Essex

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-15-1000x667.jpg" alt="Tom Clarke head chef The Windmill Chatham Green" class="wp-image-17688" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-15-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-15-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-15-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/2-15.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Why eat at <a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/the-windmill-chatham-green-chelmsford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Windmill Chatham Green</a>? We&#8217;re a small family-run and dog-friendly business, serving fine dining in a very relaxed pub atmosphere. Our dishes are seasonal with forged elements, plus our menus change frequently, so you get to enjoy new dishes every two months.



What else? We&#8217;ve a lot of returning guests who are now great friends, as they&#8217;ve supported us from the beginning. As we&#8217;re in a small village outside of Chelmsford, we are a destination, where guests experience high quality food from our à la carte or tasting menus without being rushed.



Can you stay? We offer Stay &amp; Dine Experiences, with Champagne on arrival and a five or eight course tasting menu. You then stay in one of our two luxury ensuite rooms, before starting the next day with a relaxed breakfast.



Let&#8217;s go back to the beginning: what made you want to be a chef? I was influenced by my granny, who was an excellent home cook. She ran Great Waltham bakery with my grandad and uncle until it sadly closed in 1991.



First dish you ever mastered? The humble pancake, when mum decided I had to learn to make them myself if I wanted to eat them every day!



And first job in the kitchen? Kitchen porter at the age of 14 at North Hill Brasserie in Colchester.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-10-1000x667.jpg" alt="Dinner at The Windmill Chatham Green" class="wp-image-17690" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-10-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-10-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-10-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/3-10.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What&#8217;s your cooking style now? Modern British with French and Asian influences.



Top tip for keeping cooking simple but delicious? Use high quality products, plan ahead and have good organisation.



The kids are starving and you’re up against the clock: what&#8217;s for dinner? Our favourite is chilli and rice with wraps, which is great fun for the kids. Or soy marinated salmon with sticky rice and veg – and you can&#8217;t beat an omelette!



Dinner party go-to dish? Beef Wellington with Pommes Anna, seasonal veg and a rich beef jus. It’s one of my favourite dishes to prepare, and I can comfortably say I have mastered it.



Favourite chef? Raymond Blanc, Alan Murchison, Alain Ducasse, Pierre Garnier, Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White, to mention a few!



Best cookbook? I&#8217;ve quite the collection, but I do like Asian and Nordic cookbooks. Anything to make me think more outside the box and learn more ways for sustainable cooking.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-7-1000x667.jpg" alt="Steak potatoes and asparagus" class="wp-image-17692" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-7-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-7-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-7-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/4-7.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



What&#8217;s your go-to cuisine? French and Japanese.



Kitchen gadget you think all chefs should have? Thermomix. I love that you can add heat to make crème anglaise for ice cream.



Best dining destination? So far my favourite meal and experience was at The Ledbury in London. Amazing!&nbsp;



Favourite food when you’re on holiday? Paella, langoustines or schnitzel, depending where we go!



What ingredient couldn&#8217;t you cook without? Salt to season. Even for desserts, as it’s so important for the right balance.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-6-1000x667.jpg" alt="Chocolate dessert" class="wp-image-17693" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-6-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-6-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-6-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/5-6.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Best cooking tip? When cooking joints of meat, always rest it for the same time it takes to cook.



Career highlight? Besides opening The Windmill at Chatham Green it&#8217;s working for Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat Saison, learning French cooking basics and discipline. It was an honour to work at such a prestigious place in my early career.



Any others? Being Head Chef at L’Ortolan, a restaurant known for great chefs such as John Burton-Race, who achieved two Michelin stars there. After Alan Murchison left I took my chance to lead the kitchen and earned my own Michelin star and three AA Rosettes, which I kept for five years until leaving.



Most famous person you’ve cooked for? Chefs Alaine Ducasse and Pierre Garniere, as well as footballers Eric Cantona and Zinedine Zidane. And the Royal Family when I worked at Buckingham Palace.



What three Essex ingredients couldn’t you live without? Maldon Salt, Colchester Oysters and Marriages Flour, because it was used by my grandparents in the bakery.



Finally, please list three dishes every home cook should master. A ham and cheese omelette, steak and chips, and how to cook fish just right, so it’s still soft and juicy.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-13-1000x667.jpg" alt="The Windmill Chatham Green" class="wp-image-17694" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-13-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-13-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/07/1-13.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Tom is Head Chef at The Windmill Chatham Green.&nbsp;<a href="https://thewindmillchathamgreen.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Book lunch, dinner or a stay here.</a>

What’s cooking? Michelin starred Tom Clarke, The Windmill Chatham Green

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