Chef of the Week: Sean Simmonds, Culinary Director at Graysons
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have worked for Graysons for just over 3 years, starting as executive chef for the business before being promoted to culinary director.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I always enjoyed cooking with my mum when I was younger. I had a friend that had just started an apprenticeship in cooking, and this interested me. I left school at 16 and started my career path with a 4-year working apprenticeship in Melbourne, Australia. This helped me work my way up from the local pub into restaurants, then onto fine dining in some of the large five-star hotels in Melbourne.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
No two days are the same being a chef. I love the continual changes and evolution of the food scene – working with amazing and creative chefs and giving back to the trade by training the up-and-coming chefs, the future of the industry.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
• Maldon sea salt
• Butter
• Freshly cracked pepper
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
My knives, they are always with me – primed and ready to deliver their next amazing dish.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I am always blown away by the constant changing street food scene. Just when you think somethings getting old, a new and innovating stall appears. I like walking through Borough Market, Box Park and White Street. If you don’t like the lovely London weather, there are some great indoor food markets like Banana Warehouse/Cucumber Alley and the market halls located all around London. I’ve always got some time for a bavette steak and some triple cheese mac from Stakehaus.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Over complicating of dishes and cooking out of season.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
The colder months are some of my favourite times. Slow braising and deep rich sauces, roasted root veg, brassica with lardons and caramelised onions. However, a beautiful spring lamb shoulder on the BBQ is also close to my heart as well! When the produce is at its best and at its prime, this is always the best time for a chef.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I am proud of a lot of dishes over my 30 years in kitchens. The one that stands out the most is when I was working at a gastropub near Chelsea Harbour, we were awarded the Time Out Gastro Pub of the Year and within the article it was stated that my sticky toffee pudding was the best in London!
How do you come up with new dishes?
I find that I’m always keeping an open mind and watching what our teams are producing, as well as street food stalls, dinners out etc. I look at what people want to eat and make it the best I can with a personal Aussie twist!
Who was your greatest influence?
I had a couple of influences early on in my career who were my college lecturers. I was lucky to have chef instructors that had been trained and worked in Europe before moving to Australia to train in my college. This lit a fire in me to absorb as many skills as possible and move through as many areas of the culinary world, before moving to the UK to continue to grow as a chef and food lover.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Early on I was inspired by Charlie Trotter, with his use of essences and powerful gels to enhance simple ingredients. Anthony Bourdain, just for his rawness and exposing the reality of what happens in a kitchen and what a brigade is made of and needs to succeed. Later, his food travel shows where he would trace dishes back to their roots even if it was in a country at war or the middle of nowhere. Yotam Ottolenghi played a part in my mindset of cooking over the last few years. The way he works with amazing produce, only using a few simple ingredients to showcase the flavour, colours and textures of the humblest base ingredients and makes them shine through.
What is your favourite cookbook?
I always use us ‘Larousse Gastronomique’ as a base line and Michel Roux ‘Desserts: A Lifelong Passion’
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Overseeing many hospitality sectors within my role, I work with chefs in B&I, restaurants, retail and customer attractions. I see talent and potential in many individuals across Graysons and the wider hospitality community.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I have been waiting for Adam Simmonds to open Voyage this year, I am interested in seeing Adam bring his passion into London. Also following the sandwich revolution at Sandwich Sandwich, their egg mayo and Italian chicken are outstanding.
