My feet transported my body at 5.15am to the bus station in Ashington while the little Umpa Lumpa that controls the engine room that is in my head cursed the early start also as he had to awaken early and try and get my brain cells working at this ungodly hour. He managed just in time to get me onto the Arriva Bus that was taking me to the Train station in Newcastle and then onto the Train that was going to take me to the Big City of London and attend this years Taste of London Food festival.
For me when I was a Photographer some tens years ago, London was always a place I looked forward to going to on Photographic Jobs.
I knew, and my boss knew, that from my House near Peterborough to London because of the traffic it meant I wouldn't be expected back until late afternoon if at all ! Throw the hours lunch break you were supposed to have also and this could turn into a major skive ! O happy days !
Now the thought of driving through London would not appeal to many people but for me after I had finished my assignment in the "Smoke" driving around London trying to find as many of the Historical London images that had filled my head as child was quite magical.
My record for continuous laps of Parliament square was 18. I would just do lap after lap keeping one eye on the traffic and the other looking at the amazing architecture and hoping to see a glimpse of Tony Blair ! (Although I never saw him in London I did photograph him at a car show at Silverstone when he had just become Prime Minister).
Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, The City and Tower Bridge were all on my boy racer cruising route. Windows down on my Ford Mondeo, music blaring out. I don't know what I was thinking. The stupidly of youth maybe ? or was I really thinking I would stop at the zebra crossing on Abbey Road and see the remaining Beatles cross it before me. They did but only in my imagination !
The best bit of advice I had for driving in London in my early career was from my Uncle Fester (Micheal is his real name but he liked the nickname and it stuck to this day) and that was,
" Whatever you do just get in the Middle lane." he said.
"Middle Lane Unc, I wasn't even going to get out of first gear !" I nervously replied.
"Because when you realise your in the wrong lane your only going to cut one F@**@r up !"He said like a wise Jedi master.
"O that makes perfect sense" I laughed.
The Journey was smooth and quick on the train. We stopped at Darlington......Northalleton.... and so on. Peterborough was on the stop list where 15 years of working memories came flooding back as we stopped. I looked out the window thinking I would see someone I used to work with...why?.....because things like that come into your head when you are flying down memory lane I guess. We headed off once more and was sad that no faces from the past came and sat in carriage M.
The almost rhythmic sound of the speeding Train's wheels crossing railway points became more spaced out as we slowed and the outskirts of London appeared from the railway carriages window.
The sight of the new Arsenal Emirates Football stadium appeared and I knew that we were here.
It is quite a sight when a train empties of passengers.
To see them all heading purposefully up the platform towards the narrow exits is like a herd of Cows at milking time heading to the Cow shed. Some pulling luggage trolleys, some pushing heavily laden bicycles, some carrying huge travelling ruck sacks and some leading camels..ha ha... OK i made that bit up just to see if you were still following after my bygone day rambles !!! ha ha !
The mass speedy exit from the train stops and the platform is empty. I needed the toilet so I am the last one from the train. I find the whole train motion and relieving oneself manoeuvre very difficult so had to wait until we stopped. However I have decided a visit to my nearest ballroom dancing School when I get back is all I need to develop some train movement toilet co-ordination !
Kings Cross is under redevelopment so finding the underground is not easy. Generally in the past just following someone with a briefcase or Man bag of some description or my own personnel favourite a pretty women in a business suit usually gets you to the Underground. Although on one occasion while I thought I was following a Pretty Woman in a suit I ended up in dodgy alleyway near the station where the pretty women was actually a transvestite prostitute who was prepared to offer me a daytime discount if I was quick !!! I was quick in fact Usain Bolt quick as I legged it at great speed !!!
Ok this is a Food blog and this post is supposed to be about The Taste of London Food Show but I am just trying to explain to you that this was more than a food trip, this was proper memory lane stuff which made me realise how much I had done in my life.......how many people I have met from all walks of life (Only one transvestite I would like to add)......and how time flies.......
The Food show.
Regents Park is in a part of London where the surrounding houses are of a better quality than the show house on that new posh estate in Ashington........and the cars that are parked outside them are not the latest top end Vectra that adorn my home towns 2.4 children family estates ! Actually in Ashington it is more like 4.4 Children because we all know in Ashington that more children equals more Government handout prizes !!! That's a bit harsh as there are only a select few Ashington couples you see who can afford to wear the Armani Gold coloured Shell suit ! ha ha
Porsche's and Mercedes Benz with tinted windows all lined the streets. You definitely think this is where the Bankers, the Aristocracy and Boris Johnson live !
I should be spraying 'Shearer is God" or "Toon Army" on the posh clean walls but really I am Jealous and cannot help but think I would love to live here. A Beautiful part of a cosmopolitan world leading City !
It was good that it was a nice part of town because as per usual me and Alan (My mate and trusty Passepartout on these culinary travels) got lost again trying to find a Taste of Food show. Edinburgh's show was just the same. The fact is organisers you need to sign post these events clearer.If you could guide us from whatever watering hole we are camped out at before we make our big push to the event that would be good in future or better still send someone to take us there ! In this case the Metropolitan Pub on the famous Baker Street was where we went for a few early heavy refreshments that probably clouded our internal compasses. We definitely could have done with Mr Holmes helping us with our clueless trek around Regents Park looking for this event !
Anyway by purely sobering up luck we found the event eventually.
I guess my nickname as "Cockney Cabby Kev" in the old days where I used to swear "I knew London like the back of my hand guvnor" are long gone. I did walk in the middle of the path so I only had to cut one person up while walking though !
Its a Saturday and it's busy as Foodies and some of London's beautiful People wander around in search of celebrity Chefs to have there pictures taken with, some fantastic food to eat and buy, sip some champagne and drink some rather tasty cocktails.
I get my bearings and directions for the VIP lounge from a pretty woman standing in a bush holding an umbrella !! My free glass of Champagne is sipped and I read my Show Guide where I browse the Restaurants that are cooking at the show and pick out the dishes that I am going to eat.
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| What a brave and pretty Soul ! |
One of the great things about this show is that some of London's top eating places produce a 3 course menu where at a reasonable price you can sample starter sized portions of some of their great dishes.
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| A Plastic glass of Champagne helps the mind concentrate while planning what to eat and in what order ! |
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| Some of the "beautiful people" doing the same as me ! Food planning ! Ooo yes ! |
"Umh.." is heard often as people eat.
"Thats Amazing" is another much used Foodie term. I head off to sample Club Gascon's Basque Spicy Confit Duck with Popcorn. "That's amazing" I whisper to myself. Just when you think your getting good at this Chef thing !
Other such lovely food samplings come from Maze and their 'Bang, Bang Spicy Chicken'. Zolio's Skirt Steak, Celeriac and Parsley salad with bone Marrow sauce.
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| Let's eat ! |
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| Restaurant Gaucho's offering of Ribeye with Black Quinoa Tamal and Chimichurri. |
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| It wouldn't be a show without getting a burger ! This one was for the Charity Action Against Hunger and was created by a band of Celebrity Chefs. |
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| What Restaurant Angler called "Seafood Sliders" Thai Mackerel and Shrimp, Lobster Hollandaise and a Fish Finger all served in a brioche bun ! |
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| This was interesting and a bit different for a BBQ from Kasper's at The Savoy and was a Smoked Salmon Hot dog ! Pretty Good ! OK I have been fed and watered now it is show time ! The first Taste of Show I went to was in Edinburgh and I was struck by how accessible the so called Celebrity Chefs were. Gary Rhodes was there on my first visit to Edinburgh and he was only to happy to spend time talking to you for a bit and pose for pictures. He is a total legend.My beloved and much worshipped hero Rachel Allen was there also in Edinburgh and was very approachable and so it would have been at the London show but this was a big event and everyone wanted a moment with their culinary hero.Michel Roux Jnr who is everywhere on telly at the moment was mobbed like a Rock star at his stand. Like a Rock star he could have had his pick of any of the women who were after a cuddle and a picture with the Culinary Superstar. He sold loads of his books while he happily signed them. Hats off to him though we past him at about 12.15pm and at 4.00pm when we past him again he was still signing as much as he could including a book for me ! he wouldn't sign my left boob though...ha ha ! |
Throughout the Show there were Cookery demonstrations a plenty. Really they were just a Chef doing some easy recipe in 30 minutes with the chance for the audience to sample it afterwards.
This is Eric Chavot and Vivek Singh working the crowd. Always nice to see fellow Professionals do there thing ! ha ha !
I particularly enjoyed Frenchman Richard Bertinet and up and coming cooking star Florence Knight's demo. Richard now has a cookery school in Bath and after his engaging performance I am thinking about doing one of his courses. http://www.thebertinetkitchen.com.
They made some bread and a beetroot puree but Richard was a real entertainer and got the audience to take part you could see he enjoyed the interaction and the banter with his captive audience.
They made some bread and a beetroot puree but Richard was a real entertainer and got the audience to take part you could see he enjoyed the interaction and the banter with his captive audience.
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| Chance to sample the delights and it was delightful ! |
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| Florence Knight has a book out in July I cannot wait to see her first book. She is going to be a Culinary star ! |
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| Richard Bertinet very warm Chef Host. |
Another Top Chef Jason Atherton.
Finally Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo did a Demo at the end of the show which I missed but caught up with them when they were signing autographs. I love this Portrait of Antonio it's almost as if we were in a studio and I had spent an hour lighting it. Remember I had no Press pass just went up to him and "hosed him down" as my Press Photographer mate Rob Howarth used to say. Love it.
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| Two Greedy Italians. Two True lovely Culinary giants. |
And so our 4 hour session came to an end. As an event it delivered on every count. Great food and drink, some top Chefs and some great produce to take home and cook. Now time for this 'Northern Monkey' to have a few beers in the Big City before the long journey home ! I might go next year so if you want to put your name down and join me for "Culinary Kev's world of cooking adventures tours" then do so without delay !
Luckily not the full wet weather tread needed for the wellies this year just the intermediates will do !
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