Celebrity Chef Q&A | Anthony Demetre

What drove you to discover your way of cooking?

I was bored with all the fine dining.  I wanted to cook more simply, and create dishes that were more accessible.

Are you calm in the kitchen?

Yes I am, and a calm kitchen is very important. It doesn’t take much for me to lose my temper though, and I especially dislike carelessness and chefs who are disrespectful towards the produce.

 What would you recommend on your menu if you could choose just one thing?

It always depends on the season, and like most people my mood always changes with the season.  At the moment I would choose a starter of soft organic polenta with wild mushrooms, olive oil and Parmesan.   It is perfect to have during cold weather. 

What food/ingredient do you feel is most under-rated?

Salsify.  It has such a unique taste, and many chefs ignore it because they don’t know how to cook it properly or they under-value it.  Salsify is perfect cooked in hazelnut butter, garlic, thyme, a drop of water, salt, pepper and then simmer gentle on the stove.  It must be served soft, but not puree and not al dente.

Do you have a favourite food season?

I have two favorite seasons, autumn and spring.  I love autumn because of the respite after the summer, the autumnal feeling in the air and the crisp mornings. It’s great to cook with the wild mushrooms and especially game. Spring is my other favorite season, after all the woolens have been packed away.  It’s a time of awakening; there are the first buds and delicate salad leaves, and the new season lamb.

If your cooking was a piece of music, what would it be?

It would have to be the Rolling Stones, and maybe a little bit of Brain Ferry, something gutsy and masculine, but also with a seductive and romantic side.

What is the most precious tool in your kitchen?

My Athanor stove is the most precious tool in my kitchen and I treat it like a Ferrari, and it almost cost the same!  The stove is indispensible.

What advice would you give to budding Gourmets chefs?

Patience and stability are incredibly important.  A budding chef must be stable in their work place, understand the building blocks of cooking and most importantly they should nurture their talent by learning from more experienced chefs around them. 

What is your favourite place in the world to eat (outside of one of your establishments)?

My favorite place to eat in the world is at home, with my family.  Nothing pleases me more than to see the pleasure on my partner’s and young boy’s faces at the dinner table.

Have you been to Malta and if yes, what food memory did you take away?

No I have not visited Malta yet, but I would love to, it would be great to come over in the next few years. 

What is the key quality in a member of your staff?

The most important quality in a staff member is passion and also an understanding conceptually of exactly what Arbutus and Wild Honey stand for. 

Anthony can be found at either of his restaurants:

Arbutus, 63-64 Frith Street, London W1D 3JW

Wild Honey, 12 St George Street, London, W1S 2FB