When I was young the way to eat sea urchins (rizzi in Maltese or ricci in Italian) was to break them open at the beach, rinse them with sea water and then scoop out the custard-like orange gland and enjoy the sweet and briny flavour either on fresh bread or else just scooping them out with a spoon and eating them. They used to be abundant and we would have them for lunch. They were served soon after they were picked and needless to say, freshness here is of the essence. In recent years, spaghetti ai ricci has become ubiquitous in Maltese restaurants. At first you could find it only in fish restaurants but it has now become considerably more common. Every chef has his own version though in my view, the simplest method is the best. For a recipe you can take a look here. While this is a dish that I continue to crave everytime I am in the Mediterranean and in particular my home country, Malta, I still think that the freshness of the sea urchin is somehow ruined by the hot pasta … [Read more...]
Air Republic, Sergio Herman’s new project in Cadzand taking shape
Sergio Herman has used his Instagram feed to name his latest project Air Republic. The restaurant, that was announced in December 2015 is set to open in autumn of this year. Writing on his Instagram feed with a photo of him looking at the new restaurant that has been purposely built he said "Air republic in coming between Belgium and Holland. You feel it... the air and the vibe is always different! Every single day. Herman is one of the most talented chefs who decided to stop cooking full time in 2013. He has, however, not rested on his laurels created the successful The Jane with Nick Bril in Antwerp and Pure C in Cadzand with Syrco Bakker. After the success of The Jane in Antwerp and Pure C in Cadzand, Sergio Herman is opening a new harbour restaurant, pavillion and takeaway in Cadzand. The restaurant is set to open in a few weeks time. The seaside resort in the Netherlands has been made popular by his restaurant Pure C. It will now welcome the new harbour restaurant, … [Read more...]
‘I’ve spent a lot of time travelling to find what I wanted to do after Noma’ – Yannick Van Aeken (Humphrey)
When a young Belgian chef decided to open Humphrey in Brussels earlier this year, it immediately attracted the interests of those in the know. Young Belgian chef Yannick Van Aeken had been known in food circles particularly since he was sous-chef at Rene Redzepi's Noma for many years. He has also worked at Victor Arguinzoniz's Asador Extebarri, another restaurant that is considered to be among the best in the world and whose chef is clearly one of the top barbecue masters. So the expectations have been high not less because when we interviewed Kobe Desramaults earlier this year he named Van Aeken as one of two Belgian chefs to watch. With that pedigree, it is obvious that there is a lot of attention as to what Yannick is doing at Humphrey. But the young Belgian chef does not let this go to his head. He's opened the restaurant at a rather difficult time for Brussels just before the March terrorist attacks. "It is going well since we opened. Since the Brussels attacks, it has … [Read more...]
Bottarga (Mullet or Tuna roe): Versatile and simple to use
As summer approaches, the nostalgia for produce from the Mediterranean increases. Despite the fact that summer in large parts of Northern Europe has yet to arrive this year, you can replicate that summer feeling using one ingredient which you can find easily in Italian delis and which is a perfect reminder of a hot summer day and your holidays in the South of Italy. It is an ingredient that is synonymous with Sardinia and Sicily though it is used in a lot of countries in the Mediterranean like North Africa, the South of France, Greece and Malta. An ancient ingredient, bottarga is salted, pressed and dried roe from either tuna or grey mullet. Don't be intimidated if you have never used this ingredient. If you have never tried it before, all you need to do is slice some bread and serve with olive oil and very thin slices of bottarga. It may not look appealing in its block state with the wax which seals the red-golden colour but once grated or sliced it has an amazing flavour. … [Read more...]
Food as poetry: Massimo Bottura, the cultured chef at the top of the culinary world
When the World's 50 Best Restaurants announced earlier this week that Massimo Bottura's Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana had made it to the top of the list for the first time few in the culinary world were surprised. His rise to the top of the culinary world has been progressive and constant. What may have been surprising was the time it took for him to achieve the pinnacle of success. This was as much a victory for Bottura, his wife Lara Gilmore and his team as much as it was a victory for culture and creativity. The Italian chef could have easily been a poet or an artist. He says creating a recipe is an intellectual gesture that involves ingredients, technique, memory and the compression of everything in bites of edible culture. He uses food as his medium for creativity and the palate to transmit emotions. "In a world of obligation, you can lose your point of reference. The secret is to keep a small space open for poetry, to be able to jump into that space and … [Read more...]
Jock Zonfrillo: A 16 year old journey to discover the taste and origins of Australian cuisine
A trip by Scottish chef Jock Zonfrillo to Australia changed his life and the fate of Australia's indigenous cuisine. He was on a sabbatical from Restaurant Marco Pierre White that won a third Michelin star but that trip to Sydney was the turning point to an amazing journey of discovery. "I went back to Europe after this trip and kept thinking and thinking and asking myself why Australia was the only country I had visited where I could not taste anything about the culture of the country. There was no taste of original flavours of the country. There were good restaurants but they were French or European, not Australian." Zonfrillo moved to Australia in 2000 and has been there since then going on a journey that has led him to open world renowned restaurant Orana in 2013 which means 'welcome' in some aboriginal languages. While working at Restaurant 41 and Magill Estate Restaurant in Adelaide he set off to try and discover the history and taste of Australian food. And to do that … [Read more...]
Father and son Eric and Tristan Martin work in symphony at Maison Lemonnier
Father and son Eric and Tristan Martin are passionate about food, wine and the region they live in. It is therefore no wonder that they work together in an idyllic setting in Lavaux-Ste-Anne in the Belgian Ardennes where they run a hotel and restaurant which has been open for 10 years. Eric has been cooking for more than 25 years while his son Tristan who studied at the Paul Bocuse Institute joined him in Maison Lemonnier in spring 2008. The father studied law but had already made his decision that he would be cooking. In his words, his love for nature and the region was such that cooking was the only obvious choice. You can see that passion in the philosophy of their cooking, the love for the region and its ingredients, the need to try and make their gastronomic restaurant accessible to young people (but not only) through a 'subsidised' menu on the chef's table and their hospitality. It was on a sunny Saturday morning that I drove to Maison Lemonnier in Lavaux-Ste-Anne in … [Read more...]
Frites Atelier Amsterdam: New Sergio Herman chain aims to create best ‘fries’ in the world
There is no stopping Sergio Herman, one of the world's most talented chefs. After deciding to stop cooking full time at the end of 2013 when he closed his three Michelin star restaurant Oud Sluis in the Netherlands he has now decided to put his name on a new project with the aim of creating the best 'french fries' chain in the world. After opening Pure C in Cadzand (Zeeland, the Netherlands) and The Jane (Antwerp, Belgium), Herman will launch a new concept called Frites Atelier. The aim behind the new chain is to turn the humble potato and the common fast food into something good. Herman has been researching potatoes to find the best varieties that he will use for the chain and the sauces that will accompany the fries will change according to the seasons. The five first sauces are expected to be basil, pepper, truffle, bearnaise and mayonnaise. The first shop will open in the Hague in July and four others are expected to open in the major cities of the Netherlands including … [Read more...]
A contemporary take on Maltese cuisine at Michael’s in Valletta
Maltese chef Michael Cauchi needs no introduction in Malta. Famous for his former restaurant Il Re Del Pesce, today the chef works together with his son Daniel at Michael's in Valletta. When I was younger (and still living in Malta), the chef was a household name on this small Mediterranean island. He used to be on television showcasing his fish dishes, for which he was renowned even at a time when food was not as in vogue as it is today. Since that time, he has worked in various kitchens on the island but none more important than Aziamendi's 100 day pop-up restaurant two summers ago. Michael and his son Daniel were involved with Eneko Atxa and his team who set up the pop-up restaurant in a historic building in Valletta known as L’Hostel De Verdelin, after Fra Jean Jacques De Verdelin, a nephew of Grandmaster De Verdalle. On a recent visit to this restaurant, we really loved the freshness of the food, the clean flavours, the presentation and also the restaurant itself with … [Read more...]
Chocolate maker Benoît Nihant seeking to expand in Brussels and beyond
Benoît Nihant, the bean to bar Belgian chocolatier is looking to expand with the opening of more shops without losing the artisanal approach that makes his chocolates so special. Having successfully opened a shop in the Belgian capital city, Brussels, and exported his chocolates to Asia, Benoît wants to open additional shops in Brussels and does not exclude openings in Antwerp and Gent though his focus for the time being is Brussels. He told Food and Wine Gazette he was actively looking for places in the area of Uccle, Waterloo and Stockel to go closer to where his customers are. His current store in Brussels is in Ixelles but it took him a long time to find it. "We had been wanting to open a shop in Brussels for a long time but we could not find a suitable place. We did not want to be near the Grand Place because it is the place where only the tourists go, we did not want to go the Sablon because that is more of a showcase, the rent is very expensive and it is why there are … [Read more...]