Nannette Parker Photography

Farm-to-Fork: Knowing Your Food’s Journey in London

In a bustling city such as London, where culinary delights await you around every corner, there’s been a slow growing movement that goes beyond mere dining experiences-the farm to fork revolution. I’ve witnessed the profound impact of understanding the journey of our food, from its humble origins to the exquisite creations found on our plates. I’m now going to explore the farm-to-fork ethos exploring its significance and implications in the London.

As a chef , the farm-to-fork concept is more than just a fad trend-it’s part of the reason I become a chef in the first place. It’s about ultimately knowing where your food comes from. When I was younger every summer for at least 5 years I would go and stay on a farm in Norfolk for a few weeks. This is where my interest began. Mr & Mrs Knock (the farmers) impacted my life more then they would ever know. Firstly it started my love affair with afternoon tea but also gaining an understanding of where food comes from. They were a pig farm but also grew crops. All the food they had was from there own farm. Being from London prior to going to Mr & Mrs Knock’s the closest I got to animals was the Mudchute Park Farm or London Zoo. The whole experience was eye opening knowing that pigs I had seen one year would be the bacon I would eat for breakfast the next. As a side business they also hog roast van. Now thinking about it this was my first experience in the culinary world…helping with selling hog roast baps with homemade apple source. It was where I also have my first experiences with food seasonality, local food producers and food preservation …Mrs Knock made the best jam. Explaining to me how important it was preserving fruits whilst they are in season with the best flavour.

Being from a city as diverse and dynamic as London the farm-to-fork journey begins with commitment to sustainability and community. Building partnerships with local farmers and producers not only ensure the highest quality seasonal ingredients but also a sense of accountability. As a chef I like to know exactly where my ingredients come from where possible. From the lush green fields of Kent or bustling Borough Market or (whilst its there) Smithfield Market.

But the farm-to-fork ethos extends beyond mere sourcing-it’s about honouring the integrity of each ingredient and allowing it’s natural flavours to come through. From delicate heirloom tomatoes to fragrant herbs, artisanal cheese or grass fed cows , every element on the plate tells a story.

As both chef and a photographer I feel that is my responsibility to capture the farm-to-fork journey. Each dish, each photo tells a story of not only the ingredients but who grew them, where they where grown, how they were transported and how they were prepared and finally served to the guest. Each step in this farm-to-fork journey is a testament to the passion and dedication to all those involved.

In a city like London, embracing the farm-to-fork ethos isn’t just a culinary choice-its becoming a lifestyle choice for Londoners. It’s about forging connections, supporting local communities and celebrating the rich tapestry of flavours.

In conclusion, the farm-to-fork egos is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness the journey of our ingredients. By embracing the farm-to-fork philosophy, we can contribute to help Londons food sustainability for the future.

Until next time…

Back To Where It All Started…

September 1998 Westminster College, Battersea Park campus. NVQ Level 2 Food Preparation and Cooking.

October 20214 Westminster Kingsway College, Vincent Square campus. Cake Decorating course.

February 2024 Westminster Kingsway College, Vincent Square campus. Butchery Techniques and Fish Preparation Techniques Upskill Award.

Westminster College will always hold a special place in my heart as it was the first culinary school I went over 25 years ago. It was the best culinary school in the UK (though I’m biased of course). I was an apprentice, and went to school every Wednesday on day release. As I write this, I can’t believe it’s that long ago. I can’t remember where I first heard this phrase but it’s something I use to this day. What’s the difference between a cook and a chef? That’s simple: a chef will know how to get themselves out of the sh*t. A more eloquent way of saying this would be…a chef knows how to navigate challenging situations with finesse and creativity.

The thing I love most about being a chef is the never ending journey of learning. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, it’s essential not to lose sight of the fundamentals. These core skills from the foundations of culinary excellence. It is up to us to make sure we keep on top of our own continuous learning whether it’s going back to school or on the job. Consider these few questions?

What classic cuts of veg can you name? And how many are there?

Who invented the brigade system?

How long should you cook a fish stock and why?

Years ago these formed a litmus test during your trial shift (for CDP and above). However with the changes the industry and skill shortages I wonder how many could now can answer these. Now while I’m not going to go down the rabbit hole of what is to blame for chefs missing these skills. Chefs being promoted/hired into positions before their ready for or chefs not putting in the work into learning these skills. What I will say is the industry is going through big changes and it’s going to be interesting to see how it evolves.

I don’t have the experience as a photographer to be able to have an informed opinion about how the industry has changed over the years. But I do think with the introduction of AI it will bring in parallels as to what is happening to the hospitality industry. So whilst both industries are not the same they do have a lot in common. There are many shortcuts that can be taken by people but only those with passion for their craft will put in the work to keep on top of current trends, but not at the expense of knowing the fundamentals.

So why did I decide to go back to school to refresh my skills. Well that’s easy…with time, even the most seasoned chefs can develop habits that stray from best practices. In my current job I do not get many opportunities to practice these foundational skills. With this being said I’m glad that some things haven’t changed and Westminster Collage sorry now Westminster Kingsway Collage remains the beacon of culinary education it always has been for both aspiring chefs and seasoned some might say well seasoned professionals alike. I was grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with my culinary roots and can’t wait to see what i’ll do next.

Until next time…

Shh…It’s a Secret

I was scrolling through Instagram one day and came across an advert from Pieminster asking for taste testers. So I thought, why not? What have I got to lose?

So the day came for me to collect the pies. I had no idea what to expect. I travelled to their Leather Lane branch to collect my samples. What I didn’t realise was how secret the whole experience was meant to be. We got given a leaflet instructing us what we had to do and clearly written was “ DO NOT SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA”. Thus how long I’m having to wait to publish this.

The overall tasting took a little over 45 minutes to compete. We were given 2 identical pies. It was for their new filo pie range. The pie was a new flavour “Souk Chook” British free range chicken harissa, red pepper and chickpea. So we had to basically try one hot and one cold and give them our feedback.

This was the first time I had done something like this (and hopefully not the last!). I found the whole experience to be quite enjoyable, the way it was shrouded in secrecy just added to its appeal. So, when I got home, I followed the instructions then went online to give feedback. Which now seeing the product in the shops they took on board. The be honest the only thing I remember was the orange packaging idea. Now, onto the pies themselves being that I’m pie lover I was always going to be very critical. These pies are perfect for the summer or when you want a lighter option to the standard ones. To me, they were flavoursome, crunchy (when hot) and just the right portion size. I preferred the pies hot but that’s just my preference.

So what has this got to do with anything… I wrote this because the whole experience is about gathering people opinions about a product. Now whilst its always nice to get good feedback about a dish or photo it shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all. We are not always going to get the feedback we want which is not necessarily a bad thing. I know myself I learn more from constructive feedback than I do when you I get positive feedback. I also believe that you should have the confidence to know when to change something based on other peoples opinions because sometimes they may be incorrect. Have faith in your work and be prepared to listen and also know when not to listen. Something I still don’t have the hang of.

Until next time…

Can I Have That recipe? What Camera Do You Use?

Now I understand that the above questions seem a bit strange to go together but bare with me as I’m about to elaborate.

As a chef I get asked this question a lot and over the years and my answers have frequently changed. Now I just keep it simple. When dealing with non-chefs I usually direct them to the internet but with chefs it gets a bit more complicated.

When I started out in catering I was always told that you never give away your recipes, after all a magician never revels their secrets. Then later on as I progressed up the ranks I was told by my head chef at the time its ok to share recipes as long as you keep something to yourself. However I’ve now come to a totally different conclusion. In some ways its worse…

Now when asked ” what’s your recipe?’ by fellow chefs I usually but always just give them a list of ingredients. All the correct ingredients, with the correct weights but what I rarely do is give away the method. For the method we have to work together and I will show you how to make it. Then its up to you to write the method down yourself. The above image shows you a basic crumble, shortbread and a list of ingredients. As the image shows from that list of ingredients you can make 2 different recipes, the only difference is the method used.

Now moving onto the above images one shot on my phone and the other shot on dslr. As you can see both images are practically the same to the naked eye. It’s only when you look at little closer or at the data (or try and print but don’t want to get to technical) that you see the difference.

Like in the example of crumble/shortbread image, it’s us as the chef/photographer, our knowledge and experience is what matters not so much the equipment or list of ingredients. In the same inexperienced hands you risk getting a very different outcome. The Chefs experience and knowledge of how to use the ingredients is what makes the dish. The Photographer creates the image not the camera. This level of knowledge and experience takes time to acquire and can not be rushed and neither should it be. I myself even after all this time am still learning and evolving which I hope never changes!

Until next time…

And So It Begins…

I was racking my brain as to what to write about in my first blog post. So then i decided to write about my first experience in a professional kitchen. Which was just under 25 years ago in a 4* hotel in London. My Sous Chef was this great old Italian who was basically a human Le Repertoire. By which i mean he knew everything about cooking. Still to this day he is one of the most knowledgeable chefs i’ve ever worked with. The only downside, if you could really call it that, was he had (to me) a very strong accent which i found difficult to understand. My first task was to make a ” tramezzino’ or Sandwich. Which my face said it all and had to admit i had no idea what that was. My Sous Chef gave me a look that i still remember to this day… a look of disbelief and shock. He actually said ” how could you not know how to make one”. So he patiently then proceeded to show me how to make a Ham Sandwich. I was so nervous back then that I dare not say anything. Oh how times have changed!!! So i watched and noted down (as we did back then) his instructions on how to make a Ham Sandwich. Now i’m not going to write down the recipe of making that ham sandwich but i’m going to say it’s a lesson that has stayed with me all these years and began my love affair with food and hospitality.

Now i can just imagine some people saying WTF…what life lessons and what can you learn from being taught how to make a sandwich!!!

Firstly how to communicate properly and to speak up. The way in which my Sous Chef took the time to explain and show me every detail of making that sandwich. The respect he showed to the task (even one as simple as making a sandwich) , the ingredients and most importantly his responsibility of showing the next generation was so inspiring. And to Giovanni i will always be grateful for giving me that foundation. I still to this day believe in keeping things simple, quality of ingredients and having a passion for what i do. In recent years this has included photography so this is what i hope to achieve with this blog blend my love of photography and my passion for food.

Until next time…