Darren Smith, head chef of the Warehouse Brasserie
DARREN SMITH is nothing if not loyal to his employers. Whereas many a skilled chef has hopped from one job to the next faster than a reshuffled Cabinet minister, he has stayed with the Warehouse Brasserie, in Southport, ever since he came out of catering college.
Not that he is under much pressure to move on. The Warehouse made a name for itself almost the moment it opened in the mid-1990s, and has managed to hold on to its good name over the years, with a Michelin Guide listing earned and retained over the years.
It is also, it has been suggested, Gordon Ramsay’s favourite place to eat when he is the area.
Darren has been with the Warehouse for 11 years or so now, winning a number of awards over the years. In 2002, he took the North West Young Chef of the Year title, the Best Young Chef in Merseyside award, and was also a finalist for the Gordon Ramsay Scholarship in 2005.
The Best Young Chef in Merseyside title has also been awarded to various other members of the team over the following years.
But it’s only in the last few weeks that Darren has finally moved into the top job at the Warehouse’s kitchens. Chef director Marc Verite moved on to set up his own business, and Darren was ready at last to take over as his own man.
Like many a chef, he’s determined to keep things simple. “International fusion, retro dishes with a bit of a twist on them,” he explains. “That’s why we’ve had things like a jam roly-poly in a trifle, for example.”
A glance down the Warehouse’s a la carte menu illustrates the point. Grilled sea bass fillet, tempura soft shell crab, and crunchy Asian veg with a wasabi drizzle speaks of a Far Eastern influence, but a roast suckling pig, apple puree, and crispy black pudding speaks more of traditional British fare.
Main courses like this will cost anything between £12 and £18 at the Warehouse, pitching it at the upper end of the mid-market among Merseyside restaurants, but almost in the bargain basement category when it comes to dining out in London.
