Fancy cheese string terrine? Chefs put to the test as diners supply ingredients

ADVENTUROUS foodies can now put chefs at a London hotel to the test by challenging them to create a menu out of four random ingredients.

Executive chef Andrew Turner and chef de cuisine Armand Sablon have launched the Bring Your Own Ingredient experience in Hotel Café Royal’s Ten Room restaurant.

Guests are asked to bring four items or fewer to the Piccadilly hotel’s kitchens where they will be greeted with a glass of champagne and a selection of canapés.

The chefs then discuss the menu and talk through sourcing and preparation tips for the foods before guests are seated for their meal.

The Evening Standard challenged Turner to create a menu from four items. In order to fully test the team’s culinary skills, we asked them to use cheese strings, beetroot, salmon fillets and chocolate Hobnobs.

Turner said diners have brought along a wide variety of ingredients, including crème eggs, Wotsits and wafer-thin ham.

But he thought the concept would also be used by Londoners wanting to learn how to cook foods they did not know much about.

He said: “The idea came about as an alternative to a chef ’s t able or cooking class.

“We invite people to bring in ingredients they have grown or caught to prepare, discuss quality points and cooking techniques etc. We share our Glass of champagne and

canapés on arrival Cheese string terrine Heritage beetroot and Morteau sausage salad Poached salmon, Jersey Royals and basil hollandaise Chocolate Hobnob and strawberry cheesecake Coffee, tea and tisanes

Sweetmeats passion for products, seasonality and our experience of cooking in an informal environment.

“Sometimes our guests would like to see if we have the experience as alchemists to turn something like Wotsits into a gourmet experience — believe me that we wouldn’t if we couldn’t.”

Turner and his team are given 48 hours’ notice of the items guests will bring in order to plan the menu and create signed recipes cards for one of the dishes, which diners can take away with them.

The bespoke service, which is being launched following a trial period, costs £70 per person and is available for lunch and dinner for tables of four or more people.