Where Was Bennigans?

[Meantime]

Just been reading something and I've come across mention of a restaurant in The Norfolk Broads called Bennigans around 1989. I've never heard mention of it and wondered where it might have been. I believe there was a chain of restaurants in the good ole US of A called Bennigans, and don't know if it was connected or more than likely just a one of.

There just might be a small reward if anyone knows the answer, but since I don't know the answer, I'll have to take it on trust your telling the truth! 

[oldgregg]

There was a 'Brannigans' on riverside in the very early noughties, but it was more of a bar/club style venue.

[Meantime]

No this would have been circa 1989 and definitely a restaurant, as the chef moved on to to be a partner in another business.

[FairTmiddlin]

Reported that he came from Catfield, so possibly that area?

[Meantime]

It's possible. All I can find is reference to his former Norfolk Broads restaurant, but it doesn't say where it was.

[Captain]

Hi,

I believe the restaurant at Burehaven in Horning ex Chumley and Hawke may have been  Bennigans before it was converted into chalets by Len Funnell in 1990 ish. Previously it had been Chumlies, Nandos and Vandyke. 

Neil 

[Meantime]

Thanks, I suspect it wasn't Bennigans for long. Still cannot find anything definitive on it. My interest was caught by something that appeared on my Facebook feed.

Quote "1989

WHILE DINING AT NORFOLK BROADS RESTAURANT BENNIGAN'S...

…Cameron Healy and UK Co-owner, Tim Meyers, got talking to owner and chef Chris Barnard, in whom he recognised a true passion for authentic foods and ingredients.

Sharing Cameron’s vision, Chris soon packed up his utensils and recipe books to join us in setting up the UK branch of Kettle Foods"

Chris Barnard stayed as head chef with Kettle crisps until he retired in 2016. Cameron Healy apparently came to Norfolk once he heard of the UK's love of crisps and also because Norfolk was famed for it's potato crops. To this day Kettle crisps are still produced in Norfolk.

If anyone likes Kettle crisps and wants to order some from their website, they are offering free delivery and if you enter KETTLECHIPS22 you will get a 10% discount on your order.

I should point out I have nothing to do with Kettle Chips and if admin feel that posting the discount code breaches any terms then please remove it, but thought there maybe some who are partial to Norfolk's crisps.

 

[SteveO]

Do you need a chef to make crisps? I would have thought that a good process engineer would be able to do that.

[Meantime]

8 hours ago, SteveO said:

Do you need a chef to make crisps? I would have thought that a good process engineer would be able to do that.

I don't think you will find the head chef cooks crisps on a day to day basis. When Chris Bernard joined Kettle Chips his first role was to take the American recipes and Anglicise them for the UK market.

There is a world of difference between a cook and a chef. A cook will often work in chain establishments such as Stonegate or Greene King and cooks meals to a pre defined recipe often using pre prepared and cater pack ingredients. A chef has significantly more training, understands flavours, is normally responsible for creating the menu and recipes from scratch for cooks to follow. Restaurants such as The Recruiting Sargent, St Benedicts in Norwich and The Ingham Swan all use chefs, which is all too often reflected in the price you pay for the meal. A chef will also have the knowledge and experience of how to rescue a dish and rebalance the flavours if one of the key ingredients is missing, or not up to usual standards. From one season to the next and even during the course of the season the crops of potatoes and other key ingredients will slightly change and allowances and adjustments will need to be made to the cooking process to allow for it. 

Chris Barnard lists one of his career highlights as being responsible for the introduction of Balsamic vinegar and sea salt flavour crisps. Many have since copied this flavouring, though Chris uses Balsamic sourced directly from Modena.

[Meantime]

On 19/07/2022 at 13:56, Captain said:

Hi,

I believe the restaurant at Burehaven in Horning ex Chumley and Hawke may have been  Bennigans before it was converted into chalets by Len Funnell in 1990 ish. Previously it had been Chumlies, Nandos and Vandyke. 

Neil 

Just remembered that there used to be a Nando at The Crown Catfield. I think the pub is now run by other family members. Would this be the Nando who run Nando's in Horning?