BRISTOL LIVES
Q&A
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n the cover of this issue, you’ll see the happy smiling faces of the Bristol chefs heading to Nepal for an Action Against Hunger trek. Joining this fine band of compadres is Freddy Bird, head chef at the renowned Lido. Freddy’s not in the photo. He was far too busy answering our questions to prance about with colourful umbrellas . . . Morning chef – we hear you’re off on your travels. Can you tell us a bit about the trek, who’s going, and how it all came about? Morning! Yes, I’m off to Nepal to (maybe madly) trek for five days to altitudes of 4300m with 21 other chefs, restaurateurs and food industry experts. I don’t know whether the trek itself or the company I’m with will be the most crazy part. The trek is organised by the charity Action Against Hunger, who tackle the causes and effects of hunger. They do this by treating malnourished children, providing clean water and healthcare, and providing tools, training and income-generating opportunities, enabling whole communities to be food-secure and free from hunger. I’ve long championed education in schools around understanding food provenance, and for kids to learn how to cook, grow and taste new things, so it’s a cause close to my heart. Sounds like you’ve got your hands full. . . I’m working with suppliers, producers and friends to help me do all I can to make my fundraising goal and hopefully go beyond it. I’m looking at potential events as well but I’ve just opened a new restaurant in Reading, so time is quite tight as the M4 and GWR are my new best friends. . . How are you training for the trek? I live very close to the Downs, which I’m using as my ‘gym’ for training. We also took a trip up the Sugar Loaf near Abergavenny recently, to change up the geography a little. The improving weather certainly helps, and it’s a great time to be outdoors exploring the changing seasons. My training consists of walking the dogs, foraging, or just running around after the kids. My attitude to cooking is centred on the outdoors – I’m obsessed with cooking over fire – and I think that this trip will be a great experience in learning about cooking in a new environment, with new tools, ingredients and ‘diners’.
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FREDDY BIRD
Along with a bunch of other Bristol chefs, Freddy is heading to Nepal this April for a fundraising trek. We bet the food cooked over those campfires will be a cut above dampers, then . . . What do you think your biggest strength and weakness will be as part of the team? Hmm – this is a tricky one. I think I’m a pretty good motivator and have lots of experience through inspiring and supporting my kitchen teams in Bristol and Reading. I’m also a bit of a joker, which could on one hand be good, as I like to keep momentum and spirits up through humour, but this could also be a weakness as I’m often the one who tries to have too much fun. What do you reckon you’ll be cooking round the campfires of Nepal? I’m looking forward to seeing what food we’ll share on the trek, and I’m sure I’ll learn from the other chefs. It will be a learning experience – as is cooking and dining with anybody new. I’m hoping for lots of interesting cuts of meat, new varieties of vegetables and spices to play with. I want to know more about fenugreek seeds – I’ve been using them a lot recently, and want to know how to make the most of their strangely bitter taste. What’s this thing that you call ‘Bird food’? Bird food is a five-course tasting menu I’ve developed at my restaurants, in which diners arrive to a no-menu dinner that picks the best produce on offer that day, from which my team and I create a sharing banquet. It’s a great way to experience what is in season, primarily cooked over fire and sharing food and wine with those you (hopefully) like most.
Why do you love cooking over wood ovens so much? My style of food is heavily influenced by my time working at Moro. We were taught to cook over fire, and I’ve not really looked back since – the smoke and charcoal affects the flavour of the food, and it’s just so much fun to cook over – it’s a bit of theatre, too. The variables are neverending, with different types of wood, changes in temperature and infinite ingredient combinations meaning there’s always room for experimentation. I’m lucky in that my kitchens at the Thames and Bristol Lidos have huge wood ovens that are fantastic to cook with. In Reading I have the firepit of my dreams – it’s about as close as you can get to having a restaurant kitchen outdoors. Tell us about your favourite Bristol haunts Although much is to be said of the new openings, we are lucky to have some well-established places that have stood the test of time. The Mayflower is a favourite pit-stop after a long service – open until 3am and situated under the bus station, its location adds to its charm as well as serving the most delicious and authentic Chinese food (try the ginger and crispy fried pig’s intestines – trust me). www.lidobristol.com To donate to Freddy for Action against Hunger: www.nepaltrek2018.everydayhero.com/uk/freddytreks-nepal