Simon Hartnett is the executive chef at The Queens Hotel’s Restaurant 1865 in Southsea and a self-confessed food geek. Growing up, while his pals would spend their pocket money on toys, Simon would make a beeline to the market to buy olives and cheese.
Cooking runs in the family and Simon’s uncle Gary Meighan is a celebrity chef in Australia working on Master Chef Australia.
Simon trained at Highbury College and worked in top hotels and two rosette gastro pubs before taking up his role at the Queens Hotel.
We sat down with the talented chef to find out a little more.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, including where you are today, professionally, and what got you here?
It has been the culmination of 17 years of work to get to be where I am today. My goal has always been to become an executive chef in a hotel. When I heard about the opportunity at The Queens Hotel it fitted perfectly with what I wanted to do and it allowed me to work in the top hotel in my home city. Being here has allowed me to do things like work on my friend’s wedding and cater for my old school’s prom.
When you are standing on the pass as executive chef, it is like being the conductor of an orchestra, bringing all the elements together. It can be quite stressful but my brain works in such a way that I am able to zone in and focus (it’s the one time I’m not thinking about a million other things).
Having studied at Highbury College in Portsmouth, I’ve since worked at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, the Old Drum, Petersfield (rosettes won) before leading the brigade at The Queens Hotel.
What or who inspired you to become a chef?
Being a chef was what I always wanted to do from a young age. Watching Jamie Oliver’s Naked Chef series as a youngster was a guilty pleasure. I was fascinated by food and when we went on holiday to France, I would use the pocket money I had saved to go round the food markets buying cheese and other treats.
My nan worked as a cook and because my mum worked long hours, I would always cook at home. I can remember being about six- or seven-years-old making scrambled eggs and enjoying it.
Who has been your biggest influence to get you to where you are today?
My uncle by marriage is Gary Meighan, a really successful chef in Australia. He worked on Master Chef in Australia and ran some amazing restaurants. It’s been really inspiring to see how his career has progressed and how he has retained his love of creating great food.
What’s your signature dish?
Pork belly and scallops. Pork with seafood is incredible. There’s something amazing about bringing a relatively cheap cut like pork belly together with an expensive ingredient like scallops or lobster – the cheaper element brings flavour and the expensive ingredient brings a touch of luxury.
Seasonality and buying local are key elements for me. I’m a great believer in the old saying, ‘what grows together, goes together.’
We are blessed to have some of the best ingredients grown locally and The Queens Hotel is a proud supporter of Hampshire Fare, the organisation that promotes all that is best when it comes to local produce on our doorstep.
There is no finer flavour than an Isle of Wight tomato – I’ve never tasted better and I love to include them whenever I can.
What are the most important considerations when crafting your menu?
Seasonality is most important and also understanding who your customer is. Over time you get to know what your clientele like and I guess I would sum it up as classic British fare with a contemporary influence.
Do your personal preferences influence the menu at all?
This has been a bit of a secret but I’m happy to share it here. Every menu that I write has a dish for my wife Tiffany on it – and she always knows which one it is. She is my inspiration.
How would you describe your cooking style?
Modern British probably sums it up. I like to bring in all the diversity we have from North African to Polish – representing the cultural diversity that makes Britain such a special place to be.
Do you have a favourite time of year or set of ingredients that you look forward to working with?
Autumn and spring are the best times of the year. The crossover into autumn is just wonderful and the promise of all those different root vegetables.
While in the spring you can get excited about fruits once again (and you can think of something other than kale).
What is your favourite ingredient to create with?
Isle of Wight tomatoes, without a doubt. They will be on my menu from the moment I can get hold of them until the very end of the season. Keeping dishes clean and crisp is the key and with wonderful produce like the Isle of Wight tomatoes you can let the flavours speak for you.
Creating a simple dish perfectly is the focus for me – doing small things perfectly.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?
Before finding my place in a kitchen I tried everything from working in an office to a stint as furniture removal man with Pickfords but none of those jobs was for me. Sometimes you have to try a few things to find where you belong and from the moment I set foot in a kitchen I knew it was the place for me.
What is your favourite dish to cook at home?
We’ve got a little pizza oven in the garden at home and nothing gives me more pleasure than to make pizzas with my kids. I enjoy kicking back with the kids, making a few pizzas – and I try not to get on at them too much about cleaning up as they go.
When are you happiest?
At the end of a big Saturday, when we’ve had a big wedding and everything has gone to plan – you do feel a sense of achievement. Outside of work, I like nothing more than being by the sea with my wife and kids just taking it all in.
What is your favourite piece of kitchen equipment?
A Rational oven or thermo mix blender.
When you’re not in the kitchen where can you be found?
Where else but at home with my family, I love the buzz of being busy in the kitchen but there’s nothing better than being at home.
What’s your favourite takeaway or comfort food?
I really enjoy Turkish food and if I’m having a takeaway it has to be lamb shish kebab.
Where is your favourite place to dine?
Cornerstone, Hackney is run by my favourite chef Tom Brown. He is a genius when it comes to seafood. My mackerel pate was an homage to Tom and his team. He does simple food brilliantly and each dish is utterly delicious.
What do you think is the most over-hyped food trend?
Fad diets drive me crazy – I’m a great believer in moderation and having a little of what you fancy. Cultural appropriation when it comes to things like street food is also something that really riles.
What do your future plans entail?
I would love The Queens Hotel Portsmouth to become known for foodie breaks where you book in for a couple of nights and enjoy fantastic food throughout your stay. We are seen as the place to go for a celebration, be that a significant birthday or your wedding day. Ideally, I would like the Queens to be at the forefront of people’s minds when they are choosing the best place to pop for breakfast or enjoy afternoon tea with your friends.
How have the lockdown restrictions affected your work?
The lockdown has undoubtedly had a profound effect on the hospitality industry and some much needed changes were made. People became even more aware of the need for good work/life balance and the pandemic made us question how we had been doing things before.
I was delighted to be able to establish a four-day week in the kitchen so you get the chance to have a life away from the stove. If you are more flexible with your team and they feel valued and respected, they are more likely to stay with you and will go the extra mile when called for.
What differences do you find working with local produce as opposed to non-local produce in terms of what you can create and flavour?
It makes a real difference when you can build a relationship with suppliers who are local to you. You can get to understand how they operate and how you can work together. We get our sourdough bread from a wonderful bakery called Bread Addiction – they really care about the quality of their product and understand the needs of the hotel.
I have a great relationship with the team at Mooka, who make ice cream and are based at Petersfield. I’ve been working with them in previous roles since 2012 and really enjoy coming up with ideas for flavour combinations that will enhance the desserts we offer. We had great fun creating the Guinness ice cream that accompanies the Jamaican Ginger Treacle Tart currently on our menu.
How do you go about menu planning? What’s the process from picking the ingredients to getting them fresh into the kitchen and into dishes?
You need to have a good structure for a menu. There are core items that need to be there and then it’s great to be led by ingredients and the seasons. I’m a great one for nose to tail cuts – there’s something so satisfying about working with something like a pig’s head, which can be seen as something that is big and grotesque and turning it into something that is tasty and elegant.
When starting a menu, we have an open forum discussion within the kitchen brigade – input is welcomed from everyone.
What’s your favourite flavour combination?
Bakewell tart is my favourite – the flavours work so well together.
How would you describe the food you create at Restaurant 1865 to someone who’s never experienced your kind of food?
It’s classic British food cooked to a really high standard. We take good quality ingredients and elevate them.
What is the USP of your restaurant?
Being Portsmouth born and bred, I can still remember how I felt walking into our Restaurant 1865 for the very first time. The high ceilings, beautiful plasterwork, chandeliers and stylish wooden flooring are all amazing and I just thought wow. It still blows my mind when I go in there and you do feel like the food has to live up to the beauty of the room.
Factbox
Address: Clarence Parade, Osborne Rd, Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea PO5 3LJ
Phone: 023 9282 2466
Website: queenshotelportsmouth.com
