Suzanne and Marwan

Suzanne and Marwan first met at the Intercontinental-Hotel in London back in 1994. Suzanne was working in the restaurant whilst Marwan worked in Front of House. 

Suzanne, born in Essex knew from her early years that she wanted a career in hotel and catering. She is a qualified Chef but prefers to be out front with the customer. Suzanne progressed her career moving on to The Hilton Metropole, the Savoy in London and finally at the Westbury Hotel as Catering Manager.

Marwan was born in the Lebanon and left at the early age of four when the war started. He has since lived in various European countries before settling down in England. He completed his Hotel Degree in Switzerland before joining the Inter-Continental Group as Management Trainee. After two years at the Inter-Continental, he took a year out to do his Masters Degree at the University of Surrey in International Hotel Management. He later joined the Grosvenor House in London before finally joining The Dorchester Hotel in London as Front of House Manager. 

Suzanne and Marwan have two children named Melina and Daniel and decided to live outside of London when the kids came along.

"We are very proud of what we have created in Newbury and it is so rewarding to see so many loyal returning customers. We are continuously excited by customers telling us 'this is exactly what Newbury has been missing' and that 'we have brought a certain style to Newbury!'

We will continue to offer quality food and professional service in a warm and friendly atmosphere at great value for money.

We have a great team with us whom we are very proud of and together will rightfully put The Square on the dining map in the Berkshire region."

Meet the Executive Chef - Nick Reeves!

What has been you best culinary idea?
I think my best idea was not to get caught up in the fad of trying to be too experimental and different, just for sake of it. The Fat Duck has built an excellent reputation and gained notoriety on superbly executed mind-blowing combinations, unfortunately too many cooks try to duplicate this unique style and get it all wrong. Thankfully I never fell into that trap and would advise any young cook to follow his own path and believe in his own tastes, not try to jump on the bandwagon and rip off other chefs ideas.
Who is your customer from hell?
There isn't a particular person rather a category. It is those parents who enter restaurants with mature children and proceed to insist on fast food i.e.: chicken goujons, sausages, fish fingers and anything that is served with chips. Why don't these parents educate their childrens' pallets and taste buds rather than continuously feeding them on fatty junk foods, surely this is partially to blame for the amount of clinically obese children in this country.
What are your favourite ingredients?
Apart from the fresh, grade A produce we use at the Square my favourite and also the most important and integral ingredients in my kitchen is my brigade of 4 chefs who work with me. They are all enthusiastic, motivated and work extremely hard and without them I wouldn't be able to achieve anything.
Dessert island foods - if you were stranded on a dessert island which three foods would you want to take with you?
Firstly I would have to take a side of good quality pancetta. It is the most wonderful cured, fatty bacon and if lightly fried in a smoking hot pan is absolutely delicious. Secondly I'd go for the good old humble 'spud'. So versatile and can be used for simple dishes as well as for more complex items, you just can't beat it. Finally I would definitely take a packet of Jammy Dodgers. I love them and cannot resist one or two with a cup of tea!
If you hadn't been a chef what would you have done?
I don't know really, I can't imagine doing anything else that gives me the freedom to express myself and allows my imagination to run riot as this industry does. I know I could never sit behind a desk in a stuffy office all day that would be torture.
Describe your menu in four words?
The 4 I's: Imaginative, Inventive, Inexpensive and Innovative.
Who did you train under and what did they teach you that you'd never forget?
My most important period of training was probably at Cliveden where I was Sous chef working under Ron Maxfield. Amongst the many important things I learnt whilst working with Ron was to take a little extra time to get things right. Most customers are willing to wait that extra time if the product that is produced is of a good standard however if it is rushed and delivered in a state that is substandard, that is where the problems start. Nothing should ever be too much trouble and every effort should be made to provide the customer with what they want and more.
Describe a favourite food combination?
For an unbeatable combination I can't think of anything I would prefer to eat myself than meat and shellfish. I know it sounds a little vague but the sweetness in all shellfish and crustaceans lend themselves perfectly to pretty much all meats, i.e. beef & shrimp, bacon & scallops, foie gras and lobster. They all complement each other amazingly.
Describe your signature dish?
I guess my signature dish is a starter from our a la carte menu, which I have had on the menu longer than expected because people love it and it has become one of our biggest sellers. It is a roast, boneless quail served on top of a savoury red pimento pikelet and buttered spinach with a pancetta crisp and fried quails egg. Albufera sauce completes this dish. This is a rich cream based sauce flavoured with truffle, mushroom, Madeira and foie gras. You would have to be in a coma for this dish not to stimulate your taste buds, as it contains all the things in life worth living for. It is pure luxury!
What do you think of the cult of the celebrity chef?
Not a great deal really. I think some of the programmes are pretty good, informative and enlightening. However a majority of them seem to be bordering on patronising and an insult to the publics intelligence.
 Which chef do you most admire?
I don't admire any one chef in particular. I admire all the chefs out there who are working hard under extreme pressure day in and day out not for any great reward but for the love of their trade and a little recognition. All those guys out there have my greatest respect and I wish them great success, they deserve it!
How would you describe your approach to food?
I try not to over complicate dishes, as it is so easy to end up making components clash rather than complement each other. When designing a dish you must think about flavour and texture before you begin to think about how you are going to present it. It is fine ending up with a picture on a plate but if it tastes like a picture as well then you have a problem. The style I have adopted at the present time is one where I take an old classic, dissect it and recompose it with a modern twist whilst still maintaining the flavours and character of the original dish, the customers seem to be enjoying it so as long as that continues, that is what I shall do.
What do you like most about your restaurant?
There are many things I like about working here at The Square. I suppose one of the most important things for me are my colleagues. From the guys in the kitchen who work extremely hard without complaint whilst maintaining great senses of humour and characters, to the floor staff who also work hard whilst remaining a good humoured bunch and finally and most importantly to Suzanne and Marwan who must be the two best employers I have ever worked for. They have supported me and provided me with everything I have needed and wanted and for this I am tremendously grateful and I hope to repay them by giving them the financially rewarding year that they deserve. This place has re-established my faith that there are still decent, honest and hard working people in this industry and I am now enjoying my cooking more than ever.
What advice would you give to anyone interested in a career in cooking?
I would advise them to go for it. Be prepared to work long and hard in a highly pressurised environment, some days it will seem that you are getting nowhere and that it is the most unrewarding and unsociable career out there but if you stick with it you will also have the days where it is the best job in existence. You can create freely, have so much adrenalin pulsing through your veins you feel that you are going to burst, walk out of the kitchen after the shift with such an immense sense of pride in what you have achieved and most importantly the camaraderie that you only get in a brigade that enjoy working together.