BRITISH CHEFS

As actors, actresses, politicians, writers and artists are portraits of the culture of a country, chefs are also part of it. In this post we are going to present some of the most popular chef in the British Isles.

JAMIE OLIVER

Jamie Oliver is a British chef best known for his television series 'The Naked Chef' and for campaigning for healthier diets in school children.

Who Is Jamie Oliver?

Jamie Oliver is a chef born on May 27, 1975, in Clavering, United Kingdom. As a child he worked in his parents' restaurant, thus influencing his career path. He began attending Westminster Catering College at age 16 and then gained valuable experience working at several reputable restaurants.

Oliver's break into television came when he appeared in a documentary while working at the River Café in London. From there, he gained fame after hosting a hit cooking show, The Naked Chef. Multiple cookbook publications and restaurant openings followed, giving him a prominent platform for championing healthier eating for school children.

If you click here, you can visit his webpage.

Let's look at some videos:

Some of his books:

GORDON RAMSAY

Scottish celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has opened restaurants around the world and hosted such popular TV programs as ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and ‘MasterChef.’

Who Is Gordon Ramsay?

Born in Scotland in 1966, Gordon Ramsay left behind an early athletic career to become a renowned chef in London. By the early 2000s, he was making his mark on British TV as the temperamental host of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen, shows that made a successful transition to American audiences. The award-winning chef has since expanded his celebrity brand via such programs as MasterChef and Hotel Hell and opening more restaurants around the globe. Gordon James Ramsay was born on November 8, 1966, in Johnstone, Scotland and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, after he moved there with his family at the age of 5. 

After finishing his studies, Ramsay placed himself under the direction of some of Europe's top chefs. He apprenticed with Marco Pierre White at Harvey's in London, worked for Albert Roux at Le Gavroche, and then worked under master chefs Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy in France.

In 1993, Ramsay struck out on his own as head chef of the newly opened Aubergine in London where, over the course of three years, he earned the restaurant a two-star rating from Michelin. When the restaurant's financial backing became shaky, Ramsay left Aubergine and opened his own establishment, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in 1998 in London. Hailed as a destination for high-end foodies, the restaurant eventually received a three-star rating from Michelin.

Named Chef of the Year at the 2000 Catey Awards and Independent Restaurateur of the Year in 2006, Ramsay brought his restaurant business to the U.S. in 2006 with the opening of two establishments at The London NYC. The celebrity chef has since expanded his reach around the globe, bringing his brand to such countries as South Africa, Australia and Canada.

If you click here, you can visit his webpage.Let's look at some of his video recipe:

Let me share with you some of his horrible experiences in some of the episodes of Hell's kitchen programme:

ALWAYS FISH AND CHIPS? DON'T THINK SO...

Every time we think of British cuisine, we actually think about fish and chips, burgers and tea at 5 o'clock. but, is that so? 

In this article we are going to prove that there is much more than that. We will be talking about dishes and popular British chefs that hopefully will open our minds and will encourage you to try and even make some new dishes. 

...not so typical British dishes...

As you can see in the video above, three different people are trying different British dishes. They seem to be quite surprise. Would you dare to try some of them?

They are trying: Scotch Eggs, Welsh Rarebit, Cornish Pasty, Steak&Ale Pie, Eccles Cakes and Scones.

Let's taste about some of them:

Scotch Eggs

According to Culinary Delights of Yorkshire, they originated in Whitby, Yorkshire, England, in the 19th century, and were originally covered in fish paste rather than sausage meat. They were supposedly named after William J. Scott & Sons, a well-known eatery which sold them.

Ingredients:

• 10 large free-range eggs
• 8 higher-welfare sausages
• ½ a bunch of fresh chives (cebollino)
• ½ a bunch of fresh parsley (perejil)
• 1 whole nutmeg (nuez moscada) , for grating
• 1 tablespoon English mustard
• plain flour , for dusting (espolvorear)
• 150 g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 2 litres vegetable oil
• 
  

 Would you dare to make it?

Here I am leaving you a youtube video with the recipe. Exercise: try to write down the steps to follow so you can make the dish on your own! Good luck! Be careful don't crack the eggs too soon!

Cornish Pasty

The Cornish Pasty originates from Cornwall (Southwest England) and can be traced back as far as the 1200's. Mining was once a thriving industry in Cornwall and at that time pasties were baked by the wives and mothers of the tin miners.

Ingredients:

For the pastry

• 500g/1lb 1oz strong bread flour (harina de fuerza)
• 120g/4oz vegetable shortening or suet (manteca)
• 1 tsp salt
• 25g/1oz butter
• 175ml/6fl oz cold water
• 1 free-range egg, beaten with a little salt (for glazing)

For the filling

• 350g/12oz good-quality beef skirt, rump steak or braising steak
• 350g/12oz waxy potatoes (tipo de patata: con mucho almidón)
• 200g/7oz swede (nabo)
• 175g/6oz onions
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• knob of butter 

Would you dare to make it?

Here I am leaving you a youtube video with the recipe. Exercise: try to write down the steps to follow so you can make the dish on your own! Good luck!