Chef of the Week: Samuel Brook, Chef Patron at Pretty Little Pastries in Devon
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have been running my business for 8 years, full-time since 2019.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My passion for cooking probably comes from my passion for eating, but also feeding other people.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
The thing I enjoy most about being a chef is making others happy with what I create. There is nothing like seeing someone’s reaction when they really enjoy something!
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Three ingredients I can’t live without: dedication, perseverance and passion. But, in terms of food, I can’t narrow it down. The pastry larder is too vast, and full of delectable ingredients.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
KitchenAid, it’s like another arm.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Probably variations on Viennoisserie. For example, things like the Crookie.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
A common mistake that chefs make is thinking that it’s going to be easy, and not practicing the basics and the boring, therefore not being efficient enough as they progress.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
I can’t say I have a favourite time of year for food, it’s all about embracing what is available and when it’s at its peak. Spring is wonderful for all the fresh young produce like forced rhubarb, then summer comes with its bounty of berries, autumn where Britain produces some of its best in terms of fruit, apples, pear, plums, and then were in to winter and playing with citrus and Christmas indulgence.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
It is very difficult to isolate just one thing I make, and be proud of it. There are some desserts which stand out like Chocolate and Hazelnut or ‘Milk’, both very good, but Viennoisserie is hugely enjoyable. Turning out chocolates or putting macarons in the oven is always going to be nervy, because you’re not sure what they will be like until they’re out. And then, there is sugar work, which is widely regarded as the pinnacle of pastry work, and creating sugar showpieces of incorporating sugar work into a croquembouche is something to look at and think, ‘yeah, I did that’.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Coming is up with new dishes is one of the most enjoyable things you can do as a chef, where you let your creativity run wild, and then work at bringing them to fruition on the plate.
Who was your greatest influence?
I’m not sure if I have a greatest influence, it’s more of a desire to be better and keep improving.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Guilliame Mabileau, Benoit Blin and Stephane Kline.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons or Alinea.
