WeekendFREE Issue 695 | 2 May 2024 GEORGE LAMB Presenter’s new life helping to forge a regenerative revolution p10 HONEY & CO Stylish but simple recipes for a brilliant weekend sharing menu p25 CLARKSON’S FARM Piglets, tantrums and tears as series three hits our screens p38 OFFERS Great savings on selected products from Waitrose p44 SPICE WORLD Bring the zing to your home cooking with an exclusive new range of ingredients from Ottolenghi – perfect in these tasty chickpea, chard & feta pu s with green harissa, p29
News&Views Chocolate is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but behind our favourite bars, there is an unpalatable reality. Cocoa farmers are not always fairly treated, and the global trade in cocoa is linked to deforestation in precious rainforests, driving 37% of forest loss in Côte d’Ivoire and 13% in Ghana, according to a 2023 study. These countries produce most of our cocoa, but more than 80% of their forests have been lost over the past 60 years. The good news is that it is possible to buy chocolate that builds a better future for cocoa farmers, while also helping to protect our planet. Chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely has established an ethical sourcing initiative – Tony’s Open Chain – which tackles the industry’s biggest problems, and Waitrose has become the first UK retailer to join the scheme. By adhering to key principles to source the cocoa for nine of its chocolate bars, including three from the Cooks’ Ingredients range, the supermarket has become a mission ally. “As the first UK retailer to join us, Waitrose will pave the way for changing the norm in cocoa and o ering consumers more opportunities to choose responsible chocolate for which farmers are paid the living income reference price,” says Sanne Van Zon-Arts, Tony’s head of sales. Its five sourcing principles making up Tony’s Open Chain include ensuring that farmers are paid fairly by giving them a living income premium on top of the price for their certified beans, while also mitigating illegal working practices, developing Waitrose is the first UK retailer to join the Tony’s Open Chain initiative, which aims to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and cut deforestation, writes Anna Shepard A CHOCOLATE ALLIANCE TO RAISE THE BAR long-term relationships with cooperatives, using traceable beans and ensuring that no deforestation takes place at farm level. According to a University of Chicago report, 1.56 million children are involved in child labour in cocoa-growing households in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, with 95% of them doing dangerous work, such as using chainsaws to clear forest and heavy knives to pry open cocoa pods. Another challenge that chocolate brands face is working out exactly where their cocoa has come from. An estimated two million farmers in West Africa operate cocoa farms, but their produce often takes a complex route to the global market, being sold to middlemen and private companies, meaning that when manufacturers eventually purchase it, it’s almost impossible to trace. Joining Tony’s Open Chain commitment means trading directly with cocoa farmers and cooperatives, therefore knowing exactly who produces the beans and under what kind of social and environmental conditions. “What Tony’s has done brilliantly is to create a model for companies to source cocoa in a way that tangibly impacts the lives and livelihoods of farmers through better purchasing practices, long-term partnerships with cooperatives, as well as improved transparency and traceability in the supply chains,” explains Chloé Rotureau, Partner and Waitrose ethics and sustainability specialist. “We hope other UK retailers will join us by adopting these ethical sourcing principles, which will make an even bigger di erence to equality in the industry.” Available in all stores, the chocolate bars are recognisable thanks to a yellow circle on the packaging, with more information about the partnership on the inside of the wrapper. The supermarket also stocks more than 20 products from Tony’s Chocolonely’s own ethical chocolate range, all of which is Fairtrade-certified and deforestation-free. All cocoa in Waitrose confectionery ownbrand products is already certified by the Fairtrade Foundation, and has been since 2020, as part of the supermarket’s ongoing commitment to supporting producers and their communities around the world. A long-standing supporter of Fairtrade – the global movement securing a better deal for farmers and workers – since 1994, the retailer stocks more than 200 certified items, from beans and co ee to wine and spices, the largest range of own-label Fairtrade products of any physical UK supermarket. TOP TASTE A selection of Waitrose chocolate (above); Chloé Rotureau in Côte d’Ivoire (left); cocoa pods from a Tony’s Open Chain farming cooperative (bottom) ‘Tony’s have created a model to source cocoa in a way that tangibly impacts the lives and livelihoods of farmers’ Cover: Portrait: Patricia Niven, Photographs: Sam Folan, Food styling: Jennifer Joyce, Styling: Wei Tang, Art direction: Corrie Heale 2 2 MAY 2024
GOOD NEWS IN BRIEF This week’s uplifting stories from Anna Shepard Smoking ban success The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been passed in Parliament, making it illegal for anyone born after 2008 to buy tobacco products, creating ‘a smoke-free generation’ says health secretary Victoria Atkins. The bill was passed by 383 votes to 67. Smoking is responsible for 80,000 deaths in the UK each year, as well as 500,000 hospitalisations and a £17 billion cost to the economy and wider society. Climate ruling A group of Swiss women have won a climate change case against their government at the European Court of Human Rights. Senior Women for Climate Protection, whose members are mostly in their seventies, accused their country of not doing enough to reduce emissions. In its rst ever climate change ruling, the court agreed that the government’s failures to act had breached its duty to protect its citizens. Spreading seeds Garden Organic has teamed up with Waitrose to give away organic herb seeds with every pack of Yeo Valley Organic Spreadable Butter sold in May and June. There will be three herb packs – fragrant basil, chives and thyme – with growing instructions from the charity. “You can even ll empty butter tubs with compost and grow the seeds on a sunny windowsill,” says Garden Organic’s Fiona Taylor. Watch this space Britain’s newest astronaut is set to y into space by 2030. Rosemary Coogan, 33, from Belfast (below), graduated from space training at the European Space Agency, having passed a number of rigorous tests. She follows Helen Sharman, the rst Briton in space in 1991, and Tim Peake, who went to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015. Leading names talk about all things food This year’s British Library Food Season will address today’s biggest conversations, from farming and social media to nutrition and mental wellbeing. The event, from 9 May to 3 June, is now in its sixth year and inspired by cookbooks, recipes and culinary stories in the library’s collection in London’s King’s Cross, and will feature talks, live podcasts and online events. Founder and food historian Polly Russell says: “Featuring the most influential names in food, with tasting and demonstrations, the season is for everyone interested in exploring how, what and why we eat.” Speakers include chef Angela Hartnett, host of Waitrose podcast Dish, who will celebrate London restaurant Le Gavroche, which has become a training ground for chefs. Doctor, author and presenter Chris van Tulleken will o er advice on eating well for body and mind, and food critic Jimi Famurewa will look at how recipes evolve as they move around the globe. Farmer and author Julius Roberts will discuss the joys and challenges of farming in the digital age and mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan) will chart our changing drinking habits. Writer Bee Wilson will lead a discussion about how deep emotions, especially grief and loss, shape our relationships with food and how we cook. For the final two days, the Big Weekend celebrates the role of food in words, sounds and cultures, with tastings. Anna Shepard Do you know an Orchard Close or a Chestnut Avenue? The answer is probably yes, since research by the National Trust reveals that place names relating to blossom have doubled since 1900, moving from 3% to 6% in 2023. It analysed nearly one million names in England and Wales, including streets, houses and farms. “Half of our traditional orchards – and their blossoming trees – have been lost across England and Wales, but we clearly haven’t lost our connection to them,” says National Trust head of environmental research Matthew Heard. “Their memory is something we seem to want to keep alive.” 6% If you thought mushrooms were just another ingredient for stews, sauces and stir fries, think again. A new book aims to get us growing button, oyster, shiitake and even lion’s mane mushrooms – not only to eat, but to enjoy for their quirky shapes and delicate colours. Project Mushroom: A Modern Guide to Growing Fungi, by mushroom farmers Jodie and Lorraine Caley of Caley Bros, suggests 30 straightforward projects, including growing feathery-gilled oyster mushrooms in vases or hanging planters to display at home. “You don’t need a huge budget, a huge space, or green ngers,” said Jodie. “Mushrooms grow quickly year-round, and it’s a myth that they need a dark space to thrive. It’s wonderful to watch homegrown mushrooms ourishing.” Ideas include growing them on a substrate of spent co ee grounds or even old jeans, with results ready to harvest in weeks. The book also explains how to sun-dry mushrooms and supercharge them with vitamin D before making an umami, health-boosting food seasoning or infusion. Non-food projects include using mycelium to make biodegradable seed pots. The book is a rst for Jodie and Lorraine, written in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and it will inspire their exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (21-25 May). Tessa Allingham The wonderful world of mushrooms HOT TOPICS Angela Hartnett and Jimi Famurewa will talk at the British Library Food Season Photographs: Alex Hassan / K-STUDIO, Nicky Allen, Getty Images 3 2 MAY 2024
4 2 MAY 2024 Prices correct at time of going to print. Selected stores. Subject to availability. £12 SERVES 2 MEAL DEAL 1 MAIN + 2 SIDES STEAKHOUSE This unmissable o er means you can enjoy fabulous restaurant-style avours at home in no time. Ends 7 May Waitrose & Partners Peppercorn Sauce £2.50/180g A rich sauce with cream, green peppercorns and a splash of brandy, traditionally served with steak, but also fantastic with chicken. Waitrose & Partners 2 British Beef Sirloin Steaks £10/400g These juicy sirloin steaks are full of avour and produced to higher welfare standards by British farmers that Waitrose knows and trusts. Waitrose & Partners Frites £2.60/300g The irresistible side to enjoy with your steak – crispy, thin-cut chips made from British potatoes and cooked in sun ower oil.
5 2 MAY 2024 News&Views DO ONE GREEN THING PASTRY CHEF PUTS THE SAVOURY INTO SWEET Discovering new flavour combinations can be fun, but when it comes to sweet bakes how about adding a dash of soy sauce, a spoonful of miso or some crushed coriander seeds? These ingredients feature in cakes, biscuits and desserts dreamt up by pastry chef Nicola Lamb, whose first cookbook, Sift, is out now. “When I come up with twists, it’s because I think I’m pursuing a delicious combination, not because I think it’s clever,” she says. “I don’t do recipes that are too sweet. I make ones where you can eat a whole slice and say: ‘That was really balanced.’ For example, in my miso walnut doublethick chocolate-chip cookies, the “The most sustainable out t is the one you already own, but washing clothes too much can cause fading and wear. Instead, pop clothes in a freezer bag and let the cold zap away odours. Or, spot-wash stains, which might be the only cleaning a garment needs. For a quick refresh, use a fabric spray. You can make one with water and a dash of vodka. Spritz it on, let it dry and voila – clean-scented clothes. When nothing but a machine clean will do, wash on a low temperature, which is kinder on fabric, and make sure zips and buttons are done up to prevent seams from getting stressed and giving way.” Anna Shepard Wash your clothes less, says Steph Campbell, of environmental charity Hubbub FLAVOUR TWIST Baker Nicola Lamb (above right); her whipped feta, g and walnut cheesecake An impressive hedge might not be the rst thing you look for in a restaurant, but Auberge du Lac, in Hat eld, Hertfordshire, has planted 230 metres of native hedgerow to surround its kitchen garden, with the help of a grant from the Woodland Trust. The lakeside restaurant, set in the grounds of the Brocket Hall Estate, received funding from Morehedges, a scheme that promotes these vital features of our countryside. To replicate the makeup of a traditional hedgerow, the restaurant has planted shrubs and saplings including dogwood, hazel, crab apple, maple, blackthorn and hawthorn, plus wild cherry trees. “We wanted to frame the perimeter of our one-acre organic kitchen garden to create a de nitive boundary, which will help to protect crops from hungry deer and rabbits,” says Lucy Hawkins, the estate’s kitchen gardener. She follows a no-dig approach, which involves covering the ground with organic matter such as compost. “The wider aim is to support nature and the wildlife populations on the estate by creating a biodiverse habitat.” There are also human bene ts, she says, adding: “Hedgerows encourage birds and insects, which aid pollination and help us manage veg-eating insect populations, so restaurant diners and sta can enjoy crops grown on our doorstep without any chemicals or pesticides.” Last year’s reopening of the restaurant – which closed during lockdown – was a chance to refocus the menu on sustainability and seasonality. Chef John Barber works closely with the kitchen garden, which already supplies most of the restaurant’s salads and vegetables. At this time of year, this means parsnips, cabbage and kale for Sunday roasts, beetroot for its whipped goat’s cheese tartlet and salad leaves, such as endives, radicchio and chicory. Anna-Marie Julyan spicy orange and lemon flavour.” If you can’t find panela, an unrefined dark brown sugar, Nicola suggests using light brown muscovado in place of it. Nicola trained in London and New York at Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel and Little Bread Pedlar, and her Substack newsletter Kitchen Projects has a loyal following. Half of Sift explains the how and why of baking, and the other has 100-plus recipes, split into those that take an afternoon, a day or a weekend. Anna-Marie Julyan walnuts are bitter, the miso is umami and salty and the sugar is sweet.” Other sweet-savoury combinations from Nicola include an apricot and rosemary polenta cake; a panna cotta with burnt white chocolate and soy sauce; a coriander and panela cake with honey cream cheese and apricots; and a whipped feta, fig and walnut cheesecake. “Coriander seeds are so underrated,” she adds. “They’re a bit unexpected – floral with a Hedgerow help for soil-to-plate restaurant Photographs: Sam A Harris, Lin Pei Pei
6 2 MAY 2024 News&Views Standing on the deck of the Norfolk day-tripper, nothing but rippling North Sea and cloud-scudded sky as far as the eye could see, Ashley Mullenger knew she had found the place she was meant to be. “It was like a light being turned on in me,” she explains. “When you’re in an o ce from 9am-5pm every day, which I was doing at the time, you’re bombarded by people, the phone, emails and it’s clutter everywhere. “Being on the boat, there’s just solitude. It’s raw and it’s natural. There’s no society telling you that you have to look or dress or act a certain way – the sea doesn’t care.” Ashley, who prefers to be known as a A weekend angling trip inspired Ashley Mullenger to swap her office job for a career afloat, as she explains in her new memoir. Alice Ryan reports In focus A LIFE AT SEA IS THE ONE FOR ME fisherman, is one of the few females in the industry – they make up just 2% of the UK’s 11,000-strong workforce. And she made history in 2022 as the first woman to win Under 10-metre Fisherman of the Year at the Fishing News Awards. Described as ‘both a rallying cry and a love letter to an iconic industry’, she’s now published a memoir, My Fishing Life: A Story of the Sea, charting her journey from desk job to co-owner of a pair of small commercial boats, the Fairlass and Saoirse. Venturing up to 30 nautical miles from historic Wells-next-the-Sea harbour in Norfolk, a distance dictated by time and tides, they catch everything from crab, lobster and whelk to cod, mackerel and, as of last year, squid. The aim of Ashley’s book is to demystify the fishing industry, encourage more women to join its ranks and ultimately to promote British fish – as she already does on social media (@thefemalefisherman on TikTok and Instagram). “To the average person, fishermen are a mystery,” she says. “There’s a romance – they see a boat going out and coming in and what happens in between is shrouded in secrecy. But the fish in our waters are a public resource. Fishermen are just the people privileged to bring it home. I want to tell people what fishing is really about.” Ashley’s sole connection to the sea growing up was paddling the surf and building sandcastles on holidays. Leaving college with no clear career path, she took an o ce job with a plumbing and heating company, where she stayed for eight years. One weekend, “wanting something fun and di erent”, Ashley suggested an angling trip to colleagues. The boat they booked, the Sunbeam 3, was skippered by Nigel – who went on to become her friend, mentor and business partner. “There are people you click with instantly and Nige was one of those people,” she says. “I also think he saw how much I loved being on the boat.” In 2018, after casual weekend work and a summer sabbatical, “he eventually said: ‘Come and work for me. What’s the worst that can happen?’ If he believes I can do something, that gives me belief in myself.” The book doesn’t skimp on the beauty of life on the sea – sunrises painting the sky pink and pods of dolphins playing in the foam – but it doesn’t shy away from the less appealing aspects. While she cut her crewing teeth, Ashley spent most of her time doing paperwork, mending roped pots and sorting shickle, the stinky leftovers from dressing crab – ‘a great ecofriendly bait’. The watershed came when she was first trusted to stack whelk pots, ready to plop into the sea with perfect placement and pace. “Watching that string go over the stern in the right order, that’s when I thought: ‘I could really do this.’” Ashley and Nigel’s two under-10-metre boats supply fishmongers, restaurants and Wells locals via quayside sales. Their enterprise is too small to achieve Marine Stewardship Council accreditation, but responsible practice is core. For example, scrupulous attention is paid to every lobster potted, with youngsters and pregnant females returned to sea. “There’s been a lot of propaganda about how [fishermen] come in and destroy everything when that’s not the case” insists Ashley. “We’re guardians of the space. We need it for our own longevity.”
7 2 MAY 2024 In my opinion ANNA SMITH The film critic and broadcaster has her say Photographs: Paul Astley, Ashely Mullenger, Stockfood With large tracts of the coastal North Sea now home to wind and seaweed farms, spatial conflicts are a challenge, says Ashley, as is compliance with Maritime and Coastguard Agency coding. “There’s a code for every boat under 15 metres and that onesize-fits-all approach to so many types of boats – trawlers, potters, netters, people who use rod and line – seems ludicrous.” Then there’s the financial pressure: “Put the word ‘marine’ in front of anything and you’re tripling the price – the licence is often worth more than a boat,” she adds. The hours vary wildly. Operating on a fortnightly cycle in line with the tides, some working days start at 8am and end at 7pm, while others begin at 2am and finish at noon. It’s a seven-day-a-week commitment, with bad weather the only cause for days o . The schedule can, Ashley admits, make it hard for her and husband Rob to make plans. But she has no regrets. “Even if the fishing is terrible, it does something for your mental health. At sea, your whole body is being used – arms, legs, back, mind. In that moment, you’re really living.” My Fishing Life by Ashley Mullenger (Robinson) is out now in hardback ‘Fish are a public resource. Fishermen are just the people privileged to bring it home. I want to tell people what fishing is all about’ WHAT A CATCH! Keen cook Ashley shares her top four seafoods Whelks “Freeze them rst – it starts to break down some of that heavier protein – then steam them for about 15 minutes. They’re great with big, bold avours, as a prawn substitute in curries or nely sliced and added to an Asian-inspired salad.” Crab “People can be scared of crab (below), but you can learn how to dress it on YouTube! I do a good warm crab dip – crab meat, cream cheese, a little horseradish, chives and cheese on top, then under the grill.” Hake “We’re catching lots of hake (above) in this country and it’s a really great white meat. It’s a lot meatier than cod, so it stands up to a wide variety of dishes as well as alone. It’s having a bit of a makeover and is coming through on a lot of restaurant menus.” Skate “When it’s cooked, the meat really does just ake o that cartilage. All it needs is a dusting in our, popping in a pan of butter, a few capers and a squeeze of lemon juice.” MAKING WAVES Ashley at sea (above left); shing for crabs with Nigel (above); Ashley’s boat Saoirse (right); a lobster haul (below left) The Cannes Film Festival is one of the highlights of my year. I go to swanky parties, report from the beach and review films competing for the coveted Palme d’Or. But another high point is a very di erent ceremony – the Palm Dog Award, for the best canine performance in a film. This alternative award was founded in 2001 by flamboyant Brit Toby Rose, who hosts the event with a comical sense of ceremony and a good number of puns. I’ve been a judge at the Palm Dog for the past 10 years alongside fellow film critics, and I love it. Held on the last Friday of the festival, it’s a brilliantly barking finale, attended by the world’s press. As well as the top prize, on-screen canines are rewarded with honours including Jury Prize and Mutt Moment. Given that few dog stars are able to fly out, local lookalikes accept on their behalf, their owners tickled to be approached and invited to this eccentric British occasion. I will never forget being on stage by the beach at the fabulous venue The Members Club, with an enormous cane corso dog, who was standing in for Sayuri, the winning pitbull who played Brandy in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The dog was accompanied by a man who worked as a dog walker. I suddenly got the signal that the film’s director, Quentin Tarantino, was making a surprise appearance. I announced his name, and the audience gasped and applauded as he walked down the aisle. The startled dog walker and his charge were later pictured all over the world’s press, alongside Tarantino and equally thrilled judges. We’ve had Tilda Swinton accepting on behalf of her spaniels in The Souvenir Part II, and Jean-Christophe Bouvet (Emily in Paris) is a frequent attendee. But the dogs are always the stars. Locals and Cannes regulars bring their pooches, and I always find time for a red carpet moment with several, including Malcolm the akita, who has a bigger Instagram following than most film critics. If you’re a movie fan, you can probably guess who won last year – Messi, the border collie who plays Snoop in Anatomy of a Fall. His performance was so remarkable that he was later invited to the Oscars, and his Palm Dog win was mentioned by host David Tennant at this year’s Baftas. Meanwhile, Ken Loach received a Lifetime Achievement Award for casting dogs in his films – including many three-legged ones – and spoke of the honour at the Cannes press conference for The Old Oak. So, from Tuesday 14 May, I’ll be a serious film critic, but on the final Friday, I’ll don my dog-print frock and hit the beach for Champagne, canines and some delightful weekend chaos. Woof! @annasmithjourno ‘Few dog stars are able to fly out, so local lookalikes accept on their behalf, their owners tickled to come to this eccentric British occasion’
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9 2 MAY 2024 News&Views WE WILL REMEMBER THEM Framed against the sinking sun, helmets bowed and rifles shouldered, the silhouettes of 1,475 British servicemen stand in Normandy’s fields. The installation, For Your Tomorrow, at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, represents the number of servicemen who died under British command on D-Day. It also marks the 80th anniversary of the landings on 6 June 1944 – the largest seaborne invasion in history. Created by Oxfordshire artist Dan Barton and the charity Standing with Giants, it overlooks Gold Beach – where around 350 of the men it remembers lost their lives – until 31 August. The big picture Photographs: PA Images / Alamy
10 2 MAY 2024 News&Views George Lamb has never forgotten the day, 12 years ago, when he phoned his dad – the actor and national treasure Larry Lamb – for a heart to heart. “I vividly remember lying in bed,” recalls the 44-year-old, “in my nice house, with my nice car and all my nice stu , and saying: ‘Dad, I feel like there’s nothing, I feel totally empty. This is all pointless.’” His dad’s response? “Well, you’re a game show host. Not very serious, is it?” It might not have been the answer George – who at the time was hosting Channel 4’s The Bank Job – wanted to hear. But it turned out to be the one he needed to hear. “I was like: ‘Right, that’s it – I’m going to renounce all worldly goods.’ I sold my house, got rid of all my stu , ****ed o to the East, and om shanti-ed my way to a standstill. I spent a lot of time in the Himalayas, as well as the Amazon. And it was great, but I still wasn’t quite sure what I was looking for. I was looking for something else.” He eventually found that something else in, of all places, an Ibiza nightclub, where he ran into fellow showbiz refugee Andy Cato, of dance duo Groove Armada. “He appeared like a kind of angel,” smiles George. “But he also looked exhausted. My first question to him was: ‘Are you OK?’ And he said: ‘Not really. I sold my publishing rights and bought a farm, and I don’t really know what I’m doing. I’m worried that I’m going to lose everything.’” Andy, it transpired, had been on his own soul-searching journey, having bought a ‘knackered, old industrial farm’ in the south of France, since when he’d been locked in a ‘war of attrition’, trying to bring it back to life using organic, regenerative farming principles. “He’s a habitual envelope pusher, basically,” says George. “He’d gone into a bookshop looking for something for his daughter and come out with a book called An Agricultural Testament by Sir Albert Howard, one of the forefathers of organic farming. This was just at the point that he and his long-su ering wife Jo were planning to cut their losses and sell the farm. Andy was like: ‘I think we have one last roll of the dice. We should buy 40 head of cattle…’ “That was around the point I met him and there was a definite air of desperation about him. I just thought: ‘I need to get to know this guy. I want to understand what’s going on. I’m searching for something and maybe this isn’t what I thought I was looking for… But maybe it is.’” So George followed Andy to France and started working on the farm – “very basic jobs, putting the electric fences George Lamb tells Paul Kirkley about his journey from disillusioned TV presenter to regenerative farming pioneer WILD AT HEART
11 2 MAY 2024 Photographs: David Charbit
12 2 MAY 2024 News&Views he won the nation’s hearts as Mick in Gavin & Stacey – then became the villain we loved to hate as Archie Mitchell in EastEnders – Larry was a jobbing actor, regularly popping up in shows such as Minder and The Professionals. “He had moments where it looked like it was all going to happen, then there were a lot of times drinking red wine in the afternoons, with the lights o ,” recalls George – who, despite being full of cold, still looks matinée-idol handsome as he folds his 6ft 5in frame into a chair at Wildfarmed’s London HQ. “We weren’t on the breadline, but we were struggling to be middle class, maybe.” His mum was determined that he shouldn’t follow his father into the acting profession. “She pretty much told me: ‘You can do anything you like with your life – except that,’” he laughs. Larry, who’d endured a turbulent childhood with an abusive father, has expressed regret at not being a more present parent, but George thinks he’s being harsh on himself. “You do your best and sometimes your best is great, sometimes it isn’t,” he shrugs. “I’m not the same guy I was 10 years ago, and my dad definitely isn’t the same man now. We had dinner last night, and he’s the best. He’s lovely. He’s kind and caring and he always was, as far as I can remember. But he’ll have a di erent perspective. He was angrier when he was younger and he’s a boomer – they weren’t given loads of tools to deal with emotional intelligence.” His parents found enough money to send him to a private Quaker-run boarding school in Hertfordshire, where there was no uniform, everyone called teachers by their first name and the menu was all vegetarian. Showing an early entrepreneurial spirit, George set up a booming business selling hamburgers cooked in a friend’s garage to fellow pupils. “I’ve definitely always wanted to turn a pound note, since being a young kid,” he says. “Edd’s the same. We’re both hustlers, basically.” In his twenties, George went into music management, where he famously failed to get Lily Allen a record deal (“quite some feat,” he laughs) before ‘falling into television’, hosting shows such as Celebrity Scissorhands and Big Brother’s Little Brother. “Like most people, I started o in youth television, worked my way up, did that for a few years – I was chasing hedonism and a nice time through most of my teens and twenties,” he reflects. “Having kind of stumbled into TV, I didn’t really have any clear direction – and was just chasing the money, I guess.” (More than one person, he says, has likened him to Dex in David Nicholls’ One Day.) Between 2007 and 2009, he also presented his own daytime radio show on BBC 6 Music. It was a ratings hit – earning its host a Sony Radio Award – but drew the ire of some listeners, who considered its mildly shock jock-style ‘banter’ to be against the station’s founding principle of taking pop music very seriously indeed. Rival petitions and websites sprang up, while radio veteran Paul Gambaccini lambasted George’s chat with The Kinks’ Ray Davies as “the worst interview in the history of broadcasting”. Did the controversy get to him? “It sounds brash, but I out, moving the cattle, whatever needed doing” – while also introducing him to his friend Edd Lees, a finance guru who’d spent more than 20 years working in the City. “I was in the car with Edd one day and Andy phoned up in a blind panic, saying: ‘If I don’t get 40 grand, I’m finished.’ Edd just leaned across and said: ‘Hi Andy, I’ve been listening to your story for the last couple of years and I think what you’re doing is amazing. I’m going to send you the money.’” The farm flourished – winning Andy several awards, including the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole – and in 2020, he, George and Edd cofounded Wildfarmed, a company dedicated to bringing regenerative farming principles to the masses. As a Londoner, George didn’t grow up around nature – his childhood was spent in a two-bedroom flat above a butcher’s in Fulham. His mum Linda was Larry Lamb’s third wife, and they separated when George was three. In the years before DYNAMIC DUO George with Andy Cato (left); presenting Big Brother’s Little Brother in 2010 (right); with his dad Larry (bottom right); as a guest DJ at Vauxhall Ice Skate in 2010 (far right) ‘The regenerative farming scene is quite small at the moment, but hopefully not for long – we want to change the landscape’ Photographs: David Charbit, Wenn, Getty Images
13 2 MAY 2024 most people, food is their touchpoint with the natural world.” Today, Wildfarmed is working with more than 100 farms in the UK and France, including The Waitrose Farm on the Leckford Estate in Hampshire. They also supply regenerative flour to high-street restaurants and shops – and are now launching their first range of bread at Waitrose. “Right from the start, we’ve been about doing this at scale,” says George. “That’s our North Star. That ru ed a few feathers when we started because the regenerative farming scene is quite small at the moment, although hopefully not for long. But we want to change the landscape, we want to be working with the biggest people, we want to be talking directly to consumers. That’s how you change stu . “The opportunity to work with national retailers is massive and we feel Waitrose customers are like-minded people. They care about where their food comes from. And caring about where your food comes from will have a huge, existential impact on us as a species, and on planet Earth. I know that sounds a bit lofty,” he laughs. “But it’s true.” So you’re on a mission to save the world? “That’s right,” he nods. “One slice of bread at a time. “The reality is, I’ve played it reasonably well, but I got dealt a fairly good hand,” he adds. “When I was on telly, I had a great time, but you spend half the time orbiting your own ego. So I went o to try to figure out who I was. Again, how many people have the luxury of being able to do that and ask: ‘What am I doing here?’ “Now, here I am, doing this. This has been, without a doubt, the most challenging period of my life, philosophically, energetically, spiritually, mentally. But for the first time, I absolutely know what I’m doing, and why I’m doing it.” Wildfarmed is available at Waitrose wasn’t far o bulletproof in my mid-twenties,” he says. “It would take a lot more than 3,000 people signing a petition. I was making a load of money on telly, I had a daily radio show where I basically did what I liked – I was right in my pomp. It’s the thing I’m most proud of, quite honestly. The truth is, if you met me and you were like: ‘I thought you were great on the telly,’ you don’t really know me. That was an act. But radio was me. If you didn’t like my radio show, we’re probably not going to get along.” By his early thirties, he’d left 6 Music and was busy falling up the TV career ladder. “When I got The Bank Job, which was primetime telly, I thought: ‘Everything’s going to be great.’ Turns out you’re just working slightly di erent hours, and being paid a bit more. I suppose I had seen enough of fame and fortune, and all that stu . I’d looked behind the curtain a little bit and realised maybe it wasn’t what it was cracked up to be. I was disillusioned by it all. “I remember when the [2011 London] riots were happening around me, and I was being picked up every day in a nice car and had all these people fussing over me. I just found myself totally detached from any sort of normality.” So he sold up, went travelling and began the journey that would eventually lead to Andy and Wildfarmed. In the decade since, George has immersed himself in the science and economics of regenerative farming (although he admits he’s still not got round to reading An Agricultural Testament). “To a lay person, I could bamboozle you with farming knowledge,” he says. “And to a farmer, I could hold my own from a theoretical perspective – though obviously, on a farm, you’re going to find me out in a heartbeat. “But I’ve gone deep into this. Is it complicated? Yes. But there’s a lot of common sense to it. Regenerative farming is basically ancient wisdom with GPS. It’s about working with the land, not against it. Our biggest threat, on an existential, environmental level, is that we’ve become separated from nature. The problems started when we decided we were going to be bigger and better than nature, that we were going to control it. Now people have no idea where their food comes from. They have no real connection to it. If we don’t change the food system, we are finished, basically.” A few years ago, George – who lives in London with his girlfriend of seven years, a fashion designer who’s on her own mission to clean up that industry’s environmental act – launched an education programme called Grow. “We set up a farm next to a school in north London and tried to get the kids to connect with nature,” he explains. “I thought: ‘If we can get them outside with their hands in the ground, they’ll love it.’ But I learned that what we really need to be doing first is getting kids enjoying food tech and getting them eating interesting stu , so we can get them excited about it. For FOOD BITES Dalla in Hackney. It’s unbelievably good. It’s one of the chefs from Burro e Salvia [in Shoreditch], which does the best pasta in London. And Café Deco [in Bloomsbury] is bananas. The chef is Anna Tobias, and the food almost looks like something from the 70s or 80s. You taste it and it’s unbelievable. It’s really well thought through. Are you a good cook? I’m good at following recipes. I’m always in awe of people who can just stand there and Ready Steady Cook it. During lockdown, I became an above average cook. Now I’m just alright. Do you bake bread? No. But I eat a lot of it. Baking is a science. It’s not cooking. There are a lot of complementary skills, but it’s not the same thing. Favourite restaurant? My mate’s just opened TASTE SENSATION Café Deco’s pickled mackerel salad
14 2 MAY 2024 3 FOR £12 NEW NEW Prices correct at time of going to print. Selected lines only. Subject to availability. NEW NEW 2 Chilli Halloumi Burgers £4.25/250g This classic vegetarian option gets a spicy makeover – with creamy slices of halloumi perfectly countering the heat of chilli. 2 American Style Pork Melt Burgers £4.25/300g Pork burgers with Monterey Jack cheese and jalapeño, for melty moreishness with a kick. 4 Chicken & Chorizo Kofta Kebabs £4.25/270g British chicken with smoky pork chorizo, red pepper, paprika and sweet red pepper. 4 Harissa Halloumi Kebabs £4.25/240g A match made in heaven – chewy halloumi paired with the ery, fragrant kick of harissa for a tasty barbecue favourite. Middle Eastern Inspired Chicken Thighs With Amba Sauce £4.25/635g Chicken thighs in a spiced marinade with mango sauce. 6 Smokin’ Hot Honey Pork Belly Slices £4.25/390g Pork belly slices coated in a smoked paprika and chilli rub, with a sachet of honey glaze. 4 Minted Lamb Kebabs £4.25/260g Succulent lamb kebabs with fragrant mint. Perfect with herby atbreads and a Greek salad of feta, cucumber and olives. 4 Beef Smash Burgers With Bone Marrow £4.25/454g Extra thick beef burgers, ready for smashing. Flatten in the pan for a quicker cook and crispy edges. 4 Chimichurri Bavette Steaks £4.25/280g British beef bavette steaks marinated in a garlic, herb and chilli sauce. Cook to your liking, then slice thinly to serve. 4 Teriyaki Salmon Kebabs £4.25/230g Flavoursome tender salmon kebabs prepared with a sticky, savoury teriyaki marinade to create a delicious Japanese-inspired dish. Turn up the heat this bank holiday weekend come rain or shine with these sizzling no-prep favourites. O er ends 15 October FOR BBQS
15 2 MAY 2024 Food&Drink ALISON OAKERVEE Partner & food and drink editor I’ve been a fan of chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s food for a long time, so I’m really excited about the new range he and his team have created for us. It’s a clever collection of sauces and spice blends, bursting with the vibrant avours that make Ottolenghi food so tasty and easy to use – perfect for adding something extra to weeknight cooking. Verena Lochmuller from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen team is our guest chef this week, and she shares a recipe using one of my favourites from the range, a spicy green harissa that will become a staple in my house. What’s For Dinner? p16 Meal Maths p20 Too Good To Waste with Elly Curshen p21 Martha’s Favourites p22 Weekend Menu p25 What I’m Cooking with Verena Lochmuller p29 Very Important Producer p30 Wine List with Pierpaolo Petrassi MW p32 Photographs: Ant Duncan, Food styling: Marina Filippelli, Styling: Wei Tand, Art direction: Andrew Moore WASTE NOT Elly Curshen uses up leftover Greek yogurt in this lemon loaf cake with blueberry sauce, p21
16 2 MAY 2024 Photographs: Ant Duncan, Food styling: Marina Filippelli, Styling: Wei Tang, Art direction: Andrew Moore What’s for dinner? Take the stress out of midweek meal planning with these quick, easy and tasty dishes
17 2 MAY 2024 Food&Drink Serves 2 Prepare 5 minutes Cook 25 minutes 270g pack British chicken Cajun-marinated breast llets 1 red Romano pepper 200g pack avocado & feta side salad 2 trimmed salad onions, roughly chopped 25g pack coriander, leaves and stalks separated 1 lime, juice of ½, the rest cut into wedges ¾ x 280g pack mango chunks 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5. Put the chicken onto a baking sheet and place the whole pepper next to it. Roast for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, there is no pink meat and the juices run clear. 2 Remove the tray from the oven and leave the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Put the pepper into a bowl and cover to cool. Meanwhile, in a small food processor, blitz ½ the leaves from the side salad pack with the salad onions, ½ the coriander leaves and all the stalks, the lime juice and the dressing from the salad pack. Season. 3 Remove and discard the skin, stalk and seeds from the pepper, then cut into chunks. Slice the chicken across each llet. 4 Pile the quinoa, avocado, feta and remaining leaves from the salad pack onto a serving plate with the pepper, mango, the remaining coriander, chicken and any resting juices. Serve with the coriander salsa in a small bowl ready to drizzle over and lime wedges. Per serving 2010kJ/478kcals/13g fat/3.1g saturated fat/35g carbs/25g sugars/13g bre/48g protein/1.4g salt/ high protein Cajun chicken with mango & quinoa Serves 4 Prepare 10 minutes Cook 20 minutes 2 x 400g cans Essential Chickpeas In Water, drained over a bowl, liquid (aquafaba) reserved 450g carrots, scrubbed and coarsely grated 85g plain our 2 tsp Cooks’ Ingredients Peppery Pul Biber, plus extra to serve 2 tbsp vegetable oil 300g pouch wheatberries, lentils & green vegetables 270g pack cherry vine tomatoes, halved or quartered 90g pack rocket 230g pot tzatziki, to serve 1 Put ½ the chickpeas into a wide, shallow bowl and crush well with a fork. Add the carrots, our and pul biber, then season. 2 Mix together with your hands, then add 4 tbsp aquafaba and mix again. Press into 12 rough, at rounds. 3 Warm 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick frying pan set over a medium heat. Sizzle the fritters in 2-3 batches for 4-5 minutes on each side, using a little more oil with each batch. Press down with a sh slice a few times as they cook, until golden and crisp. 4 Heat the wheatberry mix according to pack instructions, then fold in the remaining chickpeas, the tomatoes and rocket. Season. Serve with the fritters, spoonfuls of tzatziki and a pinch more pul biber. V Per serving 2210kJ/528kcals/18g fat/4.3g saturated fat/61g carbs/14g sugars/19g bre/20g protein/1.2g salt/ 3 of your 5 a day Spicy carrot fritters with tomato grain salad & tzatziki COOK’S TIP Using some of the aquafaba means you don’t need egg to help bind the fritter mixture. To make this vegan, whip up some plant-based yogurt tzatziki using crushed garlic, dried or fresh mint and a little chopped cucumber. COOK’S TIP For a quick no-cook version of this, grab a 435g pack plain or tandoori roast chicken thighs (the avours will still all work). Slice the meat from the bones. Use a jar of roasted peppers instead of roasting your own. Any leftover mango can be kept in the fridge for breakfast the next day. DID YOU KNOW? You can read Waitrose Weekend online Scan the QR code below or go to weekendonline.com
19 2 MAY 2024 Serves 2 Prepare 5 minutes Cook 30 minutes 250g La Ratte, or small new potatoes 200g pack trimmed ne green beans 2 x 200g packs No.1 Free Range Beech Smoked Gammon Steak, rind trimmed and snipped with scissors 2 tbsp Seville orange marmalade 5 tbsp French dressing ½ x 25g pack at leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped 1 Boil a large pan of salted water and add the potatoes. Return to the boil for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high. Add the beans to the potato pan for the last 5 minutes. 2 Start grilling the steaks when the beans go in, for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden at the edges. Mix the marmalade with 2 tsp French dressing to make a glaze. 3 Drain the potatoes and beans and set aside to cool while the gammon cooks. Cut the potatoes in ½ and toss in the pan with the beans, parsley and remaining dressing. 4 Spoon the glaze over the gammon and grill for 2 minutes more. Serve with the parsley, potato and bean salad. Per serving 2229kJ/532kcals/24g fat/4.2g saturated fat/ 34g carbs/13g sugars/6.1g bre/42g protein/4.4g salt Glazed gammon with parsley potato & bean salad Serves 4 Prepare 5 minutes Cook 15 minutes 200ml pot half-fat French crème fraîche 2½ tsp Dijon mustard 2 x 260g packs sh pie mix 165g pack extra large raw king prawns 2 x 400g packs Essential Mashed Potato ½ x 20g pack dill, leaves roughly chopped (optional) 80g grated Swiss Gruyère, or extra mature Cheddar 120g pack baby spinach 1 lemon, juice, to serve 1 Preheat the grill to high. Spoon the crème fraîche into an ovenproof frying pan, or baking dish (see tip). Stir in 2 tsp mustard, then add the sh pie mix and prawns. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes, or until the sh akes easily and the prawns are pink and cooked through. 2 Heat the mash in the microwave according to pack instructions, then stir ½ tsp mustard and a little of the dill, if using, into each pack. 3 Fold the remaining dill, if using, and 50g cheese into the sh and cream sauce. Spoon the mash on top and swirl it over with a fork. Scatter with the remaining cheese. Grill for 5 minutes, or until the mash is golden. 4 Serve with the spinach, seasoned and dressed with generous squeezes of lemon juice. Add some boiled cooled peas to the salad for an extra veg boost, if liked. Per serving 2315kJ/552kcals/24g fat/13g saturated fat/ 33g carbs/4.6g sugars/5.1g bre/49g protein/2.6g salt Simple fish & prawn pie with lemony spinach COOK’S TIP If you don’t have a suitable pan, use a large saucepan, then lift the sh to a large baking dish (or smaller dishes). Stir in the cheese and dill and follow as above. If the weather is warming up, try serving the creamy sh and sauce mix folded through fresh pasta, which only takes a few minutes to cook and saves putting the grill on. Fold a few handfuls of the spinach through, then add a squeeze of lemon. COOK’S TIP Snipping the rind around the edge of gammon steaks helps stop them from curling as they cook. Try the same trick with back bacon too.
20 2 MAY 2024 Food&Drink Asparagus Fresh spaghetti Hollandaise sauce Cooks’ Ingredients Pulled Ham Hock Serves 2 Ready in 10 minutes Snap o the woody ends of the asparagus, then slice the spears thinly on the diagonal. Boil 250g spaghetti according to pack instructions (the rest freezes brilliantly), then add the asparagus to the pasta with 1 minute of cooking time remaining. Drain, reserving a cup of pasta water, then return to the pan. Add the hollandaise, with a dash of pasta water, and gently toss over a low heat until the sauce is heated through and creamy. Fold in the ham hock. Serve with a generous grind of black pepper. Asparagus, ham hock & hollandaise spaghetti Scan the QR code below or go to waitrose.com/recipes for more quick and simple Meal Maths recipes like this one. Using no more than ve timesaving ingredients, you can create delicious midweek suppers or family meals easily. MORE INSPIRATION Photographs: Sam Folan, Food styling: Jennifer Joyce, Styling: Tony Hutchinson, Art direction: Sharon Davis
21 2 MAY 2024 Food&Drink S C A N T HI S CODE F OR MOR E R E CI P E S Serves 8 Prepare 10 minutes Cook 50 minutes + cooling 100g golden caster sugar 40g soft dark brown sugar 125ml vegetable oil 100g No.1 Strained Greek Yogurt, plus extra to serve ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract) 1 unwaxed lemon, zest 1 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Egg 140g plain our ½ tsp ne sea salt ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda For the blueberry sauce 150g frozen Essential Blueberries 4 tbsp golden caster sugar 4 tsp lemon juice (from the zested lemon, above) Greek yogurt & lemon loaf cake with blueberry sauce I always keep Greek yogurt in my fridge and have it most days. As a fermented food and a good source of protein and probiotics, it has a valued place in my diet. It’s made by straining regular yogurt and eliminating the whey liquid. Because this reduces the total volume, it takes a lot more milk than regular yogurt to make a batch of the same size. So it’s also more concentrated and nutritionally packed, with more protein than other yogurts. Only yogurt made in Greece – like the Waitrose variety used here – can be called Greek yogurt. Made anywhere else and it must be labelled ‘Greek-style’. @ellypear GREEK YOGURT Too good to waste with Elly Curshen 1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Line a small (450g) loaf tin with baking parchment, leaving it overhanging on all sides. 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest and egg. Add the our, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, then whisk until just incorporated. 3 Pour the batter into the lined tin and spread into an even layer. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until risen and golden brown, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin before turning out. 4 Meanwhile, heat the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice for the sauce in a small saucepan over a low heat and stir gently to combine. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries start to break down and the mixture thickens slightly. Leave to cool for a few minutes. Serve the cake in thick slices with the warm sauce spooned over. It’s also good with leftover yogurt, if liked. V Per serving 1400kJ/335kcals/18g fat/2.5g saturated fat/39g carbs/26g sugars/0.9g bre/3.9g protein/0.8g salt MORE LEFTOVER IDEAS 1Cilbir A delicious Turkish-inspired dish, consisting of poached eggs served over thick garlicky yogurt and topped with spiced butter. There’s a version with added spinach on waitrose.com. 2Frozen yogurt bark Spread Greek yogurt sweetened with a little honey onto a parchmentlined baking tray (aim for a thickness anywhere between 2-10mm), then sprinkle with your favourite fruits and/or nuts (dried berries and shelled pistachio kernels work well). Freeze until solid, then break into several pieces for a healthy and delicious snack. 3Yogurt cream For a creamy and delicious accompaniment to desserts such as warm poached rhubarb, baked fruit or co ee granita, whip some double cream to soft peaks, then fold through a little leftover Greek yogurt. Add some ground cardamom and a little icing sugar to taste too, if liked. Photographs: Ant Duncan, Food styling: Marina Filippelli, Styling: Wei Tand, Art direction: Andrew Moore
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