Anna Haugh, from Myrtle, on Irish food in London
Chef Anna Haugh, from Myrtle in Chelsea, argues for the need to learn more about Irish food and explains how her childhood and family inspired her.
Haugh describes Myrtle as a little piece of Ireland in the heart of Chelsea. The restaurant works with small Irish farmers to thoroughly explore local produce and creates dishes that highlight the ingredients of each county, drawing inspiration from traditional Irish recipes.
According to the chef, Ireland needs a greater understanding of its gastronomy and culinary history, and London also has much to learn.
The restaurant reflects his parents and the way they raised their four children. The staff is warm and welcoming, and the kitchen strives to offer exquisite food. His parents taught him to see work as a part of life, not a burden, and also how to save and manage a budget, without which the restaurant would never have taken off.
Among the favorite dishes on the menu is the new grouse dish: the crown, roasted and coated with poitín and honey, is served with a terrine of pressed potato, mushrooms and confit grouse leg, sweetcorn puree, grouse croquette and colcannon.
Haugh came to the restaurant business by chance: he walked into an empty kitchen, a sea of stainless steel, and knew that was where he belonged. He recommends that anyone wanting to open a restaurant discuss their ideas, listen to how they're interpreted, and start over if they misunderstand the concept. The best part of the profession, he says, is the people and the connections you make.
Among his favorite London restaurants, besides Myrtle, he cites Five Fields, Chez Bruce, Roe in Brixton and Hawksmoor.