Ben's motif looks set to become a piece of a jigsaw puzzle and if you meet him, you'll know what we mean. The motif is highly appropriate for Ben's dinner here, for the OED defines a puzzle as 'a game or problem designed to test ingenuity or knowledge'. It's a test of ingenuity for the kitchen as Ben, like all the chefs who cook here, is given no limits and no brief other than to cook from the heart; we already know he's inventive enough, but what, given a free hand, would result?
But Ben turns it into a puzzle for the diners too because the detailed menu would only be released at the end, the meal's a surprise from start to finish and even as hosts, Ben has not shared the content of the evening's fare with us. There's been hints on Twitter, including pictures of curious looking ingredients which we're invited to guess at. There's hints too about chicken on a brick, and I discover earlier than most as I help unload the car that yes, these are real bricks and they're damned heavy to carry too great a distance.
So, for the first time at one of our dinners, we're totally in the dark and totally in the Chef's hands, with the meal as much as a surprise for us as it is for our guests.
Helping Ben on the evening in the kitchen is Luke Armstrong of L'Autre Pied, as well as Ian Uchaghlou and Arran Mcredie of Roganic. Front of house is the ever lovely team of Jonathon J Cannon (@jonjcannon) and Sandia Chang (@watermelonchang) both of Roganic and Zeren Wilson (@bittenwritten) takes the sommelier role and selected wines for the evening. We take our place early at the table tonight as Ben has requested that we be seated for canapes; we of course do what we're told.
And so the evening starts with Sandia bringing through a two part decanter and funnel with a red icy substance in both parts, the funnel dripping its contents below and Sandia remaining elusive on what exactly it is. Placed in the middle of the table, Sandia then departs leaving us none the wiser. The guessing starts and the noise level is already rising with childish excitement.
But Ben turns it into a puzzle for the diners too because the detailed menu would only be released at the end, the meal's a surprise from start to finish and even as hosts, Ben has not shared the content of the evening's fare with us. There's been hints on Twitter, including pictures of curious looking ingredients which we're invited to guess at. There's hints too about chicken on a brick, and I discover earlier than most as I help unload the car that yes, these are real bricks and they're damned heavy to carry too great a distance.
So, for the first time at one of our dinners, we're totally in the dark and totally in the Chef's hands, with the meal as much as a surprise for us as it is for our guests.
Helping Ben on the evening in the kitchen is Luke Armstrong of L'Autre Pied, as well as Ian Uchaghlou and Arran Mcredie of Roganic. Front of house is the ever lovely team of Jonathon J Cannon (@jonjcannon) and Sandia Chang (@watermelonchang) both of Roganic and Zeren Wilson (@bittenwritten) takes the sommelier role and selected wines for the evening. We take our place early at the table tonight as Ben has requested that we be seated for canapes; we of course do what we're told.
And so the evening starts with Sandia bringing through a two part decanter and funnel with a red icy substance in both parts, the funnel dripping its contents below and Sandia remaining elusive on what exactly it is. Placed in the middle of the table, Sandia then departs leaving us none the wiser. The guessing starts and the noise level is already rising with childish excitement.
Chef Ben Spalding
Sandia brings in the mystery decanter
sitting, waiting
Jonathon subsequently enters the room vigorously shaking a siphon canister and 'squirts' a cocktail into our waiting Martini glass. The cocktail, a 'Meadowsweet Fizz' combines Meadowsweet tea with Snow Queen vodka, fizzed in the canister. Interestingly, the meadowsweet plant is highly medicinal and is one of the ingredients in aspirin: does this cocktail provide the first self curing hangover perhaps? The tea is subtle and balanced, not overly intrusive, and it's a nice alternative to champagne to start the meal.
It's a procession of 'nibbles' next. The description of each is given in the pictures below so here we'll note only a few salient points. The lingonberries were brought over from Sweden by Ben's girlfriend and these berries got everyone talking, while the berries provide a wonderfully juicy sour twist to the salmon. The duck sweetbreads meanwhile also got the table buzzing with many people not knowing that duck sweetbreads even existed. We first came across them at Simon Rogan's Cartmel restaurant L'enclume and were amazed and delighted by them here as we were there. And the tomato seeds and truffle? Simply divine.
Salmon 'preserved in a jar with salt and spices' with lingonberries
steak tartare with grated chocolate
as above
Crispy duck sweetbreads
scallops, mango, dill and smoked yoghurt
Ricotta with tomato seeds, Italian truffle and flowers
as above
The bread and butter element at Roganic takes on an importance beyond filling a gap, either in time or in your appetite. We've commented before that the pumpernickel is an especial favourite of ours. Today too the bread was not 'just bread' and nor was the butter. The squid ink konnekebrod was a remarkable addition both visually and taste wise to the bread basket while it was joined by garlic foccacia and sourdough rolls. Neverend Farm butter, whipped themselves, is here, as at Roganic, served on pebbles collected by hand on Ben's local Folkestone beach. The bread and butter course here is truly a course in its own right, to be enjoyed and noted for its own merits: how few restaurants or chefs can provide such vivid life to 'bread and butter'.
A little palate cleanser of sea buckthorn sorbet, orange segment, sel rose salt and rapeseed oil led us to the larger plates.
A little palate cleanser of sea buckthorn sorbet, orange segment, sel rose salt and rapeseed oil led us to the larger plates.
Before the food actually arrives though, a revelation. Sandia brings into the room in a glass a Pom Pom mushroom, also known as a Lion's Mane mushroom: it's the oddest thing. It really is as furry as it looks: everybody stroked it; a few rude jokes passed around too. Few people around the table, despite all being foodies, were aware of such a thing; we wondered how it would appear on our plates.
Beautifully was the answer. Poached and roasted, accompanied by Brioche crutons in mushroom fat, sliced radish, roasted mushroom puree, fried and dried white onions and warm roasted mushroom and anchovy juice. This was for me perhaps the best mushroom dish I have ever tasted: rich and comforting but a visual feast too, and with a full spectrum of texture, not least the Pom Pom itself which was a delight in every way.
Beautifully was the answer. Poached and roasted, accompanied by Brioche crutons in mushroom fat, sliced radish, roasted mushroom puree, fried and dried white onions and warm roasted mushroom and anchovy juice. This was for me perhaps the best mushroom dish I have ever tasted: rich and comforting but a visual feast too, and with a full spectrum of texture, not least the Pom Pom itself which was a delight in every way.
the other half of the Pom Pom mushroom
Roasted Pom Pom mushroom cluster
The Langoustine dish transported me back to Noma, both offered a beautifully plump fresh langoustine that dazzled as a perfect example of the kind. Here it was glazed in maple syrup and caraway and served, watercress puree, crunchy sliced runner beans, and crispy onion.
Langoustine
Chicken on a brick was not a play on words, rather, it was most literally chicken parfait served on a brick. It's the kind of mad genius that made Heston dress his chicken parfait up like an orange. Ben has 'staged' at The Fat Duck and there's elements to his creativity that suggest he took some of that Duck DNA with him. And not only did this taste brilliant, but scooping it up off the brick filled us with mirth.
Joining the parfait on the brick are pickled corn kernels, white onion puree, crisp chicken skin, Logan berries, toasted cobnuts and edible flowers. The brick top was coated in caramel to allow the parfait to be spread across it appropriately and more than a few people around the table found themselves licking the brick's surface after to get all they could from this brilliantly original creation. Licking a brick, another first.
Joining the parfait on the brick are pickled corn kernels, white onion puree, crisp chicken skin, Logan berries, toasted cobnuts and edible flowers. The brick top was coated in caramel to allow the parfait to be spread across it appropriately and more than a few people around the table found themselves licking the brick's surface after to get all they could from this brilliantly original creation. Licking a brick, another first.
chicken on a brick
Black 'n' white sole next, again few giveaways in the name. There's lots of white, the sole of course, roasted cauliflower puree, a white wine sauce. There's also fair amount of black (and brown): Ebene caviar, black truffle and a squid ink crust to the sole. The Ebene caviar is from the first ever French caviar farm and is imported by Fine French Caviar. This is decadence in a dish and Ben shows he can use top notch ingredients to great effect too, spoiling nothing but instead producing something rather exquisite. This dish could easily and happily grace any multi Michelin starred restaurant in the world. Dom Perignon Rose anyone?
Black 'n' white sole
Just looking at the colour of the veal as it arrived at the table you knew it would be special. Cooked sous vide, it had that wonderful pinkiness of colour hinting at the locked in flavours and again, at the risk of sounding repetitive, this was perhaps the best veal I can ever remember eating. Served with turnip tops, caramelised leek puree, turnip slices, smoked tomato and veal vierge, and leek dice and garlic oil it simply delivered the goods.
Best end of veal
A fantastic looking tray of salt baked cheddar followed. From Keen's farm, baked in a salt crust, it was a delight. The mystery of the decanter with the red liquid then revealed itself as a post cheese cleanser, as a shot glass of this grape stock with a pickled red grape in the bottom refreshed us before dessert.
Salt baked cheddar
an individual portion
And so dessert came, but few had ever seen anything like this. Sandia and Jon enter with grins on their faces, Sandia accompanies her grin with a bag of 'Multi Purpose Compost' while Jon and his grin hold a tray of garden trowels. A production line parade follows: the trowel is dipped in the bag and a scoop of cookie crumb and popping candy is placed in front of you, but we're not done yet. Ben leads a line of chefs following Sandia and Jon as they add vanilla & bay leaf custard, soft white chocolate and cookie dough ice cream, and micro lemon balm onto the mix. There's also some warm bilberries in the mix too. This carnival of theatre spread yet more delight round the table adding further to an overwhelming sense of joy that was already being widely experienced. And it was so delicious for who doesn't love cookie dough? That not a single crumb was left anywhere testifies to the universal love we all had to this dessert.
cookies & cream
The warm spiced bread that brings us close to the end of the meal will be familiar to those who have eaten at Roganic and was here served with plum curd, salted almonds and smoked clotted ice cream. Ben talks of his spiced bread as a 'Marmite' dish, people love it or hate it. On both occasions however, I have found that it grows on me with every bite and by the end I'm wishing there was more.
The final 'after nibbles' come through on the jigsaw piece: marshmallow, beetroot sherbet, green tea sherbet; sea buckthorn jelly; ginger and lemongrass truffle; whisky fudge and red salt. I didn't get to try them all (sadly) but what I did eat suited the moment perfectly.
The final 'after nibbles' come through on the jigsaw piece: marshmallow, beetroot sherbet, green tea sherbet; sea buckthorn jelly; ginger and lemongrass truffle; whisky fudge and red salt. I didn't get to try them all (sadly) but what I did eat suited the moment perfectly.
spiced bread
after nibbles
And so in the usual scheme of things, our wonderful guests helped us support Action Against Hunger, particularly important right now given the East Africa famine, the goodie bags were dispensed with the always loved Chroma Knives, this time from the Haiku range, and the Glenfarclas whisky passed around the table. Womersley Foods also provided some of their lovely vinegars for our guests to take home.
the team
I had hardly woken the next day before the praise for Ben started pouring in. One email said 'last night was simply one of the best nights of my life. It was at times an almost religious experience of great food, and wine and company; one I do not believe I will have the chance to repeat'. Other comments mirrored these thoughts. Douglas Blyde suggested 'poised, playful, palatable and often perfect, Spalding's immaculate cunning craft reveals a very promising smart young talent'.
Ben Spalding, as most of readers of the post will know is the Head Chef at Roganic, Simon Rogan's first London restaurant. In turn, Simon Rogan, as we're also sure you know is the Chef Proprietor of L'enclume in Cumbria which yesterday was ranked second in the Good Food Guide 2012 with only The Fat Duck scoring higher (for what it is worth, we loved L'enclume on our visit which you can read here). Our point however is that for Simon Rogan to endorse Ben through appointing him Head Chef of Roganic strongly hints at what a major talent he is, and the meal that Ben cooked here proves he is worthy of both that endorsement and the praise he has subsequently received for his work.
Ben is still, as noted, a young man but has the talent that many chefs twice his age and experience can only dream of. At Roganic, he, and the team who joined us for the night, are working lunch and dinner service Tuesday to Saturday; we know it's bloody hard work. Our thanks, that they collectively chose to spend one their precious days off doing this meal for us, is truly heartfelt. And Ben worked harder than anyone to bring the vision of this meal to life, a meal that he didn't even have time to test before the event making the brilliance of the dishes even more remarkable, something that even our other guests were unaware of.
Should Ben choose it, all the rewards the culinary world can offer are there for him to take in due course. That he can do this incredible and imaginative meal now, aged 24, is truly remarkable: one can only the wonder at the achievements he will have racked up a decade from now. But what we do know is this: there were 12 lucky people round the table that night, 12 foodies, and as we each look back on the great meals we've had at home and in the great restaurants of the world, we will all count the dinner a young Ben Spalding cooked for us that night amongst them.
Ten years from now, when Ben's on the telly and has his own range at Waitrose, each of us will be telling friends, children and grandchildren, 'I met him once, he cooked a very special and brilliant private meal for us, back in the day; oh, and he was lovely'.
Thank you Ben from everyone.
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Related posts: Roganic
Related posts: L'enclume part 1
Related posts: L'enclume part 2
Ben Spalding, as most of readers of the post will know is the Head Chef at Roganic, Simon Rogan's first London restaurant. In turn, Simon Rogan, as we're also sure you know is the Chef Proprietor of L'enclume in Cumbria which yesterday was ranked second in the Good Food Guide 2012 with only The Fat Duck scoring higher (for what it is worth, we loved L'enclume on our visit which you can read here). Our point however is that for Simon Rogan to endorse Ben through appointing him Head Chef of Roganic strongly hints at what a major talent he is, and the meal that Ben cooked here proves he is worthy of both that endorsement and the praise he has subsequently received for his work.
Ben is still, as noted, a young man but has the talent that many chefs twice his age and experience can only dream of. At Roganic, he, and the team who joined us for the night, are working lunch and dinner service Tuesday to Saturday; we know it's bloody hard work. Our thanks, that they collectively chose to spend one their precious days off doing this meal for us, is truly heartfelt. And Ben worked harder than anyone to bring the vision of this meal to life, a meal that he didn't even have time to test before the event making the brilliance of the dishes even more remarkable, something that even our other guests were unaware of.
Should Ben choose it, all the rewards the culinary world can offer are there for him to take in due course. That he can do this incredible and imaginative meal now, aged 24, is truly remarkable: one can only the wonder at the achievements he will have racked up a decade from now. But what we do know is this: there were 12 lucky people round the table that night, 12 foodies, and as we each look back on the great meals we've had at home and in the great restaurants of the world, we will all count the dinner a young Ben Spalding cooked for us that night amongst them.
Ten years from now, when Ben's on the telly and has his own range at Waitrose, each of us will be telling friends, children and grandchildren, 'I met him once, he cooked a very special and brilliant private meal for us, back in the day; oh, and he was lovely'.
Thank you Ben from everyone.
Return to homepage
Related posts: Roganic
Related posts: L'enclume part 1
Related posts: L'enclume part 2
