11 minute read
SUSHI AND SALAD
Super sushi
Mary had never been tempted to try sushi until she had lunch with the owners of Sushi and Salad; now she’s a convert
WILLIAM AND JULIANA Hunt are a very good pairing and between them they have opened two restaurants with a third imminent. With both of them playing to their strengths, uliana’s che ng skills and William’s design ones, there appears to be no stopping them and their success is well deserved.
Juliana came to the UK from Brazil 18 years ago and settled initially in Ely which she loved. She had travelled the world before arriving here perfecting her cooking skills in Europe on the way. And her dream was always to open a restaurant. A few years later she met William, they got together and the dream was about to be realised. But what sort of restaurant? Portuguese, Italian, Brazilian? No, Juliana wanted to open a sushi restaurant.
But there was method in her madness. Juliana was brought up in Sao Paulo which is home to the largest number of Japanese residents outside Japan, 2 million of them. So, of course, the city is full of sushi restaurants which Juliana loved. She grew up eating sushi and learnt how to cook it as she has always been fascinated by food, its taste and textures.
I had no idea uliana knew anything about sushi, let alone wanted to open a restaurant serving it,’ says William. ‘I’d been to Japan quite a bit and liked sushi but when uliana cooked it for me it was the best I’d ever had. She is far too modest sometimes but her passion for food and the art of it as well as the taste is very apparent.’
The couple opened their first restaurant where uliana first settled when she arrived in the UK, Ely, in February 2021. But, of course, that was during one of the lockdowns so it was a takeaway initially. Ely embraced us straight away,’ says William. ‘Sushi is a perfect takeaway as it travels well and we quickly built up a loyal customer base.’
The couple like market towns for their restaurants and the market towns certainly like them. So Stamford became their second restaurant, opening in July this year. Many of you will have noticed the newly refurbished restaurant in Stamford’s high street and it really is quite stunning. William’s design skills have been put to good use here. He’s an engineer and designer with a love of architecture and this is all re ected in the beautiful décor and furnishings that are in the Sushi and Salad restaurant. There’s an
eclectic mix of 1 5 s, s and 7 s apanese design and furnishings, including the crockery and some lighting, which sits alongside 1 2 s European bits with modern tables which they’ve made themselves and Scandinavian chairs. Think kitsch and chic which really works as well as being comfortable. The whole place has a welcoming, friendly feel and atmosphere too. The wallpaper was specially printed, apanese lattice work reproduced and it all blends perfectly including the clouds on the ceiling. And you must go and look at the loo.
But all this beautiful design and ambience is for nothing if the food isn’t any good. But don’t worry uliana’s skills in the kitchen quite easily match William’s design ones. uliana’s menu is based on traditional apanese sushi which reminds me of home.’ But she has put her own take on some of the rolls, creating her own recipes including the crunch. Her blend of different tastes and foods, such as salmon and strawberry try it really does take sushi to another level. And the presentation is beautiful. The name Sushi and Salad, suggested by her son, aptly describes the sushi rolls as every one of them has salad vegetables in them such as avocado or fruit including mango. And then there is the miso, katsu curry and some delicious cod in batter and dumplings as well as much, much more. The menu is extensive and varied and this sushi restaurant is definitely not just rolls of rice and raw fish.
Good sushi is fresh, fresh and fresh.’ Fish is sushi grade and delivered three times a week. Local veg is delivered daily and local meat twice a week. Sushi is not something that you can expect to be served quickly as it is made to order with everything starting from scratch, apart from the rice which is prepared hourly . It is not a quick process so keep this in mind when you visit or come for a takeaway. uliana trains all her chefs, despite them already being experienced sushi chefs, at Ely as she wants them to make it her way, understandably. It takes four years to train as a sushi chef. Most of the chefs are either apanese or Nepalese and all the waiting staff are trained as well and really enjoy learning about sushi and passing their knowledge on.
I had never really liked the idea of sushi, not being a fan of raw fish or cold rice my perception, which was incorrect. My impression of sushi was Rowan Atkinson getting his tie stuck in the conveyor belt in the ohnny English film and the fact that you could die if you ate some of the fish that was prepared the wrong way. uliana, William and I had a laugh about this, no blowfish are used here.’
I have been converted to loving the sushi produced by uliana. The menu can be confusing so ask for advice. The food just ows out of the kitchen and I can guarantee you’ll love it. There’s vegan options and much of it is gluten free and it is definitely good for you. I’m a fan and I’m in good company; Bradley Cooper whilst filming at Ely became a regular much to uliana’s delight!
STEPHEN FITZPATRICK IS a man who appreciates good food which is lucky as he’s the owner and chef of two successful gastropubs near Market Harborough, an area well known for its discerning customers. As the youngest of 12 siblings, ‘the most extravagant food we ate was mince and potatoes,’ he told me when I met him in the village bar at The George in Great Oxendon. Not any more!
Stephen originally planned to become an upholsterer in his father’s business, but when the time came for him to start work in 1982 the country was in the middle of a recession and work was slow. As his dad pointed out, ‘people still want to eat,’ so he took an apprentice chef job in a local bistro under the tutelage of Ferenc Veiger, spending four years there. It was a bit of an eye opener at first working split shifts and missing out on competitive football, but he enjoyed the buzz of service and the high octane environment, eventually moving on to The Belmont Hotel in Leicester.
A short spell in a ski resort in France gave him his love for France and French food which is what his cooking has since been rooted in; he loves classics like cassoulets, confit duck, over sole and real hearty cooking. He headed to the Cotswolds for his first head chef’s job where he met Tracy, the hotel receptionist, soon to be his wife.
After stints in various restaurants around the country including a return to the Belmont, he decided 22 years ago that, as a father of four children, he needed to take more control of his earnings so he and Tracy went looking for a pub to rent. After a few false dawns they found The Joiners Arms in Bruntingthorpe which had plenty of room upstairs to house the whole family, not always easy to find when you’re living above a pub. Two years later they bought the freehold and ‘we’re still there banging the drum after 20 years.’
Food society
They specialise in modern European cuisine; top end stuff which we can do as we have a great client base who have been super supportive throughout the 20 years.’ There are 56 covers, drinkers tend to frequent The Plough, the other pub in the village. And Stephen also runs the Joiners Food Society with 1,400 people on the database who enjoy food society dinners and events. They also offer Auberge suppers with a three course plat du jour for £19.95 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday lunch and dinner.
‘We also used to do all sorts of things like Ask the Chef,’ Stephen says, ‘so while we were cooking at 100 miles an hour in the pub kitchen, customers could phone us for advice on what they were cooking at home. It sounds mad, but it was good fun.’
Patently not a man to choose a simple life, Stephen took on a bistro with 110 covers called The Boot Room in Leicester city. But as more and more restaurants opened at Highcross shopping centre ‘the little guy on his own had an uphill battle. We had a great six years but we had enough in the end competing with the big boys.’
But what the customers in the city lost, residents in Great Oxendon just outside Market Harborough gained. In 2016 Stephen and Tracy bought The George and spent two years refurbishing it.
Lazy lunches
‘We were careful to make sure we retained the charm of the building which has been an inn since the 13th century,’ says Stephen. ‘The bar is very popular with the villagers and their dogs, and we have a lot of
passing tra c. It’s more airy and spacious at The George than the oiners. Sitting in the restaurant in the summer with the bifold doors open onto the patio and gardens, eating dressed Cromer crab with a glass of Sancerre in your hand is really lovely. Then again I like sitting in the restaurant with the wood burner going in the winter with a blade of beef and a glass of Rioja, not that it happens often. We have a loyal following for the food we do. There are no packets or powders here but we’re not food snobs - if someone wants to come and just have a starter, or starter and pudding we’re happy to do that. But what we do, we do well. I may cook a simple lemon sole with caper and butter sauce, French beans and skinny fries but it’s good. I’m the full-time chef at the oiners. It’s a di cult kitchen, small and poky, but it’s built around me whereas the kitchen at The George is beautiful with induction hobs and plenty of space. Tina, my head chef, has been with us for 2 years, Chris, my long suffering nephew and ma tre d’ has been with us for 17 and we had a lad with us for 1 years. We manage to keep the staff despite the usual chef rants!’
Business is hard for everyone in the hospitality business. ouble cream used to be 7 a tub, it’s now 11 and I use a lot of cream and butter. But I still believe people are going out to eat. We have our Auberge suppers at The George too and Fish and Chip Friday lunchtimes are very busy. It’s 15. 5 including a glass of wine. And for big events you can hire the whole place - for weddings, anniversaries and corporate affairs, and we have four very nice ensuite double rooms.’
Before the pandemic Stephen had been spending more time running the bar as his chefs and front of house staff were doing such a great job. He also had more time to work on new plans for the business. I like talking to the customers. When the kids were little and the baby monitors would go off in the kitchen, I’d take Tracy’s place out front as she went upstairs. ou’ve got to love the social side of it. With such long hours, you wouldn’t last if you didn’t. If you don’t like doing the job, go and do something else. Now I’m back to the cooking again. The best bit about the kitchen is the chat. I’ve had a ball in forty years of cooking and made some great mates. And I’m always interested in trying out new recipes. Whenever we go out here or abroad I bring the best ideas back. We’re about to visit San Sebastien to seek out some intxo.’
It’s a far cry from mince and potatoes.
