Chef patron, Craig Griffin at The Jack In The Green in Rockbeare shares his food favourites
What is your earliest food memory?
It has to be helping my dad carve the turkey on Christmas Day. I say carve; I held a knife for a photograph! The memory of all the family sat round the table sharing a feast of homemade food is my favourite, nothing else mattered at that moment.
How would you describe your cooking style?
Through my menus at ‘The Jack’ we aim to cater for everyone while never compromising on quality. It’s somewhere close to ‘sophisticated simplicity’. Wse offer a quick, light snack all the way through to pub classics, a la carte and a decadent five-course tasting menu with matching wine flight. There’s also our famous Sunday roast. I would say that my style is simple but effective. Take a classic dish and elevate it using prime, local ingredients so that every plate is a picture.
Who is your food hero, a chef who's inspired you?
Growing up I had books by James Martin and Gordon Ramsay but after seeing Tom Kerridge on Great British Menu I was inspired by his style of cooking. His ability to make something that is simple, but also excellent, really chimes with me.
A memorable cooking experience?
The day I proposed to my wife! It was lockdown, resources were limited so I pulled on what I know best…cooking. We went for a walk, had a picnic and she said YES! I then had the pressure of creating my elaborate three-course menu in our small kitchen, lacking many of the utensils and machines that the pub has to offer, and trying not to create too much mess in the process! I knew that this had to be a great meal to round off a special day and I couldn’t mess it up. For that reason, it will always be my most memorable.
What's your favourite dish on the menu currently?
My favourite dish changes week on week - I love working with great local produce and getting creative across our seasonally changing menus. At the moment, a firm fave is our pork tenderloin dish. It’s served with a variation on the classic pork and apple combo by using red wine in the apple puree along with braised pig cheek – a wondrous and unsung part of the pig that I love to cook.
A favourite dining spot in Devon
The top spot for me is Boringdon Hall where Scott Paton (former sous chef of The Jack) is doing incredible things. We don’t get to visit often but when we do the whole experience is exemplary - his restaurant Àclèaf nails everything about hospitality. I always return inspired by the flavour combinations and presentation.
What do you love most about Devon?
I love how close we are to so many wonderful beaches, something we often take for granted. Also, the abundance of fresh produce from the countryside that surrounds us. And of course, there’s the relationships that I have built with local suppliers – all these things make this special part of the world somewhere I am very proud to call home.
A down-time/go-to meal you like to cook/eat at home?
I love making lamb ragu. It’s a dish that can be made simply if time and energy are against me by using lamb mince and penne pasta, or it can be a labour of love by making homemade pasta and slow braising lamb shoulder.
jackinthegreen.uk.com
