Cook it!: ICEX appeal
International Chef Exchange Vancouver comes to Brighton
The observant amongst you will have noticed that for the last few years I have been pretty preoccupied by a project called International Chef Exchange or ICEx as it we like to call it.
It has taken me to Holland three times, Sicily, Guernsey and Sweden and all three of those projects can now be seen on Latest TV or by going to the Latest TV website and looking in the food and drink section. I am immensely proud of them and of the entire team who took part in them and made them happen.
SIx finished programmes exist but since then we have undertaken a seventh, and last week we completed that when Felix Zhou of The Parker in Vancouver came over to do his end of the Canadian exchange – and what a night it was.
Felix had exchanged his small but perfectly formed vegetarian restaurant in British Columbia with head chef Matty Bowling of Terre à Terre earlier this year. That was a huge success and the kind people at Tourism Vancouver had made my team very welcome in their beautiful city.
Now it was our turn to offer them our hospitality and the city’s best. This we did in a series of meals at the finest we have to offer – but the real purpose of the visit was of course the dinner at Terre à Terre cooked by Felix working with Matty and his highly skilled kitchen brigade.
We were not to be disappointed. As with nearly all of the exchanges there has grown a strong bond between the chefs involved, all of them exchanging ideas, techniques and passion and this was evident from the first to the last courses of Felix’s delicious multi-course dinner.
We started with a delicious cocktail created by Festival Favourite Sarah Thompson of Blackdown Spirits, a real kick start to what was going to be a true celebration.
Our first dish, an amuse bouche of radishes came with a fascinating olive soil that was both sweet and salt, tantalising stuff to set our palates off.
Our next dish was a celebration of asparagus. Felix had chargrilled some, shaved some and found some wild sprue to decorate the lot. This was all served with a soft poached egg which he had dressed the day before with a tiny amount of truffle oil. It was quite frankly the best asparagus dish I have ever eaten and the only fault we could find was that there was no bread to clean up the residual egg yolk dressing. This was of course remedied by the brilliant front of house team who produced some pretty quickly.
Next came a roast cauliflower dish, basted in an English mustard glaze it had my tongue wiggling with delight. Felix is quite clearly a master of balancing flavours and what could have been so easily swamped by the fire of mustard was a delicate fusion of creaminess and fire. I loved it.
Next came broccoli, delicate spears balanced with the lightest and fluffiest potato gnocchi imaginable. I managed to persuade Felix to divulge his secret and as I had suspected they are made from baked potato and not boiled, a hand tip well worth following.
Perhaps the most popular dish of the evening was a trio of incredible Chinese style dumplings filled with a delicate aubergine puree on a pool of Thai green curry inspired sauce. Soft aubergine in a toasty shell with a rich and vibrant sauce, it was indeed heavenly.
To finish a cheescake, but not as you know it. Felix created something so light and delicate, with pastry crumbs and all set off by a mysteriously amazing endive jam, yes bitter sweet and utterly fascinating. I will be trying that one at home for certain.
We drank delicious British Columbian wines brought over by Sumerhill Winemaker Ezra Cipes, a real treat as they are not available in the UK normally.
ICEx is a huge success, please do tune in to Latest TV and catch all six episodes and wait with baited breath for the Vancouver Exchange.
Terre à Terre, 71 East Street, Brighton BN1 1HQ
01273 729051
terreaterre.co.uk
