All In London talks to Martin Nisbet

Where do you source your ingredients?
I source my ingredients from many places; present suppliers, recommendations, internet research, books and my friends. Ingredients are the pillars of any good dish, so we make sure that the utmost care is taken in choosing them. Being Scottish myself, I do have a propensity to look to Scotland when sourcing beef and shellfish – I think they are unrivalled.

Which are your favourite London restaurants?
I think some people would say I am an old fashioned man in a young man’s body. Although there are always new restaurants that cause a stir, I don’t think you can beat a meal in those restaurants that have sustained their reputation for a long time. I love Le Gavroche and The Waterside Inn (ok that’s not in London!) I think the Galvin restaurants also produce really good cooked food and the Relais de Venise in Marylebone is another failsafe choice, where the only question you get asked is how do you like your steak!

What is your favourite food to experiment with?
I think experimenting with molecular gastronomy sometimes loses the essence of the food. Instead I enjoy taking a whole animal like a lamb or suckling pig and creating a dish with various different components made from the same starting point. I am fascinated by what can be achieved with simple, great ingredients and a little bit of thought and extra effort.

Can you name a food that you regard as a guilty pleasure?
Peanut butter on toast at home on the sofa watching Saturday Kitchen. It HAS to be the crunchy version.

Is there an ingredient you hate using?
I don’t think there is an ingredient I hate using as I feel everything has its place. Personally, I don’t like using kidneys too much, but they can work well as part of a larger dish. I also think that using alternative meats like ostrich, kangaroo and crocodile are a bit of a fad. If they were delicious, we would see them on menus far more.

What do you think restaurant trends will be for the year ahead?
I think in the restaurant industry we have had our time of playing with chemicals to create gums, foams and gels etc. I think the term molecular gastronomy will disappear in the not too distant future and the industry will shift back to what I believe is most important – flavour and good simple ingredients.

What has your most valuable experience as a chef been?
I think my most valuable experience as a chef has to be the chef’s table here at Angelus. It continually reminds me that we are here to cook for the customer and not the guide books.