Chef Magazine September Oct

Chef Talk to the chef

Martin Wishart Steve Plotnicki

Mouth Almighty Living Legend

Wolfgang Puck 2016

Issue 46

£5.00

The Chocolate issue

w w w. c h e f p u b l i s h i n g . c o m

The Journal for Chefs throughout the world

limited edition

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1000 copies

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£100

The chefs appearing in the Chef Book

Jeremy Ford

Martin Nisbit

Frederick Forster

Patrick O’Connell

Sarah Frankland

Jan Ostle

Eric Frechon

Nathan Outlaw

Pierre Gagnaire

Anne-Sophie Pic

Daniel Galmiche

David Pitchford

Chris Galvin

Theo Randall

Andre Garret

Neil Rankin

David Girard

Shaun Rankin

Frédy Girardet

René Redzepi

Brett Graham

Gary Rhodes

Paul Wayne Gregory

Massimo Riccioli

Anna Hansen

Eric Ripert

Matt Hay

Jordi Roca

Paul Heathcote

Olivier Roellinger

Jocelyn Herland

Simon Rogan

Ruth Hinks

Alain Roux

Mark Hix

Albert Roux

Phil Howard

Michel Roux

Daniel Humm

Michel Roux jr

Rachel Humphrey

Mark Sargeant

Gary Hunter

Antony Scholtmeyer

Yoshinori Ishii

Germain Schwab

Margot Janse

Julie Sharp

Tom Aikins

Martin Burge

Mark Jordan

Richard Shepherd

Yannick Alléno

Aiden Byrne

Thomas Keller

Adam Simmonds

Andreas Antona

Michael Caines

Paul Kelly

Clare Smyth

Jason Atherton

John Campbell

Atul Kotcher

Vivek Singh

Kenny Atkinson

Jonathan Cartwright

Nico Ladenis

Yolande Stanley

Sat Bains

Jimmy Chamlong

Eric Lanlard

Adam Stokes

Esben Holmboe Bang

Martin Chiffers

Arnaud Larher

Nathan Thomas

Sarah Barber

Daniel Clifford

Alvin Leung

Phil Thompson

Russell Bateman

Richard Corrigan

Giorgio Locatelli

Mark Tilling

Heinz Beck

Régis Crépy

James Lowe

Ben Tish

Alistair Birt

Luke Dale-Roberts

Thierry Marx

Tony Tobin

Galton Blackiston

Hélène Darroze

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa

Cyrus Todiwala

Raymond Blanc

Steve Drake

Colin McGurran

Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Benoit Blin

Thierry Dumouchel

Jeremy McMillan

Marcus Wareing

Paul Bocuse

Beverley Dunkley

Nuno Mendes

Marco Pierre White

Simon Boyle

Mark Edwards

Yasuhiro Mineno

Marc Wilkinson

Claude Bosi

David Everitt-Matthias

Ramon Morató

Alyn Williams

Henry Brosi

Andrew Fairlie

Anton Mosimann

John Williams

Jeremy Brown

Peter Fiori

Richard Neat

Martin Wishart

This book is a treasure-trove of great food.

A veritable anthology of some of the world’s best chefs and their recipes including Paul Bocuse, the Roux family, Anton Mosimann and Thomas Keller and many of the new stars of today such as Sat Bains, Jason Atherton and Daniel Humm. In total there are 118 chefs featured in this amazing collection. The photography is a work of art and the recipes are as diverse as the chefs featured.

This book has been produced to celebrate the 40th issue of “Chef Magazine”, a testament to the dedication and professionalism of the magazine. My wish would be that every cook worth his salt should buy a copy, look at it, study it and cherish it.

We have become a nation of food lovers.

Books, magazines, newspapers, television and the

media in general cannot get a big enough “bite” of this phenomenon.

Today I am merely a spectator but I would like to think that I was in the vanguard of this culinary adventure.

Looking back, in the seventies, it was like walking through a dark forest. Though I acknowledge that some of the chefs featured in this wonderful book are at the “cutting edge” of this revolution, it does not preclude me from saying that I cannot endorse some of the excesses.

When you study this book, you will come to realise that contributions of this kind cost precious time and money.

I would therefore like to extend a big thank you to the men and women who contributed so generously.

nico ladenis

book available at

w w w. c h e f p u b l i s h i n g . c o m

Contents Talk to the Chef

Martin Wishart............................................... 08 Industry Topic

Mouth Almighty Steve Plotnicki......... 14 OAD

top 200.............................................................. 18 Living Legend

Wolfgang Puck.............................................. 20 Tried and Tested

The QSM mark for Beef and Lamb.... 24 Country Profile

Carbon Free cooking in Thailand....... 28 Ganache

David Girard shares some recipes.... 34

The White Table • • • •

100% pure white porcelain, finely polished, hand-glazed and fired up to 1400º Ovenproof (300º-575F), microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe Stackable and easy handling Non-porous, made without toxic substances or heavy metals

www.thewhitetable.co.uk jerry@thewhitetable.co.uk 2

Featured Plate Botanique - part of the Chef Plates Collection of Tableware

www.thewhitetable.co.uk jerry@thewhitetable.co.uk

0044 (0) 1296-395254 | 0044 (0) 7858-185577

Ganache

Escoffier evolves.......................................... 40 Ganache

Simon Jenkins talks about Felchlin................................................. 42 Ingredient

Marguerite........................................................ 46 Ingredient

Chocolate.......................................................... 48 Ingredient

Lobster Oil........................................................ 50 Meet The Supplier

Artis Tableware............................................. 52 Tried and Tested

The Mighty Josper....................................... 57 In The Kitchen

Japanese Knives.......................................... 62 In The kitchen

Flooring.............................................................. 67 Book review.................................................... 69 Front of House

Bulgarian Wine.............................................. 74 News.................................................................... 78 3

Recipes Martin Wishart

Langoustine Ravioli ................................... 13 Wolfgang Puck

Kobe Cheese Burgers................................ 23 David Girard

Garden Basket, The Palet, Tanzania Chocolate.................................... 36 Simon Jenkins

bolivia 68%, lemon, chocolate entremet..................................... 45 Classic Fine Foods

The Forbidden Fruit.................................... 47 Classic Fine Foods

Nicholas Riveau............................................ 49 Cherish Finden

Groix et Nature.............................................. 51 Chris Brennan

Arozz al Carbon............................................. 60 Carmelo

Golden Macaron............................................ 70

chef magazine Chef Media Ltd Network House 28 Ballmoore Celtic Court Buckingam MK 18 1RQ Tel: 44 20 7097 1396 For general enquiries regarding Chef Magazine email: peter@chefpublishing.com Accounts and Administration Lesya Grebenyuk publisher Peter Marshall

Photography Peter Marshall Geoff Dann Kuma Masahi Steve Lee Francesco Tonelli Designer, art editor Zoran Simonovski movedesign@graphic-designer.com

sales email: peter@chefpublishing.com Contributors Namai Bishop Simon Jenkins Nico Ladenis Andy Lynes Josh Sims Jean Smullen Regis Crepy Andrew Scott Calum Donoghue SSGT Simon Jeffries

www.chefpublishing.com

Michelin-starred Restaurants A l i s t o f t h e U K a n d Ir e l a n d ’ s M i c h e l i n - s t arr e d r e s t aura n t s

 London

Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester Jocelyn Herland www.alainducassedorchester.com Gordon Ramsay Clare Smyth www.gordonramsay.com/ royalhospitalroad

England The Waterside Inn Alain Roux & Fabrice Uhryn www.waterside-inn.co.uk

 London

Darroze at The Connaught Hélène Darroze www.the-connaught.co.uk/ mayfair-restaurants-bars Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Ashley Palmer-Watts www.dinnerbyheston.com Greenhouse Arnaud Bignon www. greenhouserestaurant. co.uk Hibiscus Claude Bosi www.hibiscusrestaurant. co.uk Le Gavroche Michel Roux Jr www.le-gavroche.co.uk Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley Marcus Wareing www.marcus-wareing.com Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) Pierre Gagnaire www.sketch.uk.com The Araki Mitsuhiro Araki the-araki.com The Ledbury Brett Graham www.theledbury.com The Square Phil Howard www.squarerestaurant. com The Umu Yoshinori Ishii umurestaurant.com

England Midsummer House Daniel Clifford www.midsummerhouse. co.uk Gidleigh Park Michael Caines www. gidleigh.com Le Champignon Sauvage David Everitt-Matthias www. lechampignonsauvage. co.uk Whatley Manor Martin Burge www.whatleymanor.com Le Manoir aux Quat’Sainsons Gary Jones www.manoir.com Restaurant Nathan Outlaw Nathan Outlaw www.nathan-outlaw.com/ nathan-outlaw-restaurant Restaurant Sat Bains Sat Bains www.restaurantsatbains. com The Hand and Flowers Tom Kerridge www.thehandandflowers. co.uk

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L’enclume Simon Rogan www.lenclume.co.uk Michael Wignall at The Latymer Michael Wignall www.pennyhillpark.co.uk/ EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/ eating_and_drinking/ the_latymer.aspx

england Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles Andrew Fairlie www.gleneagles.com

eire Patrick Guilbaud Guillaume Lebrun www.restaurantpatrick guilbaud.ie



London

Alyn Williams at The Westbury Alyn Williams www.alynwilliams.co.uk Amaya Karunesh Khanna www.amaya.biz Ametsa with Arzak Instruction at Halkin Hotel Elena Arzak www.comohotels.com Angler at South Place Hotel Tony Fleming www.southplacehotel.com Arbutus Anthony Demetre www.arbutusrestaurant. co.uk Barrafina Nieves Barragán Mohacho www.barafina.co.uk Benares Atul Kochhar www.benaresrestaurant. com Bonhams Tom Kemble bonhams.com Brasserie Chavot Eric Chavot www.brasseriechavot.com Chez Bruce Bruce Poole www.chezbruce.co.uk City Social Jason Atherton www.citysociallondon.com Club Gascon Pascal Aussignac www.clubgascon.com Dabbous Ollie Dabbous www.dabbous.co.uk Fera at Claridge’s Simon Rogan www.feraatclaridges.co.uk Galvin at Windows André Garrett www.galvinatwindows. com Galvin La Chapelle Jeff Galvin www.galvinrestaurants. com Gymkhana Karam Sethi www.hakkasan.com Hakkasan Tong Chee Hwee www.hakkasan.com Hakkasan Hanway Place Tong Chee Hwee www.hakkasan.com Hedone Mikael Jonsson www.hedonerestaurant. com HKK Tong Chee Hwee www.hkklondon.com

Kai Alex Chow www.kaimayfair.co.uk Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs James Knappett www.kitchentablelondon. co.uk Kitchen W8 Mark Kempson www.kitchenw8.com L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Oliver Limousin www.joelrobuchon.co.uk/ L’Atelier L’autre Pied Andy McFadden www.lautrepied.co.uk La Trompete Anthony Boyd www.latrompette.co.uk Launceston Place Timothy Allen www.launcestonplacerestaurant.co.uk Lima Robert Ortiz www.limalondon.com Locanda Locatelli Giorgio Locatelli www.locandalocatelli.com Lyle’s James Lowe lyleslondon.com Murano Angela Hartnett www.muranolondon.com Outlaw’s at the Capital Nathan Outlaw www.capitalhotel.co.uk Petrus Sean Burbidge www.gordonramsay.com/ petrus Pied a Terre Marcus Eaves www.pied-a-terre.co.uk Pollen Street Social Jason Atherton www.pollenstreetsocial. com Portland Merlin Labron-Johnson portlandrestaurant.co.uk Quilon Sriram Aylur www.quilon.co.uk Seven Place Park at St James’ Hotel and Club William Drabble www.stjameshotelandclub. com Social Eating House Jason Atherton www.socialeatinghouse. com St John Chris Gillard www.stjohnrestaurant.com St John Hotel Tom Harris 020 3301 8020 www.stjohnrestaurant.com Story Tom Sellers www.restaurantstory.co.uk Tamarind Alfred Prasad www.tamarindrestaurant. com Texture Agnar Sverrisson www.texture-restaurant. co.uk The Dining Room at the Goring Shay Cooper thegoring.com The Clove Club Isaac McHale www.thecloveclub.com The Harwood Arms Barry Fitzgerald www.harwoodarms.com The River Café Rose Gray www.rivercafe.co.uk Tom Aikens Restaurant Tom Aikens www.tomaikens.co.uk

Trishna Karam Sethi www.trishnalondon.com Umu Yoshinori Ishii www.umurestaurant.com W1 Restaurant Paul Welburn www.guoman.com Wild Honey Anthony Demetre www.wildhoneyrestaurant. co.uk Yauatcha Cheong Wah Soon www.yauatcha.com

England 5 North Street Marcus Ashenford www.5northstreet restaurant.co.uk Adam’s Adam Stokes www.adamsrestaurant. co.uk Adam Simmonds at Danesfield House Adam Simmonds www.danesfieldhouse. co.uk Alimentum Mark Poynton www. restaurantalimentum.co.uk Apicius Tim Johnson www.restaurant-apicius. co.uk Bath Priory Sam Moody www.thebathpriory.co.uk Box Tree Simon Gueller www.theboxtree.co.uk Butchers Arms James Winter www.thebutchersarms.net Bybrook Richard Davies www.manorhouse.co.uk Casamia Jonray & Peter Sanchez www.casamiarestaurant. co.uk Chapter One Andrew Mcleish www.chaptersrestaurants. com Curlew Andrew Scott www.thecurlewrestaurant. co.uk Drakes Steve Drake www.drakesrestaurant. co.uk Driftwood Chris Eden www.driftwoodhotel.co.uk Fischer’s at Baslow Hall Rupert Rowley www.fischers-baslowhall. co.uk Fraiche Mark Wilkinson www.restaurantfraiche. com Hambleton Hall Aaron Patterson www.hambletonhall.com Hinds Head Kevin Love www.hindsheadbray.com Holbeck Ghyll David McLaughlin www.holbeckghyll.com JSW Jake Saul Watkins www.jswrestaurant.com L’Ortolan Nick Chappell www.lortolan.com Lords of the Manor Richard Picard-Edwards www.lordsofthemanor.com Manor House Hotel & Golf Club Richard Davies www.manorhouse.co.uk

Morston Norfolk Galton Blackiston www.morstonhall.com Mr Underhill’s at Dinham Weir Chris Bradley www.mr-underhills.co.uk Northcote Nigel Haworth www.northcote.com Ockenden Manor Stephen Crane www.hshotels.co.uk/ ockenden-manor-hoteland-spa/dining Old Vicarage Tessa Bramley www.theoldvicarage.co.uk Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen Nathan Outlaw www.outlaws.co.uk Paris House Phil Fanning www.parishouse.co.uk Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 Paul Ainsworth www.number6inpadstow. co.uk Pony & Trap Josh Eggleton www.theponyandtrap. co.uk Purnell’s Glynn Purnell www.purnellsrestaurant. com Raby Hunt www.rabyhuntrestaurant. co.uk Red Lion Freehouse Guy Manning www.redlionfreehouse. com Restaurant Tristan Tristan Mason www.restauranttristan. co.uk Room in the Elephant Simon Hulstone www.elephantrestaurant. co.uk Sienna Russell Brown www.siennarestaurant. co.uk Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor Simon Radley www.chestergrosvenor. com/simon-radleyrestaurant Simpsons Luke Tipping www.simpsonsrestaurant. co.uk Sir Charles Napier Chris Godfrey www.sircharlesnapier. co.uk Thackeray’s Richard Phillips www.thackeraysrestaurant.co.uk The Black Rat Winchester, Hampshire Jamie Stapleton-Burns 01962 844465 www.theblackrat.co.uk The Black Swan Adam Jackson www.blackswanoldstead. co.uk The Cross at Kenilworth Adam Bennett www.thecrosskenilworth. co.uk The Glasshouse Daniel Mertl www. glasshouserestaurant.co.uk The Harrow at Little Bedwyn Roger Jones www.theharrowat littlebedwyn.com The Mason Arms Mark Dodson www.masonsarmsdevon. co.uk

The Neptune Kevin Mangeolles www.theneptune.co.uk The Nut Tree Mike North www.nuttreeinn.co.uk The Park (at Lucknam Park Hotel) Hywel Jones www.lucknampark.co.uk The Pass Matt Gillan www.southlodgehotel. co.uk/EXCLUSIVE.../ the_pass The Pipe & Glass Inn James Mackenzie www.pipeandglass.co.uk The Royal Oak Dom Chapman www. theroyaloakpaleystreet. com The Samling Ian Swainson www.thesamlinghotel. co.uk The Sportsman Stephen Harris www.thesports manseasalter.co.uk The Stagg Inn Steve Reynolds www.thestagg.co.uk The Star Inn Andrew Pern www.thestaratharome. co.uk The Terrace (at the Montagu Arms) Matthew Tomkinson www.montaguarmshotel. co.uk/terrace_restaurant The Treby Arms Anton Piotrowski www.thetrebyarms.co.uk The West House Graham Garrett www.thewesthouse restaurant.co.uk The Yorke Arms Frances Atkins www.yorke-arms.co.uk Turners Richard Turner www.turnersrestaurant birmingham.co.uk Wilks James Wilkins www.wilksrestaurant.co.uk

JERSEY Ocean House at Atlantic Mark Jordan www.theatlantichotel.com Bohemia (at The Club Hotel & Spa) Steve Smith www.bohemiajersey.com Ormer by Shaun Rankin www.ormerjersey.com Tassili at the Grand Hotel Richard Allen www.grandjersey.com/ grand-jersey/tassili

SCOTLAND 21212 Paul Kitching www.21212restaurant.co.uk Boath House Charlie Lockley www.boath-house.com Braidwoods Nicola Braidwood www.braidwoods.co.uk Castle Terrace Dominic Jack www. castleterracerestaurant. com Glenapp Castle Adam Stokes www.glenappcastle.com Isle of Eriska Ross Stovold www.eriska-hotel.co.uk

Inverlochy Castle Philip Carnegie www. inverlochycastlehotel.com Kinlock Lodge Marcello Tully www.kinloch-lodge.co.uk Knockinaam Lodge Tony Pierce www.knockinaamlodge. com Martin Wishart Martin Wishart www.martin-wishart.co.uk restaurant-martin-wishart/ home Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond Graeme Cheevers www.martin-wishart.co.uk Number One (at The Balmoral Hotel) Jeff Bland www.thebalmoralhotel. com/dining Sangster’s Bruce Sangster www.sangsters.co.uk The Albannach Colin Craig & Lesley Crosfield www.thealbannach.co.uk The Kitchin Tom Kitchin www.thekitchin.com The Peat Inn Geoffrey Smeddle www.thepeatinn.co.uk The Three Chimneys Michael Smith www.threechimneys.co.uk

WALES Crown at Whitebrook Chris Harrod www.crownatwhitebrook. co.uk The Checkers Stéphane Borie www. thecheckersmontgomery. co.uk The Walnut Tree Shaun Hill www.thewalnuttreeinn. com Tyddyn Llan Bryan Webb www.tyddynllan.co.uk Ynyshir Hall Gareth Ward www.ynyshirhall.co.uk

EIRE Aniar Enda McEvoy www.aniarrestaurant.ie Bon Appetit Oliver Dunne www.bonappetit.ie Campagne Garrett Byrne www.campagne.ie Chapter One Ross Lewis www. chapteronerestaurant.com House (at Cliff House Hotel) Martijn Kajuiter www.thecliffhousehotel. com L’Ecrivain Derry Clarke www.lecrivain.com Lady Helen at Mount Juliet Hotel Cormac Rowe www.mountjuliet.ie Thornton’s (at The Fitzwilliam Hotel) Kevin Thornton www.fitzwilliamhotel.com

Ta l k t o t h e ch e f :

by Bernice Saltzer

Martin

Wishart

Martin Wishart is not a man to be hurried. His philosophy on life is that there’s a right time for everything – and he absolutely doesn’t mind waiting until that time comes. In a world where most people act at breakneck speed and want everything done yesterday, his attitude is one which is completely refreshing. And it also happens to be one that clearly works for him, as the successes of his burgeoning food empire continue to stack up.

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9

H

is flagship Michelin-starred restaurant, situated at Leith, outside Edinburgh, right by the river (chosen partly because it evoked strong memories of his time in Amsterdam) is the epitome of elegance.

Restaurant Martin Wishart – so named because one of the few bits of marketing advice he’s ever taken was to call it after himself – is understated and stylish.

Light wood walls, elegant art deco-inspired lighting and – as you would expect – pristine white tablecloths, are the perfect backdrop for awe-inspiring tasting menus, which include one devoted entirely to seafood and a highly acclaimed vegetarian offering.

Looking around the restaurant now, it’s a far cry from its previous incarnation when Martin initially took that step to work under his own name.

“I had been cycling around Edinburgh for months, looking for the perfect venue,” he recalls.

“I felt the time was right for me to open my own restaurant and I just kept looking until I found somewhere that I knew would be the place.”

He admits that part of the appeal was “that the building was council-owned so the rent was only £500,” an important factor given that the chef had only £7000 – his entire life savings – to get the former Italian restaurant off the ground.

Friends and family chipped in to paint and decorate, with the restaurant opening using the rustic chairs and tables which Martin inherited from the previous owner.

“We had the minimum of equipment,” he says with a laugh.

“We had no hot plate, a mixer which I borrowed from my mother and a blender she lent us as well.

“I remember it finally packed in about six months later, I don’t think I’ve ever replaced it for her!

“What I did buy however – which I still to this day think is one of the most important things a chef needs – was the very best pots and pans I could afford.”

At that point Martin didn’t even have a home, instead finding himself and histhen girlfriend now wife, sofa surfing at his brother’s.

“We didn’t even have menus printed, I just stuck a piece of A4 paper in the window with the menu on.”

But what drove him on was the fact that his whole career to date had been geared to this point, that he would one day own his own restaurant.

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Ta l k t o t h e c h e f b y B e r n i c e S a l t z e r

It hadn’t always been that way, of course, and Martin admits he fell into a career in food.

“When I was about 12 I started to think about making money and I started selling ad spaces on leaflets for local businesses,” he said.

That entrepreneurial spirit started to move into a different direction when, at the age of 15, he joined a YTS scheme, which saw him work in the kitchen of a local hotel.

The teenage Martin was inspired, discovering a love for food which has never wavered.

It also started a love affair with local ingredients from his native Scotland.

“My family were from the Shetlands and we liked to cook with the things that we could get locally,” he said.

Determined that food was now going to be his career, Martin realised that he would need to travel to gain as much experience as he could.

He started to learn his craft at various restaurants across Scotland, but at the age of 19, the travel bug was beginning to bite and Martin decided to head to Australia, working in restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne and the North East of the country to supplement his travels – and his skills.

On his return to Scotland in the early 1990s

he became chef de partie at the famous Cameron House at Loch Lomond and at Braveal Old Mill, working under the watchful eye of Nick Nairn.

On the move yet again, Martin went to London and started his long relationship with the Roux family, as first commis de cuisine at Le Gavroche.

His food knowledge was also honed through stints in the USA –“where I also learned a lot about front of house” – and working under the guidance of such eminent chefs as John Burton Race and Marco Pierre White.

“Working in this industry is all about doing long hours but nobody should enter this profession if they are not prepared to put the hours in,” he said.

“There are young people coming into the industry who aren’t always prepared to do that and they need to know this is not an easy job, that you have to do the time if you want to get anywhere.”

Of his own time spent working with some of the biggest names in the industry he says, “they were fantastic experiences, particularly working in a three Michelin star restaurant.”

Martin then worked in Amsterdam in a five

star hotel on behalf of his old mentor, Albert Roux, before deciding it was time to come back to the UK. “Marco told me that Rocco Forte was opening a new brasserie at the Balmoral Hotel,” recalled Martin.

“And I realised that not only would this be a good opportunity, but because I was still determined when the time was right to open up a place in Edinburgh, this would also be a good way to meet suppliers.”

In 1999 the moment finally arrived – the feeling that the time was finally right for Martin to open his own restaurant.

“Our starting prices were around £6 for a starter and about £14 for a main course and I was a little worried because there wasn’t really a fine dining culture in Edinburgh at that time,” he revealed.

“It was hairy for the first couple of weeks and then we started to get fantastic word-of-mouth and the bookings just started to flood in.”

So at what point did he realise that Restaurant Martin Wishart was indeed a success?

“When we had a six month waiting list for tables on a Saturday night,” he said.

According to Martin, location is all important

for any chef wanting to branch out on their own – and it’s worth being patient until that perfect spot can be found.

“I could have launched my own restaurant much earlier but it needed to be the right place and that’s the best advice you could give any chef,” he said.

Inevitably however opportunities started to come Martin’s way – the chance to open up a restaurant at his old stomping ground, Cameron House hotel, where the only proviso was “that I got them a Michelin star.”

He did just that in little over two years and other restaurants followed, Honours, a more casual brasserie style eatery in Edinburgh and then, in 2014, a sister restaurant in Glasgow.

What hasn’t followed however –through Martin’s choice – was the temptation of a television career.

Requests for appearances on everything from Masterchef to Saturday Kitchen have been politely declined.

“That’s not really what I’m about,” he said.

“Luckily the restaurants are successful so I don’t need to have that kind of career. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, it’s just that wasn’t a route I wanted to take.”

Martin wants to be in his kitchen, with his dedicated brigade of staff, many of whom have been with him for years.

What has also never changed is his passion for first class ingredients, most of which are locally sourced and supplied.

He has also developed a very healthy outside catering operation, enjoying the challenge of cooking everywhere from Singapore to New York.

“Those kind of events are huge logistically but incredibly satisfying,” he said.

“And it also helps us develop an internationally recognised reputation.”

Wherever he travels in the world, there’s no doubt that his heart remains in Scotland and the rich bounty the region produces makes endless appearances on his menu.

Langoustines, scallops from Orkney, roe deer – all find their way on to the Wishart table.

“To me sauces are so important,” added the chef.

“A little splash of a spectacular sauce can absolutely elevate a dish.”

At the same time however, following the food trends of “de jour” largely leave him cold.

“I don’t need to go the markets and pick ingredients and I don’t need to go foraging, many of the ingredients we use have been foraged anyway,” said Martin.

“And I’m not massively keen on flowers on dishes, although occasionally it’s a nice touch.”

His training means that Martin much prefers classic, French cooking techniques – braising, confiting, poaching and steaming.

Currently he’s also experimenting with elevating Mexican style street food which will be finding a place on his new season menu.

A Mexican favourite involving sweetcorn, crème fraiche, lime and chilli is being given the Wishart touch, while at the same time he is also putting the final touches on a new scallop dish using a Japanese vinegar.

Each dish is developed with a passion and an attention to the detail which has no doubt played some part in helping Martin grow his business.

He’s currently in talks about extending his empire in the Middle East, but, of course, only if the time is right.

Did he ever think when he opened his restaurant that he would become such a success?

“I’m not really a dreamer, I tend not to look back, although of course it is nice to occasionally to think about what we’ve done,” he said.

“But really for me, it’s all about looking forward.”

11

Recipe

by Martin Wishart

LANGOUSTINE RAVIOLI BRAISED ORANGE ENDIVE & LANGOUSTINE JUS

Braised endive Serves 4

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

300g finely sliced endive 60g un-salted butter 35g castor sugar 1 tsp. sherry vinegar Juice from 1 orange

m e th o d 1. Melt the butter in a pan; add the endive & sauté for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the sugar, as it starts to caramelise add the sherry vinegar then the orange juice.

3. Cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by ⅔, remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Ravioli I NG R E D I EN T S ●● 1.5kg live langoustines ●● 200g fresh pasta dough

m e th o d 1. Separate the tails from the langoustine head (keep the heads and claws for the stock); remove the intestine track from the tails by gently pulling away the central tail fin.

2. Drop the tails into a pan of heavily salted water for 10 seconds then remove immediately onto a tray to cool.

3. Peel away the shells, and then chop the tails to form a course filling.

4. Roll out a fine sheet of pasta & cut out 12 discs 8-10cm wide, Place a spoonful of chopped langoustine in the centre, brush the edge of the pasta with a little water & fold over to form a air-tight parcel.

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Langoustine stock I NG R E D I EN T S ●● 1kg fresh langoustine heads and claws ●● 1 onion, peeled and cut into 2cm dice

●● 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm dice ●● 3 sticks of celery, cut into 2cm dice ●● 200ml white wine

●● ½ tsp fennel seeds ●● 2 ripe tomatos

●● 2 star anise ●● 2 litres fish stock

●● 1 tsp coriander seeds ●● 1 bulb of garlic

●● 100ml olive oil ●● 50g unsalted butter

m e th o d 1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pan on a high heat until almost smoking.

2. Add the langoustine heads and sauté for 4-5 minutes until they start to caramelise golden brown.

3. Remove the pan from the heat, place the langoustine heads into a colander and put to one side.

4. Return the pan to the heat; add the butter and the chopped vegetables and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

5. Add the star anis, fennel seeds and coriander seeds to the pan.

6. Pour in the white wine and reduce this to a glaze.

7. Put the langoustine heads back into the pot and crush them with a rolling pin.

8. Add the fish stock, tomatoes and garlic cut in half.

9. Allow this to boil for 30- minutes or until the liquid has reduced by ⅔.

10. Remove from the heat and allow the stock to rest for 1 hour before passing through fine sieve.

11. Discard the langoustine heads and chill the stock, or freeze until ready to use.

12. To finish the Sauce for this dish, whisk in some extra virgin olive oil to taste.

To Serve Cook the raviolis in boiling salted water for 60 seconds. Serve with the braised endive & the langoustine sauce.

I ndustr y T o p i c

by Andy Lynes

Mouth Almighty Steve Plotnicki

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For two decades, media mogul and gourmet Steve Plotnicki has been an online foodie voice to reckon with. Now he’s taking on Michelin and the World’s 50 Best with his own Opinionated About fine dining guide. Andy Lynes (a former internet adversary of Plotnicki’s) listens to the mouth that roared.

A

s Clint Eastwood so eloquently put it in the 1980 movie The Dead Pool ‘Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one’.

That was in the pre-internet age; imagine what Eastwood’ hard bitten cop Harry Callahan would have to say about today’s constant 140 character cacophony. But there’s one straight talking, shoot-from-the-hip online commentator that Dirty Harry might have some time for. Founder of hip hop label Profile Records that signed Run DMC and owner of the Robot Wars TV format, Brooklyn-born Steve Plotnicki has been telling his fellow foodies, chefs and restaurateurs exactly how it is (or at least how he sees it) since the late nineties when he was a regular contributor to the then popular Chowhound.com and egullet.org food forums.

And it was as a founding affiliate of egullet that I first encountered Plotnicki.

One of my duties was to moderate the discussion boards, identifying ‘trolls’ and trying to prevent the lengthy, heated exchanges between contributors (‘flame wars’ as they are known) that became a defining characteristic of all internet forums. Plotnicki found himself at the centre of many such exchanges and eventually decided it would be better if he was the one making the rules.

Opinionated About Dining (opinionatedaboutdining.com) was born in 2003 serving what Plotnicki calls the ‘destination dining community’ i.e. the (usually) wealthy group of people who fly around the world dining at the world’s best restaurants. He took with him a number of eGullet’s most loyal contributors and the

move put us either side of an internet spat that divided the online foodie community.

If you dig deep enough on eGullet, you’ll still find a flavour of what made Plotnicki so divisive, but all of his most incendiary posts have disappeared (I know because I removed most of them myself). But if you want to see Plotnicki at his controversial best, watch the documentary feature film Foodies, where he squares off with New York chef Wylie Dufresne over a dish of foie gras and anchovy that Plotnicki calls ‘the worst dish in culinary history’. For further evidence of his no holds barred style, check out his blog post titled ‘The Strange Case of Alex Stupak’ where he accuses the former high end New York pastry chef of walking away from his craft because he opened a Mexican restaurant. Stupak’s 15

response was to publicly accuse Plotnicki of ‘ignorance and careless writing’.

‘Most of the time the response from the chefs is a character attack and it doesn’t necessarily go to the merits of my criticism.

Some chefs have egos and they won’t allow the guest to make a recommendation, and some chefs are open because they think of it as a more interactive experience,’ says Plotnicki.

‘Stupak used the opportunity to start a big online fight with me. It’s great that he does well but no one from the destination dining community really visits his restaurants. He wanted to get attention from people who aren’t really into food’.

Diplomatic he certainly isn’t and when we were on opposite sides of the fence, that made things somewhat difficult between us. Now I’ve transitioned from hobby-ist writer to full time journalist and left the tribal complications of policing food forums behind, it’s far easier to see Plotnicki as a breath of provocative, mischievous fresh air.

For his part, Plotnicki has set about creating something more tangible from his own forum than endless online argument and in 2008 16

I n d us t ry T o p i c b y A n d y L y n e s

published ‘Opinionated About Fine Dining Survey - The 100 Best Restaurant of North America & Europe’. Since 2013, the publication of the list has been accompanied by a launch event, growing from a lunch and dinner at Saturne in Paris to this year’s three day extravaganza in Copenhagen. The roll call of some of Europe’s finest chefs included Antonio Guida from Seta in Milan as well as locally based celebrities Rene Redzepi from Noma and Rasmus Kofoed of the three Michelin starred Geranium.

The top 50 restaurants in Plotnicki’s list differs considerably from the World’ 50 Best with just 16 overlapping restaurants and only one at the same spot with Piazza Duomo in Alba appearing at number 27 on both. That’s partly down to the fact that Plotnicki’s list only includes European restaurants (he has separate lists for US and Japanese but doesn’t yet cover the rest of the world) but also because of his unique weighting system.

‘The restaurants are weighted and so are our 5,000 reviewers. Every time someone puts a review in it changes the math a little bit. So the most experienced diners at the highest rated restaurants carry the most weight,’ says Plotnicki.

Given that Plotnicki himself is one of the most experienced diners, the system favours his own opinions and is unashamedly elitist. ‘I’m not trying to make a popularity poll. I’m trying to turn something that is subjective into something that is as objective as possible and you cannot do that if opinions of inexperienced people count the same as opinions of experienced people.

If you do that you end up with Harden’s or Zagat. There’s a place for those guys, it’s just not what I want to be’.

Although Plotnicki dismisses the idea that he’s in competition with Michelin and the World’s 50 Best, claiming that he simply wants to help people make better dining choices, he isn’t shy about voicing criticism of both organisations.

‘I think World’s 50 Best does a really good job of bringing focus to dining on a global basis in a particular way. It’s kind of like the Miss Universe contest of restaurants. Michelin does a good job of ferreting out quality restaurants in out of the way places but they do a poor job of updating their results. They don’t really capture what happens to a restaurant over

Plotnicki has also become suspicious of the sort of investor-driven restaurants that he sees dominating both the London and New York scene. ‘It’s so commercialised.

They serve a lot of covers and they need to make a lot of money so the focus is not on delivering the highest quality food. The last time I was in London, I was toying with going to Jason Atherton’s Shosharu but I know what the food’s going to be like without even going; Pollen Street Social with soy sauce and cooked over Binchotan charcoal. So I find I’m more attracted to places like Peckham Baazar, Berber & Q and Hoppers because they are much more food driven and there’s less bullshit’.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that some who has spent decades hunting down the new and novel in the world of dining would, after several decades, begin to find it difficult to get excited about a new restaurant as they once were, but Plotnicki says it’s nothing to do with having a jaded palette.

‘Advances in cooking are really tied to advances in kitchen technology. The last real advance was in the mid-nineties and chefs exploited that through to the mid 2000’s. Now we’ve gone back to this natural phase there’s a lot of food that’s tasty, it’s just not as creative or interesting.

What I like to find is like the guy in 2004 who figured out how to cook beef cheek for 40 hours, for me that was a great find.

There are no finds like that these days’.

time very well. They give you the score and it’s up to you to figure it out. I’m really trying to keep track of the motion of the dining community, where they’re going, where they’ve stopped going and what they think’.

Although the Opinionated About Dining list is stuffed full of high end fine dining restaurants, Plotnicki’s personal tastes are changing. ‘I haven’t been to Per Se in eight years. I never go to those kinds of places. I don’t have much patience for that style of dining, it’s too precious.

Despite his reservations, Plotnicki’s appetite seems as sharp as ever. When we spoke, he was beginning to plan his next trip to Europe and more than a decade after it’s launch, he has plans to commercialise Opinion About and turn his ‘hobby’ into a business.

‘This was the first year we had sponsors. It’s getting too big for me to finance it myself.

We had 20 chefs this year and you have to put them up and pay for food. It’s starting to get expensive. It looks like I should be able to attempt to turn this into an event business that travels around Europe and does dinners.

We’re talking about getting something ready for London for early next year’.

So look out, chefs, restaurateurs and foodies, Steve Plotnicki is set to be around for some time to come. He is gastronomy’s mouth almighty; hear him roar.

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I ndustr y T o p i c

OAD top 100 Below is the list of the top 200 restaurants in Europe as announced by Opinionated About Dining (OAD). I have left in the comments about the restaurants from The United Kingdom that are included in the top 100 and have identified the restaurants that appear after the 100 listing and included OAD’s comments 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

L’Arpège France www.alain-passard.com Azurmendi Spain www.azurmendi.biz In de Wulf Belgium www.indewulf.be Faviken Sweden www.faviken.com Noma Denmark www.noma.dk La Marine France www.chateauxhotels.com/ Etxebarri Spain www.asadoretxebarri.com Diverxo Spain www.diverxo.com/ Vendôme Germany www.schlossbensberg.com Restaurant Quique Dacosta Spain www.quiquedacosta.es De Librije Netherlands www.librije.com/ Daniel Berlin Sweden www.danielberlin.se/ Astrance France Osteria Francescana Italy www.osteriafrancescana.it Le Calandre Italy www.calandre.com Restaurant Franatzén Sweden http://frantzen-lindeberg.com El Celler de Can Roca Spain www.cellercanroca.com Pierre Gagnaire France www.pierre-gagnaire.com La Vie Germany www.restaurant-lavie.de Sant Pau Spain www.santpau.jp Sa.Qua.Na France www.alexandre-bourdas.com/saquana Schloss Berg Germany www.victors-gourmet.de Kadeau Bornholm Denmark www.kadeau.dk Maaemo Norway www.maaemo.no Tim Raue Germany Geranium Denmark www.geranium.dk/ Piazza Duomo Italy www.piazzaduomoalba.it Bras France www.michel-bras.com L’Air du Temps Belgium www.airdutemps.be Elkano Spain www.restauranteelkano.com Restaurant Guy Savoy France www.guysavoy.com Il Povero Diavolo Italy www.ristorantepoverodiavolo.com Flocons de Sel France www.floconsdesel.com Hertog Jan Belgium www.hertog-jan.com Tickets Spain Le Cinq Paris, France www.fourseasons.com/paris Uliassi Italy www.uliassi.it Disfrutar Spain http://en.disfrutarbarcelona.com/ Pic France www.pic-valence.com Studio Denmark en.thestandardcph.dk/ Relae Denmark www.restaurant-relae.dk Mugaritz Spain www.mugaritz.com Gaestehaus Klaus Erfurt Germany www.gaestehaus-erfort.de Hof van Cleve Belgium www.hofvancleve.com The Sportsman

After giving up a life as a schoolteacher to become a chef, Stephen Harris has demonstrated that the ingredients of his native Kent can be world-class if they are sourced correctly and then prepared by a chef who has mastered a variety of culinary techniques that range from traditional to modern. Don’t be

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fooled by the setting in a converted pub as , you will find some of the best regional cooking in Europe here.

Faversham Road Seasalter, United Kingdom 01227 273370 www. thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk Torre del Saracino Italy www.torredelsaracino.com Andreas Caminada Switzerland www.andreascaminada.com Le Petit Nice France www.petitnice-passedat.com La Vague d’Or France Oaxen Sweden http://oaxen.com/?lang=en Araki It isn’t often that one of the world’s top sushi chefs decides to close up shop in Tokyo and move to another city. But after Mitsuhiro Araki’s daughter decided to attend boarding school in the United Kingdom, the decision to move his restaurant to London was easy. A major difference between the Tokyo and London locations is that Mitsuhiro does not have access to the treasures that can be found at Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market. Rather, he relies exclusively on a catch that comes from European waters, with the occasional fish sourced from North America. The service and hospitality are both lovely, and the non-sushi dishes are served on beautiful antique Japanese ceramics. But diners beware: This is one of the most expensive restaurants in London, rivaling what a very top sushi experience would charge in Japan. photo credit: click on text to expand.

12 New Burlington St London, United Kingdom +4402072872481 http://the-araki.com/ Epicure France www.lebristolparis.com/eng/gastronomy/epicure/ Miramar France www.mirazur.fr Aqua Germany www.ritzcarlton.com Ledoyen France http://commercial.groupeepicure.com/homeledoyen.html Martín Berasategui Spain www.martinberasategui.com Combal.zero Italy www.combal.org Hedone

59 60 61 62 63 64

Blogger turned chef Mikael Jonnson sources some of the best ingredients in the U.K. - fish straight from the docks in Poole, grass-fed Irish beef that has been hung for 60 days, AOC onions imported from France - and prepares them with a level of love and respect you don’t see in many contemporary restaurants.

Extremely popular with OAD reviewers, who are focused on eating the best possible products; some reviewers have visited the restaurant in excess of 50 times.

301 Chiswick High Road London, UK 020 8747 0377 www.hedonerestaurant.com Jin France Passage 53 France www.passage53.com Le Grenouillère France www.lagrenouillere.fr Steirereck Austria 03863 2000 www.steirereck.at Reale Italy www.ristorantereale.it La Pergola Italy www.cavalieri-hilton.it

46 47 48 49 50 51

52 53 54 55

65 66 67 68 69

De Leest Netherlands www.restaurantdeleest.nl Kei France www.restaurant-kei.fr Bon-Bon Belgium www.bon-bon.be David Toutain France http://davidtoutain.com/ The Ledbury The skillful contemporary cooking served here, which features dishes like young vegetables with Beaufort cream and spring truffles, and native lobster with tomato butter and basil, is tinged with a modernist edge, and it has many diners calling this the best dining room in London. The high level of buzz being generated by its chef, Australian-born Brett Graham, signals that the restaurant has the potential to climb even higher in the culinary rankings.

127 Ledbury Road London, United Kingdom 0207-792-9090 www.theledbury.com 70 Gilles Goujon/Auberge de Vieux Puits Fontjoncouse www.aubergeduvieuxpuits.fr 71 Nadeau Denmark www.kadeau.dk 72 Villa Crespi Italy www.hotelvillacrespi.it/ 73 Arzak Spain www.arzak.es 74 De Kromme Watergang Netherlands www.krommewatergang.nl 75 Pure C Netherlands www.sergioherman.com 76 Don Alfonso 1890 Italy www.donalfonso1890.com 77 Ibai Spain 78 Okuda France www.okuda.fr/ 79 Lido 84 Italy www.ristorantelido84.com/ 80 Del Cambio Italy 81 La Bouitte St. Martin-de-Bellevue www.la-bouitte.com 82 Taubenkobel www.taubenkobel.at 83 Gastrologik Italy www.davittorio.com 85 HKK It is to the credit of the Abu Dhabi investment group Tasameem that in the midst of rolling out branches of their highly successful Hakkasan, they stopped to take the time to create a top-level fine dining experience. At the heart of the operation is Tong Chee Hwee, who after spending 11 years as the head chef for the entire Hakkasan group, has settled in at HKK and is now offering diners creations like lychee-wood-roasted Peking duck; lobster soup with goji berry and enoki mushroom; and charcoalgrilled lamb in Sha-Cha sauce. One reviewer, while pointing out that in no way should this be confused with fusion cooking, credits the restaurant’s success as the result of “a careful rethinking of Chinese cuisine combined with a deep understanding of European ingredients,” while another says the cooking is “as good as any you will find in Hong Kong.”

Worship St London, United Kingdom +44 20 3535 1888 www.hkklondon.com 86 Devero Ristorante Italy www.deverohotel.it 87 La Belle Epoque Germany 88 Restaurant Jean Sulpice France www.loxalys.fr 89 A.T. France www.atsushitanaka.com/ 90 The Jane Belgium www.thejaneantwerp.com 91 Madonnina del Pescatore Italy 07 1698 267 www.madonninadelpescatore.it 92 L’Assiette Champenoise France +33 3 26 84 64 64 www.assiettechampenoise.com 93 L’Enclume This restaurant, located in the United Kingdom’s Lake District, is where Simon Rogan made a name for himself. Using ingredients that come from the region as a starting point, he creates dishes like Dublin bay prawn in pig skin, beetroot and sea beet and Dexter beef with tripe braised Cavendish St, Grange-over-Sands, United Kingdom +44 15395 36362 www.lenclume.co.uk 94 Ekstedt Stockholm, www.ekstedt.nu 95 Henne Kirkeby Kro Denmark www.hennekirkebykro.dk 96 Inter Scaldes www.interscaldes.nl 97 Mathias Dahlgren Sweden www.mathiasdahlgren.com 98 Seta Italy www.mandarinoriental.com/ 99 Pakta Spain +http://es.bcn50.org/ 100 Neige d’Eté France

102 The Fat Duck After being closed for a year for renovations (the restaurant operated a pop-up in Australia during that period), Heston Blumenthal reopened this charming restaurant in the quaint village of Bray this past fall. Given the time off, combined with the fact that the cuisine the restaurant’s reputation was built on dates back to an era when Molecular Gastronomy was king, our reviewers were a bit apprehensive about returning to what used to be one of their favorite restaurants. Well, the results are mixed, which explains why a restaurant that was perennially in our Top 10 has fallen to 102. Not that it is a bad experience.

But there is somewhat of a museum quality to dining at the Fat Duck these days.

High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ, United Kingdom United Kingdom +44 (0)1628 580 333 http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/ 105 Sushi Tetsu After spending a number of years running the omakase counter at Nobu’s London restaurant, Toru Takahashi decided it was time to open his own place. Now he runs this extremely tiny restaurant in London’s East End along with his wife, Harumi.

If you are lucky enough to snag one of the nine seats at the counter of this minuscule sushi restaurant located down a narrow alley in the East End, it won’t take long for you to realize you are at the best Japanese restaurant in London.

12 Jerusalem Passage London, UK +44 20 3217 0090 http://sushitetsu.co.uk/

136 Fera Having two successful restaurants already (L’Enclume in Cartmel and London’s Roganic) did not stop Simon Rogan from taking on his most ambitious project yet: a formal dining experience that replaced Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in the main dining room at Claridge’s. Fera is a type of whitefish found in Lake Geneva.

Brook St London, UK +44 (0)20 7629 8860 www.claridges.co.uk/fera/ 137 The Square Phil Howard’s exaggerated bourgeoise cooking is still packing them in at this classic Mayfair house. Along with the multiple variations of truffle, foie gras and lobster that Howard typically has on offer, you will also find one of the best lists of red Burgundies in London.

6-10 Bruton St London, UK +44 20 7495 7100 www.squarerestaurant.com 152 Midsummer House

172 Gymkhana This darling of the British press located on a Mayfair street filled with galleries and smart boutiques caused a minor sensation when it opened its doors in 2013. The cuisine is an updated version of colonial Indian cooking, featuring dishes like Malabar paratha with duck egg bhurji and lobster, black pepper fish tikka with lasooni and tomato chutney and a Sofiyan roe deer chop served with keema naan and kasundi mooli. Parties of six can opt for the special biryani and raan feast, which features a main event of goat raan served with masala tandoori potato, cucumber and cumin raita. A decent wine selection – especially French and German Rieslings – enhance the experience.

42 Albemarle Street London, UK 020 3011 5900 www.gymkhanalondon.com

123 Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs

Some restaurants are flashy and get a lot of press. Others quietly do their thing, satisfying their customers year after year. Daniel Clifford’s restaurant is a prototype of the latter, and countless professors, students and their parents have enjoyed dishes like beetroot baked on open coals with quinoa, goat cheese and mizuna while dining alongside the River Cam. Midsummer Common Cambridge, United Kingdom +44 1223 369299 www.midsummerhouse.co.uk

126 Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Opinions differ on Heston Blumenthal’s take on British antiquarian cuisine. Some say you will find “the same meticulous attention to detail employed at the Fat Duck,” while others see it as “overhyped and overrated.” The “comfortable and casual room” offers “splendid views of Hyde Park.”

66 Knightsbridge London, UK +44 20 7201 3833 www.dinnerbyheston.com 133 Martin Wishart Back in 1999, when Edinburgh was a dining wasteland, Martin Wishart opened this smart restaurant where the marvelous seafood includes items like Loch Fyne crab, Orkney scallop and Kilbrannan langoustine. Wishart caters to meat eaters as well with dishes like Borders Roe Deer with braised lettuce, carrot, date and BBQ onion.

54 Shore Edinburgh, United Kingdom +44 131 553 3557 www.martin-wishart.co.uk

164 The Kitchin Our reviewers say that if Tom Kitchin’s restaurant (what are the odds of a chef having the surname Kitchin?) would be much better known if it were located in London rather than Edinburgh. Those who have made the trek up to Scotland will enjoy dishes like a ragoût of Loch Creran oysters with poached salsify tagliatelle.

78 Commercial Quay Edinburgh, United Kingdom +44 131 555 1755 thekitchin.com 169 Restaurant Sat Bains The industrial city of Nottingham is the last place you would imagine to find a chef who describes his cuisine as salt-sweet-sour-bitterumami. But Sat Bains is not just any chef, and he is ready to tantalize your palate with dishes like pork jowl, piccalilli and salted apple and onion cooked over an open fire and served with aged garlic.

Lenton Lane Nottingham, United Kingdom +44 115 9866 566 www.restaurantsatbains.com

111 Clove Club Those who are fans of Parisian neo-bistro restaurants like Saturne and Septime should consider a visit to Isaac McHale’s restaurant. Set in the 150-year-old Shoreditch Town Hall, McHale’s menu includes scrumptious creations like black pudding with Braeburn apple and chicory relish and Yorkshire suckling pig with Indian spices.

380 Old St London, UK +44 20 7729 6496 thecloveclub.com

With stints at Per Se and Marcus Wareing on their résumés, it would have been logical for James Knappett and Sandia Chang to open their own fine dining establishment. Instead, they opened a hip Champagne bar named Bubbledogs, where the only item on the menu is a hot dog, available with 12 different toppings. But while you can take the truffles away from the boy, taking the boy away from his truffles is another thing entirely.

Using the profits they earned from selling hot dogs and bubbly, the duo built a secret hideaway just behind their restaurant – 17 seats spread around a U-shaped counter – where Knappett serves tasting menus featuring dishes like crispy chicken skin slathered with rosemary mascarpone and bacon jam, and venison with rose-flavored yogurt, fresh pine, wild mushrooms and shaved chestnuts. It’s one of the toughest reservations to come by in London.

70 Charlotte St. London, United Kingdom 0207 637 7770 www.bubbledogs.co.uk

163 Hibiscus Claude Bosi’s Mayfair restaurant has managed to recapture the buzz it had before it moved to London from Ludlow.

Game season is a popular time at the restaurant, as Bosi offers preparations of things like grouse and woodcock served in both modern and purist fashion.

29 Maddox St London, UK +44 20 7629 2999 www.hibiscusrestaurant.co.uk

153 Marcus Waring Bravo to Marcus Wareing. Back in 2007, our very first survey awarded this restaurant the honor of being the most overrated restaurant in the U.K. But now, seven years later, Wareing has managed to snag a place on our Top 100 list. Why the difference, you ask? Well, anyone’s guess is as good as ours, but one of the two most obvious explanations is that the further Wareing gets from his partnership with Gordon Ramsay (the duo had a very public divorce in 2008), the more our reviewers like his restaurant. Another theory is that the restaurant has been on an upward glide path ever since James Knappett was ’executive chef (he has since moved on to the Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs.) Regardless of the reason, Wareing has the restaurant on track (in fact, he displaced Ramsay’s restaurant on this year’s list), and reviewers are hailing his “well-executed Modern British fare utilizing wonderful ingredients.”

Wilton Place London, UK 0207-235-6000 ww.the-berkeley.co.uk 157 Nathan Outlaw Nathan Outlaw looks like he could wrestle a bluefin tuna to shore with his bare hands. But when you visit this charming boutique hotel/restaurant and have that tuna served to you on a plate, you will find that Nathan is a chef who shows a gentle hand with fish. photo credit: click on text to expand.

St. Endoc Hotel Cornwall, UK 01208 862 737 www.nathan-outlaw.com 162 Umu Diners do not usually associate London with a top Japanese experience, but this “posh” dining room on one of London’s most fashionable shopping streets is a favorite among OAD reviewers. A proponent of the ikejime technique in preparing his fish, executive chef Yoshinori Ishii regularly makes trips to Cornwall in order to meet with local fisherman and teach them about the quality of fish he would like to serve. Besides the super-fresh sushi, there is a full menu of Japanese fusion cuisine featuring dishes like “Matsukasa” crispy-skin Cornish Dover sole with bonito flakes.

14-16 Bruton Pl London, United Kingdom +44 20 7499 8881 www.umurestaurant.com/umu.htm

173 Alyn Williams at the Westbury A disciple of Gordon Ramsay, Alyn Williams has continued the tradition that Ramsay started by serving “classical French cuisine with a few English twists.” Praise was showered on “Giancarlo Princigalli and his excellent service team” as well as a “reasonable price point for food of this quality.”

37 Conduit St, London, UK +44 20 7183 6426 www.westburymayfair.com 189 Dinings Don’t be put off by the total lack of atmosphere at this restaurant located in the basement of a town house in Marylebone that some of our reviewers describe as “the antiNobu.” The menu is a good mix of offerings from classic nigiri to more creative a la carte dishes. It’s a mix that has allowed reviewers to report enjoying meals that are an eclectic mix, including salmon miso soup; zucchini flower and asparagus tempura; toro two ways; crab, lobster and salmon tar-tar tacos; wagyu beef steamed buns; and a tempura crab futomaki roll.

22 Harcourt St London, United Kingdom +44 20 7723 0666 dinings.co.uk 190 Le Champignon Sauvage Long before the foraging that is the basis of the New Nordic cuisine became the rage of the culinary world, David Everitt-Matthias combed the woods of his native Gloucestershire in order to create a refined, terroir-driven cuisine that is unique to his region.

24-26 Suffolk Rd Cheltenham, United Kingdom 0124 257 3449 www.lechampignonsauvage.co.uk 192 A. Wong When Andrew Wong (hence the A.) took over his family’s restaurant, he devised a menu that paid tribute to each of China’s 14 unique culinary regions, allowing diners to enjoy Shanghai soup dumplings and Yunnan seared beef on the same menu. A. Wong is one of the few good places to eat in what is otherwise a dining desert around Victoria Station.

70 Wilton Rd London, United Kingdom +44 20 7828 8931 www.awong.co.uk 198 Bonhams This restaurant in the back of the Bonham’s auction house is a bit difficult to locate. But once you find your way there, the cooking of Tom Kemble will clearly delight the senses. A disciple of Mikael Jonnson at Hedone in London’s Chiswick neighborhood, Kemble sources some of the best ingredients in Britain, like scallops from the Isle of Mull, which he serves with Jerusalem artichoke purée, baby endive, pear, cobnut and lobster coral sauce and a Saddleback pork chop with pearl barley, puffed grains, heritage carrots and Peckham mead jus. A lovely, bright dining room makes this restaurant a sea of calm among the hustle bustle of Old Bond Street.

101 New Bond Street London +44 20 7468 5868 www.bonhams.com/locations/RES/

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living legend:

by Josh Sims

Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck began cooking at his mother’s side as a child. She was a chef in the Austrian town where he was born, and with her encouragement, Wolfgang began his formal training at fourteen years of age. As a young chef he worked in some of France’s greatest restaurants, including Maxim’s in Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, and the Michelin 3-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence. At the age of 24, Wolfgang left Europe for the United States. His first job in 1973 was at the restaurant La Tour in Indianapolis, after which in 1975 he moved to Los Angeles and rapidly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef and eventually part owner of Ma Maison in West Hollywood.

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W

olfgang Puck is pondering picking up the brush. “But I don’t just want to be another guy putting paint on a canvas,” he says, “and I worry that I’m too old now to have to time to get good at it. I’d want the same reaction from a painting as I might get from a dish. I wouldn’t say I was a perfectionist but, you know, if you cook a steak in a cold skillet and it comes out grey you say ‘what the hell is this?’ And if I got the same reaction to a painting - ‘oh my god!’ then burn it. The fact is that you be good at anything you have to learn the skills.”

So, Puck implies, the only thing to do is to keep on opening restaurants. More and more of them. The acclaimed chef - the only chef to have won the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef award twice, and last year inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame - opened his first European outpost outside

of his US base -at 45 Park Lane which forms part of the Dorchester Collection - and now in part inspired by the impact of the economic downturn in America - come new openings in Dubai, Bahrain, Istanbul, Singapore. These all add to the stupendous 100 or so restaurants - among them the Spago and Cut brands which the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group already has.

“If I was to sell the business, all I’d do is open another restaurant,” says the 66-year-old. “I can’t sit still. I could open 10 restaurants every year, but the main concern with expansion now is finding the talent. You can’t find the right people. You have to get them young and train them up, so they learn our culture - of hospitality, of concern for the well-being of the guest, of flexibility and adaptability. It’s not just about the food. That’s like having a car and it all just being about the engine.”

That adaptability has applied as much to his thinking as his service. The Austrian-born chef - who argues that risk-taking is inherent to the immigrant mind-set, having already taken the huge gamble of leaving the safety of one’s home nation - has always gone his own way: an open kitchen, posh pizzas, fusion food, TV appearances, Puck could make a claim to having pioneered ideas that are now part of the fine-dining mainstream.

“Open kitchens were entertaining - and they make chefs work harder because they’re on show. They can’t swear either,” explains Puck.

“And why not take something as simple as a pizza and try to lift it to the next level? Not everyone will like it, and some Italians might think it’s a terrible idea. But there is room in the world for more than one kind of pizza.

Besides, people often need an anchor to grasp a new idea before they will try new ingredients 21

can do very complicated dishes but they can’t do something very simple, like an omelette because learning how to do the very simple things well takes time.”

Puck concedes that his approach is American, albeit stereotyped: he is a big believer in the power of brands - Spago and Cut, those which he has most aggressively expanded, are, like McDonald’s, “a way for people to access dining now, a way of buying into something that is familiar,” he says. “It’s a source of reassurance, although it makes it extremely important to maintain standards across the restaurants then”; he went though a personal fitness overhaul; his latest book (‘Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy’) is all about healthy eating; and fries and big steaks are a mainstay of his repertoire - and he sees no contradiction in this.

or ways of presenting food - and everyone knows what a pizza is.”

Indeed, arguably the first celebrity chef of the modern era, Puck knows the power of profile: The Source, his Washington restaurant, for example, has won column inches for being President Obama’s favourite, while having done the Oscars dinner every year for more than a decade still helps. “They’re good for us because it’s just one day and we get global coverage - so many people come to LA and their first destination is Spago, because of the Oscars,” says Puck. “The fact is that some kind of media profile is important now - even very good cooks have less chance of success with it. But media brings an expectancy with it too - so the bar is raised.”

Perhaps the ultimate accolade and certainly an indication of his status in the US at least - Puck has even be immortalised in cartoon form, on ‘The Simpsons’. “That was the easiest thing to do - I just had to read the lines. And my kids loved it - more than if I’d been the star of an entire feature film,” Puck laughs. He is also aware of the problems that come with it now too: “Young people want instant gratification - TV has made culture that way. Young chefs want success overnight. Or they 22

living legend by Josh Sims

“Chefs can’t cook the hell out of ingredients now and people are more aware of what they put into their bodies, but sure, if you eat a 500g steak and then go home to sleep, that’s not such a good idea,” he suggests. “You shouldn’t ever eat so much that you can’t go home and make love. That’s advice I always follow.”

But - and this is perhaps central to his success too - he argues that his sensibility remains European. “The American tendency is to overdo everything. It’s all about excess,” he says. “Europeans, in comparison, prefer to tone it all down, which makes what we do feel that more sophisticated.”

It is certainly a formula that works. He is now turning his attention to Chinese food, which is, he says, “ripe for reinvention”, in part because ingredients that were not widely available not so long ago now are, in part because, he says, it’s simply one of the great under-explored cuisines. “Cooking can’t stand still,” he says. “We can’t just keep doing what we did 30 years ago. People want an experience with their food now, and I say that as a classically-trained chef. We have to keep finding new ways of cooking.”

Recipe

by Wolfgang Puck

Mini Kobe Cheese Burgers Yield: Makes 12 mini burgers

on top (cheese side up), followed by sprinkling of finely chiffonade of iceberg, a slice of tomato and a slice of cornichon.

REMOULADE Yield: Makes 1 cup

I NG R E D I EN T S

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● 3/4 pound Kobe ground beef ●● Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ●● 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ●● 3 slices organic cheddar cheese ●● 6 slices Brioche bread, punched out with a 2-inch ring cutter ●● Remoulade (recipe follows)* ●● Organic iceberg lettuce ●● 6 cherry tomatoes, sliced ●● 3 cornichons, sliced

M e th o d Preheat a grill or grill pan.

Put the ground beef in a bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Mix together with your hands to combine.

Take a small amount (about 2 tablespoons worth) of the ground beef and roll it in the palm of your hand like you are making meatballs. Flatten the top slightly and put the mini burger patties on a side plate.

Drizzle the burgers with oil and season the tops with salt and pepper. Turn the burgers over and season the other side.

●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

1 cup store-bought mayonnaise 1/8 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1/8 cup red onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon capers, chopped 1 teaspoon chives, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped Pinch kosher salt Pinch sugar

M e th o d Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Once up to simmer take remove from stove and stir in cheese mix to dissolve.

Cook pasta in a large pot to “al dente” in salted water. Once pasta is cooked shock in ice water. Then drain thoroughly.

In a large mixing bowl add pasta and cheese sauce together. At this point stir in Mozzarella. Place 7” Ring-mold in the gratin dish. Line the ring-mold with lightly buttered parchment (butter side in) Pack 400 grams pasta mix into the mold.

Top with 20 grams cheese mix. Finish by sprinkling 5 grams bread crumbs on top. Remove ring mold without removing parchment. Place the room temperature pasta in a 380° F, Low Fan oven for 10-12 minutes. The inside should be very hot without the cheese sauce on the outside breaking. Remove the parchment and Serve

*Note: To make this recipe even simpler, instead of making the Remoulade, make your own special sauce by combining 3/4 cup of store-bought or homemade Thousand Island dressing with 2 tablespoons of bottled barbecue sauce and a little bit of diced red onion. Stir to combine.

Mac & Cheese Yield: 16

I NG R E D I EN T S

Place the burgers on the hot grill. Cook for 3 minutes, and then turn them over with tongs. Put 1/4 slice of cheese on top of burger. While that’s cooking, put the brioche circles on the grill. Let them toast slightly on both sides, about 2 minutes total time.

●● 3 Boxes (1# each) Cavatappi Pasta ●● 1000 g Cheese Mix (1/2 Low Moisture Mozzarella, 1/2 Aged Cheddar) ●● 2750g Béchamel ●● 800g Crème Fraiche ●● 20g Fleur De Sel ●● 700g Mozzarella ●● 16 each Parchments Strips 18” X 2” ●● Butter ●● Brioche Bread ●● 320g Cheese Mix ●● 16 7” Ceramic Gratin Dishes

To put the burgers together: Put the toasted brioche circles on a platter.

Top each with a small spoonful of the Remoulade (recipe below). Put the burger

M e th o d : In a medium sauce pot slowly bring to a simmer Bechamel, Crème Fraiche, Cream and Fleur De Sel. 23

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Eating quality guaranteed Quality Standard Mark beef and lamb

The assurance scheme that guarantees eating quality The quality assurance scheme was launched to enhance integrity, quality and product consistency through the supply chain for beef and lamb.

It’s a fantastic food story that starts on the farm.

“There are plenty of quality marks that exist, but only one that offers a guarantee,” says Paul Westaway, specialist beef producer.

“It’s a guarantee that gives my beef a point of difference in the marketplace and gives the consumer confidence in the beef and lamb they purchase. It is the Quality Standard Mark (QSM).

Paul and Kirsty Westaway, specialist beef farmers

24

“Suppliers and consumers alike can rely on beef and lamb marked with the Quality Standard Mark logo. It gives provenance, letting you know where the product has been farmed, either in England or in Great Britain, and it tells you that that beef or lamb product is totally assured from the farm to point of purchase.

“But there is one vital difference with this scheme, over and above any other in the UK, and that is the guarantee of eating quality. It is an extremely strong message that provides consumers with beef and lamb they can rely on and trust to be succulent and tender.

“That’s what I am looking for, that genuine differentiation and added value for consumers and diners. It really is a great food story and one that benefits my farming business and the whole industry. English farmers should be proud of the Quality Standard Mark Scheme as it is the only scheme which provides the option of highlighting that the beef and lamb has been farmed in England. This is very important to me. I am proud of my farm in Gloucestershire, where I produce beef livestock to the required specification and standards of the scheme.

“Through the QSM Scheme, we are also helping to protect our farming heritage by encouraging producers to provide appropriate livestock for the market. This, I think, is one of the most important factors relating to the scheme. As a farmer, I know that the integrity of my farming

methods is extremely important, not only in relation to the scheme, but also to the discerning consumer. Our farm is independently inspected at regular intervals, and I welcome this. There are many other quality schemes, but the Quality Standard Mark Scheme not only champions good farming practice, it guarantees eating quality.

“British beef is famous for its quality, which is the result of centuries of breeding, experience and care during farming and processing. Added to this is extensive science and research. On my farm, helped by my wife Kirsty, we have a herd of pedigree Aberdeen Angus and also finish Angus crossed Holstein Friesian heifers and pure Holstein bulls. I am fortunate to have gained extensive experience in the supply chain as a butcher. This leads me on through to the processing of Quality Standard beef and lamb and how important getting it right at the abattoir is.

“Welfare standards are championed in the abattoir with strict standards and specifications, as stressed animals will provide tough and poor quality meat. Animals must be properly housed, watered and fed with 25

care by professional handlers. Once the animal has been stunned and killed, the care, skill and hygiene of the plant and its workforce will dictate the quality of the finished product. Carcases are hung in the abattoir to chill down in a carefully, well-monitored and controlled way, to avoid meat ‘toughing’. Carcases can be cooled slowly or high voltage electrical stimulation can be applied. Dependent on customer specifications, the animals are graded and matured and carcases are hung again to individual specifications relating to maturation.

“Livestock age plays an important role in terms of eating quality, as does seasonality with lamb, both of which are taken into account within the scheme standards and specifications.

“The Quality Standard Mark Scheme stipulates specific carcase classifications for both beef and lamb. Providing appropriate carcase classifications will also guarantee better meat yields and subsequently better returns for my fellow producers. After slaughter, muscle undergoes changes that will affect both visual appeal and meat quality.

“Some meat plants use electrical stimulation after slaughter to improve eating quality. Muscles stimulated to contract will use up energy, accelerating the onset of rigor mortis and so allow earlier chilling. High voltage applied prior to chilling increases tenderness more effectively than low voltage applied prior to dressing. In beef, this method is less effective on tenderness than hip suspension.

“Meat toughness increases if muscles contract before rigor mortis sets in. Cooling too fast or too soon results in muscle ‘shortening’. As a general rule, while chilling the carcase, a muscle temperature below 10°C within ten hours of slaughter should be avoided.

“Tenderness increases in extended storage, as naturally occurring enzymes break down protein in the meat. Maturation can occur in hung carcases, unpackaged primals or vacuum packs. Beef livestock between 30 and 36 months is matured for 14 days from slaughter to enhance tenderness. For additional quality improvements, a minimum of 21 days can be applied. Lamb benefits from ageing, ideally, for up to 10 days.

This should be limited to seven days for cuts to be sold bone-in.”

The scheme standards and specifications don’t stop at the abattoir, they continue right through the supply chain for chefs, foodservice suppliers, catering butchers and specialist independent retailers who are members of the scheme. All businesses are independently inspected. Catering suppliers must be assured with an approved 26

Q U A L I T Y

A S S U R A N C E

qualifying scheme. These measures are vital to provide the guarantees of eating quality and consistency.

There are over 60 specialist catering butchers in the scheme, over 2,000 independent retail suppliers and all the major processors are members.

Nigel Haworth is one of many Michelin-starred chefs that specify Quality Standard Mark beef and lamb. All Nigel’s beef and lamb suppliers are members of the scheme and he has specific reasons for why he choose QSM beef and lamb.

“I cannot afford to let my customers down”, says Nigel.

“I can guarantee that using Quality Standard Mark Beef and Lamb will give them a point of difference.

“Every chef will tell you that one of the most important things to them is to have a point of difference with the style and execution of their food. This is vital if they are to make a successful career as a chef. As important, however, is having the very best produce and ingredients to cook with. I take great care and an incredible amount of time choosing

my suppliers, because they must deliver consistent, quality produce. I need guarantees on the safety, quality and consistency of the products I am buying for my restaurants and food service operations.

“Most importantly, I need a point of difference with the beef and lamb I source from my Quality Standard Mark approved suppliers. Enhanced eating quality ̶ that is the difference with this scheme. Yes, I have to pay a little more for my produce, but it is worth it. It gives me a point of difference on my menu.”

Hugh Judd is the Senior Foodservice Manager for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Hugh is the person to contact if you require further information on the scheme or if you need a list of foodservice suppliers who are members of the scheme. You may also find useful a copy of the Meat Purchasing Guide with over 650 beef and lamb product specifications.

Contact Hugh at hugh.judd@ahdb.org.uk or call the scheme hotline on 0845 491 8787. You can also follow us @qsm_beeflamb and if you are a member of the scheme share pictures of your products with us through using #QualityAsStandard 27

C o untr y Pr o f i l e :

By Namai Bishop

Carbon Free Cooking

Thailand: diverse Terrain-diverse Cuisine Thai cuisine is as varied as the country’s vastly diverse landscape, with each of Thailand’s four regions offering their own distinct styles. While most chefs and consumers are familiar with the cuisine of its central region known as the Royal Thai Kitchen, there is a bounty of diverse cooking styles beyond the familiar. A culinary map of Thailand (below) charts the array of Thai ingredients, each indigenous to their particular region, as well as the social and cultural influences that have shaped the cuisine of this rich land.

Method of Service Most Thai meals are served ‘family style’ with dishes placed in the centre of the table for diners to share - a trend that is growing in popularity with many chefs no matter their ethnicity. Traditionally, a meal is comprised of over five dishes, each contrasting in texture and flavour - and the key is harmoniously balancing these. Dishes often include a soup (such as the well known hot and spicy tom yam soup, that can have shrimp, seafood or chicken added) a curry-style dish, a deep-fried preparation and a stir fry (using meat, fish, seafood, or vegetables) served with a staple plain, sticky rice dish or Khanom 28

chin (Thai rice noodles). But perhaps the most crucial and distinctive element of Thai cuisine is the nam chim, or nam phrik: the sauces and condiments that heighten the flavour profiles of the combined dishes, with their own individual blend of sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy tastes. Bijoux bowls of these sauces typically line the entire breadth of the table, each as varied in flavour as their method of preparation.

They can include phrik nam pla or nam pla phrik, a pungent blend of fish (or shrimp) sauce, lime juice, chopped chillies and garlic. An unctuous sweet chilli sauce, made with Palm sugar (derived from the sap of Borassus palms) provides a warming sweetness while its sibling Sriracha sauce, made with a ground paste of chilli peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar is even spicier. Ion is a type of dip enriched with creamy coconut milk, with tamarind and lime-based condiments included to add sourness. A bowl of fiery Thai red or green chilli peppers (usually soaked in rice vinegar) or simply dried spicy chilli flakes add the potent yet fragrant punch that is a distinctive quality of Thai cuisine.

Health Food Pioneers Thai cooking is inherently healthy, thanks to the abundant use of a variety of colourful vegetables, freshly caught fish, locally reared meats

Namai Bishop travels to Thailand to explore its varied cuisine and meets an English chef who is scooping international awards for his pioneering carbon free cooking’

and fragrant garden herbs. The country itself has long had a reputation as the epicentre for spa and wellness practices, generating its own coveted style of Thai spa cuisine. Thai food generally lends itself well to this style of dining, with dishes often lightly prepared (steamed or flash fried thus retaining ingredients vital vitamins), sauces shunning heavier cream and butter additions, relying instead on fresh broths, aromatic herbs and the flavour punch of spices – which themselves provide a positive effect on our metabolic rate. Similarly, Thai cuisine’s natural emphasis on its regional and seasonal produce as well as often, localised sourcing practices makes Thailand an exemplar for many modern-minded chefs. With customers’ increasing demand for healthy lean cuisine it’s no wonder chefs worldwide are taking an aromatic leaf right out of Thai cookbooks.

Thai “Green” Curry In the heart of Thailand, one Englishman is taking this one step further.

I met James Noble, Michelin starred chef and resident manager of the award-winning Aleenta Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Pranburi. A “barefoot luxury” resort three hours south of Bangkok, the area is the holiday destination choice for Thai royalty and visiting celebrities, and the resort

counts among its illustrious guests celebrityroyalty the Beckhams no less.. But the approach to cuisine here is less ‘bling’ / more basic, as the chef spearheads a novel technique: carbon free cooking. This method uses no fuel to cook, ie no charcoal or gas or electricity, relying instead on slow cooking and creative natural techniques. Dishes are cooked in solar ovens, smoke houses and using methods based on molecular cooking to ensure a minimal carbon footprint. Examples of cooking techniques include using clay pots buried in the hot sand on the beach, solar baking using wooden boxes lined with foil, smoke houses using recycled wood chips and steaming in seawater.

“I wanted to see if food can be cooked using the old methods of salting, curing, drying etc and be brought to a standard that can be served in a five star environment,” said James.Given the award-winning success of Aleenta,the chef is clearly achieving his aim.

With more than 20 years experience in hospitality, Noble is a pioneering figure in Thai culinary circles who has helped shape the international perception of wholesome and nutritious Thai food among visitors to some of its most renowned hotels and establishments.

29

Noble created his menus in terms of ecological footprints. “I started questioning myself, ‘Do we really need to have the best of everything internationally?” he said.

“And then I started looking around. I learned sea salt grains are available in local farms in Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram provinces. Our fish? it comes from right there of course” says Noble, pointing out to the glistening sea directly behind him.

“All our ingredients are either grown organically on our own farm or sourced within just a 30km radius. Vegetables are harvested in small farms located and handpicked by the hotel staff. All this produce is transported to our kitchens by bicycles or local tuk-tuks powered by fuel made from cooking oil disposed of by other local resorts” Now the resort is an impressive 87 percent self-sustainable resort. I asked the chef how he balances sustainability with providing guests with a gastronomic experience? “here is so much waste and damage to our world , I wanted to set out to see and be the counter-side: the supplier. I’m now less about the stars, more about nature – Mother Nature is the goal.”

He continues “We grow what we need, we grow plants and food that help the land when ploughed back in, we grow seasonal product that peak when a guest eats it. Sustainability isn’t a new age concept, it’s common sense stay in the realms of what’s pure. People are realising this is what is true quality.”

James Noble, Michelin starred chef and resident manager of the award-winning Aleenta Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Pranburi

The chef worked as a culinary instructor for Thailand’s leading Dusit Thani culinary school and at some of the areas most renowned international hotel chains, including as Executive Chef at the internationally lauded Six Senses Hideaway resort, Koh Samui, where he was responsible for creating a unique menu that combined classic Thai culinary methods with modern methods – a technique that won its restaurant Dining on the Rocks “Best Restaurant in Thailand” by Thailand Tatler Magazine (an accolade that it has retained to this day).

But it’s his work at Aleenta Hua Hin Resort & Spa that is giving him the freedom to experiment with techniques and sourcing practices that have put this corner of Thailand on the map as a culinary destination for organic and sustainable Thai cuisine.

Noble was himself instrumental in helping buck the perception of haute cuisine in the establishments he worked at, meaning pricey imported food from far-flung reaches (think menus featuring white truffles from Alba Italy, caviar from Russia and foie gras from France) to the more “intelligent luxury” of delicious, fresh produce, lovingly prepared with respect for their origins and sustainability.

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C o u n t ry P r o f i l e : B y N a m a i B i s h o p

Adapting to his natural environment means Noble changes his menu every three months. “The most challenging part is growing your own vegetables and dealing with seasonal crops and inventory. Seasonal vegetables and fruits mature at various times, so we need to know about when and how much the crops can be harvested. We also need to revise the menu every few months to suit our supply.”

I ask him if there are any conflicts between fast-paced restaurant demands and his slow-approach cooking methods, for example, his dish of salted beef ceviche, prepared by being buried for two days?

“Carbon-less cooking in fact prolongs shelf-life so it actually helps meet demand more seamlessly. There are some great advantages for a chef,” he saidThat’s all well and good in Thailand’s warm climate but what advice does Noble have for chefs abroad to incorporate methods in their colder, urban climates?

“Air drying, salting, pickling – experiment with these as they’re all great ways to pack in flavour and they are methods which don’t need the sun.” Noble is a shining example, sun or no sun!

Beyond ‘Farm to Table’ In an age when chef-branded restaurant chains are being rolled-out across the globe and generic dining brands are increasingly the norm, this increasingly popular back to basics practice makes for a refreshing approach – one that adds significantly to the consumer’s dining experience. “With our approach, the staff are equally involved in bringing our vision and story to life. They can name the chickens that laid the eggs that become your omelette They can name not only the ingredients but also the farmers and how far the produce has come from. Guests love that,” he said.

Thailand Culinary Food Map: Northern Thailand Governed by some of the most variable temperatures, the diverse climate and terrain make for a bountiful abundance of fruits, herbs and vegetables, many unique to these climes: from dry and cool winters to the wet and humid monsoon season. The markets of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are packed with local farmer’s daily-harvested fragrant herbs, fresh leafy greens and aromas of ripe tropical fruits. Cuisine of the region is typically light and zesty, lifted with zingy pickles, the sharpness of shallots, garlic and the heat of fresh peppers. The fiery nam prik (chilli dips) are typical of the style, and other popular dishes include fiery flavours such as sai oua (a piquant pork sausage spiced with fragrant lemongrass, kafir lime leaves, aromatic galangal, garlic chilli and warmed with the medicinal tang of turmeric) or kap moo (crispy fried pork skin) and gaeng hang lay moo (aromatic curry with unctuous pork belly, pickled garlic and fresh fiery ginger). Minced meats flecked with fresh herbs, such as the dish larb moo using pork, deliver a complex yet unified blend of fresh, sour, spicy and savoury flavours.

A typical dish is the deceptively simple yet perfectly balanced favours of the green papaya salad (som tam). This gloriously fragrant dish is another of the regions staples that has gained international acclaim, this time for its delicious clean flavour, lifted with lime juice, fish sauce, dried shrimp sauce, chilli, garlic, palm sugar and sprinkled with crunchy roasted peanuts. The influence of neighbouring Laos and Myanmar is evident in the method of service too, and dishes are typically presented with an accompanying platter of steamed vegetables and pickles. So prized are these bourgeois offerings that they are literally presented on a pedestal or Khantoke.

“You can do things differently and succeed while also being environmentally-friendly. Sustainability is at the core of who we are as a resort, and it’s great when you can combine that with an enhanced guest experience,”. At the same time, just like his solar panels that are tucked discreetly under the thatched roof, Noble’s power lies in a subtle approach: “We try not to push [the issue of environmental conservation] in customers’ faces. We want people to enjoy the place and learn the story of the environment along the way. We whisper our environmental conservation policy to our guests only when asked.” It’s no wonder that for this modest and pioneering approach the hotel scooped the prestigious title of the Best Sustainable Hotel (Thailand) Award at the prestigious International Hotel Awards. On leaving the resort and Thailand’s lush terrain, as I cross the Andaman Sea with its island dubbed James Bond in honour of the classic 007 movie here, I can’t hep thinking this inspiring culinary approach is far less “live and let die” more like “live and love Thai!”.

North eastern Thailand The extreme climate here makes for a challenging agricultural environment, where either drought in the warm seasons or flooding in the monsoon period means that the ‘Esaan’ people have learned to become resourceful in cultivation and cuisine. The hardy staples of dense glutinous rice makes for a filling snack or handy morsel that act as a sticky sponge to soak up sauces, soups and spicy dips - nearly always enhanced with pla ra. This pungent liquid seasoning stock (not dissimilar to nam pla fish sauce but far more intense in umami taste) is made from fish long-fermented in salt and rice bran, imbuing it with a distinctive tang. The principle use of rice is also seen in its powder form in can larb, a mix of minced pork, chicken beef or duck, herbs, shallots, chilli, lime and palm sugar with toasted rice powder.

Eastern Thailand This area draws on neighbouring Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand’s abundant source of fresh seafood in its cuisine. Fishing boats line its shores and often, the daily catch of crabs, clams, oysters, prawns, squid, mussels, fish, lobsters are often sold directly to the seafood restaurants. Sen chan pad bu is a take on pad thai that used two of the most abundant ingredients of the land: crab meat and sen chan, a thin glutinous noodle. With good rainfall and plenty of sunshine, there are copious amounts of tropical fruits, with a plethora of mangosteen, pineapple, longan and the infamous Durian – an offensive smelling yet deliciously sweet fruit, so prized in the region that a dedicated festival is held here annually to honour Thailand’s King of Fruits.

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Recipe

by James Noble

Oxtail Anchovies Meatballs, Tom Yam sauce

I NG R E D I EN T S

32

m e th o d

Sauce

Meatballs

●● I kg Aleenta grown heirloom tomatoes ●● 100g Comfit garlic ●● 200g Red onion ●● 2 Fresh Bay leaf ●● 20g Fresh oregano ●● Balsamic vinegar ●● 100g Pak nam Palm sugar ●● 50g Sustainable Galangal ●● 50g Aleenta Lemon grass ●● 2 Farm chili ●● 50g Fish sauce

●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

2kg Oxtail 50g Capers 100g Anchovies 100g Onions Bread crumbs Aleenta made mulberry jam 50g Pork fat

1.

To make the sauce, comfit the garlic for 3 hours in good olive oil and bay leaves and lemon grass on a low heat 2. Cool 3. Fry the onions , galangal , and lemongrass with the washed tomatoes and add the comfit garlic past and palm sugar 4. Simmer for 2 hours with crushed chilli, bay leaf and fish sauce 5. Blend the sauce and pass, if you prefer chunky lightly blend and don’t pass 6. Adjust seasoning with fish sauce and sugar and set aside 7. Put oxtail in a pressure cooker for 1.5 hours with onions and carrots 8. Remove carefully and allow to cool 9. Mince the oxtail with minced pork fat and oxtail cooking stock , ( careful not too make wet ) 10. Add capers and breadcrumbs and mulberry jam to the mix and form into small balls 11. Simmer the balls in tomato sauce and add to a gratanating dish and cover with bread crumbs and aged parmesan 12. Serve with a little reduced oxtail stock and garnishe with tomato skins, we serve with comfit garlic dough balls but also good over tarragon linguine

G a n a c h e : D avid Girard

David shares 3 of his favourite recipes using Cacao Barry Chocolate H

ailing from Provence in the South of France, David Girard first came to work in London simply with the intention of improving his English and moving back to France. But the lure of London proved strong and today, he is firmly established at the helm of one of the capital’s most quintessentially British establishments, The Dorchester. Executive Pastry Chef there since 2012 David, has held the prestigious post to great acclaim, matching well the exacting standards expected of this Grand-Dame establishment. Famously for his first Christmas there, he paid homage to this legendary hotel by re-creating an exact replica of it, entirely made with 7,000 pieces of Gingerbread! Clearly motivated, he describes his current role as the biggest challenge of his career so far – one that involves overseeing a staggering 250 afternoon tea presentations served daily in its plush Promenade!. 17 years of training gave him the skills to succeed: previously, David has worked as Head Pastry Chef at nearby Morton’s Club, the exclusive Mayfair private member’s club, part of MARC group’s impressive portfolio of establishments (including two-Michelin starred Umu and The Greenhouse). Having started at Restaurant Alain Ducasse in Monaco as a demi chef de partie and progressing through to Ducasse’s La Bastide de Moustier as pastry sous chef David was taken under the wing of his mentor, Frederic Robert (Alain Ducasse’s corporate pastry chef) before moving to London, as group pastry chef de partie and group pastry sous chef at Morgan’s group hotel’s SPOON at Sanderson Hotel. This year, David marks his 4th year in his present role by transporting his talents from the swish surrounds of The Dorchester to the equally illustrious British RHS Chelsea Flower Show, serving his afternoon tea in a bespoke pop-up pavilion.

As he told Namai Bishop before the show “I’m very excited to be taking my creations outside the hotel for the first time to showcase the fine work that we do to a wider audience in a context that similarly reflects all the heritage and grandeur of The Promenade.”

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Recipe

by David Girard

Garden basket The Garden Basket was created for Chelsea flower show. It is in my opinion the perfect reflection of what Chelsea flower show Afternoon Tea represents.

Use a rectangular chocolate case

m e th o d

Hazelnuts mousse Yield 90 portions

Melt the Gianduja slowly on a bain marie then cool down and fold the whipped cream into the Gianduja.

Make 10g per portion.

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● 600g whipping cream ●● 375g hezelnuts Gianduja Plaisir Cacao Barry

Custard cream

I NG R E D I EN T S Feuillantine base Yield 150 portions

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●●

500g feuillantine 150g roasted hazelnuts flake 150g praline 350g Nutella

m e th o d Warm up the praline add the Nutella then gently add the feuillantine and hazelnuts.

Make 7g per portion.

36

Hazelnuts Chocolate Cremeux Yield 150 portions

●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

250g whipping cream 250g milk 100g Yolks 50g Caster sugar 450g of Gianduja Plaisir Cacao Barry

m e th o d Mix the milk and the cream bring to the boil and poor it over the yolks and sugar then mix.

Put all together in a pan and cook at 82 C. Add the custard cream to already melted Gianduja Plaisir.

To build it Start with the feuillantine then add the cremeux and then the gianduja mousse

Recipe

by David Girard

HAZELNUT recipe The Palet is one of the most classic and simple desserts you can have for a chocolate lover but it has everything you want with the texture. The biscuit base is crispy, crunchy and the delicate fondant is strong in chocolate but also light

PRALINE FEUILLETE For 1 tray 60x40cm

PROFITEROLLE SAUCE

I NG R E D I EN T S

●● ●● ●● ●●

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● 600g Nougatine of Pine Nuts ●● 150g Milk Chocolate Cacao Barry Alunga ●● 200g Paillete Feuillete

HAZELNUT DACQUOISE For 6 trays 60x40cm

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

1650g Egg White room temperature 700g Whipping Cream 200g Caster Sugar 1700g Ground Hazelnut 1300g Icing Sugar

m e th o d Crème de Tartare Whisk the egg white and cream of tartare at speed 1 then change in speed 2 in a Thermomix.

Add a little of sugar at a time and when you have added all the sugar put on full speed to finish.

Mix and Sieve the ground hazelnut and icing sugar. Fold into the meringue gently then put gr. 750 gr. on each tray with silicone paper and make flat then sprinkle with icing sugar and bake at 190ºc for 13 minutes.

Cool dow on the rack then take off the paper and put in a single. Tray then put a rectangle frame on and cut all the excess.

2 litre Water 2. 700 kg Caster Sugar 1 kg. Cacao Barry 1 litre of Double Cream

m e th o d

m e th o d Blend the pine nuts until they become a paste speed 1 in a Thermomix.

Add the melted chocolate into the pine nut paste.

Add to the mix gently.

Put 900 gr. of praline feuillete on each tray of dacquoise and make flat with a palette knife and put into a refrigerator until set chocolate mix.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Bring the water to boiling point and add sugar to make a syrup.

Add the cocoa powder to the syrup and whisk quickly.

Then add the cream to the cocoa syrup.

At the end add the syrup very gently to the ganache to create the emulsion but do not make any air bubbles.

Sieve the chocolate mix into the container.

Then leave to cool down. When arrives at the temperature make the chocolate mousse.

I NG R E D I EN T S

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

●● 2.700 kg Whipping Cream ●● 3 kg Dark Chocolate Cacao Barry Inaya

I NG R E D I EN T S

m e th o d

●● 800g Chocolate Mix ●● 700g Whipping Cream

Bring the cream to the boil.

Poor the cream gently onto the chocolate

Alunga™ A slightly sweet milk chocolate with a dominant taste of cocoa and milk. A “new generation” chocolate with a pure and intense taste of cocoa, thanks to the new and unique method of fermentation

m e th o d Mix together at right temperature and pour into the frame and fill to 2cm high then put into the freezer to set. Then cut in fingers ready to glaze.

Use the chocolate mix.

Inaya™

An intense cocoa taste with a good balance between bitterness and acidic notes. A “new generation” chocolate with a pure and intense taste of cocoa, thanks to the new and unique method of fermentation

37

Recipe

by David Girard

Tanzania Chocolate Mango Desire

Tanzania Chocolate Mango Desire is a dessert created by myself and Alexis who works with me at the Dorchester. It was created for the competition, Dessert of the Year organised by the Association of Pastry Chefs And I am pleased to say she won the competition after training for two months every single day repeating the whole process of producing the dessert including its presentation We were all very pleased that Alexis won the coveted prize Size 3cm x 11cm

Flourless Chocolate Sponge

Mango Lemon Thyme Bavaroise + Clear gel drop décor

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

320g yolks 180g sugar 640g egg white 340g sugar 200g cocoa powder Cacao Barry

m e th o d Whip the yolks and sugar until foam (pate a bombe ) Make a meringue with the egg white and the sugar then add the cocoa powder Add the meringue gently to the bombe Rice Krispy Crunch

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●●

100g Rice Krispies 200g Hazelnut praline 160g Dark Chocolate Cacao Barry Inaya Pinch of Fleur de Sel

m e th o d Melt the chocolate with the praline and the salt, then add carefully the Rice Krispies.

Flat down on a tray

I NG R E D I EN T S I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

200g cream 200g milk 160g sugar 192g egg yolk 25.6g gelatin 400g puree mango 640g whipped cream

●● 500g fondant ●● 500g glucose ●● 200g isomalt

m e th o d Cook the three together at 160C Banana Coconut and Lime sorbet

m e th o d Mix the milk and the cream bring to the boil and poor over the previously mixed egg yolks and sugar.

Put it all together in the pan and cook at 82 C add the gelatin previously soaked in cold water Add the mango puree and the whipped cream.

Set in the pipe

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

180g milk 204g sugar 480g coconut milk with no sugar 54g lime juice 120g ripe bananas 3 units lime zest

Dark Chocolate ganache

m e th o d I NG R E D I EN T S ●● 200g Cream ●● 268g Dark Chocolate Cacao Barry Tanzanie ●● 36g trimoline ●● Boil the cream and the tremoline poor over the chocolate and mix gently to obtain a ganach

m e th o d After tempering the chocolate With Haiti chocolate cut into a sheet measuring 3cm by 11cm This will be use for the flat chocolate decoration

38

Pulled sugar

Make syrup with sugar and milk and cool down.

Mash bananas in the lime juice and mix with other elements.

Pour in pacojet and freeze.

G a n a c h e : É C OLE R I T Z E S C OFF I E R P A R I S

“Tradition meets

40

After three years of renovation and just a few weeks before Ritz Paris reopened on 5 June,s on 5th of June, Christophe Messina, Pastry chef at École Ritz Escoffier, visited Athens for a unique pastry demonstration. The first official reappearance of Ritz Paris and École Ritz Escoffier worldwide, included a two-day seminar for Greek pastry chefs, which took place on 10 and 11 May “Odos Kassandras in Athens.”

evolution” T

he recipes that were showcased combined traditional tastes with modern techniques perfectly and represented the unparalleled elegance of classic French pastry.

The first day of the demonstration aimed at connecting traditional with modern pastry along with an introduction to classical pasty recipes by the man who can be seen at the godfather of patry – the iconic French chef, Auguste Escoffier.

His famous recipes included the delicate - and gluten free - “Fraises Sarah-Bernhardt” that was created in honour of the famous actress consisted of pineapple sorbet, strawberries and pineapple marinated in champagne and halfbaked meringue. Peche melba, a dessert created

by Escoffier for the Australian singer Dame Nellie Melba in 1893, was created in a different style and presented as “Meli Melo of Peche Melba” made by poached peaches, raspberry juice, peach jelly, raspberry and hibiscus sauce, vanilla ice-cream and caramelised almonds. The first day ended with a velvety “Montmorency iced soufflé” with almond biscuit and raspberry juice, glaze and sauce.

About Pastry Chef Christophe Messina Pastry Chef Christophe Messina from École Ritz Escoffier / Ritz Paris Hotel, started his career as part of the renowned Pierre Hermé's team and then worked at chef Jaques Chibois' 2 ** Michelin restaurant “Bastide”. He collaborated with Guy Savoy for two years in his awarded 3*** Michelin restaurant but also in the 1* Michelin “Chiberta” restaurant, which he also owned. After leaving France, he became Head Pastry Chef at “Abode Glasgow” Hotel, where he created the desserts for Chef Michael Caines's fine dining restaurant. In 2010 he joined the opening team of the Shangri-La hotel in Paris, worked there until December 2015 and this year he started cooperating with Ritz Paris, as pastry professor at École Ritz Escoffier.

Assistant Chefs: Giorgos Giotas, Apostolis Giotas, Alexandra Mimikou, Filippos Karakidis, Sotirios Laskaridis, Lamprini Mastora, Filippos Siakantaris, Aggelos

On the second day, the talented and experienced pastry chef presented recipes using the latest pastry techniques that are currently used worldwide. He started by making crisp and fluffy pâté à choux to create a tastyfor profiterole with mango, sesame and chocolate-coconut sauce.

The creamy raspberry nougat with peach, fig and caramelised nuts was next and the epilogue included a chocolate and However the seminar wasn’t just about tasting some of the most sublime desserts – it gave one participant the opportunity to

enjoy the trip of a lifetime.

One lucky participant who a free ticket for two people to Paris – courtesy of Delifrance – while a second person who at a training programme École Ritz Escoffier.

The program was organised by The Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) and coordinated

by Gastronomy Essentials Ltd. It was under the auspices of the French Embassy and Institut Français in Greece and supported by the “Hellenic Pastry Chefs Club”.

41

G A N ACHE : S im o n J e n ki n s

Why Do I choose

FELCHLIN Our passion I Your success in somewhere as it is their ethos….

For the pastry Chef we have many choices of Chocolate to choose from, and we often make the choice based on what we are most happy to work with. I have considered and worked with all the obvious chocolate available and decided 3 years ago to work with Felchlin 42

F

or the pastry chef we have many choices of chocolate to choose from and we often make the choice based on what we are most happy to work with. Over the years I have worked with numerous brands of chocolate until deciding three years that Felchin was my best choice. I strongly advise all pastry chefs and chefs to look, taste and work with a range ofthe chocolate available and come to your your own conclusions before deciding what is good for you, but I have to say that Felchin definitely should be given consideration.

Felchlin invests a great deal of care, experience and time in transforming the seeds of these fruits from the tropical Rain Forest into melt-in-the-mouth chocolate.

They are passionate about producing fine couverture, which is the product of a variety of specialist processes tailored to achieve maximum pleasure.

“We produce chocolate in our small factory in Schwyz Switzerland and are happy to share the secrets of its wonderful flavours with those who really appreciate it,” said CEO, Christian Aschwanden.

A long standing company with more than100 years of history behind them, the company was born in 1908 started by Max Felchlin who began his career trading with honey in Schwyz,Switzerland. The company started to trade in chocolate from 1923 and as the rest is history, with the company that has gone from strength to strength.

Their training ground the Condirama was bought to fruition in1988, since then it has shared a wealth of knowledge to thousands of passionate individuals and offers a great training ground for pastry chefs, bakers and confectioners alike from all around the globe.

The facility in Schwyz is a fantastic tool for any professional. Seminars are usually based on a three day visit, in a centre which has been set up to showcase the history and quality of Felchlin, learning from the top quality pastry chefs and chocolatiers who work there who demonstrate and teach in such a way that it becomes very easy and clear to understand.

From learning in practical demo situations, or hands-on praline making the techniques are full of both technicial detail coupled with tasting exercises, all culminating in an intense yet relaxed training seminar..

Since I have been using the chocolate I feel quite safe in saying that it is easily one of the

best couvertures I have used throughout my career so far. Praise indeed given that that I have tried most of the other well known, high end couvertures on the market, but Felchlin surpasses all expectations.

Having recently achieved a gold and bronze medal in dark and milk chocolate classes at the Uk Academy of Chocolate awards at the UK using Felchlin, not to mention the other classes where Felchlin achieved awards, I think it goes to show it is up there with the very best in couvertures and can compete quite easily with other producers.

Please see below the main profiles of the dark chocolate and the milk chocolate I used for my award-winning chocolates.

For the dark chocolate I used a Cru Sauvage couverture made from wild cacao from the province of Beni, Bolvia is a 68% couverture with a 60h conch process.

It is made with rare wild Bolivian cocoa beans.

Couverture from wild beans”. The cocoa complements the freshness of lemon and grapefruit fruitiness, The 60 hour conching process brings out the intense dried prune and vanilla bouquet. This has a superbly pleasant fruit acid note and a long-lasting finish.

Cacao

Cacao

8

8

6 Finish

4

6

Fruit note

Finish

4

2

2

0

0

Butter

Fruit acid

Sweet

For my milk chocolate I used a grand Cru couverture, originating in Rio Huimbi, Esmeraldas, Ecuador, and has a 42% cocoa solids. The first profiles of this milk chocolate are characterised by strong cacao notes drawn through a pleasant milky flavour, an almost savoury feel, with an interaction of fine caramel and discreet malt aromas adds definition to the taste experience. The prolonged finish is complimented by a nutty butter note with a caress of sweetness which makes the Rio Huimbi a beautiful milk chocolate.

Vanilla

Milk/Cream

Caramel

Sweet

I have a soft spot for Switzerland, from cow bells to couverture and being able to say my preferred chocolate is produced there, is gratifying and also makes me feel that I am using something unique and special.

Currently understated in the UK market which I am sure will change in the very new future,it it feel like you are working with an undiscovered gem.

The main users of Felchlin are naturally Swiss with approx. 50% of production going to their 43

home country, followed by UAE, America, France, Italy, Germany and here in the UK. Compared to other couvertures here at home, they are little known, but in time they hope to grow in stature and become a dominant force in the UK in the restaurant, hotel and the patisserie scene to become the Patissier’s first choice for couverture over other producers because of their quality, consistency, profile on flavour, texture, mouth feel and uniqueness.

There are many demands from Felchlin customers, but more recently the demand for dark chocolate is continuously increasing due to trends such as vegan, superfoods, or the fact that there are more people with lactose intolerance. In the Asian market for example there is a need for sophisticated desserts requiring fine chocolate, whether it is dark, milk or white chocolate. The awareness of handmade pralines, special flavoured chocolate and desserts made with the best couverture is increasing tremendously. The appreciation of exclusive chocolate is rising.

Nowadays where food is not just a necessity but a leisure acticity, people want to know what they are consuming and where its origins are. Single origin is gaining momentum in chocolate, so Felchlin have worked tirelessly directly with the same cocoa farmers for many years to source exactly what they require for their production, whether it be a single origin bean, or to maintain continued quality for one of their other delightful couvertures.

44

G A N A C H E : S im o n J e n ki n s

Based on a genuine partnership, both parties know exactly what is needed to create a quality, economically valuable and sustainable product, which is greatly appreciated by all end consumers alike. They collaborate closely with more than 50 cocoa farmers to fulfil the Felchlin cacao charter, based on quality and sustainability which can be found on their website.

Sustainability centres around respect for people and nature through working together to meet specific needs, ensuring prosperity and wealth for all, without compromising the future so that generations to come may also enjoy continued ecological and economic prosperity through chocolate. They contribute to sustainability by adhering to strict guidelines when procuring cacao. The company promotes and works closely with farmers and partners on location with the aim of acquiring sustainable high quality cacao and working environment.

Felchlin provides its customers with a consistently high end product and have directly collaborated with the same cocoa farmers for many years. Therefore they have built up a partner base relationship in countries including Ecuador, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Grenada, Madagascar, Costa Rica.

For their latest Grand Cru Couverture creation they are cleverly using Fresh Swiss milk from the UNESCO World Heritage region combined

with organic cacao butter from the Dominican Republic to create a wonderful rich milk and creamy feeling couverture both in white and milk chocolate.

Trying to keep ahead of the competition is an ongoing task, they highly value their “from bean to bar” concept. The value for each product begins when opening a cacao bean sack and concludes with the packaging of the final product. Compared to many competitors, Felchin do not buy finished cacao mass but instead buy the beans themselves directly through the close relationship with the farmers.

They also have a great support network for their customers, new ideas, creations and concepts are developed to help support the production of pralines, chocolates and fillings for customers. Additional services are offered in the form of seminars, schooling and technical support. They strive to share their knowledge and passion for the artisanal way.

They are also able to provide solutions to meet the needs of individual pastry chefs and help resolve technical issues, due to the know-how of their expert team which has knowledge gathered over many years.

Felchin also has the ability to create bespoke products in their development kitchen, which means they have a closer relationship with the customer and their specific needs. The soul supplier in the UK are Town and Country fine foods www.tcfinefoods.co.uk

Recipe

by Simon Jenkins

BOLIVIA 68%, LEMON, CHOCOLATE ENTREMET Serves 8 portions Shelf life in fridge 2 days Lemon cream ●● 70g Whole eggs ●● 20g Egg yolks ●● 100g Unsalted butter ●● 115g Caster sugar ●● 100g Lemon juice ●● 20g Lemon zest ●● 3.5g Fish gelatine ●● 20g Water

m e th o d 1. Bring the lemon juice, zest and sugar up to 70c 2. Soak the gelatine in the water 3. Whisk together the eggs and yolks and pour half the hot juice over them whisking well together 4. Mix whole mixture back together in the saucepan and whisk over a low heat 5. The mix will start to thicken like a custard, at the first boil and once thick remove and pour immediately into a thermomix start mixing on a low speed, then add the lemon juice, and the gelatine dissolve 6. Mix for 5-10 minutes, then slowly drop room temperature pieces of butter in whilst the mix is moving 7. Once well blended together and nice and smooth, pour through a chinois into a 7.5cm diameter ring which has been pre lined with clingfilm set in the fridge for 30 minutes, then place in the blast freezer Chocolate pain de gene ●● 160g Lubecca marzipan ●● 155g Whole eggs ●● 40g Caster sugar ●● 50g Unsalted butter ●● 30g T55 pastry flour ●● 2.5g Baking powder (Sieve together)

m e th o d 1. Place the marzipan into a thermo mix, blend and warm slightly, add the sugar and blend again 2. Gradually add the eggs mix until smooth 3. Slowly add the melted butter make sure the mix is completely smooth 4. Add the flour, cocoa, bp mix 5. Mix until smooth 6. Place the mix onto a pre lined high sided tray 7. Bake at 150c for 12-14 minutes in a convection oven take out, cool and cut a disc at 7.5 inch 8. Set aside.

●● 310g 68% 60 hour dark chocolate ●● 470g Whipping cream, semi whipped uht

Hazelnut dacquoise ●● 150g Egg white ●● 150g Caster sugar ●● 120g Hazelnut powder ●● 30g Flour, gluten free ●● 150g Icing sugar

Milk chocolate glacage ●● 340g Maracaibo Criolait 38% chocolate ●● 225g UHT whipping cream ●● 150g Clear gel glaze

m e th o d

1. Melt chocolate to 40c 2. Heat clear gel to 60c 3. Boil the cream and emulsify with the chocolate to make a ganache 4. Mix with the clear gel, bamix but do not put air inside 5. Clingfilm and reserve

1. Sieve the flour, hazelnut powder and icing sugar together 2. Whip the egg white with the sugar until firm 3. mix gently both sets of ingredients 4. Spread on a silpat mat at a height of 1cm between two rods 5. Cook at 160°C for about 12 – 14mins 6. Remove from the oven, and cut a disc out at 7.5 cm 7. Set aside and cool, once cool spread a thin layer of tempered chocolate the base side and set chocolate side down on silicone paper Bolivia 68% sabayon mousse ●● 120g Egg yolks ●● 65g Caster sugar

m e th o d

m e th o d 1. Whip the cream to light ribbon stage and reserve in the fridge 2. Melt the chocolate to 45°C 3. Whisk the yolks on speed 3 4. Boil the sugar to 115°C then add to the yolks on speed 2, to form a sabayon, take off when the mixture has cooled down 5. Add 1/5 of the cream to the chocolate, mixing fast and smooth, to form a ganache then add this to the remainder of the cream, whisking all the time, then fold in the sabayon.

6. Finally whisk in the sabayon until smooth use immediately

M o n ta g e 1. Place the dacquiose in the centre of an 8inch ring mould 2. Then using the chocolate mousse, fill the gap between the mould and dacquiose, making sure there is no air trapped, then pull the mousse up the sides of the mould 3. Lightly cover the biscuit, to 2mm thick all over 4. Next place in the pain de gene, making sure it is level, and centred, again lightly cover with 2mm of chocolate mousse 5. Finally add the frozen lemon insert, again centred 6. Then mask the lemon off with the mousse, and then fill the mould and flatten off to the top of the mould 7. Place in the freezer to set 8. Once frozen, demould, and lightly smooth of the top edge, then re freeze 9. Heat the glaze to approx. 35c, then glaze the entremet with no air bubble or runs 10. Clean the Base edge oof glaze, and store on a 8inch cake board 11. Decorate with white and red chocolate squares around the edge, and large copeaux ontop 45

I ngr e di e nt : M ar g u e rit e

Croquants from

Marguerite

The Croquants from Marguerite are an amazing range, sure to add some creativity to your recipes.

They are ready to use pastes that will bring a nice flavour and texture to any of your creations. Open the pail, scoop the required quantity, bring to temperature and roll out. Simple as that!

There are many ways to use the Croquants: truffles, bonbons, as a layer in a cake or entremet, ice cream or to create a crunchy heart for your fondant or your muffin (praline croquant can be used on its own. For all other flavours you will have to coat the croquant heart first with a thin layer of almond paste, for example).

Classic Fine Foods offer seven exciting flavours:

46

Red fruits

Lemon meringue

Caramel with fleur de sel

Pure cocoa butter white chocolate, soft strawberry and raspberry pieces with crunchy inclusions.

A slightly acidic taste that balances the sweetness of the white chocolate.

Made with lemon, meringue and pure cocoa butter white chocolate.

An authentic and slightly acidic taste of lemon perfectly balanced with the sweetness of meringue and white chocolate.

Caramel with fleur de sel paste blended with pure cocoa butter white chocolate.

Contains shortbread biscuits slivers that give a crispy and fondant texture.

White chocolate

Speculoos

Praline

Pistachio almond

With pure cocoa butter white chocolate.

It gives a delicate touch to your gourmet creations.

A perfect blend of speculoos, pure cocoa butter white chocolate and crunchy biscuit pieces.

A trendy and easy to use recipe for crispy results.

An elegant blend of pure cocoa butter milk chocolate, praline and crepe biscuit pieces.

Crunchy, fondant and delicately chocolaty.

A delicious paste blending almond pistachio praline, pure cocoa butter white chocolate and crunchy inclusions.

An authentic pistachio taste.

Recipe

by Classic Fine foods

The Forbidden Fruit with caramel with fleur de sel Croquant Recipe for 12 pieces Calvados Flambed Apples

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●●

350g Apples diced fruit filling 50g Salted butter 30g Sugar 50g Calvados

m e th o d Lightly brown the apples in the butter and sugar until lightly caramelised. Remove from the heat and flambe with the Calvados Joconde Sponge

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●●

●● ●● ●● ●●

150g Eggs100 g Icing sugar 100g Marguerite Blanched almond powder 30g Flour 25g Butter 200g Egg whites 50g Sugar

m e th o d Whip the icing sugar, blanched almond powder, eggs and flour together.

Add the hot melted butter and then the egg whites whipped with sugar.

Weigh 650 g / tray 60x40 cm.

Bake +/-8 min at 230°C in a fan oven

around 1/3 of the hot liquid onto the chopped chocolate and using a whisk mix until you obtain a mixture which is smooth, elastic and shiny. Add the rest of the remaining milk while at the same time keeping the original texture.

When the mix is at 35/40°C fold in the lightly whipped cream.

Crunchy Caramel Fleur de Sel

I NG R E D I EN T S White Chocolate Mousse

●● 360g Marguerite CARAMEL WITH FLEUR DE SEL CROQUANT

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●●

m e th o d

2 Pcs Gelatine sheet 250g Milk 400g White chocolate 29% 600g Dairy cream 35%

Modify the temperature to obtain the desired texture.

Assembly and Finishing

m e th o d Immerse the gelatin sheet in a bowl of cold water and leave to soften. Boil the milk and add the well-drained gelatin sheets. Pour

Fill the Flexipan® "Demi-sphères" (Ø 42 mm. depth. 21 mm) with the flambed apple and put in a blast freezer.

Cut 12 joconde biscuit discs Ø 5 cm and put aside. Line the molds “Apple” (Ø 7.3 cm H. 5.8 cm) with white Chocolate using a brush.

Line the bottom part of the apple mold with Marguerite CARAMEL WITH FLEUR DE SEL CROQUANT using a tea spoon (30g/ mold) and deep freeze.

Fill the top part of the apple mold with white chocolate mousse and place a joconde biscuit disc. Deep freeze.

Fill the bottom part of the apple mold with white chocolate mousse and insert in the middle a half sphere of flambéed apple.

Place the top and assemble the two parts carefully so that they are perfectly symmetric.

Deep freeze.

Remove from the mould and spray with a red chocolate velvet (50/50 cacao butter and white Chocolate 29 % + red coloring).

Make a stem with Dark Chocolate 64% and decorate with three drops of Marguerite‘Royal Miroir’ neutral glazing using a paper cone.

This ingredient and recipe is bought to you by Classic Fine Foods who bring you the very best from around the world. We work hard at sourcing great value, innovative and artisan products, building and maintaining our strong relationships with producers we are proud to call our partners Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information!

Telephone: 0207 627 9666 1 sales@classicfinefoods.co.uk 1 www.classicfinefoods.co.uk 47

M a in I ngr e di e nt

Valrhona Itakuja % dark chocolate

55 V

alrhona Itakuja 55% dark chocolate Pure Brazil is part of the double fermentation range, an exclusive new range of naturally fruity chocolates developed through 10 years of close collaboration with growers. With this innovative process, Valrhona redraws the boundaries of chocolate and paves the way for a new generation of aromatic profiles.

What is double fermentation?

Fermentation is a natural process, specific to each type of cocoa beans, which instigates the development of aromas and flavours.

The beans are placed into wood, rattan, or concrete boxes, then covered and stirred regularly throughout the 4 - 6 day fermentation period. When the first fermentation period is complete and the initial aromas unveiled, a new ingredient is introduced into the boxes of cocoa beans to initiate a second phase of fermentation. Valrhona experts came up with the idea of adding fruit pulp, naturally high in sugar, which triggers a second fermentation phase that imparts new distinctive aromatic qualities to the chocolate created.

Itakuja 55% dark chocolate Pure Brazil is characterized by an explosion of fruity aromas at the start, which gradually give way to the roundness of this chocolate from Brazil. Distinctive flavour precursors native to the terroir are developed in a first fermentation phase. A second fermentation period is initiated with the introduction of locally harvested passion fruit, which infuses the cocoa beans with fruity notes. It’s a complete symbiosis of chocolate and passion fruit: the infused passion fruit flavours are in perfect harmony with the chocolate aromas.

48

Recipe

by Nicolas Riveau, Pastry Chef at École Valrhona

SUSPENSION Makes 48 desserts

Beat together the egg yolks, eggs and sugar with a whisk. At the same time, beat the egg whites with the dark brown sugar.

Gradually mix together the two mixtures while adding the flour and cocoa powder which you have sifted together in advance.

ITAKUJA NAMELAKA 470g Whole milk 25g Glucose 12g Gelatin 660g ITAKUJA 55% COUVERTURE CHOCOLATE ●● 940g Liquid whipping cream 35% ●● ●● ●● ●●

Heat the milk with the glucose, then add the rehydrated gelatin. Slowly pour this mixture over the melted couverture chocolate. Immediately mix using an electric mixer to make a perfect emulsion. Add the cold liquid cream. Use the electric mixer to mix again. Leave to stiffen in the fridge, preferably overnight.

ITAKUJA 55% MILK ICE CREAM ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

1010g Whole milk 52g 0% fat powdered milk 66g Sugar 96g Atomized glucose 32g Inverted sugar 8g Liquid whipping cream 35% 6g Combined stabilizer 288g ITAKUJA 55% COUVERTURE CHOCOLATE

Heat the milk. Once it is at 75°F (25°C), add the 0% fat powdered milk. Once it is at 85°F (30°C), add the sugars (sugar, atomized glucose and inverted sugar). Once it is at 105°F (40°C), add the cream. Once it is at 115°F (45°C), incorporate the stabilizer and emulsifier mixture with a portion of the sugar you used initially (approx. 10%).

Once it is at 140°F (60°C), pour a small amount of the liquid (two-thirds of the weight of the chocolate) onto the partially melted chocolate. Mix in an electric mixer as soon as possible and gradually add the rest. Mix to form a perfect emulsion. Pasteurize at 185°F (85°C) for 2 minutes then quickly cool the mixture to 40°F (4°C). Leave to sit for at least 12 hours at 40°F (4°C).

Mix in an electric mixer and churn at between 15-20°F (-6°C to -10°C).

ITAKUJA SPRAY MIX ●● 60g COCOA BUTTER ●● 140g ITAKUJA 55% COUVERTURE CHOCOLATE

ITAKUJA CHOCOLATE SAUCE ●● 860g Whole milk ●● 220g Liquid whipping cream 35% ●● 770g ITAKUJA 55% COUVERTURE CHOCOLATE

Bring the milk and the liquid whipping cream to the boil.

Slowly pour this hot mixture over the melted couverture chocolate. Immediately mix using an electric mixer to make a perfect emulsion. Store in the fridge.

ÉCLAT D’OR CHOCOLATE STREUSEL ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

75g Powdered almonds 55g Brown sugar 55g Flour 20g COCOA POWDER 1g Salt 75g Dry butter 84% 20g ÉCLAT D‘OR

Sieve the powders together. Add the finely cubed butter and Éclat d’Or crispy wafer flakes. Mix all the ingredients using the flat beater in an electric mixer. First small balls will form, then you will get a streusel mix which is only slightly homogenized. Stop mixing.

Bake at 300°F (150°C).

COCOA BISCUIT ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

115g Egg yolks 300g Whole eggs 225g Sugar 190g Egg whites 85g Dark brown sugar 75g French white pastry flour 70g COCOA POWDER

Melt all the ingredients together then spray at a temperature of 104-113°F (40-45°C).

ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING PRESENTATION Prepare the namelaka, ice cream and chocolate sauce. Make the cocoa streusel and sieve out 250g. Use the rest to make little clusters. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for approx. 15 minutes. Prepare the biscuit then place 1000g into a 30x40cm tray. Sprinkle on 250g of cooked cocoa streusel. Bake at 355°F (180°C) for approx. 15 minutes.

Once the biscuit has cooled, cut out 4cm diameter disks. For the chocolate decorations: Use the tempered dark spray gun mixture to brush lines onto confectionery dipping paper. Once these have hardened somewhat, use a brush to scatter the sparkling gold powder on evenly. Thinly spread the tempered dark couverture between two sheets of confectionery dipping paper.

Before it has completely hardened, cut out 10cm diameter disks and use a cutter to cut an oval shape into the center of the decoration – This will stop the quenelle from slipping away during assembly. Leave to harden.

ASSEMBLY Put a biscuit in the base of a dish. Use a sultane nozzle to pipe on the namelaka until the biscuit is completely covered (approx. 40g). Place a few fresh halved raspberries in the namelaka’s hollow. Place a chocolate disk on the namelaka. Decorate the top of the disk with halved raspberries, the streusel clusters, and Absolu Cristal jellied passionfruit juice. Heat the sauce and place it in a sauce jug. Complete with an ice cream quenelle.

This ingredient and recipe is bought to you by Classic Fine Foods who bring you the very best from around the world. We work hard at sourcing great value, innovative and artisan products, building and maintaining our strong relationships with producers we are proud to call our partners Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information!

Telephone: 0207 627 9666 1 sales@classicfinefoods.co.uk 1 www.classicfinefoods.co.uk

I ngr e di e nt : Gr o ix e t Nat u r e

GIVE YOUR DISHES THAT

EXTRA

SPECIAL TASTE

Based off the coast of Lorient in Southern Brittany (France), the Groix & Nature canning company proudly brings you its Lobster Oil, an innovative product offering a new culinary use for lobster. Made the traditional way from blue lobster, this fully natural oil adds a brand new lobster flavour to your recipes. This artisanal product offers an authentic taste with a recipe made with 44% of lobster.

There are a thousand and one different ways of cooking with our Lobster Oil.

TIPS AND IDEAS Lobster Oil is a wonderful and innovative culinary aid that can be used in everyday dishes. Here are a few simple ways you can add a gourmet touch to your cuisine!

Dressings: ●● Make your mayonnaise using 10% Lobster Oil – ideal to go with seafood. ●● Marinades, white sauces, vinaigrettes, etc.

Starters: ●● Seasoning for sushi, tartar sauces, and prawn carpaccios ●● Add few drops of Lobster Oil on fresh cheese crackers Main courses: ●● Raw vegetable tagliatelle with Lobster Oil ●● Eggs Mimosa with a few drops of Lobster Oil ●● Seafood risotto or paella seasoned with Lobster Oil ●● Toasted sandwiches with a difference: White sauce made with Lobster Oil ●● Mashed potatoes with Lobster Oil 50

Recipe

by Classic fine foods

Tartare of scallops with kiwi fruit and lobster oil I NG R E D I EN T S 6 portions ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

400g scallops 250g kiwi fruits 60g apple 30g celeriac 4.5 cl olive oil 1 dessertspoon lemon juice 6 teaspoons lobster oil A few roasted sesame seeds 1 bunch of chives Salt, pepper

m e th o d 1.

Preparing the fruit: Peel the kiwis and apple. Chop into small cubes (3 mm) and pour into a salad bowl. Peel the piece of celeriac, chop very nely (or mince with an electric mincer) and add to the fruit.

2. Preparing the scallops: Chop them into small evensized cubes (3 mm). Season very lightly with salt and pepper. Add them to the salad bowl with the fruit and mix well with the olive oil and lemon juice. Check the seasoning.

3. Presentation: using a cookie cutter, place the tartare of scallops in the middle of the plate (or in a carefully washed shell). Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds and chive stalks and drizzle a teaspoon of lobster oil over the tartare just before serving.

This ingredient and recipe is bought to you by Classic Fine Foods who bring you the very best from around the world. We work hard at sourcing great value, innovative and artisan products, building and maintaining our strong relationships with producers we are proud to call our partners Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information!

Telephone: 0207 627 9666 1 sales@classicfinefoods.co.uk 1 www.classicfinefoods.co.uk 51

M e e t Th e supp l i e r

EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL TABLE AND BAR

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Life is full of surprises and they can pop up at any time. Take my recent introduction to Artis which has now turned into a voyage of discovery as I have found out more about this dynamic business, Artis is one of the largest and most experienced companies specialising in the supply of table, glass and barware products to the UK food service industry in general and as I already know, to some famous and notable chefs in particular! Chef Editor, Peter Marshall meets the people behind Artis.

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stablished some 66 years ago the company has built an enviable reputation for quality, innovation, design and exemplary service, having forged strong, long-standing alliances with a select number of leading UK and international manufacturers. This strength means that Artis is now recognised and used by thousands of chefs all over the UK. Sales Director, Ian Jelley says that in its early years, Artis was known as “that little company in the south of England that sold quirky cocktail glasses!” Today, no matter what type of out of home eatery or bar you are in, you will invariably find one or more Artis products, as the company distributes a carefully selected range of prestigious global brands, predominantly on an exclusive basis: Bauscher, Durobor, Duralex, Libbey, Luigi Bormioli Tafelstern, Tramontina and WNK to name just a few - brands that are associated with and recognised for quality, value and innovation.

Attention to the finer details and understanding its customers’ needs and requirements have always been among the guiding principles for Artis when selecting its product portfolio.

"Often Imitated – Never Replicated". A comment about Artis often made by both end users of Artis products and the distributors who support them. This is an ethos that will continue unabated going forward with Artis always working closely with its manufacturers to bring new and exceptional products to the UK market ahead of the curve. John Artis, Managing Director.

The leadership team at the company prides itself on its ability to be nimble and flexible, to spot trends and react quickly to changes in demand and when it became evident that the Company needed to enhance its tableware portfolio, it duly acted. In October 2014, an important step in the Company’s evolution was taken; Artis partnered with German manufacturer, BHS tabletop AG. This strategic move gave Artis access to the globally recognised Tafelstern and Bauscher brands.

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“BHS tabletop is the largest manufacturer of professional tableware in the world and we were thrilled to have these prestigious brands added into our portfolio”, said John Artis, Managing Director. “The move catapulted Artis into the top echelons of tabletop companies serving the professional hospitality market. The exclusivity of these brands has given the company the strength and diversity to present itself as a ‘one stop shop’ supplying everything for the professional table and bar,” he added.

As a distributor of some of the world’s leading tabletop brands, Artis is far more than just a ‘middle man’. It has a team of experienced buyers, who travel the globe armed with a passion to discover great new products - anticipating and instigating the latest trends in design and functionality.

The Company works in partnership both with its manufacturers and just as importantly, with the people who buy and use its products, continuously listening to and liaising with them to understand their demands for something different. This is especially relevant to chefs who have the most exacting standards and the desire to be daring, inventive and different. Artis loves to complement their creativity.

Then there is the need to balance durability with a level of quality that will meet the demands of any busy service. Artis believes its porcelain collections are a perfect platform to showcase a chef’s individuality.

It aims to provide products that are eye catching and practical. Establishments come to Artis for its inspiration and experience. Some of its most successful partnerships have come when the Company has been involved from the early stages of the planning of new bars and restaurants.

In tableware, Tafelstern and Bauscher have more than 50 different mix and match collections - something special to meet every customer’s needs. A great example and a key innovation from these two companies is a revolutionary new material ‘Noble China’.

This new class of porcelain gives collections a remarkable delicacy and a vibrant new colour – Bonewhite. The new material provides a fantastic palette for displaying gastronomic creations whilst retaining heat longer than bone china, with obvious benefits for discerning diners. All Tafelstern and Bauscher porcelain collections are backed with a 5-year professional glaze warranty: creativity fused with practicality.

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M e e t Th e s u pp l i e r

signature gins, premium tonics and key botanicals.

Artis is regularly asked by restaurants and hotels for bespoke, personalised tableware, as pioneers are keen to put their own personal branding on their tableware, regarded as a sign of high quality and a reinforcement of the establishment’s name.

To cater for this demand in the market through its Tafelstern and Bauscher brands, Artis has pioneered a bespoke tableware service offering. Caterers can choose to have their own designs, logos or patterns fired onto the porcelain and because these are in-glaze decorations, restaurants can be sure they will last. Artis is involved from the initial design stage right through to delivery.

Satisfied customer, Sam Ralls, proprietor of Woosters in Emsworth, Hampshire is a great fan of the service: “We have been delighted with the diligent service offered by Artis

in producing our bespoke porcelain. Their attention to detail has been impressive.

They helped us refine our ideas and the entire job was delivered in good time for our opening,” he said.

Artis never rests on its laurels and will not stop looking for new trends. A recent illustration of this foresight is plain to see from the barware section of the 2016 Artis catalogue which showcases an eclectic range of exciting products. There is a broad selection of Tiki mugs and copper barware.

In glassware, Artis was instrumental in driving a trend towards vintage glassware, which is now so popular. It was quick off the mark, too, in recognising the resurgence of the iconic Gin & Tonic. Here presentation is so important and the ‘coupe de balon’ style glasses complete the experience along with

Every leading restaurant will accompany its food with the best in drinks, so the Artis glassware collection is extensive. For example, it has over 50 styles of champagne flutes and coupes, a myriad of beer glasses and an inspiring collection of cocktail glassware.

Artis may have over 3,000 products available to its customers but it thrives on a personal touch, people-based culture. John Artis remains as the Managing Director after joining his father’s business when he was just 17. Talking to John you can immediately tell he has not lost any of his passion for the business. It’s this drive throughout its people, alongside the company ethos and its rich heritage that persuaded BHS tabletop to get involved: it’s a compelling proposition.

Artis has a sales team of six, headed by the aforementioned Sales Director, Ian Jelley, and between them they have over 80 years’ industry experience. That’s a whole lot of expertise you can benefit from. The Company is member of the Craft Guild of Chefs and Caterbar, who awarded Artis ‘The Supplier Excellence Award for Innovation’in 2015. Artis is keen to get involved with events and always aims to be a bit different, its #Artis wonderland stand @ Hotelympia, was a major storm in a tea cup and caught everyone’s imagination! I only needed one look at the Company’s catalogue to see they really do care about what they sell and every year there are new products with stunning new images because Artis insists on working with a food stylist and a specialist photographer in a professional studio. Artis is keen to see its products showcasing all menu styles and they are happy to provide samples for chefs, hotel owners and restaurants to try out their new menus. After all, you can only really know what a product is like when you see, touch and feel it - just like a great chef’s food, the presentation needs to be perfect. But above all it needs to taste great.

At its head office and distribution centre in Chessington, Surrey, Artis has a fully equipped showroom with its entire portfolio on show. Visitors come here for inspiration for their own hotels, bars or restaurants.

Call 020 8391 5544 to visit the showroom yourself or go online at www.artis-uk.com to see the 2016 Artis catalogue or to order a hard copy.

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T ri e d a nd T e st e d

by Andrew Scott

The Mighty Josper

Review

This maybe the biggest and heaviest piece of chef kit I have ever reviewed, but it sure did pack a punch flavourwise, no matter what I cooked. I was asked by Chef magazine to review the Josper LBC oven at Restaurant 56,and a date was set in the diary for the beginning of June where I looked forward to spending a sunny lunchtime on the terrace cooking my heart out. Unfortunately it didn’t start out quite as planed, as the day came and went in true British fashion, with the day spend huddled under the terrace canopy hiding from the torrential rain 57

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he morning before, a lorry turned up to deliver the beast of an oven on to the patio, giving me the oportunity to cook sirloin steak tand risotto that afternoon.

Usually the Jospers are at home inside the kitchen under a decent extraction, but I didn’t have the space so we set up outside. The Guys from Jestic (Uk distributor) arrived to show me the ropes, as this was a first for me.Josper has been around since 1969 – it’s a Spanish family run business which has remained under the same ownership to this day. They now produce all different shapes and sizes of kit, from a home Josper to an open rotisserie grill. I first heard the name in 2009 but the kitchens I had been working in didn’t have or didn’t think they needed one. I think the common perception is they are nothing but an expensive BBQ that you only cook steak on.

I must admit I initially shared that view until I ate the mussels that Jestic development chef, Chris Brennen, cooked for me.

He cooked them in a cage for two minutes, with a touch of olive oil squirted on them and I can safely say they are the best I’ve ever eaten.

I asked Chris why and he explained the basic concept that all food cooked in the Josper

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Tr i e d a n d T e s t e d b y A n d r e w S c o t t

oven retains a lot more moisture as it cooks 35% quicker than an open grill, entrapping the delicious smoke in the cast iron oven box, before being slowly released through the vent system chimney. The food then can’t escape the smoke, giving anything that is cooked in there a beautiful chargrilled flavour.

Chris set the oven up with two thirds of a bag of decent charcoal and three fire lighters, within an hour it was up to its required temperature of 400̇ᵒc , before it reached that perfect temperature we threw in two unpeeled whole pineapples and two

whole skin-on celeriacs, onto the coals and cooked until they were tender. The pineapple caramelised and had a toffee flavour and the celeriac just got earthier and charred, bringing out its natural flavour. We just mashed it up, added salt and olive oil and tucked in, I could have eaten it all but celeriac is far to healthy so I thought I’d leave space for the meat and fish.On to my turn flying solo on the £13,500 charcoal fired Josper, to be honest I was a little apprehensive on cooking beautiful Cornish fish and dry aged beef in front of the Jestic guys and Peter from

Chef magazine. But it was pretty simple with a few guidelines from Chris, I produced lovely juicy rib-eyes, chicken and whole fish with crispy skin and perfectly cooked asparagus.It took just four minutes for the steak and eight minutes for the chicken breast.,We stood in the rain sampling the finished product like boys at a posh scout camp. It was all certainly better than camp food and I was then sold the dream of writing a menu based solely around this brilliant oven.

It may be expensive and it may be niche in high end kitchens, but this certainly has a place

in a future brasserie/bistro concept for me, it was easy to light and runs on about £16 worth of coal a day so pretty efficient. The flavour it gives good ingredients is amazing and definitely worth the investment, BBQ food/restaurants are so trendy at the moment, so there is a demand.

A Big thank you to my trusty and loyal suppliers for supplying the ingredients, Lewis form Aubrey Allen, Sandy at Flying Fish and Marc from AM Bailey’s.

To finish on a potty mouth cheffy note “The Josper LBC cooks food fucking fast and tastes delicious.” Start saving chefs!

Interested in the Josper Oven used by chef, Andrew Scott, in this feature? Please call 01892 831 960 to speak to us about a special discounted offer, especially for readers of Chef Magazine 59

Recipe

by Chris Brennen of Josper

Arozz al Carbon This is a dish Josper use a lot in Spain similar to a paella, we are utilizing the Josper during its light up period. Whilst the temperature slowly rises we make use of all the smoke being generated. It is a base of tomatoes, onions and garlic reduced down into almost a paste. You then add whatever ingredients you fancy, meat, fish or vegetables, pop in some Arborio rice and stock and reduce down over and over again. What you end up with is a very intense smoky dish. Here we like to keep it simple and use chicken thigh fillets and chorizo.

I NG R E D I EN T S ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

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18 x tomatoes 1 x onion 4 x clove garlic 600g x chicken thigh fillets 100g x chorizo diced 100g x Arborio rice 600ml x chicken stock (more if needed) 1 x ciabatta sliced 50ml x olive oil

m e th o d 1. Dice the tomatoes, onion and garlic and put into the cazuela pan with about 50 ml of olive oil.

2. Whilst the Josper is in the firing up stage, place the top grate in the oven and add the tomato mix 3. Wait until the mixture begins to stick to the pan (around 10 minutes), then mix together using a spatula 4. Repeat with the mixture sticking then mixing together 3 or 4 times until you have a dark mixture 5. Cook the chicken thighs directly on the Josper grill and then slice and add to the tomato mix 6. Place tomato mix into a blast chiller to cool until needed

7. When required add the diced chorizo to the mix 8. Add the Arborio rice to the top of the mix and then toast for a couple of minutes in the Josper 9. Add the chicken stock and stir well (you can always add more stock if you need to) 10. As the mix begins to stick and burn to the base of the pan (check every 5mins), mix it all together again 11. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked and you have a very dark brown mixture 12. toast the ciabatta 13. season the mixture and serve with the ciabatta

I n T h e Kit c h e n : K n iv e s

by Lindy Wildsmith

Cutting it with

Tosa

hand-forged kitchen knife

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h a Japanese, Four hundred years ago, The Lord of Tosa returned from a great battle, accompanied by a skilled swordsmith from Sado and this was the beginning of Tosa free forged blades.

Sei Hamaguchi has beautiful expressive hands, the hands of a gifted craftsman. They are constantly on the move as he tells the story of the four generations of knife artisans that are his ancestors. We are watching an apprentice shaping a blade, mesmerising sparks flying from the grindstone.

But my eyes are drawn back, again and again to Sei’s gentle face and demeanour and his constantly moving hands, like pistons, driving him and his work forward, as he explains how Tosa blades are made.

H

e talks of blades rather than of knives but knives are very much his business.

He makes knives for the food industry, knives for chefs, knives for domestic use, for forestry, for agriculture, for hunting and for the operating table. However, his craft is all in the cutting edge, the blade. The knife handle, made towards the end of the week-long handmade process is almost incidental.

We are standing in the Toyukuni and Masano blade forge: at the heart of a row of unprepossessing buildings built, high in the trees, against a rock face, looking down on a babbling, bubbling water course in Kameiwa, outside Nankoku City in Kochi Prefecture, on Shikoku Island.

Shikoku, (literally translated means four countries) the smallest of Japan’s “big four” Islands, sits modestly to the southwest of the main island, Honshu. Tosa or Kochi as it is now known, one of the Island’s four prefectures, faces the Pacific Ocean in the south and is confined on all other sides by richly forested mountains.

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Because of this natural “isolation”, Kochi still feels like its own country. When I told people in Tokyo I was flying to Kochi, they looked as me as if to say, where are you going, is that in Japan? Over the centuries, the region has developed its own customs and traditions and has acquired a unique culture. The hammer forged Tosa blade, born from secret sword making techniques brought to the island 400 years ago, is part of this rich culture. The Tosa blade is renowned the world over for its acute cutting ability and durability.

The blade is made by blending and forging flexible base metal, pure iron with Yasugi carbon steel, (the raw material used in the making of Japanese swords). This blending and forging changes the atoms in the chemical structure of the steel, resulting in a super sharp knife. It also ensures that the blades do not break or bend. To make the point, Sei tells us about one of the family knives, that lasted for a hundred years.

Now 53, Sei Hamaguchi has been forging knives for 36 years. His innovative, mastercraftsman father before him, Daisuke Hamaguchi, refined his skill for seventy-seven.

As a child Sei loved being in the smithy, a hammer in his hand. During high school, he helped every day, trying his hand at his father’s skills. He learned by seeing, watching and trying.

Once his studies were over, he was employed as any other apprentice under his father and uncle and was able to concentrate one hundred percent on learning the techniques handed down to him. He learned for ten years under Daisuke and Torakiti Hamaguchi. Today Sei is highly skilled in the making of every kind of knife blade. He has harnessed his heritage, 64

Th e K i t c h e n K n i v e s b y L i n d y W i l d s m i t h

the traditional Toyokuni & Masano style of blade, using Tosa’s free forging techniques to develop twenty-first products.

In his father’s and grandfather’s day, every household used a variety of blades; from a kogatana, a child’s knife, used to sharpen pencils to the hatchet for cutting fire wood to heat water and special kitchen knives for cutting through fish bone, skinning eel and preparing sashimi.

Since Japan’s rapid growth in the seventies this has all changed and one knife, one household, has been the order of the day.

However, food industry companies have taken over tasks that were once executed in the home and they need specialist blades for cutting vegetables and chopping aromatics such as ginger. The difference in thickness or the angle of a blade can alter, not only the efficiency of the task but also the taste and aroma of the ingredients being cut. These are the kinds of specific concerns that only a master craftsman such as Sei can resolve.

He harnesses his ancient craft, his innate knowledge and four generations of heritage to, cutting edge technology. Where once it would have taken him three days to make a wooden model for a blade, today he makes a sketch and with computer aided design he is able to easily make and fine tune a prototype model and produce it on a 3D printer in half a day. In the past he would have had to start again from scratch with a new model. He is also working with surgeons and medical professionals to hone new ground breaking surgical instruments and scissors His handmade knives cost anything from 6000 to 600,000 yen between £40.00 and £4000. He makes maybe 10 high value knives a month. You may well ask what the difference

is. The high value knives go through twelve very detailed processes and become ever more refined and therefore more accurate.

One craftsman will work 5 days a week, 2 hours every day for 3 months perfecting the blade. In comparison, a basic handmade knife takes a week to produce.

Two-star Michelin chefs rank among the “high value knife” customers, who come knocking at Sei’s door, for a knife that is “just for me”. I asked, what a Western chef, not attuned to the tradition of the Tosa blade would be looking for in contrast to say a home-spun chef.

After some thought he said that, In the West the “trophy” knife is mainly about an ornate handle while in Japan it is all about the blade.

Every knife goes through eight detailed processes; hammering to strengthen the steel; blending, where the heated iron is folded into the hot steel; shaping on a grinder; quenching, a process of heating and water cooling; annealing to make the steel more pliable; finishing of the blade body; making the handle and sheath and finally adding the logo. Then the knife is complete. One of the many strengths of Tosa blades is that they not only keep their sharpness but they are also simple to sharpen.

This was not my first encounter with a hand forged blade. My interest had been aroused in London a year or so earlier when I went to see, Ishii Yoshinori, who has recently been dubbed world ambassador for Japanese Cuisine by the Japanese government. He is executive chef of Mayfair’s Umu; London’s only Kaisaki style restaurant. I had originally met him at an event at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence. I went to Umu for lunch to learn more about sashimi. Yoshi has been preparing sashimi for

the last 25 years and yet says “I still have a lot to learn.” Is there any hope for the likes of me?

Naturally enough that day after lunch our talk turned to knives. Yoshinori Ishii showed me the knife his father had bought him when he first started his training; the blade itself was worn in places “usuzukuri thin”. A sashimi blade only has an edge on one side and is sharpened daily and this, like so many other Japanese traditions, is performed with due respect. He grinned as he told me that the blade had probably been 7cm longer when it was new. He went on to say that since he first started work he had saved 1000 yen (£7) from every wage packet in order to buy himself an emperor of knives, and he had

recently reached his goal. He disappeared and reappeared baring the “trophy” on two hands; he placed it carefully on the table, unwrapped it ceremoniously, telling me that it was made of the same material as a Japanese sword.

It had cost £18.000. Yes, Kaisaki, is a serious business! His knife has been designated a Living National Treasure. His pride in, and his care of this knife, is no less than the pride and care of a sword by a Samurai.

Sei Hamaguchi’s, Toyukuni and Masano blades, are not recognised, as living national treasures, at least not yet and Sei would be the first to say there is still much to learn. However, there are those who think he has much to give.

A group of students from the Royal College of

Art in London come to seek him out every year, to watch, see and learn something of his skills.

Sei has already forged an excellent reputation in North America, Europe, Australia and Russia An apprenticeship takes ten years. Out of the ten youngsters taken on, only two remain. To prepare the steel, it is hammered at 1000℃ to make it stronger. If the temperatures at this stage are too high, the steel will become unusable. The iron is heated to 1000 - 1100℃ and then folded and buried in to the hot steel. This is a very difficult process and an apprentice is only allowed to take it on by himself after ten years’ study. The tempering of the blade, the all-important technique that “bring the knife to life” takes seven minutes at 780 degrees. Asked how all these temperatures are measured, Sei says that his hands and body know instinctively.

John-San bought me a sashimi knife, which was subsequently polished and sharpened and then delivered along with a whet stone to our ryokan three days later. It has a wooden handle. The blade is long and thin; the cutting edge is super-keen and unimaginably fine.

There is a delicate hologram kind of pattern within the metal that comes to life in certain lights. It may not be a “high value” knife it may not be a national treasure, but it has a magic all of its own and yes it can cut! The blade glides through fish as if it were passing through air.

But the last words to the master craftsman: “Since we are artisans we are fussy about making traditional pieces that we think are good, but in the future, we’d like to hear the voices of many people and go on to make blades that are useful to society.”

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in t h e k it c h e n

Don’t slip up

Safety, hygiene, cost and comfort – there’s a lot to consider when it comes to kitchen flooring, says Ceri Bowman, Altro’s National Key Account Manager – Catering Design.

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The EU food safety guidelines say that every food business operation must ensure food safety is never compromised. The layout, design and construction of food premises must prevent the accumulation of dirt and the shedding of particles. Floors, walls, ceilings, win-dows and doors must have impervious, non-absorbent and washable surfaces. All surfaces should be maintained in a sound condition, and therefore be easy to clean and disinfect. This will require all surfaces to be smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant and made from non-toxic materials.

looring in commercial kitchens and food preparation areas needs to work hard, with safety top of the list. However, keeping people safe is about more than slip-resistance and cleaning, it’s also about preventing surfaces from harbouring bacteria. Cost and comfort will also feature high on the agenda when it comes to choosing kitchen flooring.

Risks and realities The commercial kitchen can be a dangerous place. Oil evaporates into the air and settles on the floor when it cools – requiring constant cleaning to prevent a slippery surface. Small spills like milk or flour could cause a very real slip hazard. A busy lunch hour would mean a lot of oil and cooking ingredients on the floor, and not enough time to keep the floor clean and hazardfree at all times.

The law requires that employers ensure the health and safety of all employees, which is why safety flooring is a popular choice in commercial kitchens. However, there’s more to choos-ing the right safety flooring than meets the eye. It’s well worth spending a little time to under-stand the mechanics of safety flooring because getting it wrong can be costly in many, many ways.

Understanding slip-resistance Safety flooring in the UK is often given a PTV – Pendulum Test Value – to show the level of slip-resistance it provides. Wet flooring that measures PTV ≥36 translates to a one in a million chance of slipping and is classed as having a low slip potential. However, the contaminant used for this test is water – perfectly suitable for most areas, but as you’ll know well, not commercial kitchens.

For this reason, we put safety flooring to a real world test, using a variety of common contaminants found in a commercial kitchen. We used the standard PTV pendulum test BS7976 to test a range of typical kitchen contaminants, using three of our safety floors, all classed as having a low slip potential.

As expected, all three performed well with clean water as the contaminant, but when it came to greasy washing up water or vegetable oil, safety flooring that meets the ‘low slip potential’ figure of PTV ≥36 saw a hugely increased risk of slipping of just 1 in 20. Only the specialist safety flooring with our highest PTV of ≥55 continued to provide a 1 in a million risk of slip-ping. Your chosen flooring needs to be able to perform against wet and dry contaminants and provide sustained lifetime slip resistance, so consult the slip-resistance figures and ask tough questions about performance over time. You need confidence that your chosen flooring will continue to perform like new, year after year after year.

Hygiene matters The surfaces you choose for kitchens and food preparation areas must meet exceptionally high health and safety and food hygiene standards – increasingly this spells problems for many traditionally used finishes, such as ceramic tiles which can provide a breeding ground for bacterial growth.

HACCP is an international system for food safety management. It is a legal requirement in Europe under EC Regulation 852/2004.

To conform to HACCP standards, excellent hygiene and rigorous cleaning routines are essential, and surfaces must be impervious to bacteria ingress and easy to clean to prevent contamination. We recommend using a system de-signed to work together, such as Altro Stronghold safety flooring and Altro Whiterock hygie-nic wall cladding – both of which are HACCP approved.

Consider long term costs Cost, of course, is a constraint, but consider life cycle costs as well as installation processes.

Downtime costs money, so ease and speed of installation are key, choose products designed to minimise downtime and cause the least disruption to busy kitchens and production runs. For the same reasons consider durability – fit products that are manufactured to perform to a high standard over a long period of time even in the most demanding environments.

Comfort matters Specialist safety flooring tough enough for commercial kitchens will also be thicker than standard safety flooring. Look for 3mm thick rather than 2mm and you’ll see a range of additional benefits including reduced staff fatigue, noise reduction and comfort underfoot.

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b o o k r e vi e w

T

his stunning book features of the finest pastry chefs working worldwide today, along with samples of their glorious, highly sophisticated confections. These chefs - some up-and-coming and others well established - are all innovative pioneers in a uniquely appealing creative field.

Informative biographies describe the individual styles of each pâtissier. Among those featured are Rosio Sanchez, pastry chef at Noma, voted World’s Best Restaurant; Bonnae Gokson, crowned “Queen of Confectionery” in Asia by America’s wedding-event guru Colin Cowie; Nathaniel Reid, one of Dessert Professional magazine’s Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America; and World Chocolate Master, Carmelo Sciampagna. Hundreds of photographs display the chefs in action as well as their impressive pâtisseries, from Gontran Cherrier’s new classic “Strawberry and Cucumber Tart with Basil” to Pierre François Roelofs’s exotic “Hibiscus, Berries, Bubblegum” to Bobbette & Belle’s Alice in Wonderland-themed bridal shower cake.

Also included are 89 recipes for out of this world cakes, tarts, biscuits, petits fours, plated desserts, pastries, confectionery, chocolate, ice creams and sorbets, with a final chapter focusing on the lavish sugar-paste world of celebratory cakes. While unusual ingredients and sophisticated kitchen equipment may be required, The New Pâtissiers explains the essential techniques and each recipe has been home-tested by amateurs and rated for difficulty. Offering a wealth of inspiring and delicious material, this keenly-priced paperback edition of The New Pâtissiers is a must for professional pastry chefs, keen amateurs and anyone with an interest in gourmet food.

Acclaim for The New Pâtissiers (Hardback edition) ‘A treat’, Elle Decoration ‘ These mouth-watering 89 recipes from cakes to petits fours, created by 38 of the world’s best patissiers, are for dessert lovers who take their sweet treats seriously’, Independent ‘Drool inducing’, Irish Tatler The New Patissiers is available from: www.chefpublishing.com

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Recipe

by Carmelo

Golden Macaron "The 24K gold macaron was born out of the idea of making available to our loyal customers a very precious dessert," said Carmelo. "It is a sweet like a jewel both because of its aesthetic and its price… It costs about €80 for 100 g. I’m not sure whether it can be considered the world’s most expensive macaron, but it’s probably one of the most costly things I’ve come across on my numerous trips throughout Italy and abroad.

A bakery also needs something quirky to make people talk, and that is a side aspect of the business we like to take care of. We prepare the macaron on request only, and we are honestly pretty happy with the orders!"

MAKES 8–10 Difficulty 3 /5 Preparation time 1 1/2 hours (not including overnight setting time for the ganache) Specific equipment 2 x piping (pastry) bags; Silpat® mat, or similar placed in a – preferably perforated – baking tray; digital candy thermometer

I NG R E D I EN T S For the White Chocolate Ganache with Tahitian Vanilla Beans ●● Whipping cream (35% fat) 128 g | gen. 4 1⁄2 fl oz | 1⁄2 cup ●● Invert sugar 13 g | sc. 1⁄2 oz | 1⁄2 tbsp ●● Glucose syrup 13 g | 1⁄2 fl oz | 1 1⁄2 tsp ●● Green (unripe) lemon zest 1 g | 1⁄8 tsp ●● 1/2 Tahitian vanilla pod (bean) (split, scraped, both pod/bean ●● and seeds reserved) ●● White chocolate couverture (e.g. Opalys 33% by Valrhona) ●● 208g | sc. 7 1⁄2 oz ●● Cocoa butter 5g | sc. 1⁄4 oz (or acacia/ wattle honey) For the Macarons ●● Blanched almond meal 130g | 4 1⁄2 oz | 1 1⁄2 cups ●● Icing (confectioner’s) sugar 225g | sc. 8 oz | 1 2⁄5 cups ●● Edible gold powder 5g | sc. 1⁄4 oz | 2 1⁄2 tsp ●● Egg whites 115 g | 4 oz | 1⁄2 cup ●● Caster (superfine) sugar 60g | gen. 2 oz | gen. 1⁄4 cup ●● Cream of tartar 1 g | 1⁄8 tsp For the Vanilla Sauce ●● Whipping cream (35% fat) 100g | gen. 3 1⁄2 fl oz | sc. 1⁄2 cup ●● Custard* 100g | 3 1⁄2 fl oz | sc. 1⁄2 cup ●● 1/2 Tahitian vanilla pod (bean) (split, scraped, seeds reserved) * Custard ●● Egg yolks 54g | sc. 2 oz | sc. 1⁄4 cup ●● Caster (superfine) sugar 13g | sc. 1⁄2 oz | 1 tbsp 70

●● Cornflour (cornstarch) 8g | 1⁄4 oz | sc. 2 tsp ●● 1/2 Tahitian vanilla pod (bean) (split, scraped, both pod/bean and seeds reserved) ●● Zest of 1/2 a small green (unripe) lemon ●● Milk 75g | 2 1⁄2 fl oz | 5 tbsp ●● Whipping cream (35% fat) 25g | gen. 3⁄4 fl oz | sc. 1 1⁄2 tbsp

METHOD

(or fold) the dry ingredients into the whisked egg white mixture.

4 Use a piping (pastry) bag to create two sizes of macaron shell on a Silpat. mat or similar placed in a baking tray (preferably perforated), then leave to dry for 20 minutes.

5 Bake at 140ÅãC (275ÅãF) for 12–15 minutes.

6 Once baked, leave to cool down on the mat/tray.

White Chocolate Ganache With Tahitian Vanilla Beans 1 Bring the cream, invert sugar, glucose syrup, lemon zest, and vanilla pod (bean) and seeds to the boil.

2 At the same time, melt the chocolate with the cocoa butter.

3 Pour the hot cream mixture over the melted chocolate mixture in several additions.

4 Remove the vanilla pod (bean), then transfer to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to complete the emulsion.

5 Leave to set overnight at approximately 17ÅãC (63ÅãF).

* Custard 1 Mix together the egg yolks, sugar, cornflour (cornstarch), vanilla pod (bean) and seeds, and lemon zest.

2 Bring the milk and cream to the boil, then pour them on the egg yolk mixture.

3 Re-heat up to 82ÅãC (180ÅãF), stirring continuously, then strain and cool before use.

Macarons 1 Mix together the almond meal, icing (confectioner’s) sugar and gold powder.

2 Separately whisk the egg whites (best if they have been in the fridge for a couple of days) with the caster (superfine) sugar and cream of tartar.

3 Use a flexible spatula to ‘macaroner’

Assembling Garnishes Edible gold leaves Pair together the macaron shells of equal size.

Cover each shell with edible gold leaves.

Pipe the set ganache onto half the shells, then assemble. Serve with vanilla sauce.

You could also add some crushed coloured macarons around the plate.

Vanilla Sauce 1 Warm the cream and mix vigorously with the custard and the vanilla seeds.

2 Strain before use.

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From the creators of ‘Chef Book’ outstanding recipe books for the Professional Chef This book is a treasure-trove of great food. A veritable anthology of some of the world’s best chefs and their recipes including Paul Bocuse, the Roux family, Anton Mosimann and Thomas Keller and many of the new stars of today such as Sat Bains, Jason Atherton and Daniel Humm. In total there are 124 chefs featured in this amazing collection. The photography is a work of art and the recipes are as diverse as the chefs featured.

This book has been produced to celebrate the 40th issue of ‘Chef Magazine’, a testament to the dedication and professionalism of the magazine. My wish would be that every cook worth his salt should buy a copy, look at it, study it and cherish it.

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Fr o nt o f H o us e : B u l g aria n wi n e

by Jean Smullen

Bulgaria

the old “new” world B

ulgaria is situated on the east of the Balkan Peninsula with a coastline along the Black Sea. Modern Bulgarians are descendants of the Slavs and the Bulgars, who arrived from north of the Danube in the 7th century. The country’s landscape is defined by three mountain ranges running east to west across central Bulgaria and the Danube Valley. Bulgaria is a mountainous country, almost everywhere between the Black Sea and the Macedonian border is impacted by them. The result is a myriad of microclimates and soils, which range from chalky loess to weathered clay and when combined with lots of sunshine, provide ideal conditions to grow the vine.

Today, Bulgaria has approximately 60,000 hectares under vine. There are five key wine regions, the Danube Plain (north), Rose Valley/Podbalkanski Raion (central), Struma Valley (south-west), Black Sea (east) and Thrace (south).

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In the early 1980’s before new world wines, hell bent on global domination emerged on the UK market, the go to country for good quality and affordable varietal wines was Bulgaria. Bulgaria was the “new world” of wine and during the 1980’s it was the second largest producer of wine in the world. In the post-war Communist era huge wine factories emerged to provide cheap wine for the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. As a result there was a huge imitative of new plantings, of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Muscat Ottonel, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Traminer, because of this, by the 1960’s the area under vine in Bulgaria had grown to over 200,000 hectares.

Fast forward 50 odd years and the story is very different, Bulgarian wine is today an unknown entity with very little global presence. So how did it happen that the once dominant Bulgarian wine industry with all its potential faded into oblivion?

There is an old proverb “never put all your eggs in one basket” which goes some ways towards explaining what happened. In the 1980’s before the new world got in on the act, the state controlled Bulgarian wineries pulled off an economic coup by selling vast quantities of varietal wine into the UK market at a very competitive price. Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon in particular performed well and this dominated the market.

After the fall of communism in the 1990’s many of the state owned wineries were privatised and the future seemed hopeful. Domaine Boyar was one of the first private wine companies set up in Bulgaria. Founded in 1991, the company was registered simultaneously in Sofia and London. It quickly became the biggest supplier of Bulgarian wine to Western Europe. In 1992 the company built a state of the art modern winery on the outskirts of Sliven designed by an Australian company

emergence of the Bulgarian wine industry, as a global player many years later. During the 1960’s at the height of communist rule the plantings of the French varietals increased enormously as the demand for Bulgarian wine, particularly in the Soviet Union grew.

Many of the indigenous varietals such as Pamid, Misket, Dimyat, Gamza, Mavrud and Shiroka Melnishkaloza fell into obscurity while grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay became the driving force of the industry.

So far so good, however, the emergence of competition in the mid 1990’s from new world such as Australia, South Africa, Chile and New Zealand at a time when production levels in the postcommunist era dropped off massively was the nail in the coffin for the emerging Bulgarian wine industry.

Today 60,000 hectares are currently under vine in Bulgaria. They are spread over the five regions which are further sub-divided into 17 growing areas. Annual production is approximately four to five million hectoliters, of which three million is exported to 70 countries. Bulgaria’s wine industry is starting to build an international reputation again.

Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 and today the

A&G Engineering, the future was bright and Bulgaria was going places. However, one company cannot grow an entire industry and the dominance of Domaine Boyar and competition from the new world wines quickly burst the Bulgarian bubble and their wines faded into obscurity.

country has approximately 250 vineyards and wineries who are working hard to develop the export market.

Domaine Bessa Valley A visit to the state of the art Domaine Bessa Valley was a glimpse into modern winemaking in Bulgaria. Stephan von Neipperg, in conjunction Dr Karl-Heinz Hauptmann, was one of the first people to invest in Bulgaria. Bessa Valley Winery is situated in the Pazardjik region between the Rhodope Mountains and the Maritsa River.

The valley is surrounded by hills, and is near to the city of Plovdiv. Seeing the enormous potential of Bulgaria’s clay-limestone soil and continental climate the Bessa Valley project was started in 2001. The vineyards are planted primarily with French varietals including Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The stand out wines includes the 2013 Enira Reserve a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot and the 2014 Enira Rose made from a blend of Syrah, Petit Verdot and Merlot. The wines produced by Bessa Valley Winery are premium with a strong French influence.

These are fine wines with an edge and would sit comfortably on any restaurant list. UK Importer: Alliance Wine www.alliancewine.com

Domaine Bessa Valley

The fact that Bulgaria emerged with varietal wines ahead of the new world should, in theory, have been of benefit to them. Bulgaria had a history of working with French varietals that goes back to the turn of the last century. French varietals were originally planted in Bulgaria post phylloxera as a result of the influence of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe Coburg the elected ruler of Bulgaria from 1908-1918. Ferdinand was a keen botanist and he encouraged the Bulgarian wine industry to replant with French varietals. He also championed better viticultural practices including high trained vines. It was this that eventually lead to the 75

Domaine Boyar Domaine Boyar the biggest privately owned winery in Bulgaria was founded in 1991. Situated on the outskirts of the town of Sliven in the Thracian lowlands, today it is one of the biggest producers in Bulgaria.

Over 80% of all Bulgarian wine imported to the U.K. comes from this company. They sell over 3 million bottles a year. While many of their wines are available via Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Morrison’s etc., they have a premium winery Korten whose wines are destined for the on-trade. The Korten winery was originally founded in 1914 and today makes small batches of exclusive wines, from handpicked grapes, vinified in small oak fermenters and aged using a small scale maturation process. They produce 80,000 bottles annually at their Blue Ridge winery. Their head winemaker Dimitar Panov is a legend in Bulgarian wine circles, he works hard with both the international and the local indigenous varietals. I loved the 2014 Korten Mavrud & Rubin it was quite vegetal and smoky on the nose but when tasted had a very distinctive

fresh character with lots of black fruit. Mavrud is one of Bulgaria’s most important red grape varieties, it has black fruit flavours and a spicy character. Rubin is a hybrid grape, created in the 1940’s it is a Syrah/Nebbiolo cross. This is a big wine and definitely one made to go with red meat. I also loved the 2013 Domaine Boyar Boutique Malbec, they only produce 2,000 bottles of this every year but it had a lovely layer of black fruit and lots of spice.

UK Importer: www.ehrmannswines.co.uk

Vinex Slavyantsi Located in the Bourgas district in the village of Slavyantsi 80 km from the Black Sea near the Thracian Rose Valley the winery has 700 ha of vineyards. It is 450 metres above sea level and the region has a continental climate. Originally founded in the 19th century it became a co-operative in 1952. In 1995 the company went into private ownership and today this Fair Trade winery is strong on organic production and produced 150,000 hectolitre of wine annually. With over 250 employees and another 200 vineyard workers,

40% of their work force is Roma. 70% of the wines produced are white and 30% are red. The wines were very good, commercial with lots of potential I was particularly taken by the fact they use a lot of native grape varieties. The 2015 Leva Dimiat was a fresh wine with lots of acidity and a citrus finish.

Their red wines were a mix of French varietals but a stand out wine was the 2011 Leva Shiraz Premium Reserva with lots of sweet blackcurrant fruit and a hint of spice, this was a food friendly wine with a touch of class.

Vinex Slavyantsi is currently looking for an UK agent. More information on www.vinexbg.com

Plovdiv – European Capital of Culture 2019 Thousands of years ago Philippopolis (the ancient name for Plovdiv) was the most important city within the Roman province of Thrance. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, tracing its roots back to the beginning of the 6th century BC. A remarkably ancient city with valuable historic monuments from Roman times, Plovdiv is ranked third in the world (after Rome and Athens) in the “Top 10 Most Beautiful Ancient Cities”. Key sites include the Ancient Theatre built during the 2nd century AD, the Roman Stadium in the centre of the city, the Forum, the Odeon and the Aqueduct, Plovdiv will be European capital of Culture in 2019. More information on www.visitplovdiv.com While the French varietal wines are all of good quality, a visit to the Hebros Hotel in Plovdiv, which has been voted best restaurant in Bulgaria on three occasions, gave us the opportunity to try some of the native grape varieties matched with some outstanding local dishes. Situated in the center of the old town this small hotel is 200 years old.

Their wine list is exceptionally good and their young Sommelier one of the best I’ve seen in action, thank to him we worked our way through some of Bulgaria’s top wines made from indigenous grapes – all in the interest of research you understand! www.hebros-hotel.com

Roman Ampitheatre in Plovdiv 76

Thanks to Thomas Brandl of xenoscomm PR network for his assistance with this article. Thomas is International PRO for Bulgarian Wine. For more information about Bulgarian Wine contact: Margarita Levieva from Bulgarian Chamber for Wines and Vines marga.levieva@bulgarianwines.org

NEWS WORLD’S LEADING CHEFS COLLABORATE WITH NESPRESSO TO EXPLORE THE FUTURE OF COFFEE IN FINE DINING

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ausanne, Switzerland – 13 June, 2016 – Innovation lies at the heart of the future of fine dining and a more educated customer is rapidly changing restaurant behaviour. Increasingly, customers are demanding new experiences and flavours with an increased focus on quality. In response, this week, Nespresso gathered 14 of the world’s top chefs to discuss the evolving role of coffee in fine dining.

Providing the grand finale of a gourmet meal, coffee plays an important role in the fine dining experience. In order to stay ahead of changing customer expectations and help the world’s leading restaurants offer a more compelling coffee moment to their customers, Nespresso invited an exclusive group of Michelin starred chefs to its headquarters.

Among the group were Yannick Alléno (France, 3*), Emmanuel Renaut (France, 3*), Martín Berasategui (Spain, 3*), Claude Bosi (UK, 2*) and Franck Giovannini (Switzerland, 3*).

Reto Bruegger, Head of B2B at Nespresso explained: “While each of these leading chefs has their own creative vision, inspiration and techniques, they all want to offer their customers the highest quality, sustainable ingredients through an innovative and memorable experience. The day was a fantastic way to collaborate as these are the same qualities that we strive to offer our consumers at Nespresso.”

Throughout the day, Nespresso experts introduced a variety of innovative ways to incorporate coffee into fine dining experiences.

The chefs explored how to create surprising food

pairings, such as coffee and foie gras or serve alongside liquors or spirits, as well as how to bring to life the customer’s coffee selection by telling the story of its origin.

As part of the day, Nespresso experts focused on how chefs can disrupt the coffee routine and offer an experience that complements the menu, whether by serving coffee with a savoury course or presenting it in a glass to change the taste and aromas they experience.

Three Michelin starred chef, Jacob Jan Boerma, from Restaurant de Leest, commented: “The world is changing as customers know about the finest ingredients and they expect to see

something different. This is especially true for coffee.”

“Nespresso shares my philosophy in the kitchen, creating excellent quality that is perfect every time. You can destroy your fantastic meal in one minute by not serving good quality coffee.

That’s why it has been great to work with Nespresso as they really understand the importance of quality, taste and creating a special moment.”

Nespresso has been a well-established partner in the fine dining industry for over 10 years.

It is currently working with a large number of the world’s leading chefs, including many who hold two or three Michelin stars.

Restaurant Associates hosted its Chef Expo 2016

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estaurant Associates, the executive dining division of Compass Group UK & Ireland, hosted its Chef Expo 2016 for its 350 chef community at the ExCel Exhibition Centre on Friday, June 17th, celebrating great food, great chefs and local suppliers.

The event, which launched last year, showcased the culinary talents of the business’ Associate Chefs, Dipna Anand, Lisa Roukin, Levi Roots and Ramael Scully. Guests were also able to see Paul Walsh, Jason Atherton as well as Michel and Emily Roux in action as they took to the stage to demonstrate their recipes during the Chef Demo Theatre.

Over 40 local suppliers showcased their products and services during the event and over ten of the latest street food

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stalls with a variety of the latest food trends were installed outside of the expo.

Jeremy Ford, Executive Chef at Restaurant Associates, said: “Events like this are so important because they showcase our culinary credentials. Since our expo last year we have created new consultant chef relationships. We’ve built upon our already great relationships with our supply base and have forged relationships with new ones. The Chef Expo was a great success and gave us a chance to show the passion that drives our success as a business and makes us memorable to our clients and customers.”

James Boyle, Managing Director of Restaurant Associates,

NEWS Cocktail Kudos in Seconds

F&B Premium Brands Launches Siphon-Evolution cocktail foams

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onsumers expect a frothy coffee or a sudsy head on a beer, and now with the launch of innovative Siphon-Evolution cocktail foams from F&B Premium Brands, it won’t be long before they expect the same on cocktails and culinary creations.

New for summer 2016, and imported and distributed exclusively by F&B Premium Brands, Siphon-Evolution cocktail foams are the latest innovation by Albert Adrià, the creative force behind elBulli’s famously pioneering dishes. Albert has been working with the brand that inspires food lovers, the food innovation specialists - R&D Food Revolution to create this new product.

“This genius new technology transforms the ordinary to the extraordinary in seconds,” says Denis Renty, founder and director of F&B Premium Brands. “The foams are beautifully light but also stable, so they won’t go flat en route to delighting customers.” Available in Gin, Vodka or Sangria, with an ABV of five per cent, Siphon-Evolution cocktail foams make drinks and dishes look and taste extra special.

Siphon-Evolution cocktail foams can also be heated up to 50˚C in a bainmarie, so users can experiment with yet another element to their creations. Among numerous other outstanding combinations, the Gin foam is ideal for Gin and juniper cured salmon, and the Sangria foam is perfect for fruit, creams, jellies and sorbets.

The Vodka Siphon-Evolution frothed over a Cosmopolitan can make an impressive impact.

“Now, every bartender and chef has the technical wizardry of an iconic Michelin starred chef at their fingertips, quickly, easily and without years of training. But as well as making regular drinks and dishes more sophisticated, we’ve found that SiphonEvolution cocktail foams actually inspire further creativity in chefs and mixologists, as the endless possibilities are suddenly opened up to them,” added Denis Renty.

“Credited as the creator of elBulli’s famous molecular gastronomy, Albert is now permanently in-demand, so we feel very lucky and proud that he finds the time to work with R&D Food Revolution on our cocktail foams and other cutting edge innovations,” said Denis Renty. As well as running several new restaurants in Barcelona with his brother Ferran, Albert was crowned The World’s Best Pastry Chef 2015 and is currently guesting at London’s smart Hotel Café Royal for a 50-day residency.

On his partnership with R&D Food Revolution, Albert Adrià explained, “We want to make products available to the public that were previously unobtainable.”

Siphon-Evolution cocktail foams are available exclusively from F&B Premium Brands.

said: “The Chef Expo 2016 was a celebration of the talent that we have at Restaurant Associates but it was also an opportunity to support our supply partners. I was also delighted to welcome some of our Associate Chefs to demonstrate their skills. They are a key part of our business and the Restaurant Associates family as they ensure we are offering the very best training to our chefs and continuing to deliver fantastic food to our clients and customers.”

The Chef Expo 2016 was also held to showcase its ever expanding culinary pop-ups which sees the team working with a number of high-profile chefs and producers to promote the very best talents in the industry.

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NEWS Peroni Nastro Azzurro announce Chef Inspiration winner for 2016 Finalists compete in masterclass with House of Peroni Master of Taste Francesco Mazzei

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ive Chefs from Mitchells & Butlers’ Premium Country Pubs were invited to The House of Peroni Residency to create a dish inspired by the theme ‘contemporary twist on an Italian classic’ in a masterclass with Calabrian chef, Francesco Mazzei. As well as preparing their own dishes and presenting it to judges, each finalist learnt how to cook a signature dish from The Residency under the guidance of the Francesco.

The winning dish came from Stuart Jackson, The George & Dragon in Brentwood who captured the inspiration of The House of Peroni Residency this year - ‘‘Amare l’Italia’ – meaning ‘For the love of Italy’ through his dish of lamb, gnocchi and beetroot fondant. His creation will now feature on M&Bs Country

Pub menus nationwide from Spring 2017. As well as spending the weekend in London, Stuart will receive an exclusive chance to cook with Francesco Mazzei and dine at his restaurant, Sartoria, one of London’s best Italian restaurants.

Creator of the exclusive five course private dining experience at The House of Peroni Residency, Francesco demonstrated detailed techniques as part of the finalist masterclass entitled ‘The Geometry of Pasta’. The masterclass also included how to prepare one of The House of Peroni Residency’s signature dishes, Tortelli with Burrata. The day concluded with celebratory drinks, which included Peroni Nastro Azzurro infusions, created by award winning mixologist, Simone Caporale.

Martin Nelson, Operations Director, Mitchells & Butlers commented: “All the chefs were delighted to be invited to The House of Peroni Residency. They had a fantastic day and created superb dishes, all of which are suited to our menu. We look forward to introducing the winning dish our menus next year.”

Maxime Michelot from the Shangri-La, At The Shard wins the title of UK Junior Chocolate Master 2016!

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he winner of the UK Junior Chocolate Master– has been awarded to Maxime Michelot, enabling Shangri La, At The Shard to retain the title of JCM for the second time in a row!

The chef de partie from Shangri La, At The Shard was crowned the UK Junior Chocolate Master after a day of intense competition on Saturday 4th June and wowed the judges and audience with his innovative culinary talent around the theme; “Majestic Opulence”.

The UK Junior Chocolate Masters demands from competitors huge amounts of concentration, nerve and expertise during the day long competition, as each is required to create a moulded snacking bar, Food on the go (dessert offering) and a chocolate showpiece. The Food on the Go was new to this edition, as this is a growing trend in the UK, and also it was a new introduction to the last edition of the World Chocolate Masters held in Paris during October last year.

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The contestants represented premium venues in the country and competed with a lot of passion and skills. Maxime Michelot was representing Shangri-La at The Shard, Audrey Dufay from Madame Posh , Matthew Jones for Marc Patisserie and Bakery, Paul Stradling Commis Pastry Chef at Yauatcha, Dominic Hutchings from Coworth Park Hotel and Gabriella Cugno, Demi Chef de Partie at The Ritz Hotel.

The Jury was composed of Yolande Stanley, lecturer at Westminster Kingsway College, Will Torrent, freelance consultant working for Waitrose and John Costello who is Development Chef at Nestle UK. The judges said the contestants were a real credit to the industry and themselves, producing an amazing standard of work which lead to a really close contest. All showed great talent within confectionery and are certainly promised a bright future.

Maxime made the final difference by demonstrating a

lot of innovative practical skills and impressive taste of his creations.

Maxime’s snacking bar was made with Cacao Barry Inaya and Alunga chocolate ganache delicately infused with Earl Grey tea and enhanced with a black current and raspberry jelly. For the Food on the Go Dessert, he created a lovely choux bun with a tonka cremeux and Alunga mousse. His showpiece was quite risky with a thin base, an impressive height, and topped with a crown to respect the theme Majestic Opulence.

The Shangri La has retained the award for the second year, as former winner Quentin Bechard also from the Shangri La, passed over his title to Maxime. Special guests Mark Tilling and Samantha Rain our 2014 UK Junior Chocolate Masters and both Crème De La Crème winners supported the event.

The organisers would like to thank the sponsors: Les Vergers Boiron, Home Chocolate Factory, Elle & Vire, Russums, Thermomix and Angel Refrigeration for their generous gifts for all contestants.

All the contestants deserved awards as they all showed real passion and skills in their work. All the organisers would like to thank the participants for their dedication and wish them the best in their future!

Happy with your couverture?

See what Felchlin can offer you.

Finest Cocoa Beans, Swiss Quality, Traditional Processing.

As a niche producer of the finest Swiss Chocolate, Felchlin create a range of products that are used by top pastry chefs, bakers and confectioners.

Their extensive couverture range includes Grand Cru, single plantation and wild bean. When coating truffles or pralines, most of their couverture goes twice as far as a typical Belgian product, and all have fantastic fluidity and longer workability than any other couverture.

Working in partnership with the cocoa farmers, Felchlin ensure that the origin of the cocoa, the selection of the bean, the gentle fermentation and drying, the slow roasting and up to 72 hours of conching – together with Swiss quality ingredients - achieve a superior taste.

Town & Country Fine Foods are proud to be the exclusive supplier of Felchlin in the UK. Please call 0845 672 8000 or email orders@tcfinefoods.co.uk.

For more information see www.tcfinefoods.co.uk.

FELCHLIN IS EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN THE U.K. FROM TOWN & COUNTRY FINE FOODS, THE SPECIALIST SUPPLIER OF CHOCOLATE, PASTRY AND INGREDIENTS TO THE PROFESSIONAL.

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, SUPPLIERS OF FINE FOODS, TOWN & COUNTRY FINE FOODS BERKSHIRE

TOWN & COUNTRY FINE FOODS, NO. 4, PERTH TRADING ESTATE, MONTROSE AVENUE, SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, SL1 4XX, UK +44 (0)845 672 8000 | orders@tcfinefoods.co.uk | www.tcfinefoods.co.uk