Chef's 2014 top picks

The Staff Canteen

This year we have been asking some of our interviewees some questions about their: guilty pleasures, rising stars, favourite cookbooks, best service experiences and desert island desserts. Here are just some of the top answers we’ve had throughout the year in our chef's 2014 top picks:

Guilty pleasures

Most popular top five: Crisps- Gill Meller Mars Bars- Ernst Van Zyle Indian curry- Adam Smith Cheese Strings- Jack Stein Kebabs

 

Most unusual top 5

Baked banana and mars bar- Adam Smith Salt and vinegar/prawn cocktail crisp sandwiches- Daniel Doherty Fried eggs on Marmite toast- Gill Meller Lamb brain- Matt Edmonds Pigs head- Matt Edmonds

 

Rising stars top 5

Ronny Emborg, Copenhagen- Ernst Van Zyle Neil Rankin, Smokehouse- Jack Stein Elliott Lidstone, The Empress, Victoria Park- Daniel Doherty Paul Foster at Malory Court- Adam Smith Paul Welburn, head chef at Rhodes W1- Matt Edmonds  

Favourite cookbooks top 10 Food Heroes,

Rick Stein- Jack Stein Paul Food, Paul Cunningham- Jack Stein McGee on Food & Cooking, Harold McGee- Jack Stein The French Laundry Cookbook, Thomas Keller- Daniel Doherty, Daniel Pearse The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts, David McMillan, Frederic Morin, and Meredith Erickson – Daniel Doherty Noma, René Redzepi- Ernst Van Zyle The Wizard’s Cookbook, Ronny Emborg- Ernst Van Zyle Too Many Chiefs Only One Indian, Sat Bains- Daniel Doherty, Ernst Van Zyle, Adam Smith Magic Chocolate, Franz Ziegler- John Costello Eleven Madison Park The Cookbook, Daniel Humm- Ernst Van Zyle, Adam Smith

 

Excellent service top 10

Sailors Thai, Sydney- Stephanie Little The French Laundry, California- Stephanie Little, Paulo de Tarso Chanes The Dorchester, London- Emmanuel Landre Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London- Emmanuel Landre The Ledbury, London- Peter Klimcsak, Paulo de Tarso Chanes Galvin at Windows, London- Peter Klimcsak Le Gavroche, London- Diego Masciaga Daniel Boulud Restaurant, New York- Paulo de Tarso Chanes Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland- Will Smith The Square, London, Phil Howard- Paulo de Tarso Chanes

 

Desert island desserts top 10

Sticky toffee pudding and custard- Peter Joyner, Daniel Pearse Lemon tart- Paul Young, Simon Jenkins, Daniel Pearse Chocolate soufflé- Simon Jenkins Rhubarb crumble and custard- Simon Jenkins Oven baked rice pudding- Simon Jenkins Lemon meringue pie- Peter Joyner Eton mess- Peter Joyner Chocolate brownie- John Costello, Peter Joyner Apple Crumble- Daniel Pearse Tarte tatin with ice cream- Rosio Sanchez What have been your guilty food pleasures this year or a top restaurant experience that you can't forget?

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 17th December 2014

Chef's 2014 top picks