Nick Deverell-Smith, chef and owner of The Churchill Arms, Paxford, loves fresh tomatoes on the vine but can’t stand marzipan or tinned crab
FOOD LOVES:
Cheese
I love cheese. I think it stems from my father owning a cheese shop as a hobby in the 90s. The softer and smellier the better!
Mushrooms
I love mushrooms of all varieties but my favourite has to be the king oyster. It’s a large mushroom with a meaty texture and amazing flavour.
Fresh pasta
I eat way too much pasta but I love it! It’s always my go-to when I have a night off work and cook at home. You can’t beat fresh pasta, too.
Venison
I have always loved the game season and venison is my favourite meat. I cooked it for the final of the Gordon Ramsay scholarship scheme so maybe it has stuck with me from that amazing memory.
Tomatoes on the vine
They’re a lovely childhood memory for me. It reminds me of helping my grandad water his tomato plants in his greenhouse. He was so proud of them and the smell and flavour always remind me of him.
FOOD HATES:
Peppers
I hate peppers whether they’re green, red or yellow. I find them so over-powering!
Raw onion
It’s the texture and the smell, I can’t stand them. They need to be cooked for hours Lyonnaise-style to make them nice!
Jellied eels
Really not for me. Everything about them is so wrong. I think it’s because I’m scared of snakes and, let’s face it, they are the same thing!
Marzipan
This is very strange as I like nuts but I can’t stand marzipan.
Tinned crab
This is just so wrong. Fresh crab is beautiful and delicate but when it’s tinned it loses that fresh flavour. I hate to see something so special being spoilt.
Casseroles
Now this is very controversial as, done well, a casserole can be amazing - but done badly, you’ve basically got a bowl of chewy meat with over-cooked vegetables and bland, watery stock. I have had more bad ones than good!
The Cotswold Chef Nick Deverell-Smith runs and owns The Churchill Arms Paxford – a Cotswold pub with rooms churchillarms.co
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