Chef of the Week: Anuj Thakur, Executive Chef at Tewksbury Park in The Cotswolds
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have been working at Tewksbury Park for almost 9 years now.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
Food was always a big part of our family, growing up in India. I think this is where I got the passion to always cook fresh and from scratch. I learned my skills with Oberoi Group, luxury hotels in India and then went for world travel in cruise lines. Now, I have worked all over the UK – from Scotland to London, then Devon and now The Cotswolds.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
If I’m honest… everything! You cannot be a chef in a professional environment for this long if you don’t love the profession.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt, garlic and butter.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
My knife.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I think small meals that are full of flavour are trending now. They can be from any cuisine. Of course, street food from around the world is more popular than ever.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Overdoing simple ingredients.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
That time between spring and summer – it’s a new season for most of the fruit and vegetables, plus a lot seafood and meat is at its best.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
That’s a tricky one to choose, but my new lamb dish from our current tasting menu is the best one I’ve done so far. It perfectly showcases the style of my cooking, which is to use the best British seasonal ingredients and elevate them with my Indian heritage flavours
How do you come up with new dishes?
Most of the time, I design new dishes around British seasonal produce and take inspiration from my travels and my Indian heritage.
Who was your greatest influence?
Gordon Ramsay.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Gordon Ramsay, Thomas Keller & Clare Smyth.
What is your favourite cookbook?
I have read lot of cookbooks so it’s difficult to choose one, but I think Larousse Gastronoimque is a must.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Tom Hamblet, Amber Francis and Mark McCabe.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Plates London.
