His 'stock' in trade

 In Singapore last month for the World Gourmet Summit, White, 50, joined some of the world’s top chefs in showcasing not just intricate craftsmanship, but a new trend called “Cosmopolitan Food” in which cities have their own “signature” dishes. 

Unilever Food Solutions, which organised a “Signature” cooking demonstration by White, believes that the trend is growing in Southeast Asia, where 500 million people enjoy dining out at least once a year. 

White’s demonstration, which attracted chefs and journalists from across Southeast Asia, was much anticipated. Everyone wanted to know what had made White so great in the eyes of the Michelin reviewers.

Several faces registered surprise as White proclaimed: “I have used Knorr stock cubes in my kitchens for 30 years. It’s my secret ingredient.” 

Known as the mentor of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, White has been promoting recipes for simple home cooking through Knorr since he became brand ambassador in 2006. He used Knorr chicken stock cubes and seasoning powder as part of his steak recipe for the demonstration. 

He started by mixing corn flour with the seasoning powder on a tray.

“You may ask why corn flour?

“When you season your steak with pepper, it’s washed off during the cooking process. With salt, it’s washed off too. When you season with the chicken powder, it’s absorbed. The flavour goes inside. It can’t be washed off,” he explained.

White has used the humble Knorr stock cube not only as traditional stock but also as a seasoning, as he’s discovered it’s more forgiving than salt and pepper. Unilever numbers him among the 500 great chefs around the world who are using Knorr products.

“It does all the seasoning for you and enhances dishes with an authentic taste,” White said, adding: “Cooking is a philosophy not a recipe. The only thing that you’ve got to dictate when it comes to cooking is your palate. A recipe should be a guideline.”

The outcome was absolutely delicious. You smell the beef as much as the Knorr chicken powder. It gave a taste of what his dinner would be like that evening at the Grand Hyatt Singapore.

As brand ambassador, White aims to convey that these stocks and other Knorr products are ideal not just for home cooking, but also for Michelin-starred kitchens. 

White says his father and grandfather were all chefs, so he started his cooking career at the age of 16 out of tradition rather than passion. His first job was in the kitchen of the Hotel St George in Harrogate.

“In those days, the beauty of our industry was that you didn’t need to go to cooking school. You knocked on the door of a restaurant and got work experience.” 

At St George, he was first ordered to blanch, peel and deseed five boxes of tomatoes. Life in the kitchen was tough, but he learned to love cooking. 

“As a chef, when it’s tough, you need to learn to keep your head down and keep on pushing,” he said, adding: “To be a good chef, you need discipline. Without it, you lack consistency in the kitchen and the food.” 

After a stint at the Box Tree in Ilkley, Yorkshire, White moved to London and to a couple of restaurants boasting two Michelin stars each. At Le Gavroche, run by Albert Roux, White began his classical training as a commis chef before joining Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire. Blanc encouraged White to pursue his own passions and philosophy about food.

At 24, White became head chef and joint owner of Harveys in Wandsworth Common, London, where he won his first star, and later another in 1988. A young Gordon Ramsay was among his kitchen staff.

He then moved as chef-patron to the Restaurant Marco Pierre White at the Hyde Park Hotel (now the Mandarin Hotel), which won him the third star. 

True to his belief that great chefs don’t need a star, White retired in 1999 and gave up all the Michelin stars. But he still retains his restaurant empire, finds time to write books and appears on TV cooking shows.

High on his agenda is passing on his knowledge to the new generation of chefs through Unilever Food Solutions’ “cosmopolitan food” campaign. A new trend beyond “fusion”, it’s characterised by the rise of signature dishes in such cities as New York, London and Tokyo. These dishes represent the cities’ cosmopolitan cultures and uniqueness in satisfying diners who welcome diversity and modern lifestyle.

Unilever believes the “Cosmopolitan Food” trend is taking shape in Southeast Asia.

“Food is becoming more and more cosmopolitan in big cities,” White said.

The media got the first taste of this trend at “Marco Pierre: My Signature Dinner” at the Grand Hyatt Singapore. The dishes did not look too simple. They included pea and ham soup en tasse and brandade of salmon and fennel with lemon vinaigrette. The main course was filet of beef with cepes, pomme fondant, jus madere paired with Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. The dessert was gigantic: red fruit in rose wine jelly and syrup of raspberries.

These dishes had a Knorr aroma, said Boonthan Santiwananont, executive chef of Unilever Food Solutions Thailand.

The dishes for Thailand came from two Thai chefs attending the “Signature Dish” workshop where 14 leading young chefs from hotels across Southeast Asia prepared their specialities for 20 minutes for White’s review.

These hotels are Knorr’s customers and use Knorr products for their staff canteens, among other purposes. The workshop marked the launch of Unilever’s new Chefmanship Centre in Singapore, which provides culinary skill development for professional chefs.

Nachart Tengkanokkul, executive chef of Aloft Sukhumvit Hotel, prepared pure salmon salad while Supat Chinsangtip of the VIE Hotel Bangkok whipped up Hokkaido scallop XO risotto.

White mostly gave positive comments on these dishes, recommending chefs use both passion and creativity. These dishes will be part of the regular menu at their respective hotels. 

So take heed. Fusion is out, cosmopolitan is in. Just look for “Signature” on the menu.

 

The writer travelled to Singapore courtesy of Unilever Food Solutions.