Readers

NAME: James Pickering

JOB TITLE: Trust Head of Catering

PLACE OF WORK: The Constellation Trust

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN THE CATERING INDUSTRY? 36 years

WHICH CHEF DO YOU RESPECT THE MOST AND WHY? Marco Pierre White, he is eccentric, a genius, polite, frightening and northern!

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU WERE EVER GIVEN AND BY WHOM? To join the Royal Navy by the careers office.

WHAT IS YOUR TOP TIP FOR REDUCING WASTE IN THE KITCHEN? Batch cook and use ingredients that can be safely carried over into another meal service.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE A COOK/CHEF? At 16 years of age, when working in a restaurant at a caravan park and enjoying being part of a team and being given positive direction.

WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE TAKING OVER IN 2023? Customers choosing to support local farmers and pop-up restaurants on farms.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU MOST LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH IN EARLY SUMMER? New potatoes, brambles, rhubarb, and samphire.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE DISH TO COOK IN THE SUMMER? Using the BBQ, lamb kebabs are a favourite.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COUNTRY RANGE PRODUCT AND WHY? Country Range Crispy Coated Fries. They stay crisp, retain colour and texture, can be cooked in the oven and they taste really good!

Country Range Crispy Coated Fries

13 x 13 mm

Pack size: 2.5kg

A TASTE OF HOME Supper clubs can be a forum for cultural exchange. Foodies can taste authentic regional dishes from underrepresented cuisines and chefs can share recipes that have been passed down through generations. Sp00ns was started by Rahel Stephanie to remedy her homesickness. Now it is one of the most desired supper clubs in London, with the menu a reflection of Rahel’s Indonesian roots.

LIFE OF THE PARTY Foodies and partygoers unite. With music and live entertainment, these are detailed productions orchestrated to put fun back into food. Dinner for 100 in London has 100 covers, so it’s not small and intimate, but the vibe is the feeling of going to a wedding, with a sit-down meal, live entertainment, and dancing into the night.

POP UPS & RESIDENCIES This type of supper club can have an exclusive feel to it, popping up on a monthly or seasonal basis, or more ad hoc, with an ‘if you know you know’ arrangement, as well as specific pop-up events. Studio Z is a 2-day pop-up in Brixton where chef Danny Jack serves a traditional roast dinner, with a cash bar, DJs, sofas and Sunday TV on the big screen.