Taste talks

Brian Hughson, head chef at The Grill at The Dorchester, talks top sausages and British cooking, and nods in the direction of the El Bulli alumnus and chef of new Bethnal Green fine diner, Nuno Mendes.
 

TOL: What are you cooking at Taste?
BH: I'll be cooking my signature dish: seared scallops with sardine 'pie' and cauliflower purée as a starter followed by Rhug Estate Lamb and good old fashioned trifle for desert.

Apart from your own food - whose are you looking forward to trying?
There will be so much talent under one roof so to speak at Taste so I'll be looking to try as much as I can. But the ones I can't miss are Club Gascon, Bentleys and Maze.

When the summer arrives - what's on your barbeque?
Summer's such a great season for quality produce. I'm a fan of the classic favourite, sausages, but I also love to barbeque a big rump of lamb, trout and corn on the cob.

The sun's out, you're not at work, what are you drinking?
John Campbell, the new chef at Coworth Park recently introduced me to Orange Pimms, which is a perfect summer drink. I'm still trying to get the recipe out of him but it's a closely guarded secret.

Is there anything you'd push to the side of your plate?
I'm fiercely allergic to Halibut.

What do you eat on a hangover?
I'm one of those fortunate people who don't suffer from hangovers, but if I did I'd probably reach for a curry.

How good is food in London?
It's getting better and better all the time. An event like Taste of London really highlights what a buzz there is about food in the capital. We have such a variety of restaurants and cuisines these days.

Where's your favourite place for alfresco eating in London?
Sitting out on the balcony of The Belvedere in Holland Park for a Sunday Roast is perfect alfresco dining.

Any foodie hidden gems in the capital we should hear about?
Try the Wapping Project for great simple food.

We all want to eat responsibly - how important are topics like the environment and sustainability to your restaurant?
Very important. It seems everyone is becoming more and more aware of the environment and getting involved with protecting it. This is a topic that is close to our hearts at The Dorchester. We recognise that diners want reassurance that we source our produce responsibly and rightly so.

When we're not eating out we're shopping at supermarkets, there's talk of a supermarkets ombudsman to protect producers - what do you think of that?
Anything that ensures the way food is produced is honest and correct is good in my mind.

How hard is it to eat locally and seasonally? Is it important?
I think it's important to consider how 'locally' is defined. How local is local? Some products might be grown locally but then they've been shipped off to a faraway distributor. I'm lucky where I live in Hampton Wick because there's lots of choice. Kingston and Richmond are nearby and you can find fantastic local produce.

What is Taste of London?
A fantastic day out for anyone keen on their food and a gathering of the best restaurants and chefs in London. It's also an opportunity for the public to experience the variety of the London dining scene at unusual prices.

Which young chefs should we be looking out for this year?
Portuguese-born Nuno Mendes is a very exciting young chef. He's fresh, innovative and I like that his cooking gave me an experience different from anything I'm used to.

When it comes to buying British, which local producers can you recommend?
My local butcher, Miller's in Teddington, is amazing. They offer well sourced and high quality produce - I haven't had a bad piece of meat from there. Their sausages are the best I've tasted.

The Sustainable Restaurant Association just launched - is this an issue on your radar?
It should be an issue for every chef/restaurant. So many people in the country now have high expectations of where the food they are eating is sourced from and how it has been reared so we need to be making every effort to meet these expectations.

What's a perfect meal to be rustled up by the campfire?
Fish caught from my rowing boat that day and a baked potato.

If you were booking a holiday based on the local cuisine where would you be going and why?
San Francisco has great cuisine and such a diverse selection of fantastic restaurants. I'd start up in Napa in Yountville where I would start at the top with a visit to The French Laundry, work my way back down through San Francisco and then on to LA.

Iron Chefs is a hit new show for Channel 4. If you could put your money on any chef throughout history who would you crown the ultimate champ?
Marie-Antoine Carême would be the ultimate champ. He was known as "The King of Chefs and the Chef of Kings" and was one of the first celebrity chefs because of his incredible reputation.

Is Britain getting better at cooking?
Over the last 20 years, Britain seems to have become obsessed with cooking… There is a culinary programme is on every channel, which is fantastic. It's built social awareness and made people keen to fit their lifestyles around their food rather than sitting down with a TV dinner because it's easy. People are much more inclined to get in the kitchen and create these days.

If you went on Come Dine with Me, what would you cook?
Come Dine with Me is great light hearted TV but it's not for me. I'm too busy in my own kitchen.

The Grill at The Dorchester at Taste of London >>