FT.COM/MAGAZINEOCTOBER19/202019 43
I
fyou’ve everslavedoverahotstove,it
probably involvedastockpot.Thestockpot
isthestartingpointformosthome-
cookedrecipes–andit’snodifferentina
professionalkitchen.Fromkitchenporters
choppingvegetablestostartastock,right
throughtoheadchefstastingthefinished
productbefore itgoesontheplate,every
singlepersonpresentreliesonthemtocreate
deliciousdishes.
IstartedworkinginkitchenswhenIwas14
andalwaysthefirstjobofthedaywastoget
thestockpotsgoing.Afteraslowovernight
cook,thepotswouldbedecantedcarefully
inthemorningbeforethecyclecouldbegin
again.Vegetables,meatandalcoholwere
addedatpreciseintervalstocreateamazing
stocks, whichinturnformedthebasisof
manydishescreatedinthekitchen.Bubbling
awayalldayandnight,thestockpotissurely
thehardest-workingutensilinthekitchen.
Italsoplaysanimportantroleincuisines
allovertheworld.Aftercateringcollege,
Iwenttravelling,whichgavemethechance
toeateverythingfromVietnamesephosto
hearty,slow-cookedSouthAfricanstews–
allofwhichwereborninastockpot.Ihavebeenluckyenoughtoworkwith
someterrificmentorsandtheyhaveinformed
andshapedthewayIcooktoday.From
PhilHoward’sfamouslangoustinebisque,
whichIlearnttomakewhenweworked
togetheratTheSquareinMayfair,tothe
exquisitegrousesaucemadeeveryAugust
atTheKitchininEdinburgh,thestockpot
iswheresomanygreatrecipesbegin.Even
today, whenIwalkintothekitchenof
Fenchurchalltheseyearslater,thesmell
ofstocksboilingtakesmebacktomyearly
daysasakitchenporter, fillinganddecanting
endlesspotsofstock.
AtFenchurch,ourstockpotsarein
constantuse,makingeverythingfrombasic
saucebasestomorecomplexconcoctions,
suchastheduckconsomméIservedinmy
savourytea-inspiredstarterforBBC2’s
Great British Menu.Ihavesomuchrespectfor
thishumblepieceofequipment,whichcan
producesimplesuppers,Michelin-starred
platesandeverythinginbetween.Daniel Fletcheris headchef at Fenchurch
Restaurant,Sky Garden, operatedby Rhubarb;
skygarden.london/fenchurch-restaurantANNABU KLIEWERI’D BE LOST WITHOUT...
Mystockpot
From simplesuppersto Michelin-starred meals, it all starts withthe
hardest-workingutensilin the kitchen,writeschefDaniel Fletcher