Gourmet lifestyle Chef interview
What’s your take on the Middle East’s food scene? Where’s your favourite place to eat here?
Before this trip, I’d never actually been to Dubai. I’ve always wanted to come but it’s not been possible with my schedule before. But, I’ve seen and heard great things about the culinary scene in Dubai, and some of my chef friends are over here too.
There has been a lot of growth recently from celebrity chefs opening restaurants here in Dubai. Would you ever look at opening a concept here yourself?
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ith your father being a chef, did you know from an early age that you wanted to become a chef? Where did your culinary journey begin?
I can’t really say there was a particular ‘eureka’ moment when I knew I wanted to be a chef, it’s just something I’d always wanted to do. Honestly, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be cooking. I think it’s a very natural reaction to being surrounded by a family of chefs and being brought up in
kitchens. Some of my earliest memories are of my father cooking, and the smells of a kitchen. I was actually nearly born on our kitchen table! Being around cooking constantly at such a young age sparked a natural curiosity in me, in the same way it did for my daughter Emily, and she’s now a chef too! Neither of us were ever pushed into being chefs, it’s just something we always wanted to do.
You’ve been in town for Taste of Dubai. What culinary delights did you cook up at the festival?
Roast pigeon with peaches, turnips and sage for my demonstration. Lovely, big, bold flavours but remarkably easy to replicate at home. In the cooking challenge, I cooked asparagus maltaise – simple, zesty, delicious!
Maybe one day in the future, but it’s not something I’m considering at the moment. I take a lot of pride in the food that’s served in my restaurant and to be able to ensure it’s of a quality I’m happy to serve, I’d need to be right there in the kitchen. I’m focused on Le Gavroche, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and will be keeping me busy, as well as my other London restaurants. You never know what will happen though, so maybe one day!
Of all the food capitals in the world, where’s the best place you have been for its food?
There are so many wonderful cities in the world that are doing amazing things with food that it’s hard to pick just one. If I absolutely had to, I’d probably say London. I am slightly biased, living there and running restaurants there, but it’s made such a transformation over the past 50 years. Now, there’s such a melting pot of culinary talents and it’s a hub of international gastronomy – you could quite literally pick any cuisine in the world, and you’d be able to find somewhere serving it brilliantly.
Your daughter and father are both chefs too. Do you find culinary inspiration from each other, or are your styles very different?
Yes and no. I was definitely inspired by my father, and I’d like to think that my daughter was inspired by us both. We have all been trained in the classic French style, but each of us has
April 2017 BBC Good Food Middle East 83