Yottam Ottolenghi on Lockdown Meals, the Joy of Cooking Vegetables and How He Became a Success

Israeli-British chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi's new vegetable-focused cookbook, Flavour, is set to become as ubiquitous as his Simple and Jerusalem did before it. His enthusiasm for Middle Eastern produce, and expanding Britain's palate, have made him one of the country's most recognisable and respected chefs.
Ottolenghi grew up in Jerusalem, and left a nascent career in academia in the late Nineties to study French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in London. He became a pastry chef at three London restaurants including the Michelin-starred Capital Restaurant.
It's since opening his first deli in Notting Hill in 2002 with Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi, though, that Ottolenghi's influence across Britain's restaurants and kitchens has been enormous. Three more delis in Spitalfields, Belgravia and Islington followed, as well as two restaurants: NOPI in Soho and ROVI in Fitzrovia, and Ottolenghi has continued changing the way we all cook at home through his TV specials and newspaper columns.
For Esquire Townhouse @ Your House in partnership with Breitling, Esquire's Content Director, Will Hersey, sat down with the chef at the Standard Hotel in London to discuss his approach to cooking, his love of produce and how lockdown has changed how he approaches the kitchen.

[@dianecooper7405]

An Ottolenghi version of George Jensen, Christopher Dresser, Rundes Model, all the enduring expressions of varying cultural heritages, etc. Something that will be passed down for generations or increase in value if one needed to deaccession. Alternate idea: the excuisite quality of design, craftsmanship and practicality as satisfying to the senses as Bodum that could satisfy as much on a camping trip tripod as on the family table. Artisans from the cultures you mention might inspire hand blown glassware or hand crafted coooking or serving tools as or more meaningful to the senses than much of which is commercially available. This could be a way to involve your offspring in lasting Ottolenghi inspiration, as inspired as your career ok’ing methods. In the meanwhile, interviews and sharing your unique creativity actively cooking on camera is meaningful to your legacy as a global influencer. All best to you and yours.

[@dianecooper7405]

Aim for design as worthy of museum exhibition as the table or kitchen.. Share more of your philosophy background in interviews and how it has influenced the temporal bonding rituals of cooking and global cultural influences.

[@weekendwankere69]

‘The joy of cooking vegetables’ sounds like something Uncle Monty might say. ‘Flowers are prostitutes for the bees.’