Adam Byatt’s Food Loves & Hates

The Michelin-starred chef shares his culinary loves and hates, from fresh crab to processed cheese

FOOD I LOVE

Smoked fish

I love the depth and characteristic of great smoked fish. Salmon and mackerel are delicious, smoked eel is an absolute delicacy. So much umami flavor.

Fresh crab

Nothing really beats crab meat fresh from the shell; large cock crabs are best. The water you boil the crabs in should be as salty as the sea for maximum effect! Add some black pepper and a little crème fraiche and spread on warm buttered toast.

Asparagus

English asparagus is the very best. A short season to be cherished. Peel the bases and blanch for just two minutes in boiling water, serve warm with melted butter or rich hollandaise. Amazing when in season.

Wild mushrooms

In particular morels and ceps. I love the depth and versatility of wild mushrooms. Ceps are fantastic dried and added to pasta dishes. That ‘forest floor’ aroma adds so much to a steak, pasta or a warm salad.

Comte cheese

I really enjoy aged Comte cheese, 45 months is lovely where the cheese has dehydrated to a point that you can feel the salt crystals. Not all will agree but I like it best cold rather than at room temperature

FOOD I HATE

Okra

I had Okra cooked by an Indian chef called Arun Mathur and it was beautiful. Every other experience has been slimy and devoid of any real character.

Aundouille Sausage

The French love it, and I love France, but Aundouille is beyond me. The aroma alone is too much to handle. A quick google of the ingredients will tell you all you need to know…

Processed cheese

I cannot get along with the texture of rubbery processed cheese. I had loads as a kid, I lived on Babybel, but now I can’t go near it, cooked or otherwise.

KFC

I don’t eat much fast food but have only ever once had KFC, I can’t deal with really cheap chicken and nasty fat batter. Was also haunted by that mouse story at school.

Picked pasteurised crabmeat

The opposite of fresh crab, processed crab is made by blowing the meat from the shell with water pressure; the crabs are all hens and small. The meat is devoid of flavor and I’d rather see those crabs stay put and make lots more big boy crabs for me to eat fresh!

Adam Byatt is a chef, mentor, writer, owner of Michelin Starred Trinity, Trinity Upstairs and Bistro Union & Chef Director of Charlie’s at Brown’s Hotel Mayfair adambyatt.co.uk