The Rise of British Cuisine from fish & Chips to Gourmet 0 !
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FOOD & DRINK The rise of British cuisine from fish & chips to gourmet 0 ! r a l u c e l o M British cuisine has changed considerably trends are enjoyed by people of all ages ets, ensures that diverse cuisine is much over the past few decades. It has evolved and backgrounds. So what has brought more accessible. The advent of worldwide from the post-war era of classic, yet about this change? travel has also meant that people could somewhat stodgy dishes, to innovative cui - Post-war rationing had a huge impact on sample and bring back flavours and ideas sine, at the heart of which is London, a the options available, and this led to sim - from abroad, all of which has influenced city that is now considered to be one of ple dishes such as pies, pasties and British cuisine. This has been helped by the the major players in the international Yorkshire puddings, which were cheap and rise of the celebrity chefs and the popular - restaurant scene. As recently as the 1990s, easy to make—as well as our beloved fish ity of culinary documentaries, which show it was difficult to find olives or even olive and chips. The shortage of meat and dairy them cooking all over the world. In addi - oil in rural supermarkets, whereas now meant that food needed to be plain in tion, Britain is now a multi-cultural nation everywhere one turns, there is a new pop flavour and also simple in making. Food with ingredients once considered exotic up restaurant or food trend, whether it’s was indicative of class and money, and it now seen as store-cupboard essentials. In fast or slow, global or modern, British or was only in the houses of the very rich most supermarkets there are aisles dedi - international. Homes all over the UK now that more exotic flavours could be found. cated to foods from around the world, have copies of Deliciously Ella, or Today, more disposable income, more and ingredients such as miso and pierogi Hemsley-Hemsley or Honestly Healthy on availability of different ingredients, and a are just as available as British strawberries their bookshelves, and the latest food range of dining options for different budg - and cream. “ Modern British food has become a fusion of different flavours from around the world. So the classic British dish of slow cooked shin of beef, served alongside mashed potato and vegetables, becomes Asian infused slow cooked shin of beef, with wasabi mashed potatoes and Pak Choi. ” 20 FOCUS The Magazine September/October 2016 www.focus-info.org FOOD & DRINK Healthy eating plays a significant part in British cuisine today, and the phrase “eat - ing clean” is on many peoples’ lips. Even during a quick browse through social media, it’s hard to miss the many posts about this phenomenon. There are now many recipe books designed for people who don’t eat lactose, dairy, gluten or sugar, as well as those for vegetarians and vegans. The rise of the celebrity chef in the 1990s Modern British food has embraced fusion. times. Similarly, Fergus Henderson at St brought food to the forefront of the So the classic British dish of slow cooked John, is famous for taking the classic British British public’s mind, and the continuing shin of beef, served alongside mashed po - concept of nose-to-tail eating, and bringing evidence of this is to be found on tato and vegetables, has become Asian in - it into the 21st century. Never has offal Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where fused slow cooked shin of beef, with tasted so good, or been so popular. people post pictures of their plates for all wasabi mashed potatoes and Pak Choi. to see. Cooking programmes on television Although food can be bought from There are so many different restaurants continue and there is something for every around the world, chefs have also led a serving specific foods, and the choices for viewer—from MasterChef to the Great trend for seasonal and local produce. people, particularly in London, are huge. British Bake Off, Saturday Kitchen Live and Diners want to know the source of their This has a knock-on effect of increasing old favourites such as Ready, Steady, Cook. demand for this type of cooking. We see food, and this has inspired a renewed en - Classic British cuisine is still a hot this more and more with our ‘My Chef’ thusiasm for foraging. Our private chefs favourite, with traditional fish and chips private dining service, where customers are increasingly asked by clients to pro - want themed menus or request chefs that duce menus that not only tell them what often topping the charts as a British dish. specialise in a particular type of interna - they are about to eat, but exactly where it The classics are however, now combined tional or fusion cuisine. came from and how it was cooked. Simon with modern flavours wherever you eat, and this makes dining all the more inter - Food trends have also come full-circle Rogan, Executive Chef of Fera at esting. Restaurant bookings continue to with restaurants now producing classic Claridges, has his own farm and many in - British food with a twist. In particular, using gredients used at Fera and at his other boom and everyone talks about food. alternative cooking and presentation tech - restaurant, L’Enclume, are sourced from There are pop-up restaurants and supper niques, such as molecular gastronomy, there. On Fera’s website, it says that its clubs happening all over the UK. The made famous by Heston Blumenthal’s menu “captures the true essence of na - dizzying evolution of British Cuisine—and restaurants The Fat Duck, Hinds Head and ture through its textures, tastes and sense the trends surrounding it—shows no sign Dinner. In fact, the menu at Dinner, re - of perpetual evolution,” which ensures a of slowing. It’s a very exciting time to be cently voted one of the world’s best, goes “creative and natural take on modern involved in the catering industry, and who back past classic post-war cuisine to Tudor British cuisine”. knows where it will go next. Diana Cheal is a manager for Greycoat Lumleys, www.greycoatlumleys.co.uk . For more information on how to book a chef, please visit our website www.mychefonline.co.uk. www.focus-info.org FOCUS The Magazine 21.