Larder

Larder is set to change the way the world looks at and enjoys British food. Robin's recipes will take the reader on a journey discovering forgotten techniques that once were the backbone of the British cooks' skills, achieving startling fresh and modern ways with plate and palate. In the same way that Ottolenghi has defined a new way of celebrating Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines and their ingredients so too Robin Gill has revolutionised the way British food is cooked and enjoyed, with his philosophy of using classic techniques to produce bold new recipes.

Absolute freshness and seasonality is at the heart of his cooking. Game, when is in season, is a hero of his menus, and in spring the fruits of his city kitchen gardens attached to each of his restaurants provide produce for the tables, jars and bottles that adorn each of his destinations. Curing, fermenting and pickling are very much to the fore linked hand in hand with an unfettered philosophy of nose to tail, tail to gill and root to bloom.

In Robin's own words: I want to share my techniques and prove that a more traditional cooking method is perfectly achievable in any home but the rewards and possibilities are endless. Bread, charcuterie, vegetable ferments, chutneys, pickles, curing and smoking are but a few techniques that you will learn that don't require a countryside location to achieve a healthy larder – which in turn will become your secret weapon in creating some inspiring dishes. What we are doing is nothing new but it's how we piece everything together, and this is what I believe to be the start of a new wave in modern cooking and the birth of the modern bistro.

This new book is a true reflection of Robin's ethos and brings his unique recipes to reader's home kitchens. Each recipe is accompanied by stunning photography by Paul Winch-Furness.

About the Author

Having commenced his career at Dublin's La Stampa Restaurant, Robin moved to London to work at Marco Pierre Whites' legendary The Oak Room. He then went on to work at Ristorante Don Alfonso, a two Michelin starred restaurant and farm on the Italian Amalfi Coast. Upon returning to the UK, Robin moved to Oxfordshire to work at the eponymous Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons. In February 2012 Robin embarked on a journey to find new suppliers and inspiration and visited some of the world's best restaurants, completing short stints in top kitchens such as Noma in Copenhagen and Franzten in Stockholm. After several months travelling the British Isles and Europe he stumbled across an old dilapidated building in Clapham Old Town London. After some dubious negotiations, a few beers and the support of his wife Sarah, Robin took on the site without a penny to his name in November 2012. Five months later Robin and Sarah, with the help of close friends, scrubbed, sanded, painted, and threw blood, sweat, tears and every penny into the place. Five months later, on none other than St. Patrick's Day (as fate would have it), The Dairy was born. Robin has made various television appearances, including alongside Mary Berry, discussing the best of herbs in his rooftop garden, and recently took to the stage at Taste of London. In 2016 Robin and Sarah were awarded Evening Standard Restaurateur of the Year, and Paradise Garage was nominated for Best New Restaurant in the same awards. In 2017 he appeared as a judge on Masterchef Ireland.