There are just ten chefs in the UK who hold three Michelin stars, and one of these, Simon Rogan, is headlining at The Big Feastival. He made his name with his restaurant in Cartmel, Cumbria. L’Enclume, French for anvil, is named in honour and respect for the 800-year-old former smithy which forms its premises. Simon Rogan – then based in Littlehampton on the South Coast – saw its potential as the place to realise his dream and create the first restaurant in what has become something of a gastronomic empire. I’m intrigued to know how running a demo kitchen at a festival – even if it is on Alex James’ cheese farm – has tempted Simon to spend the August bank holiday here in Oxfordshire...
What do you enjoy about doing food festivals?
I love the buzz of a food festival. Everyone is there to enjoy themselves, see something exciting and generally have a great time. There’s always a good line up of chefs, so it’s a nice opportunity to catch up with old friends and new ones.
We’ve been promised a very special demonstration at Big Feastival – do you know what you’ll be doing yet?
I do know what I am going to be doing, but I would ruin the surprise if I revealed it here. I will be working with our Our Farm head chef, Liam Fitzpatrick, to create something truly seasonal, bringing a little bit of Cartmel to the Cotswolds.
Will you be staying on at Big Feastival at all – and if so, which acts are you excited for?
I am staying on and I will be joined by my wife Penny and some friends too. I cannot wait for the music and to see my former executive chef and founder of Skof, Tom Barnes, in the Big Kitchen on Saturday.
Can you tell us more about what inspired your ethos when it comes to food?
It all comes down to flavour. When I opened L’Enclume in Cartmel in 2002, I wasn’t impressed by the quality of the ingredients I was getting. I couldn’t even find a decent radish, which is such a simple thing to grow. So, out of frustration, I decided to start working with a farm directly, to grow in a way that worked with nature and that gave us more control over the size and varieties of vegetables, fruits or herbs. In 2011, we took over Our Farm and now grow almost all of our own produce.
Now it’s all about growing in harmony with the land and seasons, producing as much as possible for our restaurants in the UK, including Aulis, our chef’s table down in London. What started out as a quest for flavour, has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.
What has been your personal best when cooking ‘farm-to-fork’?
For me, it was seeing the transformation of our dishes when we started using our own ingredients. The difference was outstanding and it made the challenge of starting a farm from scratch completely worth it.
Is there anything you haven’t yet tried cooking… or have you ever met an ingredient which you haven’t managed to make delicious?
There’s plenty of things I’ve not tried, simply because they don’t fit into our cooking style or because we haven't managed to grow them. One of the joys of opening restaurants abroad is we can work with local growers to source exotic produce that we’d never use in the UK.
What did it feel like when you were awarded your first Michelin star? And then subsequently?
It was an incredible feeling. Like you’ve won the lottery. For me every star we’ve won since is as special as that first one.
How do you adapt your menus to different locations?
Each menu is a showcase of local produce, whether that’s in Hong Kong or Cartmel. We adapt the same principles and ethos across all of them, working with local people and suppliers who operate on a small scale and in a sustainable manner.
You started as a chef, became a farmer and have now successfully turned all that into a brand. It feels like these are different skill sets and I wonder what quality you believe has led to success in all three?
The team has made it all possible. They’ve supported me through every step of the journey, and I really couldn’t have done it without them.
Lots of us cook – or go to festivals! – to relax. How do you spend your downtime?
Downtime for me is playing tennis. I love getting out early on the courts before work, particularly if the weather is nice.
Simon Rogan will be joined by a smörgåsbord of other chefs including Masterchef’s Anna Haugh, Potato Queen Poppy O’Toole, and Korean chefs Duncan Robertson and Kyu Jeon, who will undertaking one of many live demo’s in The Fire Pit. There will be music from Basement Jaxx, The Streets, Bastille, Perrie and Ms Dynamite (amongst many others), plus comedy from Suzi Ruffell, Joel Dommett and the Scummy Mummies. For the full lineup visit bigfeastival.com.
