Tom Aikens' Newest EDITION
What’s your favourite ingredient?
Flour is one of the most important ingredients as it is so versatility in everything we cook in the kitchen, but we are more and more conscious of guests own allergies and dietaries, that we always have to have something else in our back pocket.
I have always loved bread: it has been part of my world as far back as I can remember, from soft squidgy bread to hard crusty rolls and to sourdough. I have been very fortunate to have made bread under the guidance of some excellent teachers such as Pierre Koffmann, Richard Hart, Emmanuel Hadjiandreou and Michael James, all amazing bakers.
The one thing that I have always loved making the most with flour is bread, particularly sourdough. There is something truly comforting, rhythmic, almost hypnotic about making sourdough. You never become a complete master at it , as you are always learning no matter what.
An amazing thick skinned Amalfi lemon is not only beautiful to look at but full of flavour. Whether using the ski or juice into a sauce, vinaigrette or onto a piece of cooked fish can make a huge difference using the very best lemon. , or adding a little micro-planed lemon zest can also add a little extra citrus taste. Use the very best lemons you can find as it will give better flavour all round.
Scallops hand dived also are one of the tastiest shellfish species, they are sweet, juicy and they can handle a multiple number of flavours, from acidic, sweet, salty and savoury. They taste great grilled, poached, barbecued, or blow torched and even raw. I like them cooked simply just over hot coals, cooked in the ½ shell, with little olive oil, Maldon salt, butter, lemon zest, picked thyme, razor blade sliced garlic. Place a tsp of butter in the bottom of the shell, place the scallop on top, drizzle in a good olive oil, mircro-plane the lemon over, picked thyme leaves and garlic. Place onto the fire, making sure the butter goes nut brown only, then baste the scallop for 3-4 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
What’s the first thing you steal from the EDITION mini bar?
There is a super tasty snack that I tried recently from the Edition Tokyo minibar, which was these freeze-dried truffle chips, which were unusual but rather Moorish. I don’t have a sweet tooth; however these were rather good I have to say!
How would you describe the perfect dish?
Great food is key to making a lasting impression on someone. The perfect dish does not have
to be super gastronomic; it can be simply done and perfectly executed with great service and an enjoyable atmosphere. Mystery and intrigue are what lead the dining experience, so a culinary journey should be at the forefront of any menu. Each dish should be well thought-out with a clear reason as to why it appears on the menu. This leaves a lasting impression, creating a nostalgic, feel-good experience for each person to reflect on in their own way – food is so personal, after all.
Which dish or ingredient is criminally overrated?
This ingredient isn’t necessarily overrated, however the one ingredient I see too often in most cities when it’s completely out of season is asparagus, and I don’t know why as there are so many amazing seasonal products that could be used as an alternative. The British love asparagus, but sadly it’s been allowed to grow all year round in some far-flung warmer climates.
What’s been your experience eating and working in Tokyo?
I am impressed how Japanese people carefully handle ingredients and the respect they pay to them. The same is true of the staff, who work very hard and memorize each recipe precisely. I have worked all over the world, and I have found that the Japanese have a very high level of awareness and skill. I just want to thank the staff. The unique Japanese culture is wonderful and fascinating, but I am especially impressed by the passion of the Japanese people.
There are a broad range of Japanese ingredients that can be used for all sorts of seasonings from Dashi broths, ferments, pickles, dried fish & shrimp, soy, a whole range of vinegars, dried kombu & kelp. Using very seasonal ingredients that are of the highest quality & even between the seasons, you have produce that comes into season for just a matter of weeks only. I think Japan is one of the top 3 countries to work in" for chefs around the world. It is so attractive because of the abundance of seasonal ingredients. Compared to the UK, Japan has far more varieties of fish and vegetables. Meat is classified into smaller categories.
There are a vast number of amazing restaurants that are always very consistent in cooking and creativity. Tokyo has the largest number of Michelin restaurants than any other city, so you can understand why!
What is the biggest mistake a chef can make in a kitchen?
Not listening or paying attention. You must be 100% focussed in everything you do to make sure that you are consistent in your cooking.
Being from the UK, cooking in Tokyo and other parts of the world. How do you gain an understanding of local cuisines?
Each time I build up a concept and curate new menus for a part of the world I am new to cooking in, I lead a thorough study of the market I am creating the concept/menu for beforehand to understand what the local market trends are, what is missing from that dining scene, what the locals needs and wants and what I could bring to the table. It is of course incredibly important to visit the city in question to get the answers to all these questions, therefore a full research and development trip is carried out which is the fun part. I will visit local markets to research what local produce is available, dine at local restaurants in the area to carry out a competitor analysis to experience first-hand what other restaurants are doing and doing well or not so well at. I talk to chefs who have been working in the city, finding out which suppliers they use and what they recommend in terms of ingredients. The quality of the produce and the food cost plays an essential part in the creation of a new menu, as I try to source my ingredients locally wherever possible.
Is there anything you refuse to eat?
When I was in Japan for the first time, I was given some soft poached milt (whale sperm) which I would not want to repeat! I also have a dislike to smoked salmon.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
I consider myself as a bit of a thrill seeker, so I would probably be a professional jockey. My cousin was a profession jockey, winning the Cheltenham Gold cup 3 times in a row and so I used to spend a lot of time with him on occasions. For fun, he did some mild training with me and then let me loose on the tracks with one of his racehorses, which as you can imagine was insanely fast! I am surprised I managed to stay on the horse considering the speed, but it was a huge thrill, my adrenalin was sky high for some time after that.
What is your best food memory?
When I was 12 years olds, on a particular trip down to France, my father booked us into a Michelin Star restaurant/hotel, by complete accident. My father never used a guidebook as everything back then was recommended by word of mouth, or a notable place to go and try out. He only realised the magnitude of what he had booked when we arrived at the hotel to find our car surrounded by four guys wearing white gloves in white jackets and bow ties. That evening I had the most amazing meal that I have never to this day forgot. It is one of those inspirational gastronomic moments that I will always remember, ask any chef and I think they will have a story that is similar. 1984 so It was still the era of nouvelle cuisine, tiny little portions delicately put together with the tiniest of details.
The tastes and flavours were stunning. I had the most beautiful simple tomato salad with a stunning fragrant olive oil, basil, finely diced shallots, course sea salt, black pepper and chives, all these flavours I remember as if it was yesterday. For main course I had the most tender fillet steak that melted in my mouth – a tall tower of beef fillet that had been larded with beef fat, it was sublime and perfection in one, we also had the best chips ever, an accompanying stacked tower of perfectly cooked and cut potato, that had been cooked in proper beef dripping, crisp, golden glistening chips that where perfection.
The waiters lifting endless cloche after cloche for my parents with course after course of frogs legs and snails, which I of course thought was really weird eating garden animals. Then the pudding arrived, simple poached peach, raspberry coulis and a big ball of vanilla ice-cream that was just out of this world, my god I was now in seventh heaven, this was the first time that I had eaten real vanilla ice cream, can you imagine the taste explosion, I was in heaven and as I say I’ll never forget it.
Best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Follow orders thoroughly, work hard, have self-belief, be patient and persevere - sometimes working as a chef involves taking steps backwards and forwards to get to where you want to be.
Do you have a favourite fast food?
A great chicken burger!
What’s a must do in Tokyo?
There is so much to see and do here. Tokyo is an amazing city of both old and new as ancient shrines are surrounded by modern buildings. There are shrines, museums, marketplaces, a huge number of restaurants, literally no end of places to go and things to see, you could spend years exploring Japan.
Best hangover feed?
A good old fry up has plenty of ingredients packed with energy, carbs, and protein but sometimes I’ll opt for a warm hearty porridge for the ultimate start to the day.
What’s something you look forward to every single day?
A fresh new day always has something new to achieve and be better at. The simplest thing that can make a difference in your positivity for the day, knowing that I cannot really ever be in a bad mood, as it effects the outcome of a lot of things and it stops positive things from happening. My mantra is stay happy to fuel better energy for everyone around you.
What’s next for Tom?
My priority is to make sure that all my restaurants around the world are run smoothly and remain at the same standards of quality and service they strive to achieve. 2023 is shaping up to be an incredibly busy year with some very exciting new projects in the pipeline, so watch this space! There may even be some double trouble twin cooking happening!
