Tom Kerridge, whilst at Wednesday nights Times+ event commented that if he worked in The News building at 1 London Bridge – where this interview was taking place on the 17th floor – he would not be able to do anything all day other than just admire the view out of the window. Well it’s a good job he is not based there, as he has rather a few tasks on his plate at present, and staring out of the window all day is not one one of them.
This evening was clearly scheduled as a tie in to Toms new book “Fresh Start” and his new TV Series, but it is also another rather exclusive event organised by The Times for members of its Times+ Club. I have attended other evenings involving interviews with Lou Reed, Suede , an Oscars Prediction Night etc and these are well organised and curated events which differentiates the Newspaper from its peers. This evening was hosted by Lisa Markwell the Tines Food Editor, and alumni of Leiths School of Food and Wine.
The evening only lasted some 90 minutes (plus a book signing opportunity to close ), and was structured in the way of questions from Lisa for the first hour, and then a Q & A from the floor for the last 30 minutes.
What did we learn from Tom during this evening ? Well, other than his well documented change in lifestyle and dramatic weight loss over the past few years, the quote that me chuckle the most was that Tom is almost never Star struck ( David Beckham and family were refused their request for a table when they made contact with the Hand and Flowers on the day when they were seeking a reservation for that same evening), but who he was most in awe of when they did make a visit, was Nancy Cartwright. Most, if not all of the audience, scratched their heads when this name was mentioned. Tom quickly followed up with – she is the voice of Bart Simpson, and luckily one of his kitchen staff recognised her voice when she arrived or she would have passed incognito at the restaurant. That’s who Tom recalls with most reverence at his 2 Star “Pub”. He did also mention George Clooney had eaten there, alone, and in the corner, and had requested no special attention, phones,selfies etc. He had Fish and a Chips and nobody noticed he was there !
One of the issues Lisa was curious about was how Tom managed his time and be in attendance and visible at all of his 3 restaurant locations. In response Tom explained that 4/5 times a week he is in the kitchen in the evening at his Bar and a Grill at the Corinthian Hotel, but after Service he travels back to Marlow along the M4 to be ready for the breakfast and lunch service at The Hand and Flowers. It could of course give people the impression that he must have been cooking the previous evening if he was appearing at breakfast, but Tom commented he would always be honest (100%) and apologise for not being present the previous evening if taken to task on this. He praised his long serving and loyal staff for him being able to work in this way, and he has complete trust in them to produce the quality of product whilst he is not present. He of course could take the easy way out and take a room in the Corinthian after service in London, but prefers to be home and ready early at Marlow the next morning.
Regarding the current TV programme, Lisa said she was dying to know if the kitchen in the programme was actually his. Not his, he replied emphatically, but it was a posh house was’nt it ! Anyway the fridge was not big enough, and the door did not close very well. On a more serious note, he was conscious to draw a line between his real home life and the make believe of TV Land, and wished to maintain a distinct separation between them. In any event we did not want to see him tip-toeing down the stairs in his nightie a la Nigella – did we !?
Regards his new book he wished to ensure people did not regard it as a “dietary” tome, but rather a collection of recipes that were not too “Cheffy” and people should be able to cook at home without stressing over the ingredients and method too much. Obviously Ottolenghi has produced a similar book to counter the arguements his recipes are usually too complex and/or involve far too many ingredients. Tom explained that programmes like Masterchef are good in their own context, but that we should remember that the contestants are very much cooking for themselves, and too impress judges- hence the use of Sous Vide, productions of gels/foams etc – not the sort of thing most people will do after arriving home from work and wanting a tasty and fresh bite to eat. This latest collection of recipes are meant to to be very accessible, and to encourage people to cook again, not to be scared off by what they see on TV. Of course there are some lighter meals involved, but also traditional dishes wherein he is providing tips to lift them from the ordinary to the next level. A good example of this he chose to highlight – namely browning mince in an oven until it goes dark and crumbly – when making a Spag Bowl or a Shepherds Pie. This Caramelised the mince and introduces the Umumi kick, whilst at the same time draining of fat. This compares to the grey sludge most people would normally produce when adding the mince to their onion and garlic in a pan, and he says will shock you with the difference in taste it gives.
An amusing little side story he also told was how he originally mis- led his Bank to establish a loan for the refit and opening of The Hand and Flowers in Marlow. He knew that as a young man trying to get a business loan for opening a restaurant back then would be impossible, so he approached the bank on the basis of money (£50,000) for an extension to his house, which on this basis was approved. Of course later on the bank established the truth, but by then it was too late and the bank were in for a penny and in for a pound.
During the Q &A session I was able to pose my own question which was “ It is well documented that you have changed your lifestyle quite drastically, but if you could time travel back to your 24 year old self, what would you have done differently, and what advice would you give yourself ?”
Tom gave up his time to sign books and pose for selfies after the event, and had a word for everyone. After signing my book, I asked if his recipe for his infamous Glazed Lobster Thermidor Omelet was in the book. Unfortunately not he replied – guess it’s a bit too cheffy !
Toms answer was a pleasure to hear “ 100% would not have changed a thing. What I have done in my life is what makes me who I am today and I would do it all again.” He added rather cheekily “ I have had some amazing nights when I have been drinking. My PR people here might suggest I should have done things differently but 100% I would not”
Overall Tom came across as a very humble, warm, genuine and erudite human being whom I greatly warmed too throughout the evening. Tom used the phrase 100% a lot during the evening to emphasis certainty on the way he feels or stands on issues – I am even more a fan 100% after this enjoyable evening.