THE Swan Hotel in Kineton is celebrating spring with the launch of its new seasonal menu on Saturday (March 2nd), following the appointment of a new head chef.
New dishes available from this date include Seared Mackerel Fillet (served with warm tomato salad and chorizo butter); Rosemary and Garlic-Baked Camembert to share (served with red onion marmalade and toast); Charred Tuna Loin served with herb roasted vegetables, lemon cous-cous and basil oil); Truffled Macaroni Cheese (with cheddar, mozzarella cheese sauce, truffle oil and dressed salad) and Flat Iron Chicken (served with chips, garlic butter and rocket salad).
New dessert offerings include Cherry Bakewell and Vanilla ice cream, Passionfruit and Mango Pavlova and Lime Sorbet and Coffee Parfait and Cinnamon Doughnuts.
They are all the inspiration of the Swan’s new head chef Ian Carter from Newbold on Stour.
Ian, 40, arrived at the hotel, in Banbury Street, just before Christmas following stints at The One Elm in Stratford, The Jam House in Birmingham, St Enodoc Hotel in Cornwall and the Ebrington Arms in Ebrington.
He said: “I quickly identified how the food needed uplifting so everything is now freshly cooked on the premises.
“As we’re moving into spring we are getting away from the slow and low kind of cooking into hitting the pan with fresh ingredients and straight onto the plate.
“There are also more fresh fish dishes on the menu and I’m confident once people start coming in, to try them, they will want to come back again and again.”
The classic dishes still feature too though, including burgers, pizzas, steaks, bangers and mash, mixed grill and fish and chips. Plus, there’s a daily specials menu if you’re not already too spoilt for choice.
And fresh ingredients are sourced locally from A M Bailey – for vegetables and dairy – and Barry The Butcher, both in Stratford.
Back behind the bar, The Swan’s extensive drinks offering includes beers and ciders from Britain’s oldest brewery Shepherds Neame as well as Doombar and Master Bew ales, with more guest ales soon to be announced.
Licensee Carl Harrison took over The Swan in 2017 after previously running The View riverside fish and chip restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon.
He says the new chef heralds an exciting fresh chapter for the hotel and one that is set to place its culinary reputation firmly on the local map.
He said: “Now that we’ve got a good chef on board and one that is passionate and wants to make this place as good as it can be, the idea of adding seasonality to our menu will really help to push his vision for what we want to do.
“And it’s something that’s been missing in the village. We want to add that something extra to encourage more people to come to the Swan and see what we’re about.
“We’ve now got a passionate team that really wants to make a difference to the village. Customer feedback has always been so important to us. Food quality and customer service are more important than anything.”
Photos by www.davidfawbertphotography.co.uk
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS:
The winner is entitled to a three-course meal from the Spring Menu for two people.
Drinks and supplements are not included.
Prize subject to booking and availability.
The winner of a meal for two is Matt Elofson from Kineton. Thanks to everyone who entered.
Have you heard about this event coming up at The Swan next month? http://chalmersnewspr.co.uk/news/choctastic-event-for-easter/
