In last month’s Club Life newsletter, we were delighted to share that the Victory Services Club has scooped first place in two categories of the annual Venues of Excellence Cook and Serve Challenge. The winning Chef was Dilhan Sariffo’deen who is a Demi Chef de Partie and Kitchen Manager at the Club, His wins were in were in the Junior Category and were for Best Starter and Best Main Course. We thought you would like to know a little more about Dilhan and his winning dishes.

We catch up with Dilhan to find out about his background, his influences and the winning courses.

How long have you been at the VSC and what is your culinary background?

“I joined the VSC about 18 months ago when I came to the UK from Sri Lanka. I started as a Commis Chef, and then I was promoted to Demi Chef de Partie and Kitchen Manager.

“I first entered the industry in Australia when I was 15 years old, I worked part time under my father who is also a chef. When we returned to Sri Lanka, I attended catering college. My culinary motivation definitely comes from my father and my upbringing; I do enjoy bringing Sri Lankan flavours and influences to my cooking.”

Tell us about the Cook and Serve competition and how you became involved.

“The Cook and Serve Challenge is a competition for Venues of Excellence members to create culinary masterpieces and provide outstanding service to invited guests. Venues are given the challenge of preparing and serving a three-course menu that showcases the chef’s personality and their venue, using a minimum of five ingredients from a provided list. It recognises the best individual courses and service in both junior and senior categories. This year 14 teams took part from 13 venues.

“Paul, our Executive Head Chef forwarded the details to me and both Paul and Mark, our General Manager encouraged me to enter. I like to challenge myself, so I was keen to take part. It was a lovely thing to partake in, even though it was a lot of hard work and there was a good deal of stress involved. But I’m happy with how it all turned out.”

Why did you choose the ingredients that you did?

“I looked at the list of ingredients and was pleased to see they had seafood. I consulted with Paul and also our Head Chef Anil who are both very thorough and knowledgeable. I chose two of the listed ingredients for each of the courses, and then we came up with a classic menu that I then enhanced with my unique Sri Lankan touches.”

Dhilan’s winning dishes were:

Best Starter: Sri Lankan spiced crispy battered haddock with poached scallop mousse wrapped in courgette served with a watercress and clam Hollandaise.

Best Main Course: Beef tenderloin with mushroom and Stilton bon-bon, served with asparagus, smoked beetroot, truffle oil, celeriac, artichoke pommes puree and a green peppercorn jus.

What was your inspiration behind the dishes?

“I worked with Valen, our waiter for the day; we matched the food with the wines, and I added a bit of Sri Lankan style. Sri Lankans like our food a touch spicy, so I used a little green chili to spice up the scallops and give them a bit of a kick. For the haddock batter I sautéed some shallots and chilies with some Sri Lankan curry powder, which included cinnamon, coriander, cumin seeds, turmeric and chili powder, then I added some vodka which actually helps the batter become crispy.

“For my main course, I chose beef tenderloin. This is such a classic dish, so I didn’t want to add too much Sri Lankan influence. I added celeriac puree, asparagus and a green peppercorn jus. I created the jus by taking the beef pan, deglazing it with white wine and then added green pepper corns and brandy and finished it off with cream.

“The desert was quite simple; an apple tarte tatin, but the star of the show was homemade cashew and maple ice cream. We have lots of cashews in Sri Lanka, I love them and wanted to include them in the meal.”

How did the competition go?

“I tried not to get too nervous, but I couldn’t help it at the end. Working in a strange kitchen was a challenge, but it was a great experience, and I learnt a lot from it. Being quite young, I feel I really need to put myself out there and grab every opportunity to learn as much as possible. It was a very stressful experience, but I’m pleased we did well.”

What does it mean to you to win?

“Winning means a lot to me, it proves that hard work does pay off, and means a lot. Really excited about it. Hard work does pay off. I’d like to thank Paul and Mark for encouraging me to enter and also a huge thank you to the entire kitchen team for supporting my efforts as I practiced and who kept me focused. It really was a team effort.”

Subsequent to this success, Dilhan has won a further culinary award to add to his collection. The VSC is fortunate to have this young, talented chef.

VSC Receives Generous Legacy Donation from Meriwether Ball

This week, the Victory Services Club received a generous legacy donation from one of our American Members.

Meriwether Ball, a US Navy veteran, chose to honour the memory of her late father, Claiborne M Ball, by donating a percentage of her inheritance to the VSC, as her charity of choice. Claiborne M Ball loved London and was himself a World War II veteran, serving with the US Army.

This act follows in her father’s philanthropic legacy. Upon receiving his inheritance, he generously donated a percentage to his preferred charitable cause. In keeping with this tradition, Meriwether Ball chose the VSC as the beneficiary of a similar proportion of her inheritance, describing the Club as providing ‘unmatched respite’ whenever she visits.

CEO and Club Secretary of the VSC, Colin Francis CBE, had the pleasure of meeting with Meriwether Ball to accept the cheque on behalf of the Club, acknowledging the significant impact her donation would have.

The funds from this legacy will be allocated to enhance the VSC’s facilities, with a particular focus on improving one of the accessible bedrooms, ensuring that every member or guest, regardless of physical ability, can enjoy a comfortable and welcoming stay at the Club.

The VSC is profoundly grateful to Meriwether Ball for her generosity.

If any Member would like to discuss how to arrange a legacy or any donation to the VSC, please contact the VSC’s new in-house Fund-raising Manager, Robert Astick by email: Robert.Astick@vsc.co.uk for more information.

From time to time, we feel it is beneficial to bring to the attention of Members some of the rules that exist within the Club. Equally, to highlight the considerate practices that the VSC holds, to ensure the mutual enjoyment of all Members visiting the Club. We appreciate your understanding in these matters.

Therefore, as a gentle, friendly and polite reminder for you and your guests, when staying at or visiting the Club: Please be aware that members and guests are not permitted to bring food and other refreshments into the Victory Services Club for consumption in either public areas or meeting rooms. Only food and beverages purchased within the Club may be consumed in these areas of the Club.

We would also remind Members about the use of electronic devices within the Club: Members may only make or receive calls on mobile phones in the following areas: the Reception foyer; the Navy Lounge; the RAF lounge; conference rooms; and bedrooms. Calls in permitted areas must not be conducted in ‘speaker’ mode and this includes video calls.

It should be noted that this list specifically excludes the Lounge Bar, and the restaurant. In the interests of consideration to other members and guests, neither inbound nor outbound calls may be taken or made in these areas of the Club.

Laptop Computers and tablets may be used in each of the public rooms, but only when set to ‘silent’ mode.

For further information please see the VSC Club Rules which can be found by clicking on the highlighted text, or on our website via the Members Portal. If you have any questions or queries regarding this, please contact the Membership Department by email: mem@vsc.co.uk or by telephone: 0207 616 312.

We thank Members for their continued support and adherence to these practices.

Explore Our New Set Menu, starting 5th June 2024!

Discover a popular and delightful selection of dishes, meticulously crafted by VSC Executive Chef, Paul Mattocks. Choose from classics like: Smoked Mackerel and Coriander Pate, Flat Iron Steak and Pie of the Week. Just make sure you save room for one of our irresistible desserts too!

Our set menu is priced at just £22 per person for two courses, or £25 for three courses.

Available for a limited time, from Wednesday to Saturday, you can enjoy this menu in ‘The Grill’ from 4pm (perfect for Pre-Theatre bookings) until 9pm.

To view the set menu, click here

You can book a table in the members area online or directly with the Food and Beverage Team.

T: 0207 616 8351
E:  catering@vsc.co.uk

As we approach the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the VSC is pleased to offer an unique insight into this historic event through the personal and family stories contributed by our Members. For this purpose, we have created a special commemorative webpage dedicated to these narratives, providing an understanding of the personal significance of this time in history.

You can find these stories by visiting our dedicated D-Day 80th Anniversary page at https://www.vsc.co.uk/d-day-80.

We invite you to click on the link to read the compelling accounts that capture the courage, sacrifice, and legacy of those who experienced D-Day firsthand.

The VSC is proud to support any Members participating in the 2024 TCS London Marathon on Sunday, 21st April!

VSC Members who finish the race, can show their medal at the restaurant or bar to enjoy a free drink on us.

To accommodate those attending the London Marathon, the Club will operate extended hours in the restaurant on Sunday, 21st April as follows:

Breakfast: This will begin at the slightly earlier time of 06:30.
Lunch: The restaurant will be open for lunch until 16:00.
Dinner: Regular dining hours will apply, with dinner service resuming at the usual time of 17:00.

We look forward to seeing you at the VSC!

Gather your friends and family and book your exclusive Large Party Table at The Grill between April and June! Indulge in our delightful two-course menu for just £37 per person, including tea, coffee, and chocolate mints to finish. Upgrade to a three-course menu for £45 per person.

Indulge in the exquisite flavours of our braised and rolled leg of lamb or vegan chorizo and mixed bean ragout, among other tempting options.

View the Menu – Members Large Tables Apr-June 2024

Reserve your table today! To book, please contact our Food & Beverage Department at 0207 616 8351 or email catering@vsc.co.uk.

Mother’s Day Special: Indulge in a Delightful Dining Experience!

This Mother’s Day, show your appreciation by treating Mum to a delicious lunch at our restaurant. As a special touch, she’ll receive a complimentary glass of bubbles.

Mother’s Day Sunday Lunch Menu

Price:

£35 for three courses with a glass of Bubbles for Mum

£30 for two courses with a glass of Bubbles for Mum

Make this Mother’s Day unforgettable with a delicious meal and a toast to the wonderful mothers in our lives!

VSC to Celebrate International Women’s Day with Special Guest Nell White

Members planning to visit the VSC on the afternoon of Tuesday, 5^th March are warmly invited to celebrate International Women’s Day alongside VSC Staff.

On this occasion, we are delighted to welcome Nell White, founder of Osusu Sa Lone, whose charity was created with the aim of enabling girls to complete secondary school in Sierra Leone. Nell will be giving a short presentation at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm in the Old Reading Room at the VSC.

The VSC is excited to host this event, not only to celebrate International Women’s Day but also to support and highlight this important cause. This is a fantastic opportunity for Members and VSC Staff to learn more about the significance of education for girls in Sierra Leone and how we can help make a difference.

During the afternoon, we will be serving afternoon tea. The Club welcomes donations from anyone who wishes to contribute, with all proceeds going directly to Osusu Sa Lone.

We hope as many Members as possible will be able to attend this event.

Dear Member,

CHANGES TO MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS FROM 1st APRIL 2024

On behalf of the Trustees, the Senior Management Team and our Staff, I would like to thank you for your continued support for our Club over the past year.

The global economic uncertainty including the consequences of Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine coupled with increasing interruptions to maritime vessels in the Persian Gulf have had unforeseen consequences on our Club including severe pressure on our purchase prices including energy and food and beverage costs which have seen further inflationary increases over the past twelve months. In the UK economy we have seen the impact of supplier cost and wage increases and these have affected the VSC along with the Hospitality sector as a whole. As we enter into our new financial year, we need to take appropriate steps and respond to these external pressures to ensure that the VSC can continue to deliver improvements to the Club and enhancements to our offer and meet its charitable objectives, including providing free Respite and Welfare Breaks to injured serving personnel and their families.

We recognise that the coming year will be one of continued economic uncertainty and in order to help our financial position the Board has come to the view that it is necessary to increase our Membership fees from 1st April 2024. The changes are as follows:

Our single former serving membership fee will increase by £4 to £55.00.

Our single family membership fee will increase by £4.50 to £72.00.

The increase for a single former serving member equates to 7.6 p per week and represents an important factor in enabling Club to continue to provide high quality services to our members and beneficiaries.

Your continued membership and support of the Club are vital for the VSC, as we look to continue to respond to the economic challenges, we all face. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Yours sincerely,

Major General Seumas Kerr CBE
Chairman

Dear Members,

Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to our brand-new Victory Services Club website.

Our previous website has served us well for the past 10 years. However, in this rapidly advancing digital age, we need to leverage the latest tools and features to allow us to have greater control over website content. Our new WordPress website replaces the existing platform and will bring a number of improvements including the flexibility to showcase the unique aspects of our Club to a wider audience. We believe the changes will contribute to a more engaging and user-friendly experience, as the website content evolves over time.

Although the website may initially look a little different, all the content has been migrated across from the existing site. The Member Portal area of the site remains unchanged. Members will continue to book and contact the Club as you currently do so.

We understand that with any significant change, there may be a few tweaks required along the way.  We ask for your patience and understanding as we work through any adjustments that may be needed over the next few months.

We look forward to this new chapter and the enhanced possibilities that our updated online presence brings.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Victory Services Club.

Kind regards,

The VSC Marketing Team

We have recently introduced two new initiatives designed to enhance the experience for guests visiting the VSC on their own.

Members who are travelling alone, and wish to have some company, will be able to sit and dine together, at what we are calling ‘The Club Table’. This is a practice shared by many established Clubs, with priority given to solo travellers. Individuals order off the same menu and are responsible for their own food and drinks bill.

The Club Table will only be open at lunchtime (12:30-15:00) and initially, a table of eight places will be set aside in the restaurant. No bookings are required for The Club Table. Depending on how popular this proves to be, we will adjust the dining arrangements accordingly.

But that’s not all!

Every Tuesday, the Club will hold a weekly Coffee Morning in the Lounge Bar at 10:30 for Members to meet others who are either travelling alone, or who are visiting the Club for the day on their own. If you would like to attend this Coffee Morning, please book this through the Food and Beverage staff at catering@vsc.co.uk.

We look forward to welcoming Members to these events. and trust they will enhance your stay.