaks cut from veal shanks.
The thicker, the better, as if they are too thin, they will cook to “fall apart” too quickly without developing enough flavour. This recipe can also be made with beef but note that beef flavour is stronger than veal.
What can be used instead of veal? ›
All the cook need do is think pork, chicken or turkey instead. With no more equipment than a sharp knife and a suitable pounding tool, one and a half pounds of meat from a pork loin, fresh ham or even shoulder, or some boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, can be turned into an entirely acceptable replacement.
