Chef of the Week: Michael D’Angelo – Head Pastry Chef at Louie London
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have been at Louie since we opened in August 2020.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I always been surrounded by food since I was a child with my parents. I learnt my skills when I started to work alongside the best chef in Europe when I was 14, trying to copy their movements.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
The most enjoyable thing as a chef is when one of my team do an amazing job and is proud of him/herself!
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Chocolate, butter and cream.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
I can’t live without my pastry scraper!
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
At the moment I see most chefs are focusing more on presentation, and how a dish looks rather than flavour.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
A common mistake that lets chef down is when there is a problem and they struggle to find a solution.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
My favourite time of the year is summer because I can use a lot more ingredients!
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
The dish I am most proud of is my S’more!
How do you come up with new dishes?
I just get inspired from what surrounds me and then A LOT of testing.
Who was your greatest influence?
My greatest influence was my executive chef Gennaro Vitto when we spent 9 years cooking together.
Tell us three chefs you admire
The three chefs I admire are: Pierre Hermè, Alain Ducasse and Mauro Uliassi.
What is your favourite cookbook?
My favourite cookbook is Tradizione in Evoluzione (there is also an English version) by Leonardo Di Carlo. It is one of the Bibles for pastry chefs.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
I think the chef to watch over the next few months is Alex Dilling.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I think the best opening is Fallow restaurant.
