'It's invading menus': Top chef on overrated trend he doesn't get - and world's best food city

Sky News

2 days ago

Every Thursday, our Money blog team interviews chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks and more. This week, we chat to Mike Reid, renowned TV chef and "Aussie Beef Mate".
Good food doesn't have to be expensive... tasty food is simply tasty food. Obviously, better ingredients and produce (which would usually mean higher costs) would lend to a better flavour. However, some of the best food I eat is street food, from local markets or vendors. When I was in Singapore last year, I tried one of the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, with a pork noodle dish at about the equivalent of £5 for a one star dish. It proves that good food doesn't have to be expensive.
Michelin-starred food isn't always the tastiest, but... it is definitely a marker of consistency and talent. We are blessed in the UK with a thriving food scene, with so many great chefs, and not all of them are cooking within Michelin restaurants. What I would say with Michelin restaurants is that it is a very good marker for a place to eat where you should be getting great service and great food. It is a guide to help you. I love dining out at Michelin restaurants and have cooked at this level too, but I'm just as happy dining across the great spectrum of restaurants that we are blessed to have.
The best chefs I've worked with are... legends such as Michel Roux Jr and Gordon Ramsay. I also had the pleasure of making "Five Star Chef" with Michel for Netflix, and that was such an incredible experience of working with him again. His professionalism and talent stand out every day, and I learned so much from him about being on set and the energy and expertise he brings with him.
I handle a TV chef cooking me a bad meal by... styling it out - I would never want to publicly embarrass anyone. Food is so subjective, even though it may not be to my taste, the next person who tries it might love it. So I would try my best not to pass comment. Or my other tactic is to focus on a redeeming element, so for example: "Oh wow, the flavour of that beef is beautiful, or the colour of that sauce is so vibrant."
What annoys me the most about the industry is... how we have an expectation now of being able to eat most foods all year round - then we actually complain about how it doesn't taste as good. We need to get back to respecting our produce more and understanding the seasons. To enjoy strawberries in summer and not look for them in winter. To get back to eating tomatoes that have been grown and ripened on the vine in the sun, as opposed to in a greenhouse, grown and picked early. It will be so much better for the planet and better for us to enjoy things as nature intended.
The biggest mistake I see chefs make is… overcomplicating their dishes. We have such a desire when we are younger and starting out to showcase our skills, to show on each plate what we can do, and this often leads to dishes being overly complicated and too much going on. Sometimes you see 10 elements on a plate when only five are needed to make it really outstanding. Restraint is the mark of confidence and a true belief in the food that they are cooking. I remember so clearly when the penny dropped for me and my food went to another level after this. My chefs were happier, too.
The most overrated single food item is… Dubai chocolate. I do not understand why this has swept the world and taken over. It's invading menus in every area, breakfast is now littered with it, inspiring dishes, and dessert menus are overloaded with it too. I think it's overly rich and way too sweet. But that's just my humble opinion!
What I think about food influencers is... that love them or hate them, they drive covers to your restaurants, so you need to embrace them. I have worked with and met many - most are lovely people and big foodies who feel fortunate to do what they do. The minority can be a little "needy", let's say, but I think when you have a genuine influencer that you know will drive business to your restaurant, you are happy to work with them. I think it's about being selective and choosing the right ones for your audience.
My controversial food/restaurant opinion is… your meal should be paid for in advance. We are one of the few, if not the only, "entertainment" services where you pay after receiving your goods. Think if you go to the movies, theatre or a concert, you pay in advance. Paying after your meal gives some guests the impression that if it wasn't exactly as you wanted, you don't have to pay for anything. You don't get a refund if you don't like a movie? We have already paid for everything, the staff, the ingredients, the building and our costs have been laid out in advance, so I don't see why the experience is different to other industries. It shouldn't be a choice. Of course, if we don't meet your expectations, there needs to be a level of compensation, but at the moment, all the power lies with the guest.
The best city in the world to eat is... San Sebastian. From the Michelin-starred restaurants to the incredible pinchos bars - the quality of food is incredible.
My go-to cheap eat at home is... wagyu skirt sandwich
150g Wagyu Thick Skirt
1 Hens Egg
½ Tomato, Sliced
Sprigs of fresh Watercress
½ Onion, Sliced & Sautéed
½ Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Kewpie
3 Shallots
1 Tbsp Corn flour
Oil for frying
2 Slices of White Sourdough
For the gravy:
500ml Beef stock
2 Tsp Corn Flour
Method
Coat your shallots in the corn flour and then fry off in your oil at 160C;
Grill the wagyu from room temperature, seasoning generously with salt on your BBQ for about eight minutes, making sure your coals are not too hot, you want a nice medium heat. Then rest for at least six minutes in a warm place;
Start reducing your stock by half. Prepare your corn flour slurry by adding a touch of water to your corn flour and mix well;
Over a low heat, fry your eggs till the white is cooked but ensuring you have a beautiful runny yolk;
Once finished resting, take the roasting tray juices and add to your stock. Bring to the boil and then thicken with the cornflour slurry and season to taste;
Assemble your sandwich, basting the bread with your mustard, then adding the chutney, the beef cut in half and all your other bits, finishing with the watercress and the chips on the side.