Being a successful chef these days means more than just being able to turn out top quality nosh at short notice. Instead, we increasingly look to these culinary professionals to provide us with great tasting, innovative and exciting dishes, along with an explanation of their origins and why they are culturally relevant.
At a Cuisinart masterclass last week, chef Tim Anderson showed that he was capable of all of the above and more. Here, the 2011 Masterchef winner wowed us by turning out a range of creative and inspired Japanese dishes.
Gathering at the Caldesi cookery school, Tim took a group of us through a short demonstration of how he prepares ice cream in small batches with the help of an ice cream maker. Using a selection of Autumnal and uniquely Japanese flavours of purple sweet potato, candied chestnuts and miso, Tim effortlessly whipped up batches of each, serving them up alongside a kitted out Japanese Sundae bar to make even the most stone cold dessert-dodgers melt.
Whilst we waited for the ice cream to set, Tim kept palates entertained, turning out a trio of dishes including a cured salmon and miso 'Kake-ake', Onigiri Katsu rice parcels and bowls of chicken Kara-age dusted with shichimi pepper. Variations of these dishes will be served at Nanban, Tim's restaurant which he is currently working towards opening.
Tim said, "It's no secret that the Japanese are massive ice cream fans, I really enjoy the variety of flavours they use but also the textures that they work with which make it very different to standard vanilla or chocolate which we're so used to eating in the UK."
To catch Tim in action, visit him at the Manchester Beer convention (10th-13th October 2013).
Tim's restaurant 'Nanban' is set to open in Hoxton in the next few months. Find out more about Nanban.
