S T A R T E R S
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
SUNNY SIDE UP
IT’S MATTHEW LISANTI, THE CIRCUS RESTAURANT’S NEW SOUS CHEF
Ollie Edwards has worked in most areas of the catering industry – from food service counters at supermarkets to restaurants and cocktails bars – and now has set up the business we’ve all been waiting for: Epic Breakfast, a breakfast delivery service. Happy days. Assembly Bakery pastries, apple juice from Barley Wood Orchard and locally roasted coffee will keep you going while you cook up the main event – for which you have a choice of a meat, fish, or vegan option. Ingredients are sourced from local, sustainable producers and suppliers, and arrive at your door in reusable packaging – think glass bottles and containers, and beeswax wraps – inside a wooden crate, which will get picked back up from you once you’re done with it. epicbreakfast.co.uk
So, what made you want to work at The Circus Restaurant? Its reputation has always been huge in Bath. I want to continue to learn and test myself, so working with this ever-changing menu is great for me. It also has really decent working hours; you work hard while you are there, and then have time off to recover and see friends and family. And where were you working before arriving here? The Marlborough Tavern, which is quite close by. How would you describe the concept of the food at The Circus? It’s unpretentious food that you really want to eat. Everything on the plate has a reason for being there. What current dish do you think best illustrates the restaurant’s style? Maybe the venison. It’s in season now, and comes with earthy cavolo nero and a savoury dark chocolate sauce that adds an elegant twist.
TWO BECOME ONE
What are your favourite ingredients at the moment? I quite like Asian flavours, such as miso. I’m also currently loving the flavour combination of game and fruit, like the game bird terrine we have on our winter menu.
Many were disappointed when Wallfish Bistro owners Seldon Curry and Liberty Wenham announced that the restaurant was to close. This was a venue known for simple, seasonal food cooked with love and care, and would be missed. Although the site’s now shut for good, it’s not the end for Wallfish, as it has joined forces with neighbouring joint Wellbourne and its head chef Ross Gibbens to become Wallfish and Wellbourne Bistro, housed in Wellbourne’s site on The Mall. Expect exciting new dishes such as bacon chop with Wallfish brown sauce, Cacklebean egg and sour cabbage, and hand-rolled linguine with shellfish sauce and red mullet. wellbourne.restaurant
Which other local restaurants do you like to eat in? I’m still a fan of the Bath Pub Company, which The Marlborough
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Tavern is a part of. If I get the time, I’ll also venture over to The Bunch of Grapes in Bradford-on-Avon; I’ve worked with the chef, Tony Casey. What makes the local foodie scene so great? The independents. They’re the ones with soul, and also fly the flag for the local suppliers! When did you begin cooking? While I was at university, to help fund my studies. By the time I’d finished I realised I preferred being in the kitchen to being on the building site that I had trained for. What was your very first job in the food industry? A pot wash. It’s not glamorous, but it’s often the way chefs start out. Fondest foodie memories from your childhood? Eating my Dad’s homemade lasagne – it’s a dish that really makes me think of home. Favourite cookery book? I have a massive collection! If I had to choose one, I’d say Larousse Gastronomique. That gives you everything you need to know in order to start. Foodie heroes? I have a few, but Nathan Outlaw is probably my favourite. thecircusrestaurant.co.uk