The All In One Ultimate Restaurant List Interview: Lyle’s

James Lowe’s impressive CV includes stints at Noma and St. John Bread & Wine, as well as being one of the Young Turks collective who founded The Clove Club. Lowe opened Lyle's - his first standalone restaurant - in April last year, which has shot into our top 100 Ultimate Restaurant List at number 32.

What does Lyle’s do that nowhere else does?
We provide a snapshot of what British produce is best at any given time through our set menu. 
 
You've always had a very clear career path in terms of where you wanted to work (La Trompette, Noma, St. John Bread & Wine and Dinner among others) and what you wanted to learn – what advice would you give to chefs starting out? 
Find a restaurant where you really love the food. Find a place where you can tell that the restaurant is striving to get better each day. I have a personal preference for restaurants with small teams, it gives you a chance to be more involved with everything. 
 
What has your most stressful experience in the kitchen been?
Opening a restaurant! 
 
What food is your guilty pleasure?
Salt and vinegar McCoy's. 

Which new London restaurants have excited you recently?
Som Saa and Taberna do Mercado.
 
Do you have a signature recipe you can share with us?
Peas & Ticklemore (serves 4)
Ingredients:
200g podded peas
60g pea shoots
60g Ticklemore cheese
40 wild pea flowers or 16 nasturtium flowers
8 sprigs chervil
12 mint leaves
120g olive oil
40g cider vinegar
salt and pepper

Method:
Using a pestle and mortar, combine half the chervil with salt and grind until bright green and broken down.

Combine the olive oil, apple juice and cider vinegar to make the salad dressing.

Chop the mint leaves roughly. Mix with the peas and add dressing, a pinch of pepper and the chervil salt to taste.

Plate the peas and spread into a thin layer. Cover the peas with thinly sliced Ticklemore.

Mix the pea shoots in the same bowl, using the shoots as a tool to mop up whatever is left in the bowl so they're lightly dressed.

Put the pea shoots on top of the cheese. Finish with the flowers and picked chervil leaves.