British food has a bad reputation.
But chef Jeremy Chan has a defiant stance that goes against the grain, describing him as “the best”.
It’s a vote of confidence worth noting, because Jeremy knows a thing or two about cooking: his restaurant, ikoyion London’s Strand, has two Michelin stars and is ranked the 42nd best restaurant in the world.
Jeremy’s comments about British cuisine came at St Pancras International’s launch event for the new Eurostar menu, for which he has created appetizers and main dishes.
He told MailOnline Travel: ‘I love living in Britain and I actually love British cuisine. I think it’s the best.
Two-Michelin-starred chef Jeremy Chan (above) has created the new Eurostar menu alongside French pastry chef Jessica Préalpato and British sommelier Honey Spencer. Jeremy says British food is “the best”
‘It’s minimal, no nonsense. It’s meat, vegetables, simple sauce. I think desserts are very comforting.
“It has a bad reputation, but when I go to Japan and other places, I miss the comfort food of Britain.”
Jeremy, who lives in south London, revealed that the new Eurostar menu has “a nod to that sense of comfort”.
Above, from the new Eurostar menu: citrus-glazed duck, pumpkin, candied walnuts, treviso salad; Colston Bassett Stilton with Burnt Honey; Crushed rutabaga, appetizer with pine nut milk; citrus delight, green cardamom dessert
It includes a braised lamb shoulder that he says “looks like a school dinner,” but is much more “interesting” than it sounds.
Jeremy, who said he is also a fan of French cuisine, continued: “It has a garlic, anchovy and harissa marinade and is served with pearl barley and carrots.
‘It literally looks like a school dinner. Lamb. Carrots. Barley. It’s really spartan. But that’s what I love about British food: it can seem spartan. But it can taste healthy and cozy.
‘But how can we make lamb interesting? The barley is cooked in a very intense mushroom broth, roasted mushrooms are added and the carrots are glazed with honey.’
The new Eurostar desserts have been created by Jessica Préalpato, a French pastry chef who “favors natural flavors such as ancient grains, unrefined sugars and plants.” Named the World’s Best Pastry Chef in the World’s 50 Best ranking in 2019 and the first woman to be named Pastry Chef of the Year by Gault et Millau, her dessert offering could include citrus delights with green cardamom and honey and financial hemp.
The new wines and champagnes have been selected by British sommelier and co-owner of London restaurant Sune, Honey Spencer.
From left to right: Head Pastry Chef Jessica, Head Chef Jeremy and Head Sommelier Honey walking alongside a Eurostar train at Gare du Nord in Paris.