We at the Red Lion believe in using local suppliers and services wherever possible. Our philosophy is simple: to try and use as many local suppliers and services as possible.
Our suppliers of fish, meat, vegetables, cheese, electricians, plumbers and fridge engineers are all local people, reducing our carbon footprint and creating a sense of community.
RebellionBeer Company, Marlow. Risborough Fish Goddens Butchers Of Chesham.
Situated at Bencombe Farm, Marlow Bottom, the Rebellion Beer Co was set up in Jan 1992. After the closure of Marlow’s Wethered’s brewery in the centre of Marlow in 1987, partners Tim Coombes and Mark Gloyens wanted to continue brewing on a small scale in the area. The first commercial beers were brewed in April 1993. The company has been at the Bencombe Farm site since 1997. On average they now brew over 125 barrels a week and deliver to over 200 pubs within a 30 mile radius of Marlow. Their range of distinctive real ales include three beers available all year round, a seasonal beer and an ever changing monthly beer. All monthly ales are individually crafted using different types of malts and hops. Two of the draught beers have been finalists at the Great British Beer Festival and they now produce three bottled beers, all of which are medal winners.
Risborough Fish was set up by Martin Lewis in 1990. He is a local independent wholesaler who has been supplying pubs, restaurants and caterers in and around Bucks for nearly 20 years. Buying direct to order from Billingsgate fish market 3 or 4 times a week in the early hours of the morning, guarantees that their customers receive the finest and freshest quailty seafood available. The reason the Red Lion likes using Risboro Fish is that Martin is always consistent in the quality, always delivers and always point us to things to buy in season at a great price.
Frank Godden trained with the Co-operative as a butcher in the 1940’s in SE London. He then served as an officer in the Catering Corps After returning he and his wife Grace bought a butchers shop in Hemel Hempstead High Street called ‘Pearmans’ and together they started their own business there. They lived with their two young sons and a daughter, Clive, Maurice and Pamela, above the shop. As Hemel grew the business expanded. Clive and Maurice opened shops in many of the surrounding towns through the 1970’s and 1980’s. The shops in Berkhamsted and Tring were particularly well known. Godden’s also supplied many of the restaurants, schools and conference centres in the area at that time. During the 1990’s the business was consolidated into two shops, one in Tring and one in Chesham, and a small unit in Chesham. The two shops were sold in 2001, leaving the unit from where they operate now. From this unit they supply many of the eating houses in Buckinghamshire and the surrounding counties along with many retail customers living in the Chesham, Tring, Berkhamsted, Amersham and Great Missenden areas. Nowadays the Red Lion really enjoys working with Sam and Reuben as they use quality meat. They show me new cuts and long forgotten butchery techniques.
I got my love of food from a very young age. Throughout my childhood, I thought I was going to become a chef. Whilst I was at the catering college however, I soon realised that the heat of the kitchen was not for me and the buzz of the dining room was calling me. I was lucky enough to gain valuable experience in various awarded restaurant in France before taking the plunge and moving to London.
I have now been working for the Patterson family for more than 2 years. I love the fact that we get so many returning customers, to know which table they prefer, that Mr. S.
drink only Chardonnay or that Mrs W. will always end up having the chocolate tart! As a chef de rang, Patterson’s offers me the opportunity to work both in a fine dining and a small family restaurant, which for me is the best of both worlds!
To me, the act of eating should be seen as an experience. I try to cook the way I live and vice versa. Which is why when I was offered the opportunity to become the Head Chef at Patterson’s I did not think twice before accepting. This restaurant was what I was looking for in terms of cuisine and of culture.
I think that you have to know where you come from to know where you are going. That should be true as much from a chef as from a lobster. I continuously remind our team in the kitchen that they must master the traditional techniques before they allow themselves to be more imaginative. The same goes with produce. No matter how good a recipe, it’s the provenance of your ingredient that should be first in your mind. Since I was welcomed in the Patterson family, I have had the chance to share this philosophy, not only with the team, but most importantly with our customers. One mouthful at a time.