Andrew Clarke, Chef-Owner and Co-Founder, Acme Fire Cult

Almost every dish has a component that comes from the fire in some way, whether it is smoked, charred, grilled, burnt, boiled or fried. Anything that needs cooking will find its way onto the hearth. We change the menu every service, but we try to keep some of our core dishes around, as these are usually the best sellers. Grilled leeks with a pistachio romesco; Coal roast celeriac with mushroom-kelp XO and coco bean miso; Aslam’s butter-style cauliflower; Tamworth pork chop and mojo rojo, and grilled mackerel with green tomato gribiche are a few of our classics. 

On our grill, temperatures can hit 400C, and that heat can do very interesting things to ingredients that can’t be achieved with gas ovens and stoves. Other than having incredibly delicious things to eat, the kitchen at Acme is outside, so you get to watch the theatre of chefs cooking over our huge custom built hearth. Guests often come up taking photos and asking questions, and we’re always happy to talk them through what we do. We want it to feel like you’re at a BBQ party. It’s just like everyone gathering around a grill in your backyard. Oh, and you will get smokey!

Niklas Eksted, Chef and Proprietor, Eksted and Eksted at The Yard

Wood-fire cooking is fundamental at Ekstedt at the Yard; it’s at the core of our kitchen and menu. Our cooking technique over an open flame is derived from indigenous Nordic traditions, which have long been used to sustain tribes in Northern Scandinavia through the seasons – so naturally, we use it all year round. Of course, the difference is that it’s not just about survival at the restaurant: it’s also about flavour.

One of our specials at Ekstedt at the Yard is flambadou oyster – we render dried beef fat in a flambadou that is at more than 600*c; at this temperature, the fat drips over the oyster from the small hole in the base of the flambadou, which is what semi cooks the fresh oyster (Smokey and caramelised on the outside creamy and fresh on the inside) it’s a mind-blowing combination. They are served with butter sauce seasoned with the salt water from the oyster shell and juniper smoked apple which adds the perfect acidity which cuts through the fat.

Manish Patel, Head Chef, Indus at Park Regis hotel

I am originally from the state of Gujarat in India and take inspiration from my homeland to elevate my favourite dishes. The Park Regis hotel is the only one in the city with its own tandoor oven and I find making the dough, shaping it and baking it in an authentic oven is very satisfying. Meat or bread cooked in a clay oven has a distinct flavour – clay oven cooking and curries complement one another very well. 

There is nothing quite like the aroma of freshly cooked naan as it bakes and turns a wonderful colour. Customers have buttered naan at the top of their list! The must have dishes to dip your naan into is the Shahi Darbaar Murgh Tandoori chicken tikka cooked in a creamy cashew, red pepper and tomato gravy or the Indus Haddi Wala Ghost, mutton on the bone slowly cooked in rich almond, onion and aromatic spices. Naan dipped into succulent spiced sauce – there is nothing more comforting! It takes a while to get the expertise in clay oven cooking, but it is never too late to start learning.

Vivek Singh, Founder, Cinnamon Club

Every chef worth their salt loves to cook on open fires / tandoor ovens as there is little else that connects the cook and their ingredients the way fire does. The smokiness, the realness and authenticity of the process and the brilliant results make it all worthwhile. There is something intensely beautiful, powerful and primal about cooking on open flames and it brings out the flavour of ingredients in a way that refined processes like sous vide and high-technique equipment don’t!

Since time immemorial, the open fire has elevated our ingredients to bring out the best in them, and as a cook, there is little else that is more satisfying than taming open fire to cook insanely tasty dishes. A personal favourite is our smoked Kentish saddle of lamb, which we serve at all restaurants across the Cinnamon Collection!

Nikos Kontongiannatos, Head Chef, Firebird

At Firebird we use an open fire grill with ash charcoal and kiln logs. We want to give our guests the opportunity to try this style of cooking where smoke and charr play a big role in the flavour of our food. The menu at Firebird takes inspiration from the Mediterranean with dishes such as charred peaches with ricotta and coriander and day boat monkfish with sauce vierge. 

All our dishes incorporate open fire and we want to give the opportunity for our guests to travel with every bite. Firebird has an open kitchen, making the guest experience super interactive. We can communicate with them and talk them through our menu, all from behind the counter in front of the grill, something we put a lot of thought into when planning the concept of cooking over live fire. The most important part of using fire in our food is the flavour. The flavour you can gain from charcoal and smoked wood is exceptionally unique and one that cannot be achieved through other means of cooking.

Aman Lakhiani, Chef Patron, Junsei

“We cook using Binchōtan charcoal, a white variety made from Japanese oak, considered the purest charcoal in the world. Burning at a high heat, meat cooks from the inside out resulting in succulent texture and a pure finish which emphasises the distinctive flavours of each part of the chicken used in our yakitori skewers, such as Tebasaki (wing) and Hatsu (heart).

We choose to cook on an open fire mainly for flavour and quality. Using natural flame to flavour food is something we are deeply connected to because our ancestors have been doing this for all their lives. Even though cooking with fire requires much more attention and control rather than electric or gas, the flavour is far superior.

Marco Ardemagni, Head Chef, Yatay

“Cooking on open fire is definitely one of my favourite ways of playing with food. It requires many hours to master it, but the flavours developed are second to none. Here at Yatay, our robata is at the heart of our menu and we use it throughout the day during many stages of the whole preparation, from charring the skin of red peppers used in our beef skewer sauce, to giving a unique flavour to signature dishes like the sweet potato and miso cured cream cheese or the grilled pineapple with dulce de leche foam.

Craig Goslin, Managing Director, Vapiano UK

“Pizza ovens are in popular demand as indoor-outdoor living is becoming increasingly common in the warmer months. Our advice before cooking the pizza is to have fun experimenting with toppings. It’s always a fun activity to get the younger ones involved with kneading and making smiley faces or characters, like our chefs do for the children’s pizzas. You can go with something traditional like our prosciutto e funghi pizza, or more contemporary like our barbecue chicken – or even make a calzone. Just remember your pizza will cook in mere minutes, so keep an eye on it.

The post Chefs on Fire appeared first on Stir it up Magazine.

Game has long been maligned by issues associated with lead-shot, however the tide is now turning and retailers such as Marks & Spencer are championing the use of lead-free game, working with the British Game Assurance in the process. This news provides a much-needed boost to the Game industry, which makes an important contribution to both the livelihoods of remote rural communities, as well as the local food system.

A Growing Appetite for Game
As consumers increase their focus on sustainability and health, Game is answering the call. Low in fat and cholesterol, it is one of the healthiest meats available and rich in Omega-6 and Omega-3. It is for this very reason that the NHS is trialling pheasant, partridge and venison on their menu. Tests so far have proven positive, with patients enjoying the addition to the menu alongside the added benefit of being easier to consume for patients with dysphagia.

“Game is very high-quality meat, it is high-protein, low-fat and has an excellent micronutrient profile, so is a good fit for NHS patients. The game the NHS will be trialling will be sourced from estates that are both lead-free and assured by British Game Assurance, which is the gold standard of sustainable game procurement.” Says Liam Stokes, CO of British Game Assurance.

In the education sector, schools have been given training and resources from recipe packs to a brace of pheasants to support teaching staff for over 40,000 pupils, including a hands-on cooking masterclass at GCSE level. Game is also appearing on the menu more frequently in many schools not only across Scotland, but throughout the UK including Queen Elizabeth’s Academy in Mansfield and Chilwell School in Nottingham.

Are You ‘Game’ For Change?
When introducing Game to your menu, do your research so you can be confident that you know where it is coming from, how and when it was shot. This gives you the opportunity to impart this information on to your customer so they can make a more informed choice between ordering sustainably shot, locally sourced Game, or another less environmentally friendly option.

Swapping wild boar for pork, pheasant for chicken or venison for beef are easy ways to incorporate Game into your menu. “If it is heavy on mainstream meats, introduce your customers slowly and with less powerful game meats to initiate the change” recommends Stephen Andrews Chef, Fish & Forest. The team at Wiltons in London have added pheasant schnitzel to their lunch menu for a lighter option and offer salads with pheasant and venison to entice customers who may be trying it for the first time.

Game can be quite a strong flavour so a less-is-more approach may work for you, but for it to be well received and to keep your customers coming back for more, it has to be cooked well. “Game is a very lean meat, it tends to dry out quickly so it’s important to cook or roast for just the right amount of time. For large joints of meat/whole birds, I recommend resting for as long as it cooks for, as this will keep the meat moist and tender.” Says Vivek Singh, Founder, Cinnamon Club.

Using complimentary flavours of the season to enhance dishes will also help keep your menu looking fresh and relevant, incorporating blackberries, watercress or bread sauce for classic, recognisable pairings. For a more decadent dish, try a chocolate and venison casserole, or if your café is renowned for homemade sausage rolls, change it up with a wild boar and redcurrant jelly option.

As with any new introduction, training front of house staff so they are not only knowledgeable, but have tried the dishes and can speak from experience, will help them sell it and answer questions your diners may have. Don’t forget, they are also a great source of feedback so keep the lines of communication between front of house staff and the kitchen open to learn what is and is not working.

Top tips from top chefs

Game is proving popular in a wide variety of cuisines. We asked a number of chefs to give us their go-to flavour combinations to inspire you

Colin Nicholson, Chef Patron of Mingary Castle: I like matching venison wellington with red cabbage for a touch of sweetness and chestnuts for a creamy balance or grouse with buttery wild chanterelles and brambles for some tartness.

Stephen Andrews Chef, Fish & Forest: Use the whole animal for the dish make sure you use the bones to make a stock for the sauce it will enhance the whole dish experience. For Partridge – black trumpet blanquette with wild berries works well because they are wild animals, so to put them with wild foraged ingredients makes a harmonious dish. Also, try wild boar (served pink) with boar and cider jus, roasted crapaudine beets, gold beet slaw and a smoked beetroot purée.

Vivek Singh, Founder, Cinnamon Club: My favourite combination is smoked grouse breast with my mum’s pumpkin chutney, it’s just magical. Others I recommend would be tandoor cooked venison served alongside pickled fruit/vegetables that have been roasted; and roasted partridge or pheasant served on a bed of earthy black lentils, which is perfect for the autumnal time of year.

Head Chef Daniel Kent, Wiltons: Red partridge is great in a curry, venison goes wonderfully with chocolate but, equally, tastes delicious when paired with spice and fruit, such as cloves, pimento, and pomegranate which we have served on several occasions. It is important to use seasonal ingredients and enjoy playing with different flavour combinations. During October, pheasant pairs well with sweetcorn which we spice up with paprika jus.

Johnnie Crowe, Executive Head Chef, NEST: Wild berries are sprouting up all through May, June, July, august and preserving them and pickling them gives you so much opportunity to create simple dishes that seem effortless. we will also usually just some of the beautiful autumnal root veggies to pair with game the sweet nutty flavours that come from Celeriac, Parsnip, and Squash go so well with the rich meat.

The post It’s Game, Set & Match to Local Produce appeared first on Stir it up Magazine.

This year, Vivek celebrates his 20^th Anniversary at the Cinnamon Club and his team of talented chefs and front of house staff have been working hard all year to mark the occasion with bottomless chaat parties in July, special tasting menu events in August and a Diwali dinner to be held this November. Stir it Up magazine caught up with Vivek recently to ask him about his unique style of cooking and to reflect on the last 20 years.

How did you develop your own style of Indian cuisine?

My own style of cuisine was born out of a desire to break the mold and push boundaries to create innovative Indian cooking. I focus on using the best produce and ingredients possible; I was frustrated with the perception that ‘curry’ didn’t require good ingredients.

How do you define Modern Indian cuisine?

For me, modern Indian cuisine is more than just smartening up traditional Indian dishes. The process is always ongoing – the journey of a cuisine can’t stand still and claim to be current. To be considered as ‘modern’ you need to be constantly pushing boundaries and adapting.

When introducing new dishes to your menu, what is your development process?

When developing new dishes, I always start with an ingredient. I think about what is in season/what is new. Then I think about which techniques and spicing I can use to make it taste the best it possibly can.

When being guided by the seasons for your menu, have you encountered any surprise ingredients over the years?

I haven’t really come across any surprise ingredients, but when I first discovered quinoa around ten years ago I was amazed how long it had been around and used in cooking all over the world. This ‘mother of all grains’ is not actually a grain at all but a seed. 

What has inspired you to continue innovating?

Innovating almost becomes second nature when you have worked in the industry for so long and trained your mind to be curious and constantly asking questions.

What prompted you to open your first restaurant and why did you choose that specific location?

I honestly believed that there was so much more creativity to be explored in Indian cuisine – we hadn’t really scratched the surface! I can’t say I set out to inspire modern Indian dining in the UK, but I certainly wanted to show people there was a lot more to Indian cooking and its repertoire than was being showcased at the time. There were opportunities for smaller, more frequently changing menus and more considered combinations. Indian food wasn’t considered to be a dining experience and I wanted to change this misconception.

It wasn’t so much that we picked the location, but that the location picked me. Iqbal Wahhab had pulled rabbits out of the bag to secure The Old Westminster Library for The Cinnamon Club, and it felt perfect from the minute I walked in.

What were your stand-out memories of the first year at The Cinnamon Club?

I have several! From the very first day of opening it was certainly memorable. We launched with an event for 650 guests with no commercial gas and cooking equipment. It was the biggest restaurant opening of the year and we managed to pull it off without any rehearsal or soft launch. I also remember the time after 9/11 when all international travel came to a halt, along with the economy, but we managed to make it through. Finally, one of my most favourite moments was when we walked into the dining room and the entire restaurant applauded. It felt incredibly special.

Your 20^th Anniversary celebrations include a Diwali Dinner this November, how did you decide upon the menu and are there any surprises in store for your guests?

The Diwali dinner is the final event this year but certainly not the end of the celebrations! Diwali is a particularly special time of year, when friends, family and communities can get together and celebrate everything positive that has happened over the past months. This year, it is particularly important. The menu will be quite fluid – there are four different chefs and we are each cooking two dishes; one close to our hearts and one that is completely new to us, so there will definitely be a few surprises!

What lessons have you learnt over the last 20 years?

There are almost too many to mention! But I would say that you should only get into restaurants if you truly love them, not because you want to sell them.

What have been your favourite memories?

One of my most favourite memories is when we had to turn Mick Jagger away from The Cinnamon Club because there were no tables left. Other than that, I’m most proud of the impact The Cinnamon Club has had on the people who have worked and passed through it in their careers. Some of the finest talent in the global modern Indian culinary scene all over the world has come out of our kitchens, not to mention our own long-standing team, many of whom have been with us for years. The head chefs, each being home-grown within The Cinnamon Collection, have over 220 years of experience cooking and working together.

Encouraging and nurturing new talent is extremely important to me, and it is even more important than ever with the current recruitment issue.

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