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Tower and Town, March 2020

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Strictly Cooking

“I was tempted to take a course in lawn mowing maintenance at college in Canberra, New South Wales, where I was raised but switched to Commercial Cookery,” Dan told me, as we were sitting in his sunlit restaurant on the Parade, Marlborough, one bright January morning.

“However”, he continued, “when I discovered that the cookery course was more challenging, with the highest drop-out rate I thought this was for me!”

So commenced a career as chef and restaurateur that has lasted some thirty years. Egged on by a friend, he arrived in the UK in 1999 and started working at Coles, the former restaurant in Kingsbury Street, before starting DAN’S – his own establishment.

“What is the appeal?” I asked. “I absolutely love creating dishes that people would not normally expect to eat and I am thrilled to know that as many people as possible are enjoying what I and my staff (three chefs) have produced. I divide my time between the kitchen and front of house because I like to know whom I am cooking for and observe the pleasure they get from our efforts. At Christmas, when we are closed, I cook a huge meal for staff, friends and neighbours – I call it my orphan’s feast!!”

“Is there any particular new dish Dan would like to introduce?” I ask. “Goat” he replies. “Cooked in the right way goat is very tasty but I am not sure if Marlborough is ready for it yet,” he chuckles. “Firstly, if you are expecting something like tender lamb it is delicious but not so succulent, secondly, it is expensive because the rearing and slaughtering process is costly, thirdly people raise their eyebrows if I mention ‘goat’- it is a cultural problem!” At this point our conversation widens to discuss the enormous changes in England since the war with regard to eating habits. When I was a boy in London during the fifties the only choice for eating out was Indian or Chinese unless one went to an expensive establishment in the West End. Now the world is your oyster – no pun intended.

“As you know, Dan, this edition of Tower and Town is focusing on polymathic skills. Do you encourage people to do their own cooking?” I ask. “Oh, yes” he replies. “I give them what tips I can or direct them to the internet or a book called Practical Professional Cookery. Western gastronomy is based on classic French dishes, start there and innovate, I am just about to introduce octopus with apple!”

“What about the business side?” I ask. “I hate paperwork,” he says, “but have always been good with figures – so no problem. I love food and I love observing people enjoying food”, he concludes.

Dan

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