Chef of Peninsula Dining Room, New Brighton set to shine

11th June 2010

 

CHEF Kane Dickinson started his career in  humble kitchen jobs – washing dishes.

It was just a part-time job to help him through his sixth form study at Wallasey School in Leasowe.

The 25-year-old soon developed a taste for life as a chef and after a month’s trial he was on course for his current role as sous chef at Peninsula Dining Room in New Brighton.

The job has reunited him with mentor Ross Gray, who he first worked with in his days at Bobby’s in New Brighton.

Kane, from Moreton, said: “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. When I was at sixth form I got a job washing dishes but it was just part-time to earn money.

“I was at Bar Italia in Liverpool and I enjoyed helping in the kitchen.

“I was 18 so the chefs used to prepare food I’d never eaten before. It was interesting to learn about Italian dishes like risotto and different pastas.

“Even things like steak sauces – I was only young at the time so I’d never come across much of it.

“One of the commis chefs left and I just went for it. I asked the boss, he gave me a month’s trial and it went on from there.”

After a year at Bar Italia Kane went to work at Bobby’s Bar in New Brighton, where he met Ross.

He said: “Ross came to work at Bobby’s as head chef about a month after I started. It was him who helped develop Bobby’s into what it is now.

“We worked together for three years. After that I worked in various places, six months there, six months here.

“I was at La Gondola in Liscard and went back to Bobby’s numerous times. I just didn’t seem to settle anywhere.”

Kane was working in Hoylake when he received a call out of the blue from Ross.

He said: “He told me he’d got this new head chef’s job at a place that was opening and asked if I was interested in a sous chef job – that was the Green Dolphin.”

Almost a year later, Ross moved on to Peninsula Dining Room and offered Kane a job as sous chef.

The restaurant opened last summer.

Kane says his Wirral Chefs Shine menu showcases the Peninsula Dining Room approach to food – he calls it “basic home cooked fresh food with small twists”.

He said: “I tried not to go too far away from what we do anyway.

“I couldn't have done something like taken a recipe from a Michelin Star book because anyone who came back two weeks later would get a completely different style of food.

“I’m slightly nervous about people judging my food but I'm excited to see how my food comes across.”

Kane credits Ross with giving him the freedom he needs to develop as a chef.

He said: “A lot of head chefs say ‘It’s this way’ and that’s that but if I’ve got something I want to try I’ll get a chance to do it.

“The best thing here is probably that freedom to experiment with new things..

WIRRAL Chefs Shine at Peninsula Dining Room, takes place on the evening of Tuesday, June 8.

The cost of a three-course meal is £18.95.

To book call the restaurant on 639 8338.

Peninsula Dining Room is at 3 Grosvenor Street, New Brighton.

Wirral Chefs Shine 2010 is supported by Wirral Council, the Mersey Partnership, Liverpool Community College, Wirral Met College and The Chocolate Cellar