Top chef on the ‘luxury’ food he hates, the best city in the world to eat and a cheap weeknight recipe
Every Thursday we interview chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks and more. Today we chat to Alex Naik, head chef at the family-run tasting menu restaurant Thirteen in Poole, Dorset.
The one thing I hate that customers do is… turning up without providing us with their dietary requirements. We run a 13-course tasting menu, so as you can imagine if they tell us on arrival that they are lactose intolerant (for example) it is very hard for us to make that many changes on the spot.
The worst type of behaviour in kitchens is… having a negative attitude. Negativity from one member of staff can bring the whole mood of the kitchen down.
The most overrated single food item is… foie gras. Once it was seen as the height of luxury, but now I feel this is more of a showy thing found on menus to make an establishment seem fancy, not to mention it’s unethical.
The best chef in the UK is… Simon Rogan. Having eaten at L’Enclume before it received its third Michelin star, I was just blown away by the complexity of flavour and simplicity of presentation of the food, use of ingredients and care given from growing to preparation.
You asked me why there are so few female chefs in top kitchens but I disagree… There are many very talented women in top kitchens across the UK. Claire Smyth, Monica Galetti, Sally Abe, Adejoke Bakare, Helene Darroze, Angela Hartnett, Chantelle Nicholson to name but a few…
One cheap place I love where I live is… Miso Rice Bar in Bournemouth. This tiny family-run eatery specialises in Korean cuisine. You can tell from the moment you walk through the door that all the food is cooked with love. Mum is behind the stove, with son running front of house. Big smiles and delicious food. What I order: bulgogi bibim-bap for £8.90.
My go-to cheap eat at home is… tuna pasta bake. Here’s my recipe:
- 200g penne (any robust pasta will do)
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Handful frozen peas
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
- Whatever cheese you have lurking in your fridge
- 1 tin of tuna
Sweat the onions and garlic in a little vegetable oil. Add the chopped tomatoes and herbs and peas. Cook the pasta until al dente. Combine pasta, tuna and sauce in an oven-proof dish and grated cheese on top, bake until cheese is melted and golden and enjoy.
The best city in the world to eat in is… San Sebastian in Spain.
One ingredient you should never skimp on is… truffle.
I’ve cut costs in my restaurant by… growing our own produce. It has really helped, especially when it comes to expensive herbs and flowers. We also do all of our own laundry, which has helped save us more than £700 a month.
