Back in the hot seat

It’s been a little while, but I’m excited to be back contributing to Appetite and sharing a bit about what we’re doing at Peace & Loaf.

As I write, it’s November 1 and we’re celebrating the restaurant’s 11th birthday. It’s an amazing milestone and I’m very proud to still be doing our thing. It’s hard work – but with the support of my business partner, Bob Arora, and the team we’re still serving food which I’m very proud. The restaurant is proudly our food, our service, and our tastes.

On the team side, while we’re good and super-talented across the board, we’re a little thin – something I hear a lot from other chefs. We’re making it work but it’s hard graft and we could do with more young, hungry chefs knocking on the door. You need strong legs in this game, but that buzz of making something you’re proud of is worth every minute.

On the food side, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with picanha steaks, taken from the top of the rump, recently. It’s an interesting cut and I’ve tried popping it in the water bath, but I’m not feeling it just yet. There’s a bit more experimenting to do before I get it where I want it. We’re also getting great stuff from our growers/foragers Vanessa and Hamish. I’m honoured to get what they grow and pick – it’s world-class! We’ve just got some apple marigold, apple blossom and meadowsweet in – I have no idea how they grow and find so much good stuff, but I love it!

This is my favourite time of year to cook – with all the flavours which take me straight back to growing up in Durham. While we move from autumn into winter, we also need to keep one eye on Christmas. I can’t wait to bring back my tikka turkey dish – it’s an absolute winner and I get turkey for dinner for a month!

This is a really important time for every independent restaurant. It’s been a tough year for a lot of us so, if you can, visit somewhere that’s good, local, and does things the right way.