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CHEF JOSH WHITEHEAD
Restaurant/Café:
Harewood Food & Drink Project and the Muddy Boots Café
Location:
Harewood, Leeds, UK
Instagram:
@joshwhiteheadchef @harewoodfoodanddrink
Twitter:
@HarewoodFandDP
Facebook:
@harewoodfoodanddrink
As one of the most respected and talented young chefs in the North of England, Josh Whitehead delivers unpretentious, delicious food with contemporary flair. Having been a semi-finalist on Masterchef: The Professionals, Josh was appointed Executive Chef at the inspiring Harewood Food & Drink Project over a year ago. With access to the wide array of produce found on the beautiful Harewood Estate, Josh is able to celebrate this heritage through his creative menus. Welcome Chef Josh as our latest Chef of Chef Works…
1. Your restaurant/role:
Executive Chef at both the Harewood Food & Drink Project and the Muddy Boots Café.
2. Describe your kitchen:
Which one?! It’s always different depending on the event and the venue.
3. Favourite Chef Works item and why?
Any of the chef coats with Cool Vent panels, they could keep you cool in a desert – they’re boss!
4. First job:
I started as a kitchen porter at a pub in Wetherby whilst I was still at school.
5. Favourite cookbook:
I can’t choose just one. I’m obsessed with old books like The Forme of Cury: A Roll of Ancient English Cookery by Samuel Pegge and recreating the traditional recipes. Larousse Gastronomique is an essential read and Memories Of Gascony by Pierre Koffmann – he’s just a f**king legend!
6. Your awards:
It’s early days yet…
7. Your cooking inspiration:
Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill in Manhattan, Peruvian chef Vergilio Martinez Veliz, chef Raymond Blanc of Le Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, chef Simon Rogan of L’Enclume and of course, the Harewood Estate.
8. Your speciality dish:
We have a delicious Shepherds Pie on the menu.
9. Favourite dish to eat:
It has to be a good Shepherds Pie or a bowl or Ramen.
10. Weirdest thing you ever ate:
Either pork colon and rectum in Tokyo or the fresh innards of a snake mixed with Red Bull in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
11. Favourite ice cream flavour:
Black Treacle or Pistachio.
12. Favourite drink:
Guinness, tea or Iron Bru.
13. Favourite wine:
A Cotes de Rhone, Syrah or a delicious Tokaji.
14. Who would you most like to cook for?
Musician/Actor Loyle Carner, bass player fro Stone Roses Gary Mounfield, David Bowie and my Dad.
15. And who would you least like to cook for?
My chef friends.
16. Favourite things to do when not cooking:
Eating!
17. Your latest project:
It’s a very BIG secret, so stay tuned…
18. Favourite city and why?
Tokyo and Copenhagen, because of the people, the food and the neon.
19. Your greatest indulgence?
In the right hands, anything could be considered an indulgence. Although, I did once grate white truffle on a bacon sandwich.
20. And finally, your all-time best culinary tip?
Make sure you are cooking somewhere that constantly inspires you and work hard, bugger all comes for free.
Chef photography:
Stephen Bootle.
Food photography:
Claire McClean, www.clairemcclean.com
Instagram:
clairemcclean.