Hi Natalie, so good to see you! What a whirlwind few weeks for you! How are you feeling after the win?
“It was really good! It’s been a chaotic two weeks as we have been really busy with all different things going on. But the pop-up was great, it was really good, it was like an honest bit of rivalry, but it’s more fun than anything, but it was nice having someone else in and was exciting for the guys in the kitchen, they really enjoyed it because we don’t always do those sort of dishes every day, and it was good getting feedback as now one of them is going to go on the à la carte. The Monkfish dish, I was thinking about putting it on, but then chefs said you’ve got to put it on!”
Since winning MasterChef you’ve done so much within your cooking career; You’ve worked with some of the best chefs in world, hosted private dinner parties and catered for small and large events all around the country. Having been at the helm of the Oyster Shed for over a year now, how does this experience compare to all of that?
“You know what, when I saw the job advertised, I saw that it was really fish focused, and its right on the river and next to borough market, which was a big part of my story while on MasterChef because I used to go down there all the time to get my ingredients. So, I came into the interview and there was like 20 million people in the interview, it was really crazy! We did a cook off and I thought, ooh I quite like this! And as I walked out the sun was belting down, as it was in the summer, and I could hear the waves crashing in on London Bridge and I thought this is definitely the one. And then I started two weeks after Mariya [The General Manager at the Oyster Shed] started, and she is just lovely, you couldn’t ask for a better boss! She is so supportive and always problem solves.
There where a lot of change from when I started with the food and the kitchen, it was a difficult time. And then January came and Covid…. But then we were able to really focus on the quality of the food and the menus and go straight bang into summer and did some record weeks of food! We started focusing on selling more oysters as when I first started, we only had one type and sometimes it wasn’t even on the menu! And now we have a range of 12 oysters, all from the UK, we’re a big champion of British seafood. During the winter this is reduced to 6, but during the summer we have a larger menu and it’s really good, and now we are working with our new fish supplier who I’ve wanted to work with here, sky’s the limit with the menu now”
With the menu, the Oyster Shed has such an amazing one! Where do you look for inspiration for your menu, how do you normally come up with ideas for your dishes?
“Matt and Matteo [our Executive Chefs at Young’s] send through some suggestions, and then we really like to focus on what’s in season really, and just sort of play around from there. I try and make it fish led, and instead of just doing a veggie option we do a Vegan one. We don’t have so much meat, the burger and the steak. Oh! And we’re going to add a pie, I’m going to make a beef and kidney pie, it’s one that my Grandad used to make.”
