The food chain Chocolatier Paul A Young and chef Peter Gordon

Paul A Young, who trained as a chef, worked for Marco Pierre White at Quo Vadis and Criterion before becoming a chocolatier. He is renowned worldwide for his innovations and has won many awards, including the Best Sea Salted Caramel Filled Chocolate at the International Chocolate Awards, twice. He has four chocolateries in London.

When I was a young pastry chef working for Marco Pierre White, all the chefs were talking about The Sugar Club in Soho. Who was this New Zealander? What was he doing? He was using the term ‘fusion food’, putting things together that hadn’t been combined before.

In 2001, when I was developing Japanese food for Marks & Spencer, Peter did a demonstration for us about combining favours, and that’s when I met him. Over the years, we kept being drawn back together – we have a similar ethos about putting unusual things together. The key is not to say ‘no’, or ‘that can’t be done’, or ‘you shouldn’t put that with that’.

About three years ago, we worked on a menu for National Chocolate Week for The Providores restaurant. We cooked together, talked and emailed a great deal, and tasted. It was all about being creative, chatting, having fun. Peter travels a lot, so he’s one of those friends whom I might not see for a while, but when we do see each other, we might as well be brothers.

We both have tattoos, from different times, that are very alike. Mine are tribal tattoos – a modern take on Mayan and Aztec hieroglyphics, with black lines and bright colours. By a weird coincidence, Peter has black tribal tattoos with empty blocks and bright colours in them. They’re very similar in many ways.

Peter has endless energy, which I’m a bit jealous of – it doesn’t seem to run out. I love spending time with him, and working on ideas. It’s like working with a twin. Sometimes we don’t even have to speak.

paulayoung.co.uk

Paul A & Young Peter Gordon

Paul and Peter share an intense work ethic and a playful curiosity about fusion food

Paul, when he opened his frst shop in Camden Passage, Islington, in 2006; Peter working at The Sugar Club on All Saints Road, Notting Hill, in 1995

‘Over the years, we kept being drawn back together – we have a similar ethos about putting unusual things together’

New Zealander Peter Gordon divides his time between London and Auckland, and has restaurants in both cities. He was executive chef at the infuential Sugar Club restaurants in the Nineties. Then in 2001, he opened the award-winning The Providores and Tapa Room, and in 2010, Kopapa, his second London restaurant.

The frst time I met Paul, he seemed really cheeky and hilarious, and asked lots of questions. I thought, what’s this guy doing here? Later, I realised that this Paul A Young I kept reading about was the person I’d met at Marks & Spencer. What he was doing with chocolate was similar to what I was doing with other food – being playful in the way he mixed ingredients.

We’re kindred spirits when talking about favours – it’s inspirational. It’s very rare that he says something and I totally disagree with him.

I like his dedication to his craft, that he was a chef who segued into a chocolatier. And I love his sustainable sourcing of products from exotic places, the cool ingredients, and sticking to his principals of using as much natural food as he can.

We plan these holidays that we’ve never yet taken, that would involve swimming, relaxing and going to markets. This year I decided to learn the cello. I was in Berlin and went to see the Philharmonic in concert. I was blown away and left so inspired by it. I saw Paul a few days later and, because he plays the cornet, I thought maybe I could learn to be musical and we could have a little band. I like the idea of us playing together, with Marmite chocolate to keep us going.

I wish we could spend more time together. He’s always busy and I travel all the time. I think we need to go somewhere where they grow chocolate and we can both get more tattoos, do lots of swimming, eat feasts and maybe record an album!

Paul and Peter are collaborating on a chocolateinspired menu, which will be available at The Providores throughout July (theprovidores.co.uk).

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