A Cool Chef Talks Food Memories, Favourite Dishes & More
My earliest food memory is being introduced to sushi by my classmates at primary school. There’s a large Japanese community in Ealing, which is where I grew up. My friends would have the most amazing sushi in their lunch boxes and I would always get to try it (I can only apologise for how often I tried their lunch). My mum eventually learned to make it for me because I loved it so much.
My family are all huge foodies – every family event revolves around it. My favourite food has always been crisps and dip; it started as a kid when I’d snack on all the picky bits at parties. I’d literally hover by the dips; I always remember guacamole being my favourite.
These days, I love to experiment with my cooking. I enjoy pairing lots of different flavours together (it normally revolved around what my current hyper-fixation is). I always make sure my cupboards are stocked with condiments so I can easily elevate even the simplest of dishes. In London, we have access to so many amazing supermarkets and delis, so I love exploring them and trying lots of independent brands.
In my kitchen, you’d always find some Dusty Knuckle bread, tinned fish and Mama Yu's chilli oil. Right now, my fridge is also full to the brim with condiments, dips and sodas. I have tried so many varieties to perfect the perfect menu for The Soda Bar at the Amex Experience at BST. I hope everyone loves them as much as I do.
The one dish I make every week is a salmon bowl. It’s my go-to when I want something quick and delicious. Normally, I serve it with sushi rice (the microwaveable kind if I’m feeling lazy), soy, pak choy and mushrooms, a gooey egg and smacked cucumber salad. Then, I top it off with sesame seeds, coriander, nori strips and chili oil. I have some go-to ‘girl dinners’ too – usually some sort of tinned fish on toast with a variety of toppings. I also love a simple creamy tomato pasta – it's such comfort food for me.
I like to create lots of snacks for friends. Something we can all pick at whilst yapping. Flights always go down a treat! I've done a crispy rice flight with different toppings and a baked potato flight too.
When I’m at home, I do try to take presentation into account a bit. I do love an aesthetic piece of toast – also there’s nothing like the glamour of a soy cured egg yolk. But I’m also the clumsiest person alive and make the most amount of mess, so it’s all about balance. I guess it’s the final result that counts!
My guilty pleasure is definitely soda. My collaboration with AMEX for the Soda Bar at BST is a dream come true because it plays into my experimental side. My favourite is the pickle-tini style soda – I’m obsessed with martinis and pickles. It probably speaks to the fact that I’m more of a savoury than sweet person, although I do love a sweet treat after a meal.
One of my most memorable meals lately involved a trip to Luna for the omakase. That was life changing. Nothing beats incredible sushi and it’s great getting to see the chefs making it all – they’re so talented. I’ve also recently been to Nina, Eel Sushi Bar and Kolae, which were all incredible. Old favourites would have to be Caravel (a gorgeous restaurant on a narrow boat), Luca (insane Italian) and The Baring (lovely pub grub). If there’s anywhere left on my bucket list, it would be Endo at the Rotunda – I need to get there soon.
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There are lots of cookbooks, chefs and food creators I turn to for inspiration. I love Ixta Belfrage's Mezcla (I am also so excited for her new book!), Ferment by Kenji Morimoto is amazing and Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat has become a bit of a modern classic.
My dream last meal? I love this question. The starter would be – no surprises here – a large platter of sashimi and nigiri (salmon, tuna, yellowtail). The main would then be hand-stretched Biang Biang noodles with tomato and egg. Then for pud I’d have banoffee pie with vanilla ice cream (or custard). And my drink of choice would definitely be the pickle-tini soda from my collaboration with the AMEX Experience at BST.
My favourite takeaway is from Wingstop – you can’t go wrong. My favourite flavours are Mango Habernero and Garlic Parm and the ranch sauce is addictive. I also love Cay Tre – the pho is incredible, especially with the egg yolk. If I’m craving a bagel, it has to be Papo’s Bagels. It hits the spot every time.
I am someone who hyper fixates on certain niche food trends. I’ve been obsessed with devilled eggs since eating them by the bucketload in Paris. I recently made a devilled egg flight and they were fantastic. That said, I feel like the world has gone a bit pistachio mad since the Dubai chocolate went viral. I’m not massively sure what all the fuss is about there…
My perfect weekend would start with the perfect matcha – Jenki’s salted vanilla is amazing. That would be followed by a walk along the canal and picking up pastries from Pophams. I also love The De Beauvoir Deli for browsing independent brands and discovering lots of fun condiments. You’ll find the best tomatoes at Lily’s in Newington Green too. Then, I might enjoy a glass of wine at Hector’s and then a late lunch or early dinner at The Plimsoll, the Compton Arms, The Baring or Jolene followed by a trip to some more bars – Three Sheets, Bar Lotus, Silk Stockings and MAP Maison in Dalston are all fab. Then, I’d then need a good takeaway on the Sunday – something salty and comforting like Babsang; I always get the tteokbokki and kimchi stew.
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