Steven is the talk of the table

The efforts of chef-patron Steven Smith and his team received more industry praise this week.

Freemasons at Wiswell was visited by VisionaryDining managing director Gordon Cartwright and his thoughts, as well as an extended interview with Steven, can be viewed at: www.visionarydining.com in the Restaurant of the Month section.

And Gordon had more kind words to say in the TableTalk section of www.caterersearch.com.

Gordon wrote: "An evening of contradiction.

On the one hand I find myself exploring the stunning natural talent of one of Britain's up and coming chefs who goes about his art with dignity, ambition and humility. So much so that some of Steve Smiths' flavour combinations are crafted at the molecular level so that perfection is pretty much assured on the palate. His detailed approach to flavour is quite frankly astonishing. He connection to texture and flavour is as eagerly forged as his soulful link with nature and her seasons.

On the other hand, rather than dining where I was enjoying, social media appeared alive and transfixed with Master Chef on TV, which although fashionable, is to what career cooking what the X Factor is to writing a symphony. Whilst entertaining, though instantly forgettable, we mustn't lose sight of what is real?

'Real' is years of hard slog, a nurturing of skill and talent that's sole aim is to deliver gastronomic harmony.

Steve Smith was my 'Master Chef' winner tonight. As he was for fifty or so other of his customers."