Tom Aikens – is one of the UK’s most acclaimed and inspirational British chefs. His remarkable career has taken him to David Cavalier’s in Battersea, Pierre Koffman’s La Tante Claire, Pied-à-Terre and Joel Robuchon in Paris to name a few. Raised in Norfolk with a respect for fresh, seasonal ingredients, Tom works tirelessly to use the finest local and sustainable produce.
“Growing up in Norfolk we had a large back garden where our mother grew all our own fruit and vegetables. So, from an early age, I came to understand the importance of the weather and changing seasons in growing food.
We grew lots of soft fruits such as strawberries, gooseberries and blackberries which were mainly turned into jams. Saying that, most of the time Rob and I secretly picked them and ate them before our mother noticed. These were treasured times, on which I always look back fondly.
Meal times were spent to-ing and fro-ing from the garden, where we loved to dig for fresh vegetables, which were then taken back to the kitchen to be prepared for a family meal. Seeing things grow and come to life was so much fun for us. Seeing how much we enjoyed the garden, my mother let me and Robert have a small patch of the vegetable plot to try our hand at growing weird and wonderful vegetables. Of course, we tried everything; from different colored carrots and large squashes to yellow courgette. Few things tasted better to me than eating a new crop of baby potatoes with a little fresh mint all from our own garden. Understanding these simple tastes and experiencing those wonderful delicacies was the start of my own steps into the kitchen.”
Muse by Tom Aikens
38 Groom Place
Belgravia
SW1X 7BA London, UK
https://www.musebytomaikens.co.uk/about.php
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