Chef of the Week: Jubz Ali Mannan, Chef Patron at Grubz by Jubz in Wales

How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
Approximately 8 months.

Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My passion for food and cooking comes from my parents who are both excellent cooks. I learnt to cook over the years of working in Indian Restaurants. I learnt a lot of my skills through the chefs and pioneers of the curry industry.

What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Working in a busy environment where my main priority are the customers. Being able to be creative with flavours and seeing the faces of those who eat and enjoy my food.

Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Cooking oil, seasoning and huge amount of love! Can that count as an ingredient? Haha!

Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Working in Indian restaurants, you get use to working with gas cookers and Tandoori ovens. Over the years I have come to learn how to use  a Rational. It can make a big difference in the way we work and prepare our dishes. It saves us a lot of time, it’s consistent and can be used in a variety of different modes. This modern technology has changed the way we run our kitchen on a daily basis.

What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
The most common trends I have noticed in recent years is street food. It’s amazing to see different food merging with the British food scene and bringing a wide variety of flavours.

What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Chefs often notice when people overcomplicate things and make recipes more difficult than they need to be.

What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Winter, because there’s nothing better than preparing a home cooked meat curry which is hearty and warming on a cold day! Summer, creating light savoury snacks consisting of exotic ingredients. Just bliss!

Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
My take on an Anglo-Indian fusion. A honey glazed, spiced tandoori rack of lamb with an Indian inspired, spiced creamy mash.

How do you come up with new dish?
Coming up with a new dish is always a matter of experimenting, researching and understanding the ingredients and it’s purpose.

Who was your greatest influence?
My parents, they are still my greatest influence!

Tell us three chefs you admire.

What is your favourite cookbook?
The Flavor Matrix: The Art and Science of Pairing Common Ingredients to Create Extraordinary Dishes

Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Burhan Ahmed – Masterchef Contestant 2020

What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I haven’t tried it yet but have been inspired to try Coco Grill & Lounge in London. Seen a lot of social media presence and find it to be a brilliant concept which I wish to try!

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