Merivale has revealed that legendary chef Peter Doyle will retire from the kitchen of the group’s est. restaurant in June, before taking the helm of Merivale’s new internal chef apprenticeship school.
The school will launch in 2019, but before he retires est. will launch the ‘Peter Doyle’s Best. Years’ menu, which will celebrate the chef’s most iconic dishes.
The menu, which will be served from 30 April – 2 June, will feature iconic dishes like ‘pan fried john dory fillet, grilled scallop, spinach, carrot juice – sauternes emulsion’ and ‘juniper crusted venison saddle, beetroot, boudin noir, chestnuts, cocoa paper’. The Best. Years menu will also feature a wine list matched to the decades of Doyle’s years in restaurants.
After hanging up his apron, Doyle plans to formalise his teaching in readiness for his new role leading Merivale’s apprenticeship programme, including studying his Certificate in Training and Assessment. He will work closely with Merivale’s long-term partner and registered training organisation, Allara Learning, to build course content that is consistent with the requirements of completing an apprenticeship.
“I’ve been teaching people ever since I started, for the last 40 years, so this really did feel like the right evolution. I don’t want to step away completely”, Doyle said.
“This is going to be face-to-face and hands on, I’m really excited to get in front of a class and teach these kids the skills that have now become so instinctual”.
“You always want the people you’re teaching to be better than you are by the time that they’ve grown in their capacity. You want the world to be a better place, so you want them to be. It’s progress, and it’s really satisfying”.
est.’s Head Chef Jacob Davey, who has worked closely alongside Doyle for the past three years, will take over the reins in June, with a new menu set to be introduced in July.