The Man Behind One Of London’s Hottest Openings Shares His Life In Food
The restaurant from my childhood that will always stay with me is my godfather's taverna in Thessaloniki. I’ve got so many great memories of eating calamari and raw clams. It was my first experience of eating both, and those moments and ingredients have really stuck with me.
The first dish I learned to cook was a proper carbonara. My best friend, whose mum is Sicilian, taught me. I was 20, we were living in a flat share, he was sick of the British version, didn’t want to eat any more Super Noodles, so he taught me how to make it.
The restaurant I revisit most often is the French House in Soho. Neil Borthwick is an immense cook. If they have the lapin à la moutarde (rabbit in mustard sauce) on the menu, you have to get it.
My favourite chef is Seb Myers of east London restaurant Planque. He’s the best chef in London. We worked together at Chiltern Firehouse and Sager + Wilde – he’s so talented, and Planque’s food is some of the best out there. He can turn his hand to any cuisine – give him a couple of bricks and some charcoal, and he’ll knock you up the best BBQ you’ve ever had.
I might be a little biased, as it’s part of the same group as Moi, but my favourite new opening is Alta in Kingly Court. The chef Rob Roy has some stellar experience, so the cooking is next level but in a very relaxed, laidback setting. Go for lunch, order a few small plates and a small cider, and you’re good to go.
My most memorable meal was at the Ledbury. I went earlier this year for a birthday meal. The whole thing – the service, the food – was sheer indulgence. The standout dish for me was a plate of trout with raw cream, frozen citrus and pine oil. Sensational.
My perfect Sunday is having an egg and sausage sandwich at Bar Bruno on Wardour Street with my girlfriend, binge-watching The Boys on Amazon Prime, and maybe going for a walk if we’re feeling adventurous. She’s my favourite person to eat with. We can have a chilled dinner at home or a fancy night out. She’s always great company, and exactly who I want to share good meals with.
For a date, I rate Bar Termini in Soho for a negroni or a gin martini. I like mine quite dirty, which they do well there.
After a long, late shift, my go-to dish is fried rice. I’ve always got a Tupperware container of leftover rice lying around, so I’ll sauté some chillies, garlic, ginger and a bit of ketjap manis sauce, throw in a bit of egg and job done. Spicy, comforting – it’s exactly what I crave.
I live in Soho, so there aren’t many supermarkets on my doorstep. But we do have a sparkly new 24-hour M&S on Shaftesbury Avenue, which has been a lifesaver. One of the things I buy most are onions. They’re so versatile – slow cooked, crispy, in a salad, fried, raw, as a base of a soup. There’s no dish that they don’t improve.
I never entertain at home. What chef has the time for that? That said, my dream dinner guest would either be David Bowie or Anthony Bourdain. Or, even better, both together at the same dinner party. No explanation needed, it would be fun.
My favourite takeaway is from Hungama. It’s just off Leicester Square, so not necessarily somewhere most Londoners would try, but it’s so good. It’s run by a husband-and-wife team, he does all the cooking, and you can tell from the crowd that it’s legit.
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The thing I always order if I see it on the menu is pickles. I think you can judge a restaurant well on something so special and simple – and if they’re done well, they should be able to accompany the dishes throughout your meal.
My drink of choice is either a negroni, Guinness or red burgundy. It depends what mood I’m in. Sometimes a night out will call for all three.
My idea of a perfect Sunday lunch is my mum’s roast chicken. She doesn’t mess about. It’s served with all the trimmings, and she does a mean cauliflower cheese.
My death-row dinner is – in this order – fried chicken, followed by carbonara, a whole roast chicken served with caesar salad and chips (french fries not chunky chips, obviously) and aioli. If I’m going out, I’m going out in style, so maybe a bucket of milk ice-cream to finish things off, literally. My idea of food hell is mashed swede. I think I just have bad childhood memories – it’s tasteless and bland.
My go-to cookbooks are Asma Khan’s Asma’s Indian Cooking, which is great for home cooks. For more cheffy inspiration, I often turn to Relae by Christian Puglisi.
My favourite place for a culture hit is the Royal Opera House. I feel incredibly lucky to live near institutions like that in London. Living in Soho, I’m in the thick of Theatreland so always have my eye on interesting productions – I’d love to nab a ticket to The Importance of Being Ernest with Stephen Fry, which is currently on at the Noel Coward Theatre.
For more, visit MoiRestaurant.com & follow @NickTannettChef
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