British Chef Tony Jardella’s culinary career has taken him around the globe and given him the opportunity to cook all styles of cuisine. Here, the Chef de cuisine at Perry and Blackwelder’s Original Smokehouse in Dubai, talks all things British.
Use British to cook British: For British cuisine I will always use as much British produce as possible. Irish beef is probably the best quality beef I’ve ever worked with. And, of course, there’s Welsh lamb, lots of quality potatoes, and great crab, too.
Traditional with a twist: Diners love the classics, everything from roast dinners and cauliflower cheese to Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie. As much as I like doing that, I’m always looking for modern twists on them. I’d keep 80% as standard and change around 20% of the dish, making it fresh and different.
Make it an experience: When I was an apprentice, learning and starting off, everything was quite standard. Now in British cooking chefs are being more adventurous, trying to do something different. That’s a good thing, restaurants should be an experience for customers.
Signature dish: Scotch eggs made with game meat and served with homemade piccalilli.
