Great Sausage Roll-off champ says Hospitality Action is a cause worth championing
After winning last week's Great Sausage Roll-off, followed by a whistle stop tour of the country's TV studios, former chef patron of Margot's Adrian Oliver returned home for some well deserved sleep.
We spoke to him about why he took part in the competition hosted by Fuller’s at The Red Lion in Barnes last week and what it means to him to work with charities like Hospitality Action.
The chef, who closed his Padstow restaurant in 2015, 19 years after opening it, said he has been following the awards for the past five years, and decided to enter the competition for the first time last year. Sadly, his duck sausage roll didn't win any prizes last year, which made this year's victory all the more surprising.
"We arrived with no expectation of winning," he said. “Meeting up with chefs, having a few drinks, eating and making sausage rolls… What’s not to like really!”
But in reality, he explained, the reason he took part was because it felt like Hospitality Action was a cause worth championing: "I’ve always been a huge fan of Hospitality Action and try to support it when I can. Everything I can do to help I like doing it."
"It also helps me because it makes you feel better about yourself if you’re helping other people. It’s good for your soul," he added.
This year's Great Sausage Roll Off was judged by Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer, chef Andrew Clarke of Brunswick House, Dining Room’s Calum Franklin Holborn and 2016 MasterChef WinnerJane Devonshire, and Adrian's winning Cornish pork, bacon, sage and mustard mayo rolls were auctioned off to attendants to raise funds for UK-based Hospitality Action, the competition’s official charity for 2019.
Adrian Oliver appeared on All 4's Sunday Brunch on Sunday where he shared the stage with Busted members Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis and James Bourne - plus a few of his signature sausage rolls.
Alongside him was Kernow Sausage Company founder Gavin Kernow, the chef's business partner and friend, which he says is what made his broadcast appearances tolerable: "I find it difficult to promote myself, but I find it very easy to promote Hospitality Action and my lovely butcher because I like his stuff; if I didn’t like his stuff I couldn’t go on the telly or the radio and promote it."
If you haven't yet had your fill, the pair will also be on BBC Spotlight this evening:
For the 3 people in the country not aware of #rolloff @KernowSausageCo and my good self could well be on @BBCSpotlight tonight...unless it snows
— Adrian Oliver (@Adrian_0liver) 5 February 2019
Founded in 1837, Hospitality Action provides advice, support and assistance for industry members across the UK – from legal counselling to welfare grants and addiction awareness seminars. For more information, visit their website.
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