32 minute read
OBSESSION 22
15 NIGHTS, 18 CHEFS AND 18 MICHELIN STARS. AFTER A TWO-YEAR WAITNORTHCOTE’S OBSESSION RETURNED BETWEEN 21 JAN - 6 FEB 2022.AND THIS YEAR WAS BIGGER THAN EVER.
BY CLAIRE BOSI
The ultimate celebration of gastronomy, Obsession began in 2001, with a modest, yet brilliant group of chefs. Over the years, the celebration has grown to a fortnight-long and become recognised as one of the most prestigious gourmet festivals in Europe. When details of the Obsession22 line-up were released, the team at Northcote received a startling 15,000 requests to attend within just 14 days of the announcement. Obsession22 was also the first year under the leadership of Northcote’s Executive Chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen. When restrictions were relaxed during the pandemic in 2021, I joined Lisa on a foraging trip with the festival film sponsors, Wellocks - a company with whom Lisa holds a great relationship, and who supply much of the produce into her own Michelin starred kitchens. During the trip Lisa discussed the direction she hoped to take Obsession22 in, for its first year back; “I want Obsession22 to really showcase the exceptional talents we have here in the UK and Ireland. Previous Obsessions have seen chefs fly in from all over the world, and that is definitely something we will return to. But this year, it’s going to be extra special. It will be about celebrating our own hospitality industry and our own world-class chefs” True to Lisa’s word, she made it happen. The festival saw chefs travelling from all across Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland – from Edinburgh to Dublin, London to Newcastle and beyond - to cook their unique Obsession menus. Of course, Obsession22 took all manner of support and ingenuity to deliver. There is a whole team working throughout the year, and during the festival. From reservations, to room attendants, marketing to sponsorships – Obsession is one monumental collaborative effort. These efforts are further enhanced by the festivals generous sponsors. Guests are chauffeur-driven in style, thanks to the support from Porsche. Headline sponsors, Deepbridge, joined by kitchen sponsors Electrolux Professional and chefs table sponsor Gaggenhau are among those who contribute enormously to the events’ success resulting in over £70k raised for Hospitality Action. New for 2022 saw a beautifully crafted cover plate and tea service, courtesy of Royal Crown Derby. As guests were seated, the cover plates added to the sense of anticipation and excitement for the evening ahead – these pieces surely set to become collectibles. As with each Obsession festival, accompanying every menu is a wine pairing, carefully curated by Northcote’s very own Craig Bancroft. I spoke with Craig, halfway through the festival; “We know each chefs’ menu in advance of their arrival, so I have a loose shortlist of wines. But of course, reading the description and tasting the dish can mean two very different things. On the day of the event, chef cooks and plates up the menu, then we taste it and match the wines carefully.
The celebrations always begin with Louis Roederer champagne, as they kindly sponsor the event” I asked Craig – what if he cannot match a menu with wines from his own extensive cellars? “I don’t have to worry about that” Craig laughs “We have the wonderful Wright Wine Co just over in Skipton. They are just fabulous at finding us whatever we need, at very short notice. And they are very used to working with me!” So, Obsession22 was a roaring success and the team now look forward to next year’s event. But before we sign off, lets have a closers look at just who graced the kitchens this year, there are two groups of people who helped to make this event so outstanding. To the line-up of chefs – so much gratitude. It has been a tough time for the hospitality sector, and your support towards Obsession has been extraordinary. You have travelled to us, shared your experiences with us, showcased your craft. You have brought generosity, optimism and celebration. Together we displayed just how our UK hospitality scene rivals that of any country. Finally, without guests, there would be no Obsession. So, on behalf of Craig, Lisa and all the team behind Northcote’s Obsession – thank you for helping to bring this festival to life, thank you for showing our chefs just how much their talents are appreciated and we look forward to welcoming you again.
Let’s have a further look behind the chefs and their success stories.
Lisa Goodwin -Allen
N o r t h c o t e – L a n c a s h i r e
In an environment where men have traditionally taken centre stage, Lisa Goodwin Allen has broken the mould. She is one of the UKs most prominent female chefs and her trailblazing career undoubtedly inspires many other young girls that they, too, can forge a highly successful career in a professional kitchen. Inspiring young talent into hospitality continues to be a focus for Lisa, with her appointment as Chair of Judges for Young Chef of the Year 2022-24, UK judge for the San Pelligrino 2022/23 awards. Lisa became head chef of Northcote at 23, one of the youngest women ever to run a Michelin-starred kitchen. She became Executive Chef in 2015 and has successfully retained a Michelin star since. She furthered her success with the win of Hotel Cateys Chef of the year in 2019. As her star ascended, Lisa became the first woman to win Great British Menu, following this with 3 winning dishes on Great British Menu Christmas 2020 - a unique banquet honouring the NHS and key workers who played such a central role in the Coronavirus pandemic. Lisa’s beautiful, nostalgic and festive flavours secured her three wins. To date this remains more than any other chef has won in any GBM series.
Lisa’s natural ease and the public’s favourable response to her cooking style and personality has also landed her regular TV appearances on MasterChef: the Professionals and James Martin’s Saturday Morning. Northcote’s ethos of showcasing the best of Lancashire’s impressive terroir is close to Lisa’s heart. She has forged close relationships with the best local growers and producers, which gives her the opportunity to celebrate her home county. “There are many unsung heroes and people who have been doing this for generations. But there are also new people coming to the fore, so there’s always something new to discover and work with. It’s about taking that local produce and putting my twist on it – working with the seasons, to bring out the best of every product to create new exciting dishes. “The people that rear and grow these amazing ingredients are linked to us. They put so much time and effort into creating incredible produce that it can only inspire those of us who work in the kitchen. When we get our hands on ingredients that have been nurtured with love and passion, it really gives us the urge to do something special with them. It’s our way of showing respect, of paying homage.”
Matt Abé
R e s t a u r a n t G o r d o n R a m s a y – L o n d o n
Aged only 16 he was already determined that the kitchen was the place for him, after being inspired by watching shows such as ‘Boiling Point’ which left him fascinated by the pace and energy of restaurant life. An apprenticeship followed, then came stints working at renowned Australian restaurants Aria and Vue de Monde before he eventually moved to the UK aged 21 to join Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, where he has risen through the ranks from Sous Chef at Claridge’s to Chef de Cuisine, then co Chef/Patron at Three Michelin starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay where he has spent over ten years.
The dishes Matt creates put together precision cooking, visual ‘wow factor’ and sometimes unexpected flavour pairings, so where does he find the inspiration to remain at the cutting edge of creativity; ‘I think inspiration comes from everywhere, whether it be a recent experience, a childhood memory or even a bad experience, I guess. Inspiration can come from so many sources, going on holiday or even just walking down the street, something inspiring can strike you. In all honesty things come to my mind at the most random times of the day! New ideas pop in to my head and I write them down. I don’t wake up in the morning thinking ‘what am I going to do to get through the day’ I never think that, it is always looking forward to the next day, the next service or the next challenge for me. I like to think about the future and not just my future – the team’s future too”
Mickael Viljanen
C h a p t e r O n e – D u b l i n
When Mickael Viljanen talks about his relationship with food, he doesn’t create a false narrative. He grew up in Finland where hunting and foraging were normal. His grandfather and parents all cooked seasonally and dinners were simple. And yet Mickael is world class. Talk to most UK-based chefs about him, or, at least, those at two star and one star level, and there’s a quiet intake of breath. He’s one of the few who commands universal respect, one of the few whom people at two Michelin star continue to look up to, one of the people who others chefs describe variously as ‘having cooked one of the best dinners I’ve eaten in the past five years’, or, sentences that frequently include the words ‘best’, ‘exceptional’, ‘amazing’. Make no mistake, within the industry, Mickael is revered.
Mickael grew up around good produce and good food, though notions of fine dining were a million miles from his mind. “As a small boy I remember going to local markets and buying fish from the markets. As a kid in Finland, all the forests are free for everybody. So, from school age I was collecting berries and mushrooms from the woods. I’ve always been hunting since I was young. I was shooting from a young age so game has always been in our house.”
Mickael is constantly innovating, constantly coming up with new ideas, though very few make it to the menu. “90% of the things that we try never make it to the menu. That’s the reality. It’s about 5-10% that makes the cut. It’s produce led. The best dishes are 2, 3, 4 things on the plate and they are more than the sum of its parts. They are the hardest things to do but they have purity and clarity. It’s about the best produce, that’s always what drives it.”
Jordan Bailey
A i m s i r – C o u n t y K i l d a r e
Having started his career in a manor house in Cornwall, Jordan Bailey learned the basics before coming to the attention of Michelin starred chef Simon Hulstone. There, in his first Michelin kitchen, Jordan figured out the direction in which he wanted to go. He learned the importance of working with a farm, just across the bay, marvelling at the boxes of amazing produce that came to the kitchen. “Tasting things that were picked that morning compared to things from a normal supplier was an eye-opener. I’d never realised how good it could be. That’s when my thought-process changed, though I didn’t realise it at the time.” After working with Hulstone, he set his sights on either Restaurant Sat Bains or L’Enclume, moving to Nottingham to work under Bains. From Bains, to the Norwegian restaurant Maaemo. He worked with the mystery bag of ingredients that the Norwegian larder provided, finding inspiration to create new dishes. He was head chef when Maaemo won a third star and managed to retain that the following year.
It was time to take his lessons and move on. It was time to relocate to Ireland, and for his own restaurant with his wife Majken. The couple spent three months on the road, travelling all around Ireland, meeting the producers and suppliers. Then, it was time for Aimsir. In less than a year, the couple and their team won two Michelin stars for Aimsir. “It’s incredible, really. We had been open for just over a year. To achieve two stars in that time is still very early in our journey.”
Hrishikesh Desai
HRiSHi at Gilpin Hotel & Lake House – Cumbria
If Hrishikesh Desai had to go back to a single point in time, it would be to his childhood. During a career that’s included TV shows and a stage at Thomas Keller’s three-star French Laundry, despite winning the Roux Scholarship and securing a Michelin star of his own, the seminal moment could not have been humbler. Hrishikesh grew up in Pune, in Western India, where food played an important part of his childhood. And the moment that underpinned his career came in a tiny, two-bedroomed house. Each day, his mother, would cook for his father, Shridhar. Hrishikesh would sit in the corner and watch. Too young for school and too timid to get involved, he’d watch as ммmother blended spices and herbs, cooked vegetables and rice. “There was a tiny stand in the corner and I would sit on that as a small kid. I would watch dhal, rice, vegetables and chapatis being made before my father arrived for lunch” It is those remembrances that have carried Hrishikesh through his star-studded career.
The Executive Chef at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, in the Lake District, has created a unique type of cuisine that showcases the best of modern British foods with Asian flavours from India, Thailand and China. Underpinned by classic French techniques, Hrishikesh’s food recaptures those innocent childhood memories where he would watch his mother blend spices. In April 2022, Hrishi was named as an Honorary Member of the Craft Guild of Chefs for his contributions towards National and Young National Chef of the Year.
Kenny Atkinson
House of Tides-Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
He was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and spent the first 12 years of his career training in some of the best restaurants in the UK. His bold and ambitious cooking brought him critical acclaim among his peers. Kenny Atkinson is a popular and personable figure, he’s been a regular on TV, winning The Great British Menu in 2009 and 2010 and featuring alongside James Martin on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen & ITV Saturday Morning. A hero of the North East, Kenny has, among others, been awarded Number 20 in the UK Top 100 National Restaurant Awards 2019, AA UK Restaurant of The Year 2016 and was ranked in the top 4 by both Square Meal and Hardens in their Top 100 Restaurants outside of London 2019. Kenny and Abbie Atkinsons restaurant House of Tides was awarded a Michelin star in 2015.
The family-run restaurant is set within a beautifully restored Grade 1 Listed, 16th Century former merchant’s townhouse on the historical Newcastle Quayside. He champions local and sustainable produce, though he’s just as happy buying produce from Cornwall or Cumberland, providing it’s the best quality. Spring 2022 also sees a sister restaurant to House of Tides, Solstice. Opening on a former bistro premises run by Abbie and previously known as Violets, Kenny and Abbie are relaunching the site as Solstice, which Kenny describes as a small fine dining restaurant set over seven tables with an open kitchen. “Solstice will be something different to our main restaurant House of Tides,” he said. “It will be more intimate and we want the chefs to be more involved with customer interaction.”
James Martin
Celebrity Chef & TV Presenter
He most probably needs no introduction, but here we go. He was born in 1972 in Malton, North Yorkshire. “My passion for food began when my father took the role of catering manager at the Castle Howard estate. At 13 a trip to the South of France in an HGV gave me the opportunity to really experience good food and wine in some of the best chateaux in France. I was hooked!” James Martin began his formal catering training at Scarborough Technical College. A model pupil, he was awarded Student of the Year for three consecutive years. Post-graduation and it was London calling. James relocated to the capital and worked at One Ninety Queen’s Gate, Alastair Little in Soho, The Square in Mayfair and Harvey’s in Wandsworth. He also travelled around France working in chateaux kitchens and gaining experience in Michelin star establishments. Returning to England, James took up the position of junior pastry chef at the acclaimed Chewton Glen. Just a few weeks short of his 22nd birthday, James opened the Hotel and Bistro du Vin in Winchester as head chef.
And that TV career? It began in 1996 with The Big Breakfast and Ready, Steady, Cook. Over the next ten years he went on to film shows including Entertaining with James and Housecall. In 2006, he became the presenter of the BBC One show Saturday Kitchen. He presented the show up until March 2016, making it a Saturday morning staple, attracting viewers in excess of 3.5 million. More recently James has been on screen for ITV touring the UK for Islands to Highlands, James Martin’s Great British Adventure, America for James Martin’s American Adventure and France in Keith Floyd’s car for James Martin’s French Adventure. James Martin’s Saturday Morning is shown every Saturday on ITV and STV and in 2021 the show won the TV Choice Award for Best Food Show. James can also be found creating delicious plates of food on ITV’s This Morning. An author with many titles, James published his first book ‘Eating In’ in 1998.
Tom Kerridge
T h e H a n d a n d F l o w e r s - M a r l o w
Another very familiar face from our television screens. Those of you who follow the food scene carefully, will know that, before television success, chef Tom Kerridge and his wife, Beth made history with their pub, The Hand and Flowers of Marlow became the first pub in the world to be awarded two Michelin stars. That was back in 2012 and the couples’ feet haven’t touched the ground since. Born and raised in Gloucestershire, Tom joined culinary school in Cheltenham at the age of 18. His kitchen career began in country houses and hotels across Gloucestershire where he worked as a junior chef. In his early twenties, Tom moved to London to work with the likes of Philip Britton, Gary Rhodes and Steven Bull from whom he learnt and grew his skillset. Tom later became the head chef of Adlards, a Michelin starred restaurant that served modern British food.
In 2005 Tom and Beth's restaurant journey began at The Hand and Flowers, Marlow. Their success led to the opening of a sister pub – The Coach of Marlow which achieved its first Michelin star in 2018. Today, the group also owns The Bull & Bear of Manchester, Kerridge’s Bar and Grill of London and The Butcher’s Tap of Marlow – Tom’s traditional butchers’ shop that serves the highest quality meat prepared by expert butchers. Complimenting the collection of restaurants are Toms Pub in the Park festivals, his television shows and his library of published titles. Tom Kerridge continues his work celebrating the very best of UK produce and people. He is, without doubt, one of the greatest successes our UK hospitality scene has ever witnessed.
Roberta Hall-McCarron
L i t t l e C h a r t r o o m a n d E l e a n o r e – E d i n b u r g h
She has represented Scotland on Great British Menu. She has a plaudit of awards including 2018 Young British Foodie Chef and 2019 Emerging Chef of the year. Roberta Hall McCarron has become a jewel in Scotland’s gastronomic crown. Her restaurants, The Little Chartroom and the new sister restaurant Eleanore celebrate the very best of Scottish produce.
As a teenager and through college, Roberta worked in Edinburgh’s restaurant scene. The young chef knew her destiny would be within a professional kitchen early on, having sat a week’s work experience aged just 15. She joined as chef de partie at The Kitchin and spent six years working alongside Dominic Jack at Castle Terrace before setting up her own venture, The Little Chartroom.
Roberta works with her husband, Shaun across both businesses. The pair had a clear vision for the Little Chartoom from the outset “We wanted to create a neighbourhood restaurant people felt they could come and eat at twice a week if they wanted to. We write menus as a team and we work very well together. I value Shaun’s opinion – he understands our guests, our restaurants and our food” The newly opened Eleanore restaurant gets its name from Roberta’s time sailing with her family off the west coast of Scotland, and the artwork created by her mother from old shipping carts. The focus is firmly on casual dining with an intimate wine bar feel.
Simon Rogan & Tom Barnes
L’Enclume-C u m b r i a
It began in Cartmel, 2002, with Chef Simon Rogan opening his first restaurant L’Enclume. 20 years later and Simon and his team have created gastronomic history in the UK by being awarded 3 Michelin stars in the 2022 Michelin United Kingdom and Ireland awards. This award signifies the very first time in our country’s history that a restaurant in the rural countryside has achieved such an accolade. At the time of his residency for Obsession22, Simon was unaware that within the following two weeks, he would be catapulted into the world’s media and celebrated internationally. Simon maintains a clear philosophy around his food. His cuisine is centred around using the best ingredients, respecting the seasonality of produce and how it is grown. Initially, he worked with a local farm to supply directly to the restaurant, but soon took over the land and started running his own farm, now known as Our Farm. His team of chefs and growers work alongside one another and, together with their trusted suppliers, provide ingredients for use across all of Simon’s kitchens.
From the humble opening of L’Enclume in 2002, Simon Rogan now owns several acclaimed restaurants. The intimate chefs’ table experiences, Aulis, in Hong Kong, London and Cartmel. The neighbourhood Rogan & Co, Henrock at Linthwaite House and Roganic Hong Kong sit within his portfolio. Simon also partners with Kendall College, offering student chefs and front of house professionals the opportunity to train under his guidance. Working alongside Simon as Group Executive chef for the past 11 years has been former Roux Scholarship winner and Great British menu finalist, Tom Barnes. Born in Barrow, Tom had a keen interest in cooking from a very young age. This intrigue turned into his own obsession when he began to cook professionally as an apprentice at The Lakeside Hotel, which eventually led him to the kitchens of L’Enclume. In 2017, Tom travelled to Copenhagen as chef de partie at 3 Michelin restaurant Geranium under chef Rasmus Kofoed before returning to Cartmel in January 2018 to resume working with Simon Rogan.
Alex Bond
A l c h e m i l l a - N o t t i n g h a m
As Chef-Patron of Alchemilla Restaurant Nottingham, Alex Bond is forging his own path in the culinary world and doing things a little differently in the process, by placing the focus on vegetable-led menus. He’s worked in renowned kitchens including Auberge du Lac and Restaurant Sat Bains since the age of 19 and now he’s channelling his experience in to Alchemilla, his first solo venture which opened in summer 2017. Alchemilla is already making quite a name for itself thanks to his confident and creative cookery, and was awarded a Michelin star in 2020.
Though ‘vegetable-led’, Alex’s approach to his cuisine has not been to completely remove animal protein, “We don’t limit ourselves to being vegetarian, but we do a lot of vegetables and this varies with the season. We have got a ‘hen of the woods’ dish with sliced Lardo - that’s the only bit of meat, so it is essentially a vegetable based dish. Or we might do celeriac cooked in chicken fat. We don’t set out to be vegetarian, but we do use a lot of vegetables as the focus on the plate” Alchemilla does also offer vegan, pescatarian and vegetarian menus alongside their tasting menu and the setting of the restaurant in Nottingham is as true to Alex’s own style as the food. Thick brick walls and lofty ceilings show off the heritage of the space (a former coach house which dates back 125 years) while an open kitchen, stylish bar and displays of foliage bring it up to date.
Galton Blackiston
Morston Hall – Norfolk
In 1979, 17-year-old student, Galton Blackiston, set up a stall at Rye market selling his own range of home-made cakes, biscuits and preserves. The range became known as ‘Galton’s Goodies’. It was so successful Galton gave up an ambition to be a professional cricketer, deciding instead on a career as a chef. Galton began working in the Lake District at the renowned Miller Howe, finally working his way up to the position of Head Chef. With this also followed work experience stints in New York, Canada, South Africa and London.
In 1987 Galton set about fulfilling his dream of creating an informal country hotel. A farmhouse on the edge of the Morston Marshes caught his eye and today, Morston Hall is one of Britain’s leading country hotels. Galton has held a Michelin star for his cuisine since 1998 and Morston Hall has also been named in the top 100 restaurants in the UK. Away from Morston Hall, on the seafront at Cromer, you can visit Galton’s side-passion. No 1 Cromer is his award-winning fish and chips takeaway, with an upstairs restaurant that looks out over the sea-views. Galton admits to getting as excited with this second business as he is with the fine dining of Morston, adhering to the same principles of the finest ingredients cooked with skill and love. And, of course, Galton Blackiston is a very familiar face on television cookery shows. His easy banter with his fellow chefs coupled with recipes that are easily translated into a domestic kitchen make Galton one of the UKs favourite television chefs.
Atul Kochhar
Kanishka–London
Originally from Jamshedpur, Northern India, Atul Kochhar left his role at The Oberoi Hotel Group in India to move to the United Kingdom in 1994. For 25 Years, Atul has been at the forefront of the UK culinary industry, earning Michelin stars for his cuisine at Tamarind and then a second for his former restaurant, Benares. Taking inspiration from his native India, Atul continues to invest in researching regional dishes; his award-winning cooking a unique melting pot of traditional culinary techniques, the very best spices and ingredients from India combined with the best of British produce. With his pioneering attitude and skills, Atul has changed the way people perceive Indian food in the UK.
In 2019 Atul launched Kanishka on Maddox Street, Mayfair. Kanishka specialises in the unexplored cuisine of India’s North East ‘Sister States’. Kanishka joins Atul’s existing array of both casual and fine dining eateries. The sister states region of India has a distinctive food culture. The approach to cooking is one of humility and elevated simplicity – relying less on oil and spice than in other parts of the country, and instead upon the expert combination of fantastic quality ingredients. Atul is a much-celebrated author of several cookbook titles and also runs AMOD – a unique events company specialising in sensational Indian cuisine.
Angela Hartnett & Luke Holder
HH&co at Limewood – Hampshire
Awarded an MBE in 2017, followed by an OBE in 2022, Angela Hartnett is one of the UKs most loved chefs. Born in Britain, Angelas passions for good, honest food using only the best, most sustainable ingredients were instilled in her by her Italian grandmother and mother. Today, those foundations of cookery have remained and Angela is revered for her sophisticated Italian cuisine. Her cooking career began in the kitchens at Aubergine, Zafferano, L’Oranger and Petrus, Angela became head chef at Petrus within seven months, helping the restaurant to achieve a Michelin star. She then went on to launch Amaryllis in Scotland; Verre in Dubai; Menu and The Grill Room at The Connaught, with Gordon Ramsay.
In 2008, Angela opened her own restaurant, Murano in Mayfair, where she is Chef Proprietor, and holds a Michelin star. Murano is one of the few restaurants to hold 4 AA rosettes and was included in the Good Food Guide’s Top 50 restaurants. Luke Holder dedicates his passion for cooking to family meals and events – citing his own father as a ‘very passionate cook’. Aged just 18, Luke took himself off to travel the world. During a bus journey from Nepal to India he realised that his future was in hospitality. That he wanted to become a chef. In 1998, on returning to the UK from Dubai, Luke secured a position as commis chef to Chris Galvin at the Orrery restaurant. From here, he absorbed knowledge and grew his skillset – further working in some of London’s finest restaurants including The Oxo Tower on the South Bank. Luke also worked his way through European kitchens and credits these experiences for changing his philosophy on food. In particular, a year cooking in the Italian kitchen of Enoteca Pinchiorri, 3 Michelin stars, in the heart of Tuscany. From thereon, Luke placed his focus on cooking locally and seasonally, and always at the highest level. Returning to England once again, Luke eventually joined Lime Wood in the New Forest. Here, Hartnett Holder & Co was created. A relaxed, stylish and comfortable restaurant - full of character, yet unpretentious. Angela Hartnett and Lime Wood’s Luke Holder, together with their team, create locally sourced Italian dishes with a respectful nod to the seasons.
Monica Galetti
M e r e – L o n d o n
After over a decade on British TV screens, Monica Galetti is one of the country’s most wellknown chefs. The level of fame Monica has achieved over the years, with numerous television appearances on Saturday Kitchen, A Cook Abroad, Amazing Hotels (with Giles Coren) and of course, her ongoing role as presenter and stern judge of Masterchef: The Professionals has been hard won, with years of hard graft behind the scenes. Her acclaimed London restaurant Mere, that she runs with husband David, is a synthesis of Monica’s unique background and experience.
She began her career in New Zealand, studying for a Diploma in Hospitality and went on to work at a fine dining restaurant where the owner encouraged her to enter professional cooking competitions in which she represented her country internationally multiple times. She worked in the Channel Islands and Maastricht before moving to London in 1999. ‘I sent my CVs out before I moved, and Michel Roux Jr was the first to reply, and offered me a commis position. At that point I was chef de partie but I knew I had to get that experience and that was how I ended up at Le Gavroche. I once asked Michel, “How come you chose me out of all the CVs you got?” and he just said, “Oh, I really liked your last name!”
Monica runs Mere in partnership with husband David, who she met at Le Gavroche where he was a sommelier. ’I don’t see how Mere could have worked without him’. There is a symbiotic working relationship between herself and David (‘when I’m not here, he is, and vice versa. He also gets when I’m down, or why I’m upset about things’) and they have a team of which they are ‘incredibly proud’. You wouldn’t blame Monica for being proud of the critical acclaim the restaurant has attracted. Reviews from both the Evening Standard and the Telegraph have been glowing, the latter overflowing with superlatives describing the food as ‘delicious’, ‘beautiful to look at’ and ‘painstakingly creative’.
Nieves Barragan Mohacho
Sabor - London
Nieves grew up in a small town called Santurce in Northern Spain, Bilbao. Her mother was the cook of the house and in other words, she was the soul of the house. “First thing in the morning and all the way through to dinner she would be cooking” Aged 20, Nieves wanted new experiences. London that was calling her name. Her original plan was to stay a year, gain experience as a chef, but the city grasped her - she has been in London ever since. “For me, going from a small town to the big city was so exciting. London seemed magical. I met people from all over the world, and I started to try different cuisines, different ingredients and flavours. I was learning so much” Being in London opened up a whole new world. Beginning her job at Simply Nico the start to an extraordinary career. She wanted a job where she could learn another language and improve her English, and remained at the 2 Michelin starred French restaurant for 2 years.
In 2003, she received a call that was going to change her life. The famous ‘Fino’ was about to open and they appointed Nieves as Sous chef. She adds, the timing was coincidental but crucial, as this was the time authentic Spanish food wasn’t entirely well known in the UK and Fino became a novelty. “It was the time for Spanish food to make its mark in London,” she says. Her talent carried her through to her promotion as head chef 4 years later and in 2008 ‘Barrafina’ (the sister restaurant to Fino) opened its doors. It was awarded a Michelin star in 2013. After 16 years at Barrafina and Fino, with former general manager of Barrafina, Jose Etura, the pair decided to open Sabor. Everything Nieves had dreamed of, came to life. Sabor was awarded its own Michelin star. Nieves has plans for the future. For now, it’s all about introducing people to authentic Spanish cuisine and for Nieves, that’s one of her greatest pleasures; “I wouldn’t call this work, it’s a joy. It’s priceless.”
