Andy Lynes

Blimey, that's cheap!

I met Richard Guest (subject of the above mentioned link) when I spent a week in the kitchens at Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane. Jean Christophe Novelli was head chef, but I was really left in Richard's care, who was chef saucier at the time. I was considering a change of career at the time and was working a "stage" to see if a chefs life was for me. Richard was quite insistant that, as I had a wife and young son, the life of a commis in a Michelin starred kitchen was not what I should be aiming for. During the first coouple of days, I thought he was mad. By the end of the week, I virtually crawled out of the hotel I was so tired, and was ready to take Richards advise a little more seriously. I will never forget the dish of incredibly rich and filling cassoulet he cooked for me and that I ate standing in the kitchen just after lunch service. Or the scallop and lamb brochette. It was one of the most "happening" restaurants of that time (1994) and I saw and learnt a great deal in those 5 days. Richard was a very fine cook and I will never forget the dish of incredibly rich and filling cassoulet he cooked for me and that I ate standing in the kitchen just after lunch service. Or the scallop and lamb brochette. It was one of the most "happening" restaurants of that time (1994) and I saw and learnt a great deal in those 5 days. It therefore didn't suprise me that he went on to first become Novelli's group executive chef, and then, when that went pear shaped, to win a Michelin star at The Castle in Taunton. I have completely lost contact with him, but have followed his career with interest. Perhaps I ought to give him a call.

The last, I'd agree with. The first two items in your list I would not. It is quite easy for the experienced home cook to be creative and to achieve a very good standard of presentation. When I'm in the mood, I can create rather lovely looking plates, and that is more a matter of leaving things out and cutting down on portion size than having numerous oils, powders and assorted garnishes to hand (although that can work as well of course). But it's the time, effort and expense involved that, when you stop to think about it, really makes it not worthwhile trying to emulate what a restaurant chef can do in your own home. Consistency is a problem for me. I really have to be in the right mood to cook something really nice, and I'm not everyday. A chef has to have sufficient skills so that mood or inclination afffects the quality of the finished product a little as possible. Basildog - would you agree with that last point?

They like their sheep in the South West don't they!

Apparently not http://www.caterer.com/archive/articledeta...articleID=41729

Hey awbrig thanks!!!!!! (Now I'm "busting your chops". Do you see? Join in whenever you feel comfortable.........and relax. Well done class!).

By yourself with 2 other people?

This will end in tears, I just know it. Tyke, can I ask you to read the user agreement for this site which is right here, especially the bit where it says "You agree not to post messages that you know or suspect to be defamatory, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or violative of any law. " I think your message manages to breach nearly every part of the agreement, except for the bit about violating the law, so I would ask you to take a deep breath before you post again. Ta ever so.

I ate at Roussillon about 10 days ago. I arrived at around 9.15pm after flying back from Amsterdam and having checked into one of the smallest hotel rooms in London at the Rochester Grange Hotel in Rochester Row (note to self:avoid like the plague in future). Although hungry and thirsty, I was not really in the mood for a formal meal, due to a hugely enjoyable evening at Cafe Roux in Amsterdam the night before (report to follow), a long day at work and a fairly long and relatively difficult journey back to London which is too boring to go into. All I really wanted to do was crash out in front of the tele with some comfort food from room service. But the cell like dimensions of the room mitigated against that course of action and out I went into the Pimlico night. However, I soon perked up when I rounded the corner at Ranelagh Grove and into St Barnabas Street and spotted the elegant white bow windowed frontage of Roussillon. It looked every inch the sort of smart London neighbourhood restaurant that I like best. The interior is as mogsob reported, and you can see it for yourself here, just click on 360 interior. Front of house consisted of one rather attractive and assured (female) restaurant manager, and two quite nervous commis waiters and a sommelier. Service was attentive and well intentioned if not highly polished. There were only two or three other tables occupied that night (which is not a good sign on a Thursday night in the height of summer I would say) so it was not stretched. I wondered how they would fair at a busier time. The evening began well with a bowl of baby veg and mustard dip to accompany a selection from the 6 or so home baked breads offered. These were good but not up to the standard of somewhere like Hibiscus. The amuse was a single tiny baby beetroot covered in slivers of summer truffle and a balsamic dressing, which was quite lovely and maybe the most successful dish of the entire meal. Ordering from the carte is interesting as you can have whatever you like in a starter or main course portion, except those dishes listed under "Land" which must be main courses. I went for the sea bass with squid, fennel and ink dressing. This was less intersting than it sounded. Although all elements were nicely cooked and well seasoned, the flavours just didn't sparkle for some reason. Similarly a main course of pot roast rack of veal with semi dried peaches, glazed carrots and chard was nice enough but less than the sum of its parts. The meat was particularly disappointing as I could see no evidence that it was either pot roasted or a rack. It came as boned medalions that could quite easily have been simply pan seared and roasted in the ususal restaurant fashion. It tasted fine though, if not what I was expecting. Although again each element on the plate had been well prepared, they failed to gel into a cohesive whole. Pre dessert was a large scoop of apricot sorbet, most of which I left, but which was very nice never the less. A fig tart with vanilla ice cream was fine, but did not delight. Although overall I left slightly underwhelmed, Roussillon would be a wonderful place for a long and boozy late summer lunch, with the sun streaming in through all that glass. Especially as they only charge around £17 a head at that time of day.

Correct - this is what passes for humour in the UK.

Steven, how did you ever find that !!!!!

On holiday in the US, Charlie Trotter was one of the few chefs I got to see on the TV, as our rented home did not have cable (and therefore no food tv). He was exactly as I expected him to be, a sort of young Spielberg. The food was pretty horrible though, liver and sprouts if memory serves, amongst others. I'm looking forward to him opening in London at the end of the year, but I must admit to not wanting to have to get a second mortgage to eat there.

Most recipes say you must pour the oil in a steady stream and whisk continuously, many saying that getting a friend to help will ensure it all works out, i.e one pours slowy the others whisks. Well, maybe. I have certainly helped to make hollandaise using this method, but for mayonnaise I have never found it necessary. Just dribble a bit in, give it a whisk, a little more, whisk some more and increase the amount as you go. Maybe it was the "continuous" thing that has messed you up in the past?

Cabrales, an excellent report, but I'm sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the experience as much as you might have anticipated. I would have been beside myself if I had visited on such an occassion and the food had not been as near perfect as damn it. Has this influenced the way you view 3 star restaurants (even if only in the UK) as I truely believe the least you can expect at that level, at that price, is some decent grub.

Shaun, thanks for clarifying the situation.

So does the stuff they sell in Waitrose come from the bakery, or does he now have some massive factory churning the stuff out?

I'm just being paranoid due to comments made on other discussion boards in the past, and also Wilfrid's recent but gentle piss take made me think that I may go on about or plug my site a bit too much.

Would it be too utterly vulgar to provide links to my reviews of these restaurants I wonder? If you're interested, click on the UkGourmet link and look under "articles and reviews".

Harvey Nichols were selling it at £10.00 a while back, even before Poilane opened in the UK.

Just to clarify this statement, I am fairly secure in saying that Shaun does not offer any low temperature cooked items on his menu, and employs only traditional equipment in his kitchen (so no water baths, dry ice etc etc). If you read Shauns books, you will notice he has a very particluar style of cooking, but it's not one that easily aligns with the likes of Adria or Gagnaire. To illustrate, one of my most memorable meals at The Merchant House included a very traditional roast grouse, another a steamed and crispy fried duck with morel sauce.

I'm afraid so, here's the full awful truth http://www.caterer.com/archive/articledeta...articleID=43617 .

The only reason I know that he went at all is because he told me himself. He said nothing about his active role in the meetings. I think that says quite a lot about the sort of man Shaun is. I shall do some digging as you suggest. Thanks Steve.

Shaun Hill is mentioned as I indicated above, or are we talking about another article now?

I think they have given that impression in the past with numerous spelling mistakes and factual errors, but have improved a great deal overall. Just now and again.....

I thought it was a rather slapdash article and made the rather odd assertion that Shaun Hill was "believed" to be leading the way in low temperature cooking. As far as I am aware (and I have e mailed Shaun to ask for his comment on this) this is complete bollocks. Shaun has attended the Molecular Gastronomy "summit" in Sicily once or twice, but thats about as far as it goes.