All In London talks to Arnaud Bignon

We talk broccoli nightmares with Arnaud Bignon

Where do you source your ingredients?
In the 3 months since I arrived at The Greenhouse I have met with a lot of suppliers, and now [I use] a selection of the best for each category. There is some poultry that comes directly from France but the majority of the products come from England. There is very high quality here in the United Kingdom.

Which are your favourite London restaurants?
I love Umu, an amazing Japanese restaurant with a chef who cares about how suppliers treat the products. I love the Japanese food because it is tasty and light, it is very close to my philosophy of cooking.

What is your favourite food to experiment with?
I love to cook with shellfish, citrus and of course ginger. It is my favourite ingredient for the tone it can give to a dish.

Can you name a food that you regard as a guilty pleasure?
Cheese! A creamy cheese like a Brillat Savarin when it is young or a blue cheese like the Stilton. I can do a meal just with some cheese, very crunchy bread and a good bottle of wine.

Is there an ingredient you hate using?
Yes, broccoli. I have bad memories from when I was young and now I block out this product.

What do you think restaurant trends will be for the year ahead?
A restaurant with a lot of usability and the guest is in control. Where the guest can directly choose his wine from the cellar. A menu where the client may mix the fish or the meat with the topping and sauce he prefers. Focus on the products and only that.

What has your most valuable experience as a chef been?
When I won the second Michelin star at Spondi in Athens. I hope I can live this moment again at The Greenhouse!

This article is connected to The Greenhouse
Published Jul 4, 2012