Too Many Chefs 2017, Drapers Arms

Hosted by Temper's Neil Rankin and by Nick Gibson at his Islington pub/restaurant The Drapers Arms, Too Many Chefs is back this year with another incredible line-up of top chefs. All of the proceeds from the ticket sales (plus half from the drinks spend on the night) are donated directly to Action Against Hunger, making it a truly unmissable event; I may not be a sponsored 10k run kind of a girl, but I can marathon eat with the best of them.

As an unexpected bonus I also managed to catch up with freelance chef James Wilson who is now starting his own business; provisionally called Angel and the Bear, it will provide private dining events and pop-ups with dishes like his 'Savoury 99' - a cone stuffed with sticky beef cheek, topped with beer ice cream and salted crunchy shallots. I will be keeping my eye on that one for you.

The menu for the evening was extraordinary: ten dishes from ten top culinary talents, with some intriguing offerings. Guests were welcomed with a cocktail made from British aperitif Kamm & Sons  to prepare us for the feast; I'll do my best to talk you through it but prepare for some serious meal envy.

Max Halley: Max's Sandwich Shop
A Little Crisp Bread Sarnie: cold roast English rose veal, tonnato sauce, shoestring fries, anchovies, oregano & boiled egg

I confess I had never eaten vitello tonnato before this; somehow, the marriage of tuna and cold veal seemed a rather unappealing one. I get it now; delicate rose veal, egg, creamy tuna sauce, the tang of anchovies - and here, the contrasting textures of crisp and yielding. There was a lot going on in just a couple of bites and the balance was impressive.

Gina Hopkins: The Drapers Arms
Spiced & pickled cauliflower, caraway yoghurt, coriander & mint

A brief aside: by the time the meal was about two courses in, we were chatting with the two couples at our end of the table like old friends. Food, particularly on sharing platters, will do that - along with the undeniable fact that people who like both good food and helping others are likely to be fabulous company. (As indeed they were - thanks again for the banter, feedback and of course the champagne!). I mention this because I put everyone in 'our group' on the spot and asked them to pick their top two or three dishes at the end of the evening.

After much agonising we all narrowed them down (there wasn't a single dish that wasn't somebody's favourite) and this dish was a top contender. The contrast of the warm cauliflower with gentle curry spices and the little cold, sharp, pickled florets was lovely, with the dressing complementing both. I would happily eat a big plate of this as a vegetarian main - and if it is on the menu when I go to the Drapers Arms in its normal guise, I fully intend to.

Elizabeth Haigh (née Allen): Shibui
Pickled potato, clam, smoked mussels, caviar & Sichuan oil

Shibui is Kaizen House's first restaurant concept, due to open Jan/Feb 2018. I went to a pop-up preview of Shibui at Carousel (see my blog from early this year) and can't wait for the permanent venue. This was a characteristically elegant and thoughtful dish with carefully balanced powerful flavours, accomplished and delicious.

Dan Doherty: Duck & Waffle/Sprout
Foie gras custard doughnut

Another contender for dish of the evening, this had it all; beautifully cooked golden doughnut, the most delicate foie gras centre, sweet glaze and what we originally thought was a sprinkling of blitzed salty popcorn but turned out to be the lightest possible pork crackling bits that just melted in your mouth. This was intriguing, technically brilliant and an absolute winner.

Rob Sachdev: The Quality Chop House
Diver caught scallop, BBQ peach, roast chicken

The roast chicken element of the dish was provided by wafers of crispy chicken skin, giving lovely textural and flavour contrast to the sweetness of the scallops The stand-out aspect, though, was the barbecued peaches, which were absolutely delicious and had everybody talking about how we could steal the idea.

Damian Clisby: Petersham Nursery
Cod, mussel & saffron broth, fennel & ginger

This very beautiful broth arrived in a huge dish (that's a serving spoon & fork, for perspective) with an entire side of cod underneath the mussels and peppery edible nasturtiums. It was temple food at its finest - summery, light, yet full of flavour. We had to force ourselves not to finish it, as we were only just halfway through the meal; I really hope I can track this recipe down, as I would love to serve this for a summer lunch with friends.

Rory Shannon: Winemakers Deptford
Mutton faggot, farro, mutton ham & rosehip jelly

We were given a tiny gap before the meat dishes came out, for which we were all grateful. A whoop from the other table heralded these beauties; hefty mutton faggots, topped with a delicious salty mutton ham, served on a bed of farro and greens, like an Irish stew on crack. Intensely meaty and rich, these were accompanied by a little jar of light rosehip jelly to cut through. We were all flagging a little and couldn't do these justice; next year I'm sneaking in a load of Tupperware for leftovers. Give me an autumnal walk in the park, an open fire and a plate of these and I would be sorted.

Ben Chapman: Kiln
Phetchaburi guinea fowl jungle curry

Traditional Thai jungle curry is made with wild meats and packs a punch spice-wise as it doesn't have the coconut milk element to tone it down. This was a classic version, fresh and fiery - a little too much for some of the guests but we found ourselves going back repeatedly for yet another tiny forkful. I love my spice (and lived abroad for a while, so have trained my tastebuds) so was a real fan of this one. I'm heading to Kiln very soon to try out some more of Ben's dishes.

Chantelle Nicholson: Tredwell's
Pear tarte tatin with miso & muscavado ice cream

A certain member of the group (yes Clemence, I'm looking at you!) had been pacing herself throughout the entire evening for this and it didn't disappoint. The tarte tatin was perfect: crispy, chewy, caramelised pastry and pears with just the right amount of give, served with an umami-sweet ice cream, this was wonderful.

Neil Rankin: Temper
Honey kouign amann & Stichelton

Yes, I admit it, I was kind of expecting Neil Rankin to have done a meat course, so this was a surprise. Unfortunately I have an intolerance to honey and so couldn't try this, which was pretty torturous given the reactions of those who could - basically, borderline When Harry Met Sally. I'm assuming it was pretty damn good. I feel a rematch at Temper is required!

Nick Gibson summed the evening up perfectly on his Instagram with this lovely picture and the comment, 'Ten stellar talents. Many well-fed people. All for Action Against Hunger. We choose love.'

All I can add is my heartfelt thanks to him, Neil Rankin and the other amazing chefs here for organising such a wonderful event; if you're looking for a definition of 'win-win' I think you've found it.

Yours, feasting and feeding others,
London Girl About Town xx

Dan Doherty, Sprout pop-up

Dan Doherty is probably best known as the Chef Director of Duck & Waffle - and of the new fast-casual Duck & Waffle Local in St James's Market. Alternatively, you may have sponsored him on a marathon, trek or cycle ride in aid of Learning for Life, or possibly (like me!) you have a ticket for Too Many Chefs, where he will be one of the ten top chefs donating their time and cooking a dish for Action Against Hunger. No? Perhaps you own one of his cookbooks - Toast Hash Roast Mash, the latest, is one of those genuinely useful, home-cook-friendly chef offerings. Yep, that's all him. Exhausting isn't it?

Today, however, was about yet another string to his bow - a pop-up for his first solo venture, Sprout, due to open later this year. Dan's previous pop-up was on the Fifth Floor Terrace at Harvey Nichols; this one was at the rather lovely Nape in Camberwell, with around 30 guests per sitting for the 4-course tasting menu. I rather wish I lived a little nearer, as I am quite keen to pop in and try their usual offerings of British charcuterie, snacks and wine - most of which is available to take away from the wine shop/deli. It's officially on The List.

We started with Hangover Oysters; gutsy, punchy, juicy Bloody Mary-type oysters that would either kill or cure those in a somewhat delicate state. Simply, unfussily presented on a steadying bed of rock salt, these were served with a chilled glass of 'I Think' Manzanilla which stood its ground and complemented them beautifully, giving them a sunny Spanish tapas bar feel.

Next up was the pea hummus with smoked yoghurt and a selection of baby garden vegetables - radishes, courgettes, cucumber, tomato, carrots. Dan admitted that it happens to be one of the 'healthiest' dishes he has ever served; I would just like to say I am totally on board with the five-a-day thing when I can eat dishes like this. The pea hummus was delicious and the quality of the produce shone through.

I was a little undecided about the smoked yoghurt here; I loved the idea but found it slightly overpowering, perhaps because of the light, clean, fresh tastes of the rest of the dish, which was accompanied by a dry, fruity Sepo Pansa Blanca which balanced the fresh vegetables really well. I shall be stealing the combo for my next drinks and nibbles session.

Nape was a great choice of venue for a pre-launch pop-up; it has a relaxed, intimate feel and a long, narrow bar which puts the chef and his team never more than a few feet from the customers. This was a real chilled-out family affair; Dan's partner, digital editor Rebecca Brett (@HungryBecs on socials for you foodies) was helping out and their guest-magnet spaniel Miso was in attendance, being generally adorable.

The grilled skirt steak, zhoug, spiced aubergine and feta arrived basically in 'if-Carlsberg-did-kebabs' form portion for two - tender steak, fiery spices, served on a flatbread and accompanied by more smoked yoghurt (which worked fabulously here) and a glass of Barbera d'Asti. I couldn't have been happier and would absolutely order this if it made its way on to a permanent menu (cough).

The same goes for the dessert - deconstructed buttermilk cheesecake with fresh peaches and home-made hob nobs, drizzled with an intriguing caramel made from tarragon vinegar, bringing a bright acidity alongside the fresh fruit. This was absolutely perfect - a masterclass on appreciating the natural flavours of your ingredients and knowing when you've done enough to bring them out.

As you may have guessed by the name, greenery is going to figure prominently in both menu and decor at Sprout, with the emphasis on local, sustainable ingredients. It will serve simple, delicious, seasonal food that changes throughout the day in tune with the kind of food people want to eat - brunch, lunch & snacks by day, small plates and cocktails by night - in a relaxing, cosy space. The plants and ceramics will be sourced from the local community and for sale, with proceeds going to the original suppliers.

Dan has hinted that the eventual location of the restaurant will be a surprise; so, not Soho or Shoreditch then - or Islington, which seems to have had a recent restaurant/bar boom. Smart money is apparently on South-East London/Lewisham way (which would certainly match the community vibe) but we shall have to wait and see.There's certainly a rather sparse area on my Mapstr under Greenwich that could well do with a few more options.

Yours, first in the queue,
London Girl About Town xx