Chef of the Week: Mattia Ricci Head Chef at Sexy Fish in London

How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
A total of 5 years.

Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I grew up cooking with both my grandmas, that is where my passion came from and my skills grew at the same time as the passion!

What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Handling any kind of food.

Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Salt, cheese and basil.

Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
My knife.

What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Famous dishes recreated in different shapes.

What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Overthinking.

What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Summer, as I love raw seafood and considering where I come from, it’s the best moment to have it fresh!

Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
All the ones I make or collaborate with.

How do you come up with new dishes?
I put things together according to flavours, senses and seasonal options.

Who was your greatest influence?
Bjoern Weissgerber.

Tell us three chefs you admire.
Ferran Adria, Massimo Bottura and David Munoz.

What is your favourite cookbook?
El Bulli.

Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Terry Giacomello and Floriano Pellegrino.