20 years on the road – and one year off

“What’s been your biggest culinary triumph during lockdown?”

TOP SHOUT

We established Veganistra (www.facebook.com/Veganistra). It’s not a business, it’s more of a social project to show the world lots of plant-based deliciousness, and the impact this kind of lifestyle has on a person. We accept donations, but it is not real kitchen – you are basically visiting us in our home and we cook for you (and whoever you bring with you).

We’re also really happy if someone brings something in exchange. We’ve had a lot of homeless people, who had nothing, come for lunch or dinner, and months later they brought us some apples they found, or just made us a painting, or whatever… it’s a great thing. Nika Brunet & Boban Milunović, Music Holiday

One of Nika and Boban’s delicious Veganistra dishes

I’ve actually gone a little bit further with my culinary experiments… I’m currently in Switzerland studying to become a pastry chef! Stefan Juhlin | Pitch & Smith

I actually wrote a very popular Facebook post on my quarantine culinary creations (facebook. com/semyon.galperin). This dish was crayfish, and I obviously serve them with beer! Not too much culinary art in this one, you just boil ‘em… Semyon Galperin | Tele-Club

Having been brought up in a family of bakers, I’ve been baking since I can remember. I used to take fresh dough from my grandad’s bakery to bring home and make little bread rolls with, it was always so exciting.

I had only just started working at Indigo at The O2 when lockdown hit us, and I had to channel both the excitement and the frustration somehow. Baking quickly became my main outlet and I started baking surprise cakes for my friends, as the idea of bringing happiness to people is one of my drives in life.

It didn’t take long until I decided to try and turn it into a small business, which has kept me very busy, especially until before the last lockdown, since I was baking for a local café, as well as taking custom orders.

Although this will never replace my love for my job in the music industry, it has definitely helped keep me afloat during such a weird time. I’ll be looking forward to gifting random cakes to my friends and colleagues once we’re back. Angela Curiello | Indigo at The O2

The recipe for my grandmother Carla’s rabbit: one rabbit cleaned and cut into pieces; 100g lardons; 10 small silver-skin onions; 30g butter; 1 tablespoon flour; 2 cloves garlic; a bay leaf and lots of thyme and parsley; 1 glass dry white wine; 150g white or any chanterelle mushrooms.

Put the diced bacon in a casserole with butter and brown it. Peel the onions, leave them whole, and add them. When all is well browned, set aside.

In the same casserole, brown the rabbit then spread the tablespoon of flour and stir thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients and salt and pepper and simmer gently for one hour. Chop the mushrooms, add them to the casserole and cook for a further 15 minutes. Philippe Tassart | Ginger

Lately, we have been cooking paella at home. Sophie has mastered her skills in cooking paella, while my latest is prawns wrapped in seaweed, slightly buttered, tempura style, and sprinkled with sea salt and matcha. Our culinary journey continues! Oleg Gaidar (& Sophie Amable) | World Touring Artists Consulting

Sausage sandwich made with Beyond Sausages and ketchup – so good that even the most determined carnivore can’t tell the difference. Plus, they use 99% less water than the meat equivalent, so are much better for the environment; contain no nitrates or hormones; and no one died. Mooncat | ILMC

Stefan’s pastry skills have been taken to a new level thanks to his enrolment at the Culinary Arts Academy in Lucerne

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Angela’s bakery heritage has seen her spending more time in her Happy Go Baking kitchen during lockdown Sophie’s seafood paella is a thing of beauty

Philippe’s Lapin Carla

Semyon’s Facebook page includes this fabulous crayfish creation, served with ice-cold beer

Mooncat’s meat-free sausage sarnie

Oleg has been honing his sushi credentials in recent months

92 An ILMC Publication

SEPTEMBER 2020 | £25 | €25

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