Back with gusto

El Gato Negro on Park Row, Leeds, has reopened five days a week and is offering a takeaway service. For details visit https://www.elgatonegrotapas.com/ leeds/

Simon Shaw is a highly experienced and respected restaurateur with over 35 years under his belt, most notably as chef patron and creative director of El Gato Negro and formerly executive head chef at Harvey Nichols.

Originally from Yorkshire, Simon rapidly worked his way through the ranks at some of the county’s finest establishments before becoming the first head chef at Harvey Nichols’ restaurant in Leeds.

After a stellar stint there he was seconded to its London operations; first heading up the kitchens at Prism, the company’s prestigious City of London restaurant, before moving to the flagship Knightsbridge store as executive head chef. During this time Simon visited Catalonia and the Basque Country, falling in love with the diversity and excitement of modern Spanish cuisine.

Over the last decade Simon has been recognised in countless industry awards, with El Gato Negro one of the country’s most celebrated modern Spanish restaurants. In September 2018 Simon opened his second restaurant in Manchester, Canto – a neighbourhood restaurant serving modern casual tapas and drinks in Ancoats. El Gato Negro launched at Exchange Flags, Liverpool, in August 2019 and Park Row, Leeds in November 2019.

Can you remember the first dish you ever cooked – and was it a success? I remember joining an after-school cookery club in primary school. We used to bake cakes and scones and, if I remember rightly, chicken curry with a jar sauce. At home, I recall attempting to cook a Sunday roast but it didn’t end well. I ended up in A&E needing stitches.

Who is your inspiration in the kitchen and why? The chef who inspires me most would be Enrique Olvera, head chef and owner of Pujol in Mexico City. I would never try to replicate his dishes but his attitude towards food is what inspires me. He’s a storyteller and he creates a link to his culture and history through food. Although the food I cook