Alex Keene - Ormeggio - Interview

Timeout Taste Test 2010 Dish: Sultana and thyme infused poached rabbit, potato and parsnip puree, marsala reduction.

If you could do an apprenticeship at any restaurant in the world, where would it be and why?
Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence, Italy. I love Italian cuisine so having an apprenticeship in the top Italian restaurant would be amazing.

Who is your culinary hero and why?
My mum. She’s in the kitchen daily and is yet to cook a below average meal.

What is your least favourite job in the kitchen and why?
Cleaning the kitchen after a busy night. After a 15 hour shift the last thing you want to do is to start scrubbing the ovens and stove hoods.

Favourite chef's tool and why?
The chefs knife. There’s not much you can’t do with it and you would be lost without it

Anything you can't/won't eat and why?
I believe you have to try everything at least once and I’m yet to find a meal I’ve utterly disliked.
When I first started my apprenticeship I had yet to taste an oyster, now I’ve tried everything from raw camel to snails.

What was your food epiphany?
From a young age I was in the kitchen cooking. I had many other career choices to consider however my heart was always in the kitchen. Having done many work placements in different restaurants I realised a chef is what I wanted to be.

What would your Death Row meal be?
Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino - spaghetti with garlic , oil and chilli. The dish that first showed me that a meal does not have to be complicated to be so tasty.

What do you cook at home?
Usually something quick and easy; pasta , salads and stir fries are usually on my plate

What was the thinking behind the dish you created for the Time Out Taste Test?
I wanted to try something out of the ordinary and something I had never really worked with before. After de-boning rabbits for 5 hours I wished I had chosen something different however the end result was very pleasant. I wanted the diners to experience a taste of northern Italian cuisine which is why I added ingredients such as a marsala to my recipe.

What was the Time Out Taste Test like to participate in?
The time Out Taste Test competition was very enjoyable to participate in. All the other contestants were very friendly and I learnt a lot from the experience. The first dish I created was very different to the final meal I cooked but I was pleased with the end result. There are many things I wish I did differently afterwards but these are all lessons I have learnt which I will take into future competitions.

Time Out Taste Test 2010 - results

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