I will not be whipped

 

Amid the current furore over the behaviour of political enforcers, otherwise known as party whips, I came across the quote ‘Whoever allows himself to be whipped deserves to be whipped.’ A sentiment I thoroughly endorse.  

Despite being on the fringes of the political arena for almost 20 years, I have never allowed myself to be whipped, either physically or metaphorically. When I became political group leader for our district council some years ago, the first thing I did was to remove the whip. I strongly believe that if it is felt that a particular stance or course of action needs to be taken it is incumbent upon the leader to persuade, not force, their political bedfellows to go along with it. As a leader one should seek to achieve a level of respect, not grudging agreement. 

Whilst it is necessary for our rulers to be able to ensure compliance amongst their political allies, particularly when wishing to push legislation through parliament, it is no mere coincidence that one definition of the term ‘whip’ refers to someone who imposes their will by violence and intimidation. When what amounts to bullying and coercive tactics are used, which in my experience happens at every level of government, we are no better than the leaders of other countries that we criticise; Russia and China spring readily to mind.    

Certainly, I have seen instances of where those who do tow-the-line, regardless of their skills, knowledge and experience, tend to get offered the plum jobs. 

Personally, I would rather retain a level of integrity. 

The Olive Tree Restaurant, Bath - Review

 

Bugger the Covid booster jab. Like a good citizen it turned out to be more like a lamb being led to slaughter. I went down like a ton of bricks, was bedridden for a week and a month later I have still lost my appetite; not good for someone who eats out professionally five days a week. 

But no matter…. I have spent a good deal of time in Bath in recent years, and in the run up to Christmas, I had the pleasure of visiting the kitchen at The Olive Tree restaurant at The Queensbury Hotel to assess one of their apprentices. This was coincidentally one of the hotels on my patch as an AA Hotel & Restaurant inspector many years go, and one where I have fond memories of my inspection.

Had my bank balance been healthier, I would certainly have liked to stay overnight but contented myself with a pre-Christmas treat of a meal at Bath’s only Michelin starred restaurant. On my previous visit a week or so earlier I had been impressed by the kitchen set up overseen by Head Chef Chris Cleghorn, who heads up a brigade of eight. 

I get to see a lot of kitchens, many of which are so chaotic I am left wondering how on earth they manage to pull a meal together. In this case, on my previous visit, outside of service hours, I noticed the calm, disciplined, working atmosphere generated by Chris; everyone going seamlessly about their business. He runs a tight ship.

I had been looking forward to sampling either the nine course or six course menus on offer at £120 or £95, with wine pairings to match. 

Under normal circumstances I would have been up for this, but due to my recent indisposition I opted for three starters and a dessert, along with a glass of Champagne. With a total bill of £86, including service, I felt that overall, this was good value for money.

Diners can also select à la carte options, and ‘fussy’ eaters can take advantage of menus offering vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian and dairy free options. There is even a well-priced children’s menu on offer; a practice I thoroughly approve of as I believe that all children should be introduced to fine dining as soon as possible. 

The subdued furnishings of the dining room do not detract from the dining experience but sadly as it was the restaurant is not disabled friendly. The staff however were professional and approachable, and extremely knowledgeable. Their product knowledge was good, and staff were able to describe the wine pairings on offer; I do love to cross examine them!

Pleasingly they were able to make guests feel welcome but did not cross the boundary between diner and waiter that I believe should be present in a professional establishment.  

Service was well-paced, and when it comes to grub, especially if eating alone, I eat at an Olympic pace.

As with other fine dining establishments I have been fortunate enough to experience recently, there were a number of Japanese patrons. Thankfully, in the tough times the hospitality industry has been experiencing as a result of Covid-19, this is one sector of tourist visitors that appears to be unafraid to brave our shores.

As a journalist and WSET wine tutor I was thrilled to discover the wide range of lovely wines on offer by the glass. Ordinarily, I would have taken advantage of the wine pairings on offer but settled instead for a glass of Champagne. With an eye on their income, one area of criticism was the absence of upselling to encourage me to order a second glass once I had finished.

Presentation throughout was exceptional, and a small fortune has obviously been spent on the china to enhance the appearance of dishes; one does eat with the eyes first after all. However, my main focus is always on the taste, and I was not disappointed.

One of the keys to assessing establishments in a professional capacity is the ability to be objective. There is real joy when something just hits the spot, but we all have personal preferences. It is the ability to judge competence and skill, both in terms of selecting top notch locally sourced ingredients, and then combining them in a way that enhances them is what results in a memorable meal.

The menu was pleasingly very seasonal, and changed regularly to reflect the best that is on offer, giving imaginative pairings of ingredients with a nod to the Orient.

I always love the ‘freebies’ that go with fine dining and my meal began with a single slice of smoked air-dried duck breast beautifully presented…I could have eaten much more!

I did however fully regret declining the homemade rolls on offer; rye with black treacle. The aroma from an adjoining table was irresistible.

My meal began with a single diced raw Orkney scallop, served in its shell with wasabi mayonnaise, dill, and a granny smith apple granita. This was clearly a nod to a similar dish served at the Two Michelin star restaurant Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin, one of my favourites.

Overall, this was my favourite dish of the meal. Fresh and clean, the hot kick of the wasabi providing a perfect contrast to the cool granita. If I had been preparing this, I might have cut the scallop into translucent slices rather than dice it. 

One of the elements noticeable throughout my meal, and in observing other dishes, was that several dishes are finished at the table, in this case with the granita, as well as sauces and other elements, including caviar. This might have come across as pretentious, but it merely formed part of the theatre that was being created to ensure that diners had a memorable experience. 

I had asked for tasting size portions and my next choice was smoked eel with leek and a chicken and tarragon sauce. A well thought out combination, but given the restaurant’s aspirations for two Michelin stars, I would hope that consideration would be given to smoking their own meat and fish. I also found the dish a little on the salty side for my taste.

I followed this with veal sweetbread with black garlic, Westcombe ricotta and preserved lemon. This was skilfully cooked, but I did struggle to appreciate the marriage between the two key ingredients.

I conclude my meal with Islands Chocolate, yoghurt sorbet, perilla (a grassy herb with notes of anise or liquorice) Manni olive oil (gold medal winning in 2021). The textures of this dish, the soft oozing mousse contrasting with the cocoa nibs and the cool sorbet, made this a great way to finish a first-rate meal.

However, the experience was not over yet, a shiny red pair of salted caramel lips accompanied the bill!

I cannot wait to return once my appetite is fully restored.

As always I pay for my own meals, without accepting hospitality, and dining anonymously where possible, although in this case I had to pull rank to get a table as the restaurant is so popular!