FT.COM/MAGAZINE OCTOBER19/202019 43
I
fyou’ve eversla vedoverahotstove,it
probably involve dastockpot.Thestockpot
isthestartingpointformosthome-
cook edrecipes–andit’ snodifferentina
professionalkitchen.Fromkitchenporters
choppingvegetablestostartastock,right
throughtoheadchefstastingthefinished
productbefore itgo esontheplate,every
singlepersonpresentreliesont hemtoc reate
deliciousdishes.
Istarte dworkingink itchenswhenIwas14
andal waysthefirstjobofthedaywastoget
thestockpotsgoing.Afteraslowovernight
cook,thepotswouldbed ecante dcarefully
inth emorningbeforethecyclecouldbegin
again.Vegetabl es,meatandalcoholwere
addedatp reciseintervalstocreateamazing
stock s, whichinturnformedthebasisof
manydishescreatedinthekitchen.Bubbling
away alldayandnight,thestockpotissurely
thehardest-workingutensilinthekitchen.
Italsoplaysanimportantroleincuisines
allovertheworld.Aftercater ingcollege,
Iwenttr avelling,whichgavemethechance
toeat everythingfrom Vietnamesephosto
hearty,slow-cook edSouthAfricanstews–
allofwhichwerebornin astockpot.Ihavebeenluckyenoughtoworkwith
someterrificmentorsandtheyhaveinformed
andshapedthewayIcooktoday.From
PhilHoward’sfamouslangoustinebisque,
whichIlearnt toma kewhenweworked
togetheratTheSquareinMayfair,tot he
exquisitegrousesaucemadeeveryAugust
atTheKitchininEdinburgh,thestockpot
iswheresom anygreatrecipesbe gin.Even
toda y, whenIwalkintothekitchenof
Fenchurchalltheseyearslater,thesmell
ofstocksboilingta kesmeb acktomyearly
daysasakitchenporter, fillinganddecanting
endlesspotsofstock.
AtFenchurch,ourstockpotsar ein
constantuse,makingeverythingfrom basic
saucebasestom orecomple xconcoctions,
suchastheduckconsomméIservedinmy
savourytea-inspiredstarterforBBC2’s
Great BritishMenu.Ihavesomuchrespectfor
thishumblepieceofequipm ent,whichcan
producesimplesuppers,Michelin-starred
plate sandeverythinginbetween.Daniel Fletcher is head chef atFenchurch
Restaurant,Sky Garden, operatedby Rhubarb;
skygarden.london/fenchurch-restaurantANNA BU KLIEWERI’D BE LOST WITHOUT...Mystockpot
From simple suppers to Michelin-starred meals, it all starts with the
hardest-working utensil in the kitchen, writeschefDaniel Fletcher