A couple of weeks ago the North Lancashire Chef Network hosted a social at Rebel Waltz in Morecambe. It was a chance to try some delicious dishes created by chef Darren Tate and learn more about this unique little restaurant on Morecambe’s seafront.
Unlike most restaurants the chef is not hidden away cooking in a separate room. Darren actually cooks and prepares the dishes in a kitchen space within the restaurant. This means you can go and have a chat with him about the food being prepared and learn more about the techniques he uses. In designing the restaurant, Darren aimed to create the kind of place he would want to visit. In particular, he wanted to remove the barriers between the chef and the eaters, and build more connection between customers and food.
Food has always been an important part of his life. As a kid in Ulverston he would forage for mushrooms and join his grandparents tramping (foot fishing) in the channels around the edge of Morecambe Bay. These early experiences gave Darren an insight into the work that goes into producing food and inspires him to support local producers through his restaurant. This includes sourcing fish from Morecambe based Edmondson’s who fish out on the bay and purchasing produce through Gather – North Lancashire’s food hub – which connects people directly with local regenerative food producers.
Darren takes surplus produce from local people too, turning a glut into preserves and sauces. You might bring him a few kilos of tomatoes and he’ll turn it into ketchup giving you a jar or two in return. Part of his motivation for doing this is to use food that might otherwise go to waste. But it is equally about creating community and sharing skills. He is passionate about food and health, avoiding food that has been produced intensively with chemicals.
The food we tried that evening was absolutely delicious, with everything cooked from scratch. We didn’t get to try his signature dish ‘corned beef hash’ – a meal that bears no resemblance to the tinned stuff. Darren’s version takes seven days to make and includes brining (a process which makes food more tender), spicing and cooking a beef joint over a charcoal grill. I haven’t had a chance to try this yet and look forward to returning soon.
You’ll be able to read more about Rebel Waltz in the Spring 2025 edition of THRIVE magazine, coming out in March. Stay tuned for it!
