The inspirational story of how Ben Queen-Fryer grew from schoolboy glass collector in a pub to achieving a Michelin star virtually single handedly is nothing short of remarkable. Now he wants to share his story – and his recipes – in his first cookbook
For much of the past seven years Ben Queen-Fryer has worked alone in the kitchen at The Dog and Gun, creating exceptional food for those who travel to Skelton, near Penrith.
It is a humble, unpretentious village pub offering a warm welcome. What sets it apart is Ben’s inventive dishes that surprise newcomers and keep his loyal regulars coming back. It is the kind of food people really want to eat.
It caught the eye of Michelin inspectors who rewarded him in 2022 with a coveted Star. There have been other accolades: inclusion in Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs for 2021 and the title of Cumbria Life Dining Pub of the Year in 2019 and 2020.
In an area of England renowned for fine dining, he is a local shining light, renowned for his modesty and quiet demeanour, but also a razor-sharp drive for quality.
Now he is keen to share his knowledge to inspire others. An avid collector of cookbooks, he wants to self-publish his own to reflect how far he – and his food – have come.
The idea is to inspire home cooks who want to progress and provide fresh inspiration for more confident cooks to reach new heights.
“I’ve got hundreds of cookbooks, I just love collecting them. I think I even have the same book in different editions. I used to buy the big glossy coffee table books, now I prefer the understated ones. More and more I am looking for books printed around 1900 where you can find recipes that give a real link to the past,” says Ben.
He is determined that The Dog and Gun Cookbook will offer something new. Its 70 recipes will trace the growth of a chef who has given his all to creating innovative, tasty food with provenance and the journey he and The Dog and Gun have travelled.
“I couldn’t decide what format to use, starter, main course, pudding or by season. But given we had changed the food a lot from where we began, it made sense to reflect the development in the food from 2017 through to now.
“We went from buying a closed pub to opening the doors after just a week, and five years later gaining a Michelin star while serving suet pudding and chips. In that time dishes have evolved.
“For example, we used to do a rabbit pie with rough puff pastry in an enamel pie tin. Now it’s a really neat little stew in hot water pastry, the same flavours but it’s more refined and there’s a lot more technique to get it looking right every time. It’s a dish that shows how far we’ve come.
“That’s what I want to offer in the book, starting with the simpler way of make a dish and making it gradually harder so if you want to progress as a home cook it invites you to take it up a level so you become accomplished by the end.”
Each dish proposed for the hardback, A4 book has been captured by acclaimed food photographer to the stars, John Carey. He has worked with Gordon Ramsay, Rick Stein, Marcus Wareing, Nathan Outlaw, Tom Kerridge and more.
Replicating his commitment to local ingredients, Ben has also commissioned H&H Reeds, just seven miles away in Penrith, to design and print the book.
A landmark achievement for the chef and validation of his vision, talent and hard work, he says the book will provide a snapshot in time and a social commentary on customers’ tastes and preferences.
“Our customers have been responsive to whatever I’ve tried to show them,” he says. “They come back over and over again and that allows you to build. They are the people who’ve helped me get here and do it in the way we’ve done it. If you’re not lucky enough to have that support you’d probably end up rolling back.
“I’ve never tried to force dishes on customers, if something isn’t well received, even if I like it and think it’s good, I will take it off the menu.
“We put things out there and we gather feedback and then make adjustments or completely change a dish. It’s a process of give and take between us and our customers. I never put something on the menu and just assume it will be enjoyed by everyone.”
It includes being determined to keep away from only serving multi-course, tasting menus. “It’s not what our customers tell us they want, and we want people to come back and be comfortable. If they want to bring children that’s fine, and not everyone wants three courses all the time.”
The local supply landscape has changed too. “In recent years, things changed a lot for us when we were able to get fresh fish from Maryport.
“We have four different versions of Dover sole included in the book. We went from a simple panfried dish with capers and parsley butter and moved through to steaming the fish and serving it with a vermouth butter sauce and tempura scampi fritter. Now we’re doing it with a curry sauce and a mushy pea fritter.”
Throughout, Ben has largely been in the kitchen on his own – one of only a handful of Michelin star holders to achieve the accolade single handedly – and lived over the pub until six months ago. Recently, he recruited two chefs and is supported front of house by Szandra Csakvariova.
Ben started his own hospitality career as a glass collector then potwasher at The Mill, in Ulverston, and credits former owners, Steve and Chris Johnson, for giving him the best start and having a positive influence on his career. He also worked at Ford Park Coach House and the Wheatsheaf Inn, Brigsteer, before moving to The Plough, at Lupton.
Ben anticipates the Dog and Gun evolving further as he continues to grow as a chef. “In the time we’ve been here, I’ve managed to teach myself a lot. I certainly couldn’t do what I do now when I first got here. I had to be better, and most importantly be more organised.
“At the same time I look at what we’ve done with the style of the food and I think there is much more to explore. I don’t think we are anywhere near finished with the development of The Dog and Gun.
The Dog and Gun Cookbook
With so much local support among lovers of good food, Ben is offering the chance to be part of his debut in the publishing world.
The Dog and Gun Cookbook will be self-published. Photography, printing, design all takes investment and Ben is seeking crowdfunding to make the book a reality.
He is inviting people to pledge £35 – or more if they wish – through Kickstarter to support its creation. Investors will be among the first to receive a copy, hot off the press.
There may also be the opportunity for supporters to join special events at the pub to celebrate its publication as well as other benefits.
To make a pledge, visit kickstarter.com and search for The Dog and Gun Cookbook
Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Jerusalem Artichokes
As a taster to his planned book, Ben shares a delicious pasta recipe to elevate dinner at home
For almost three years, we had an agnolotti dish on the menu. For four months, whilst asparagus is in season, we would do the pea and mint version and for the rest of the year this one would be served.
The key to the depth of flavour is the initial roasting of the button mushrooms for the filling. This dries them out and intensifies the flavour, which you then get back ten-fold when you turn it into a purée.
You will need a pasta machine and ideally a couple of other gadgets to make this dish.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE AGNOLOTTI FILLING
1kg button mushrooms
40g dried cep mushrooms
Half an onion
4 garlic cloves, sliced
50ml Madeira
50g butter
150ml double cream
Salt and pepper
FOR THE PASTA
300g T00 flour
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
15ml olive oil
5g water
FOR THE SOURDOUGH BREADCRUMBS
1 sourdough loaf, crusts removed
100g butter
100ml olive oil
TO SERVE
4 Jerusalem artichokes
Sourdough breadcrumbs
50g chives, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Polenta
Parmesan cheese
METHOD
1. To make the agnolotti filling, finely slice all the button mushrooms. Heat a pan with 4 tbsp of vegetable oil, add the sliced mushrooms and fry until golden and crispy: the mushrooms need to be as dry as possible, but without burning.
2. Remove the mushrooms from the pan. Add the butter and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the dried cep mushrooms and the Madeira and reduce until the liquid has completely evaporated.
3. Add 300ml water and simmer until less than half of the water remains.
4. Add the mushrooms back to the pan along with the double cream and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend the mushroom mixture until it is completely smooth.
5. Season and place into a piping bag. Reserve in the fridge until needed.
6. To make the pasta, put the pasta flour into a food processor. Whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, olive oil and water together. Start the food processor and whilst it is moving add the egg mixture; this should result in a crumb texture being formed.
7. Remove the crumbs from the food processor and on a warm surface bring the dough together by hand. Knead until it forms a smooth, slightly elastic dough. Wrap in cling film and put into the fridge.
8. To serve, set a fryer to 160°C. Peel and finely slice the Jerusalem artichokes, ideally using a Japanese mandolin. Fry the artichokes until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Season with a little salt and set aside.
9. Make the sourdough breadcrumbs by putting the load into a food processor and turn into breadcrumbs. The crumbs can be very fine or left chunkier depending on the desired end result.
10. Take a large saucepan. Melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and stir quickly to evenly coat with the butter and oil. Cook out on a very low heat, stirring often, until the crumbs are golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen towel.
11. Using a pasta machine, roll out the pasta into 8cm wide lengths, down to at least number one on the pasta machine settings.
12. Flour the bench and lay the pasta out. Pipe the filling into the centre of the pasta. Brush one edge of the pasta with water. Fold the dry edge of the pasta over the top of the filling and onto the brushed edge. Secure the seal by gently pressing the pasta edges together.
13. Roll a pasta wheel along the sealed edge of the pasta, leaving a 1cm gap between the pasta filling and the newly cut edge. Using both hands, with thumb and forefinger, pinch the pasta filling gently at 3cm intervals to create individual pillow-shaped pieces. Cut with the pasta wheel to separate them from each other.
14. Line a tray with polenta and lay the pasta on top. Bring a large pan of salted water tothe boil and drop in the agnolotti, keeping the heat high and making sure the water is constantly boiling.
15. Cook for 2 minutes, until the pasta begins to float. Remove and set aside. Spread the agnolotti on the serving plates. Dress with the chives and sourdough breadcrumbs. Finish with the parmesan and artichoke crisps.
