Chef of the Week: Ben Chamberlain, Head Chef, Wild Restaurant at Bull in Burford
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
3 months.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My Mum loves cooking which definitely rubbed-off on me! With no conscious plan, I ended up working as kitchen porter while I was at college studying physics, chemistry & photography. It showed me what professional kitchens are really like, Intense but compelling. I continue to be driven by discovering & learning.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Sourcing amazing produce to show off with fire.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Coal, Wood, Fire! And of course, garlic & onions.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Some sort of BBQ and a Vitamix.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Keeping it looking simple & real with a insane attention to detail!
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Over complicating it! It’s food, just care for it.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
I’m torn… eating in the sun hits different, however eating around an open fire is a close second!
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I can’t choose… its too hard I’m always changing them.
How do you come up with new dishes?
I’ve ether discovered something new or blend an old recipe with new ingredients & knowledge.
Who was your greatest influence?
Its hard, there’s been so many! I do find myself talking about Raymond Blanc often, there’s a lot of depth built into his dishes.
Tell us the chefs you admire.
Raymond Blanc, Grant Achatz, DJ BBQ and Jeremy Chan runs my favourite restaurant to stalk: Ikoyi.
What is your favourite cookbook?
The Noma Guide to Fermentation, keeps bringing back.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Not sure, everyone I follow are mega already and just grinding!
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Roe guys behind Fallow & Fowl, they just love all types of food!
