One of the top chefs in Staffordshire is launching a new bar and restaurant at The Wheatsheaf in Oulton.
Paul Gilmore – who has run the renowned and award-winning Restaurant Gilmore in Uttoxeter for the last 12 years (which will be closing soon for a major refurbishment) – is going to be running The Wheatsheaf in the evenings in a partnership with local Stone businessmen Matt Wilcox and Alan Appleby.
The Wheatsheaf has been used in the daytime for some months now as a base for the ‘Recipe for Success’ project, where local marginalised young people learn and train under the watchful eye of former restaurateur Niven Ziad. More on that HERE. In the evenings, ‘Gilmore’s at The Wheatsheaf’ will soon be open for business.
Matt Wilcox, who is involved with a variety of youth-based companies and charitable organisations in North Staffordshire called Unity, had a vision to bring the pub back to life with not only a great food-and-drink offering but also wanted to ensure that it could also be financially sustainable and most importantly contribute to helping make the community a better place to live. He had all the skills to run the community side but needed someone of Paul Gilmore’s calibre to help make sure that The Wheatsheaf could be put back on the map in an exciting partnership that is showing a new way to bring community pubs back to life.
Matt said: “I took a lot of time researching who the movers and shakers were in the local area and one name that stood out time and time again was Paul’s. From the first meeting with him I knew he was the man who could establish the culinary standards that I wanted this building to deliver. His passion, knowledge and flexibility to work with such a project is second to none. Rest assured, I don’t think every chef would feel comfortable sharing their kitchen with people still leaning their trade!”
Paul – who has been a regular at the Stone Food and Drink Festival demonstration tents over the years – has developed a business plan around the work that takes place in the day and has looked for opportunities to enhance it further by hopefully offering future work and apprenticeship opportunities for the ‘Recipe for Success’ students, who recently visited his Uttoxeter restaurant.
Paul said: “When I first spoke to Matt I don’t think he realised that he had described a dream opportunity for me. To cook, serve beer, encourage young people to appreciate good food and to do it all in a pub in a Staffordshire village. Wow! I am really looking forward to re-establishing The Wheatsheaf in Oulton as the place to go to relax and enjoy good food and drink. You will be able to enjoy freshly cooked dishes using the best of ingredients with local sourcing and seasonality being really important.”
Organic beetroot risotto, black pudding Scotch egg with baked beans, slow-cooked shoulder of Staffordshire beef with buttery mash and greens, Gilmore’s infamous bread and butter pudding and a selection of tantalising mini desserts will feature in the restaurant, with mini basket meals and bruschettas available in the bar.
For Paul, the opportunity to work with the ‘Recipe for Success’ students was particularly appealing. He said: “Being able to offer an opportunity to these young kids, to see what it’s like to work within my industry is the icing on the cake. If I can give even one of these youngsters the chance to begin a career in the catering industry it will mean a huge amount to me.”
[box type=”info” align=”aligncenter” ]’Gilmore’s at the Wheatsheaf’ will be open for drinks only on Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th April, to give local people the chance to have a look around and find out more. The full restaurant offer will then be available from Friday 9th April. Tables can be booked by calling 01785 817580[/box]
