Q Desert island food?
A Chorizo black pudding and chicken stew. I think this would be the only dish I could eat every day if I was stuck on a desert island – the mix of brilliant flavours and the heartiness of the meat would definitely keep me going.
Q Favourite TV chef?
A Jamie Oliver, I love simple food cooked with a twist and I think Jamie does this perfectly.
Q Favourite cook book?
A Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food, it’s very accessible. I have found some good recipes in it and I think people with no cooking experience can comfortably use it.
Q Favourite ingredient?
A Premium soy sauce, because it’s effortless. I get this from my local Chinese supermarket and it’s great to marinade pork loin.
Q Most hated ingredient?
A Liquorice – just no.
Q Perfect dinner guest?
A My mum, she’s always been my number one fan. Since I was young and learning to cook she’s always been very supportive of my food and always gives me great feedback!
Q Favourite kitchen gadget?
A My KitchenAid appliance – you can always rely on it as it never breaks down, compared to a lot of kitchen equipment.
Q Favourite music to cook to?
A Classic 80s music, I love this genre and it always motivates me to get moving in the kitchen, whether it’s coming up with new ideas or creating fresh and exciting dishes.
Q Perfect menu?
A Most definitely an Italian influenced menu. I love Italian food and could never get bored with it. The possibilities are endless when it comes to pizza and pastas and there are so many ways to put a unique twist on to these dishes.
Q Favourite country for food?
A Spain for sure! I love their traditional stews and all the brilliant flavours that pop out in their dishes.
Q Salt or pepper?
A This is a tough question because every dish needs salt but pepper is always a great addition to many dishes. But if I had to choose then most definitely salt. Salt can change the flavour of a dish dramatically with only the smallest of pinches, and so if used correctly it can do wonders to certain foods.
Q Favourite herb?
A Lemon thyme, I love using it in some of my cooking as it brings a different and unique element to the dish.
Q Favourite spice?
A Harissa, I use it a lot in my dishes. The warmth and kick it can add to a dish is brilliant and I always find unusual ways to use it in classic dishes.
Q Favourite way to cook the humble potato?
A Sliced thinly, infuse some cream with onions, bay leaves, garlic and thyme, layer the potatoes on a tray and pour over the infused cream, add some manchego and parmesan to the top and bake. Result: amazing potato gratin.
Q Favourite naughty nibble?
A I can never say no to a quick cheese on toast, with a little bit of Worcestershire sauce on top, mmm perfect.
Q Favourite health food?
A Purple sprouting long stem broccoli, especially when it’s cooked with a little bit of citrus and olive oil. It leaves you with enough bite yet still full of flavour.
Q Ideal picnic dish?
A Just a simple but well-dressed salad – on a hot summer’s day I love just tucking into a large hearty salad.
Q Are you critical of the food when you’re dining out?
A Not at all, I’m very easy going. I enjoy simple food done right. In fact sometimes I feel like I’m not even a chef when I go out to eat.
Q Do you tip in restaurants?
A Of course, always. Whatever you order there is always a lot of hard work and time put into the prep of the dish and I feel that the chefs and front of house should always be recognised and tipped for that.
Q Worst cooking sin in your opinion?
A Lumpy mash, it’s something that has always been a pet hate of mine. There is nothing worse when you get served lumpy mash with your meal.
Flat iron steak with udon noodles
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 6oz flat iron
150g udon noodles
4 stems tenderstem broccoli
½ pak choi
20g kale
Handful of rocket
40g chargrilled pepper
10 petals sundried tomato
5ml yuzu juice
10ml olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Season the flat iron steak with salt and pepper and pan fry until medium rare. Allow steak to rest for five minutes.
Into a pot of boiling water add broccoli, pak choi, kale, rocket and udon noodles. Put into a frying pan with peppers and tomatoes, add a dash of olive oil and cook.
Season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and yuzu dressing. Place all ingredients in a bowl and thinly cut flat iron against the grain and place on top.
Enjoy!
