Lamb and Flag Leeds – Who are they then? The Lamb and Flag is one of the latest edition to the portfolio of fine establishments brought to life by Sam Moss and Michael Brothwell, the owners of Leeds Brewery. The pair have done no wrong with the likes of The Midnight Bell and The Crowd of Favours and now they have restored a crumbling 19th century building to bring us the wonderful Lamb and Bell. Located on Church Row, Leeds, “The Lamb” has a wonderful historic feel to it with exposed brickwork and large open windows that take you to another time. It also has an excellent courtyard beer garden for chilling in the sun. With three very spacious majestic rooms sporting flagged floors and high ceilings, and bar upstairs and downstairs, people can choose the setting to suit them. On this note, while there is a terrace on both floors, the upstairs bar terrace offers a superb view of Leeds Minster next door. What about the drink and the food? Well the full range of Leeds Brewery beers are available from Leeds Pale and Yorkshire Gold to Midnight Bell and Gathering Storm. But not everything on offer is so dramatic (at least in name). They also offer an extensive range of regular draught lagers, wines and spirits, and soft drinks. They have a really solid kitchen and stick to simple, locally sourced, freshly cooked food that they know how to prepare and present perfectly. All their dishes are homemade and there’s a specials board in the pub which is changed monthly. Sunday isn’t Sunday without a roast so people are assured of their Sunday lunch and sandwiches are served throughout the week. Food is served from midday to 9pm everyday and Brunch is served on a Sunday from 11am to 1pm. All in all this pub is a great place for a good mix of people of all ages to relax, eat and drink. We’ve been out chatting with the Head chef of the Lamb & Flag Leeds, Andrew Cherry, Here’s what he had to say… Meet Andrew Cherry – Lamb and Flag Head Chef Q – Where are you originally from? A – I’m from right here, Leeds! Q – When did you first become interested in cooking? A – My grandma was a great cook, and would make many a great lunch for me when I was at the primary school over the road. Q – Who was your biggest inspiration? A – I have had many people that have inspired me – some in a personal way and others professionally. I learnt a lot from the Head Chef from my time at Hotel Larios in Malaga Yago Lage Zabetero, who was a great mentor and gave me great insight into Spanish cookery and European gastronomy. Q – What changes have you seen, if any, in the way the restaurant world has changed? ie have peoples tastes changed, do people expect more nowadays etc..? A – My experiences as a chef have seen me working in geographically different locations, with different cooking styles. Consequently, the customer preferences and expectations differ very much and are dependent upon the country and the style of venue. Q – What has been your biggest success to date? A – That depends upon what ones definition of success is. I have had some highlights in my career, of delivering incredible food well received by the customers, which resulted in immense pride and personal satisfaction. I have also managed a kitchen team in my second language which I again deem a success. During my time with Leeds Brewery and Camerons Brewery I have introduced processes and procedures to increase consistency in our fresh food product, which have driven sales and increased profitability. I have also worked with some great young chefs that have furthered their careers with promotions in the company, achieving their own great successes. I obviously take pride in that. Q – What’s the must try dish on your menu? A – At the Lamb and Flag, our Lamb rump Sunday roast would be my tip, though our beef roast is also excellent. I’m also currently working on a Smokehouse style menu with the chefs at Head of Steam Headingley – the Bone in Ribeye Steak with chimichurri sauce is a dish well worth sampling. Q – What would be your tip for upcoming chefs? A – To understand the difference between being a cook and a chef. As a chef, you have to have many strings to your bow. A great ability to cook, with a sound knowledge of financials, good management and leadership qualities. Also important is the ability to identify what your customers want, with an aim to exceed their expectations. You have to keep everyone happy, the owners (profitability), the customers (the food product) and the staff (the working environment). Q – What are the 3 main components to running a successful restaurant? A – The atmosphere of the restaurant, the service and the food. Q – What do you hope people think when they’ve dines with you? A – I hope their expectations are exceeded, and that they can tell their meal has been prepared with care. Q – Finally, If you could summarise, what do you believe good cooking is all about? A – Good cooking is producing what you deem to be the best possible dish, and for it to be well received by your intended diner. Good professional cookery is far more difficult to summarise, due to the immensely complicated nature of the professional chef’s job role.