MELKSHAM chef Stu Harmer and colleagues from the RAF has teamed up with a celebrity chefs to produce a cookbook which has raised over £150,000 for charity.
The RAF 100 cookbook was published a year ago to celebrate the centenary of the RA with the support of celebrity guest chefs who each submitted a recipe for the book including James Martin, Tom Kerridge and Graham Howarth, head chef at the Prime Minister’s residence, Chequers and an ex-RAF chef.
Stu, who served in the RAF for 24 years, said the RAF 100 cookbook was the culmination of over three years’ hard work by a team of RAF personnel. Stu was the recipe creator and artistic director for the project. The book has already raised over £150,000 for RAF charities with hopes for this sum to increase in the run up to Christmas.
“The journey for me began in 2014 when I was approached by the two project officers for the book,” Stu explained. “They explained their idea for a cookbook that would tell the story of the RAF from its inception in 1918 to the present day through history, stories and food”
“Needless to say, as a former RAF chef, I jumped at the opportunity to be involved with such a fantastic project and researched, wrote, cooked and presented for photography all of the recipes for the book.
“Needless to say I feel elated to have conspired to create a book that has helped, and is continuing to help, such worthy causes, which, as a former RAF serviceman, are very close to my heart.
“To increase the public profile of the book, I later discarded 10 recipes which were replaced with recipes from 10 guest chefs, each of whom submitted a recipe. The guest chefs include James Martin, Tom Kerridge, Cyrus Todiwala, Vivek Singh, the Tanner brothers, Paul Gayler, Sophie Wright, Rachel Humphrey, executive chef at Le Gavroche and ex-RAF chef, Paul Ainsworth and Graham Howarth, head chef at the PM’s residence, Chequers and ex-RAF chef.”
The book focuses on 100 recipes from 100 countries, which the RAF has operated from, each preceded with a page of history about the RAFs role in that country.
Stu carried out recipe testing at RAF Brize Norton and has this year been promoting the book at food festivals across the country.
When asked which is his personal favourite recipe in the book, Stu replied, “With 100 recipes to choose from it is hard to select a single one as a favourite, however the Doro Wat (red chicken stew) recipe from Italian East Africa (now Ethiopia), flavoured with lots of caramelised onions, berbere spice, smoked paprika and fennel seeds, is probably my favourite.”
The RAF 100 cookbook is available from retailers including WHSmith, on Amazon or direct through https://www.raf100cookbook.co.uk.
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