Charlotte Smith-Jarvis chats to passionate Norfolk chef Charlie Hodson about exciting new times at the Fur & Feather in Woodbastwick.
When I visited The Fur and Feather earlier this year I was disappointed. The setting is magical. Close to the Broads. The little pond outside. The rural location. Lovely. But the food just didn't hit the mark.
So I was really excited to hear a few weeks ago that top Norfolk chef Charlie Hodson had been brought in to run the kitchen and put Woodfordes' brewery tap on the map again.
Charlie, a familiar face on the Norfolk food and drink scene, says he's pretty well come out of retirement to take on the job – so something about the project must have really whet his appetite.
'I liked the idea of the challenge,' he said, 'and working with Woodfordes. For many years previously the pub has been run as a separate entity to the brewery and because they were taking it back in hand, it seemed like a nice opportunity for me to put my stamp on it.
'With Woodfordes being our sponsor for Porkstock, it was a natural synergy between myself, Nick and Jane. It's about relationships with me, hence why I've committed a few years to this place.'
Talking about the pub, Charlie says he's inspired by the location, which he says can't be rivalled. And he's confident he can make The Fur and Feather one of the top family dining pubs in Norfolk – especially when he brings back traditionally served Sunday lunches 'just like nanny used to make'.
'There has to be a story to everything and the story with the new launch and new branding is this is a pub that serves great food. We don't want people thinking it's a restaurant.'
The food journey begins at the pub's bar where guests can sample Woodfordes beer flights alongside award-winning pork pies from Jamie Archer of Archer's Butchers, alongside Candi's Chutney.
Archer's is, Charlie says, providing the majority of meat for the pub, where local produce is most definitely king. There's crab from John Davies in Cromer. Quail from Ellie and John at Norfolk Quail. Cheese from Fielding Cottage. All the seafood's from Lowestoft. Pork comes from Tim Allen. Crush oils are being used for frying.
'Without these producers my menu would just be a menu,' Charlie explains passionately, as he goes on to talk about the pub's move away from long blackboards, to homecooked, honest Norfolk food that hits the spot.
The lunch menu boasts filled home baked sourdough rolls, fish and chips with Woodfordes ale batter, award-winning sausages and mash.
'At night, we're going for really old school gastro pub type food that people can go away from and say 'that was really really nice'. So, our own beetroot cured salmon, Cromer crab cakes, seared seabass with fennel and pea puree, gnocchi with Norfolk wild mushrooms, Tim Allen's pork belly cooked in Norada beer with heritage carrots and bacon ketchup.'
Desserts are being made by the Artisan Pastry Chef. 'I've been supporting him since he came to Norfolk and I always said if I took on a kitchen again I'd use him as he's got a great product – gluten-free brownies, apple pie with toffee apple, lemon tart. Our ice creams are being made for us at the moment in Norfolk. And we have a Norfolk cheeseboard too with Norfolk tracklements and homemade biscuits – nice and simple.
'If we get awards, great, but I'd like to be really well known for family dining. For example, on Sundays we plan to do whole roasts to the table. If a family of four, six, eight books, it's a bit like cooking at home. We'll cook your meat and serve it on a board with a knife so you can carve it yourself with a bowl of veg and potatoes.
We just want people to see us as a cool pub that serves really good food.'
The new menu has just launched under Charlie's leadership. I'll definitely be returning to give it a try.
On the menu
nBraised Norfolk quail with Fruit Pig black pudding, slow cooked red cabbage and apple, and pear jelly
nWherry Special Woodforde's haddock with hand cut chips, homemade tartare sauce and mushy peas
nHedgerow berry pudding with vanilla ice cream
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