Theres a new creative maestro behind our menus. “Simon is calm, intelligent, very creative, and passionate about food”, says Zafferano’s MD Julian Saipe. “He’s a chef with tremendous flair, and we’re very excited to have him on board.”
Simon, 36, cut his teeth at veteran caterers Rhubarb, then ran a portfolio of five star venues in the home counties and the South of France as a group executive, along with a stint on the South Bank as executive chef at Swan at The Globe. His big inspiration comes from genius chef Tom Kerridge of the Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers pub in Marlow: stunning combinations of English seasonal flavours. While Simon’s excitingly ahead of the curve with food trends, he’s also a great advocate of what he calls ‘honest’ food. “I love stumbling across small eateries that use fresh produce and adjust their menu according to what’s available on a daily basis”, he says. “A chef who’s able to produce a beautiful, honest, seasonal dish with the ingredients they’re given on the day is a true chef in my book”.
With Simon at the helm, there are going to be surprises. Here’s a tiny taster: Nettle risotto with crispy rarebit croquette and girolles, watercress and mustard frills; Roasted cod, smoked potato purée, raisins, braised heritage carrots and borage; Chocolate and brown butter mousse, roasted apricot, apricot gel and almond crumble. That’s it for now!