Breath of fresh air as Stansted restaurant recruits well-travelled top chef Palash Gomes

A restaurateur who was forced to close his new restaurant within weeks of the start of the pandemic in March last year is hoping a new chef will be the icing on the cake as he bids to rebuild the business.

Karim Ullah and wife Sultana have continued trading as a takeaway from the premises of Brohmon in Chapel Hill, Stansted, throughout the coronavirus crisis and now aim to take the eatery to a new level with the recruitment of Palash Gomes.

The arrival of the 59-year-old, who has cooked his way across the world, coincides with Brohmon's first foray into outdoor dining and a partnership with Linden House, also in Chapel Hill.

A menu of the restaurant's signature rustic Bengali dishes will be on offer on Monday and Tuesday (April 12-13) in the garden of the boutique hotel and bar, with more pop-ups anticipated during April.

Palash, from Chapra, West Bengal, currently lives in Bishop's Stortford.

His culinary journey has taken him from Edinburgh to Ghana and on to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Lebanon, Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait.

There have also been stints in UAE cities Abu Dhabi and Dubai as well as Oman, St Lucia, Delhi, Manchester and Stansted.

His signature dish is a lamb shank with seasonal vegetables in its own juices and his favourite ingredient is salt.

Karim said: "He's someone who is as comfortable cooking a wide range of cuisine as he is with Indian.

"Palash has worked in many international destinations, learned the intricacies of haute cuisine, experimenting with different ingredients and is brilliant at presenting food. He has learned the art of carving fruit and butter. He has also won prizes for his ice sculptures."

Brohmon will continue to showcase Bengali cuisine but Palash will also introduce "neoteric" or modern Indian dishes.

Karim added: "For the first time, there will be a fabulous dessert menu at the restaurant so patrons can enjoy a dining experience."