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EATS, ROOT, AND BOOK LEAVES

“Bristol is a pretty inspiring place to be; there’s so much talent, so much kindness and willingness to share knowledge”

Root chef Rob Howell is about to publish his fi rst cookbook. There’s a bit of a wait, though – it’s not out until March 2021 – but as Lockdown 2 has comprehensively exhausted our patience quota, we insisted on fi nding out about it right now . . .

Cookbooks have always been a massive source of inspiration to me, says ob owell. I would always try as learn as much a possible from them, from the beginning of my career up to the present day. a ing the opportunity to write my own is such an honour.

I started my fi rst kitchen job at the age of

13. It was in the cloisters of Wells Cathedral; it was such an amazing place to have a café. When I reached the end of my school year, I knew I wanted to do something creative, and as I’d been working in a kitchen I just kind of went for it. My passion for cooking grew along the way, and I went on to work in kitchens in London, France and Edinburgh before heading back to the West Country to work at the Pony and Trap.

I was fortunate enough to work under some of the best chefs in the UK along the way. I have now been working for Josh [Eggleton, whose restaurant group includes Root] for coming up to nine years. Root was an idea of Josh’s. Megan [Rob’s partner and Root front of house] and I were lucky enough to be able to have a go, and it’s worked out pretty well.

There are so many chefs out there cooking

some seriously impressive food, from whom I’m continually taking inspiration. It’s always great to see people using their position to do good, help and inspire others. Bristol is a pretty inspiring place to be; there’s so much talent, so much kindness and willingness to share knowledge, and it’s great to be a part of it.

My passion for vegetable cookery came through cooking at oot. It s defi nitely been helped by the amazing producers and growers we have around us; whether we get our vegetables from Sam and Becky at Wilding, the guys at imshill arm or ugo s, they all bring us something special; that’s what gives us our drive and makes our menus so easy to write.

I didn’t really know what I was doing at the

start, but along the way, three years later, I feel we have created a style that really works for us. The team we have at Root have all been there for over two years now; we work so well together, and think so similarly, that ideas and menus usually come together with ease. We tend to go with the less-is-more approach; a few ingredients on the plate, treated with a bit of love.

The book is a collection of dishes; almost a ‘best of Root’ during the three years since opening, from dishes that were on our fi rst menu to those we have on today. The recipes are mostly egetables, a little bit of fi sh and meat, and of course some desserts. I would like to think e eryone would fi nd something to please them.

All the recipes in the book mean a lot, but there are some classics in there which I’ll be cooking for a long time to come: the charred hispi cabbage with seaweed butter sauce, pickled shallots and fresh radish; salt-baked celeriac and almond curry with a coriander and lime dressing; mushroom and lentil Scotch egg, and buttermilkfried celeriac with Korean-style sauce.

Thee best piece of advice I was ever given as a chef? weep the fl oor, take the bins out – Josh Eggleton. I was always a bit of a mess when I starting working with Josh, but the best bit of advice is to work cleanly and tidily; you will always feel better about everything.

There are a few dish experiments I won’t be trying again. I used to want to make everything into a ring; I have grown out of it now, and prefer the more natural approach.

My most cherished piece of culinary equipment is my chef’s knife; not that I can use it very well.

Root: Small Vegetable Plates, a Little Meat on the Side by Rob Howell will be published by Bloomsbury on March 18; RRP £26