Well, I tried my best. Last year I wished everyone a Happy Christmas, Hanukkah and Eid, but a little research confirms that my Jewish and Muslim friends have managed to fit their holidays in early this year, as have the Buddhists. But I'm just in time to wish any pagans out there a happy feast of Yule and well in time to wish Zoroastrians a happy Zartusht-No-Diso. Whatever your thing - and whether you've already celebrated it or not - may I wish you all a very happy winter holiday.
Only yesterday I packed my bags and flew off from Stansted to Barcelona to start the greatest culinary adventure of my life. But it wasn't yesterday. It was three months ago, and the offer that took me to Catalunya was for a three-month training stage. So Sunday afternoon I'll be boarding another Ryanair flight and heading home to London - to relax, sit back and be cooked for. Sunday night's family dinner will be prepared by Nuno Mendes of Bacchus. And next Tuesday the family will be sat at the Christmas table tucking into a feast of scallops, wild sea bream and roast capon with all the trimmings (roast Maris Pipers cooked in goose fat, sautéed and roasted winter root vegetables, gluten-free stuffing...)This will be my last blog post for a week. Next weekend I hope to have a very special announcement to make. But that will have to wait. In the meantime I've got some parcels to open and a lot of catching up to do.
Whoever you are and wherever you are this Christmas, may you have health, happiness and great food.
2007 and moved to Spain, where I trained in Barcelona at Carles Abellan's Comerç 24 (which won its first Michelin star) and Martín Beresategui's Lasarte (which won its second Michelin star) and was chef de partie and later Pastry Chef to Paco Morales at the amazing hotel restaurant Ferrero in the Valèncian mountains. This Spring I returned to London as part of the team of celebrated Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes, opening East End restaurant Viajante. I'm still working with food, but taking a break from fine dining. Passionately pursuing my life-long ambition to become a top-class chef and, one day, a world-famous restaurateur.
11 comments:
You can do the washing up this year.
...Here's wishing you a great holiday season and a successful 2008...AP
Have a safe journey back to London and a fantastic (relaxing!?) holiday- All the best for 2008!Sarah
Happy Christmas! (how on earth did you come to having nuno mendes cooking dinner for your family?... Or are you going to Bacchus?)
That three months flew past for us.
Merry Christmas to you and your family Aidan. Hope 2008 brings you all that you wish for.
Thanks guys. I hope you all have a great Xmas. Lizzie - bear with me and all will be revealed.
It is 24th Dec here, and so time for me to wish all of my blog friends a wonderful, peaceful and blessed time with family and friends tomorrow. May it be a day where each of us can give a lot of joy to those around us. Enjoy your time with family and friends.
Hey Trig - hope you have a great holiday back home and with the family. And best wishes for the New Year.
Have yourself a Merry Little Xmas... and see you next year, we all hope somewhere around Hoxton Street... :)
There's a Buddhist festival around this time? Have my parents been lying to me all these years in order to avoid any effort at Christmas?
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