Kerrie Hacquoil has been head chef at Suburban Green in Wilmslow for four years. Working as a pastry chef and then in the kitchens at Harvey Nichols for 13 years, she has spent much of her career catering events, fashion shows and collaborations with different brands. ‘Anything sweet, like chocolate, ice cream and pastries is what I trained in, so I like to still bring some of those skills to my current job. I love making things look pretty,’ she says. Here, she shares her festive food loves.
Tell us a little about Suburban Green.
It’s a brilliant place to work, the owners are fabulous, and I love my team. When I came here, I brought a lot of my team with me. Some of us have worked together for nearly 18 years. We’re like a clan.
Aside from that I love that I get to do lots of little off the menu events and special menus, that’s what keeps me excited. I love the freedom we have to create exciting dishes. I get to be creative and make things look beautiful, it’s one of the things I really love about the job.
What is your most vivid childhood food memory at Christmas?
My mum is a great cook. She always used to go completely over the top for Christmas dinner. There would be four of us for Christmas dinner and there would be four different joints of meat - she would overload the table with everything. I’m only tiny and it used to completely over face me, but we loved it.
Where will you be on Christmas Day?
This year I will be at home, which is only the second time I've ever been at home for Christmas. I’m not always working, but most of the time I go and visit family and it’s a busy day. Last year, we decided we were not going anywhere, and it was so nice because my little girl got to play with all her toys and didn’t get dragged away. So, we decided to do the same again this year. My fella is cooking as well. I’ll have a Guinness in one hand and an Advocaat in the other and I am going to have a proper Christmas Day.
You can have a Christmas meal anywhere. Where do you go?
Lapland. My little girl is a little bit older now, but I still think it would be magical to go there. You would have a roaring fire, it’s snowing outside, Father Christmas and his elves would be next to you and you could have a traditional Christmas dinner.
What will Christmas at Suburban Green be like?
We’ve got a real treat. Everyone knows each other around here and there’s a really lovely community feel to it. We’re doing story time with Santa. I’m going to make some huge gingerbread houses so the kids can smash them up and overload on sugar.
We have got a Christmas menu for the grown-ups, but I think my pick for the adults has got to be the boozy hot chocolates and special coffees. And the gorgeous festive cocktails too.
What one tip does every home cook need to know at Christmas?
You need to know a chef! My partner is cooking on Christmas Day but I’ll bring it home all prepped so he can just put it in in the oven.
Who would be at your fantasy Christmas dinner party - and what would you eat?
I’m very into music. Let’s say Elvis, because I bet he would put on a real show after dinner. And Aquaman. I like goose, but I’d probably just go for a roast beef dinner, I’m a real northerner so I love gravy, and lots of it.
Who are your Cheshire food and drink heroes?
Buzzy Bee Bakery over the road. Whenever I put on a different menu and want to do something a bit weird and wonderful, I ask them. It’s always delicious.
My favourite dish
The festive sharer platter. It’s got pigs in blankets – which you can't go wrong with. I love them. We've got cauliflower cheese on there and some roasted sprouts, but I'm putting garlic yogurt and spiced pecans with it this year too. There’s a turkey ballotine that we stuff with drunken apricots and sage, braised red cabbage with all the mulled wine spices and honey roasted roots. It’ll happily feed two people and so you can just graze. It’s really sociable and it’s nice for when people haven’t seen each for a while or they’re not going to see each other for Christmas.
suburban-green.co.uk
