There's a new chef at The Crown — meet Zico

thecrownlanlivery

Oct 10

2 min read

THE CROWN INN

LANLIVERY, CORNWALL

NEWS FROM THE KITCHEN

There's a new chef at The Crown — meet Zico

We've got some news from the kitchen!

We are very happy and excited to introduce Zico to you all. He spent a few weeks as an agency chef for us in the past few months and we were so blown away with his food and his attitude that we just had to offer him a job and we were delighted when he accepted.

Zico grew up in Oxford and, like plenty of people, didn’t spend his childhood with a carefully mapped-out career plan. Cooking came into the picture through work experience and he enjoyed it so much that deciding what came next turned out to be remarkably straightforward: he carried on cooking.

Since then, he’s built up experience in some standout kitchens and hospitality businesses, including The Killingworth Castle. That background has given him a strong grounding in high-quality cooking, while helping him develop a style that is very much his own. Ask him to describe his food and the answer is equally straightforward: Modern British. The one ingredient he couldn't live without? Butter. Yippee!

His approach to cooking is driven by ingredients and the multitude of possibilities they offer. When it comes to chefs that he admires, Adam Byatt of Trinity in Clapham is high on the list, particularly for his French-influenced style of cooking. And his most memorable restaurant experience so far? The absolutely outstanding L’Enclume in Cartmel, in the Lake District. That should set the scene nicely!

Faced with the rather dramatic question of what he would choose for his last meal on earth, Zico chose a plate of Beef Rossini and away from the pots and pans, there’s a background in swimming, a younger sister, and a penchant for jazz.

Most importantly for us, he arrives at The Crown with strong experience behind him, a love of good ingredients, a modern British style and a real energy and enthusiasm for cooking. We’re very much looking forward to seeing that come through on the plate.

He's already put his stamp on our menus, and there's more to come over the weeks ahead. We will be putting on a spectacular Gourmet Night in early November to showcase his talents and there's a regular budget busting Pie & a Pint night on Wednesdays starting soon. Happily we will be able to put the New Years Eve Black Tie Dinner Dance back on the calendar for this year and Burns Night will fall on a suitable night to bring that back as well. Keep a look out for updates and dates as we confirm them.

We're really proud to have him in the kitchen, and we think you're going to enjoy what he cooks. The best way to see for yourself is to come over - besides, with the weather turning, what better way to enjoy a glass of wine with some friends.