A beef wellington masterclass series with Oliver Gladwin at Sussex British Bistro in Soho
An intimate sub-level dining room, plush with a stylishly laid table, is not the typical setting for a cooking class, but this is where chef Oliver Gladwin – also behind The Shed and The Pig’s Ear – is hosting a series of beef wellington masterclasses this winter, at his Sussex British Bistro in Soho. Gone are awkward benches and glances of approval at the cookery teacher, for Gladwin invites guests into the heart of his restaurant, generously teaching them how to spread, roll and weave this British classic into life.
With the Bistro’s kitchen as their backdrop, wellington enthusiasts are encouraged to learn about the ingredients’ origins (like how the lambsfoot and sorrel eaten by the cows on the chef’s family farm add a lightness to the beef) and the core foundations of success to the dish (all fat must be removed from the sirloin). The three-course meal and English wine pairings – sourced from the Nutbourne Vineyards (part of the Gladwin estate) and surrounding wineries – cement this as more than just a pass-the-test class: whilst the wellingtons are in the oven, attendees are treated to mushroom and truffle eclairs, tangy oysters with shallots, melt-in-the-mouth scallops and the chef’s delightful Fridge Raider Raviolo, this time incorporating trout and pollock. Sticking to his philosophy that “we must understand our food”, Gladwin shares his kitchen principles throughout the evening. “A fridge is a moving thing,” he reflects. “You have to utilise everything in the building.”
Post wellington comes a delightfully fluffy chocolate mousse topped with rose and blackberry, which suitably rounds off this flavour punch of a meal, and soothes those facing any culinary mishaps. Guests are sure to leave tipsy, full and slightly more skilled, all thanks to Gladwin’s humorous and nurturing advice. A far cry from a scene in The Bear.
Hattie Birchinall
Photos: Courtesy of Sussex British Bistro
To book a private Beef Wellington masterclass at Sussex British Bistro, 63-64 Frith Street, London W1D 3JW, call 020 3923 7770 or visit here.
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