Latest news with #CelebrityChef
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Nigella Lawson reveals the 'must-visit' Sydney restaurant behind the 'most wonderful meal of my life'
The Sydney restaurant is a firm favourite among off-duty chefs and foodies The TV personality named her top dishes and has already vowed to return Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has shared a glowing review of a Sydney restaurant for serving 'the most wonderful meal of my life' - and has already vowed to return before she departs Australia. The visiting British food icon dined a week ago at Ester in Chippendale, a trendy restaurant headed up by chef Mat Lindsay that may be a hidden gem - not widely known among the general public but revered by off-duty chefs and serious foodies. The TV personality gushed about Ester for remaining 'unfailingly the most exciting kitchen in the world' after visiting the little-known hotspot with two friends. 'I had the most wonderful meal of my life. I know I say that every time I go to Ester (and it's always true) as each time is a fresh occasion for delight,' Nigella said. The 65-year-old specifically highlighted some of the restaurant's 'exceptional dishes', explaining that her dining experience commenced with 'impeccable' oysters to start. Also on the menu was the 'legendary fermented potato bread with salmon roe and beguiling jelly-topped kefir cream' - a signature dish renowned at the restaurant. Known for taking and sharing pictures of her meals, the culinary icon admitted she was 'too wrapped up in the conversation to photograph everything' that night, but said she did manage to capture some of her favourite dishes. Among the dishes were the 'madly good Sommerlad chicken dumplings - bulgingly plump and sensationally savoury in their rich, smoky broth'. Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has shared a glowing review of a Sydney restaurant for serving 'the most wonderful meal of my life' Nigella Lawson shared some of the standout dishes from her recent dining experience at Ester, specifically highlighting the 'impeccable oysters' (left) and 'exquisite pippies' (right) Nigella also called out the 'exquisite pippies' as a standout. The TV cook said the seafood dish was served in a 'liquid that tasted saltily like a gravy drunk on its own magnificent meatiness'. To round out the decadent meal, Nigella and her friends enjoyed a 'superbly elegant but winkingly bright crèpe caramel'. If her mouth-watering description of the dishes weren't proof enough, Nigella capped off her post by declaring that she had already made plans to return to the restaurant. 'Have already booked a table for my last night here before I fly back home, as this food is too good not to revisit,' she said. In addition to personally calling out and thanking specific Ester employees, Nigella added that 'everyone affiliated with this miraculous venture does it - and the whole of hospo - great honour, stamping every moment with memorableness and meaning'. The celebrity chef's glowing review also revealed that she'd dined at Ester in esteemed company – sharing the table with Australian novelists Helen Garner and Charlotte Wood. Charlotte, who's known for her novel The Natural Way of Things, replied to Nigella's post by describing the evening as 'a life highlight for several of us at that table'. 'Everything was incredible including star company,' Charlotte said. Nigella Lawson recently visited the award-winning restaurant Ester, which is known for its wood-fired modern Australian fare Nigella concluded her recent decadent dining experience at Ester with this 'superbly elegant but winkingly bright crèpe caramel' ReceipeTin Eats founder Nagi Maehashi also responded to Nigella's post with an elongated: 'Yuuuuuummmm!!!' The beloved Australian food blogger also recommended that Nigella check out Ester's sister restaurant, Poly. 'Get everything on the smalls list,' Nagi advised. The high level of praise that Nigella heaped on Ester should hardly come as a surprise given that she'd previously named it a must-visit when she's in town. The British food icon told Gourmet Traveller earlier this year that the surprising yet delicious creations at Mat Lindsay's restaurant are 'extraordinary'. The award-winning restaurant is known for its relaxed yet stylish interiors and wood-fired modern Australian fare. The World's 50 Best Restaurants panel called it one of Sydney's hottest dining destinations, noting: 'The fit out is minimal, mood informal and selection of wood-fired small plates ruthlessly streamlined. Bag yourself one of the hottest seats in Sydney.' Ester offers an à la carte and set menu for lunch and dinner, with set menus only available on Saturday evenings, starting from $145 per person. The fermented potato bread served with salmon roe and kefir cream (pictured) is a signature dish at Ester Culinary icon Nigella Lawson has been frequenting a number of Sydney food institutions while she's in town, including Fratelli Paradiso, Sean's and Small's Deli Signature dishes include the woodfired oysters with chicken fat butter, the blood sausage sanga, and the fermented potato bread - a dish that chef Josh Niland previously described as a 'timeless masterpiece.' Since arriving in Oz, Nigella has been making the most of her visit by checking out several of Sydney's foodie hotspots. After landing in mid-May, her first port of call was to local institution, Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point. Sharing the details of her visit to social media, the British culinary queen revealed it was a personal tradition to make it her 'first stop in Sydney'. Nigella also paid a visit to North Bondi beachside restaurant Sean's, describing the venue as a 'perfect Sydney Sunday spot'. But it's not just upmarket dining venues that have caught the celebrity chef's attention. The Domestic Goddess also made a 'customary pilgrimage' to Small's Deli, a hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop in Potts Point. There, she ordered a show-stopping sandwich called The Toto. Describing the 'outrageously good' sandwich, Nigella explained that it's 'spread with lemony butter bean purée and pesto, it's bulgingly stuffed with mortadella and mozzarella, exuberantly sprinkled with chopped toasted almonds, and topped with peppery rocket.' The question on every Sydney foodie's lips is: Which restaurant will Nigella show up to next?
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
James Martin's horror as his car is vandalised in broad daylight as he shares pic and says ‘London is broken'
car break-in The TV chef showed the damage to his vehicle's rear side window CELEBRITY chef James Martin has shocked fans by revealing car window was smashed in by a vandal. The ITV star shared a photo of a gaping hole in the vehicle's rear windshield claiming it happened in broad daylight. 2 2 He didn't make clear what was stolen from his car boot. James wrote on Instagram: "So in a week two of my friends cars got stolen, one other mate got mugged and now I had this happen all in broad daylight all in central London. "London is broken big time…" Referring to his dog, James added: "Next time I'm bringing the Mali's." The star of James Martin 's Saturday Morning was flooded with support from fans. One said: "So sorry this has happened to you. The whole of the UK is the same, the laws need to change and we need more police on the streets." Another added: "This is so sad, what once was an incredible capital city is now a centre for crime." A follower wrote: "Not right is it, but what's worse is nobody in authority cares." Before his popular ITV series, James presented Saturday Kitchen, Home Comforts, James Martin's Great British Adventure, Islands to Highlands and James Martin's French Adventure. He has also published over 20 best-selling cook books.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Iconic crisps giant announces two new ‘gourmet' flavours inspired by BBC chef's travels
A FAN favourite crisp brand has launched two new "gourmet" flavours in collaboration with a celebrity chef. The two brand new crisp flavours are set to hit UK shelves this summer. Kettle Chips has announced the launch of their two newest flavours, created with help of TV chef Rachel Khoo. New and "sophisticated" the flavours include Brie and Caramelised Onion and Honey Dijon Mustard. Inspired by French flavours the new crisps are already on sale in Waitrose and Morrisons and are set to come to other stores soon. Shoppers will see the crisps on sale in Tesco from June 14 and Sainsbury's will stock them from July 20. The new crisps will retail for £2.65 and will only be available in 130g bags. Inspired by chef Rachel Khoo's time in France the new flavours are being billed as "gourmet." Celebrity chef Rachel has appeared on BBC and Netflix cooking shows. She authored 'The Little Paris Kitchen' bestselling cookbook which launched her to fame in the culinary world. Khoo, who grew up in South London, spent time in France learning to cook after studying at university. She had once worked in PR and marketing before launching her career in cooking. Rachel has since had her own cooking show on BBC, done stints as a judge on 'The Great British Menu' and 'The Great Australian Bake Off'. Now she's working alongside Kettle Chips to bring two new flavours to UK shelves in time for summer. Why are products axed or recipes changed? ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders. Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether. They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers. There are several reasons why this could be done. For example, government regulation, like the "sugar tax," forces firms to change their recipes. Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs. They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable. For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018. It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version. Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year. Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks. While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose. Khoo said: "These flavours are a love letter to my time in France where my culinary career began and I learned that great food starts with simple, high-quality ingredients. "I hope these handcooked chips bring as much joy to your taste buds as they do mine." 3 The new French inspired flavours are made with Kettle Chips "real-food ingredient seasonings." Kettle describes the Brie and Caramelised Onion crisps as "pure indulgence, combining the creamy, nutty notes of brie with the deep, umami-rich sweetness of slow-cooked caramelised onions." While the Honey Dijon Mustard flavour is said to "deliver the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with the warmth of authentic Dijon mustard mellowed by rich, golden honey." The crisps are made with no artificial ingredients and are even gluten free. Khoo and Kettle Chips' newest creation are already available in some stores and set to hit more in the near future. The new crisps are perfect for a summer picnic and have been described by Kettle as "perfect for any occasion."
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Wild scenes at Coles as Aussie trend explodes
A celebrity chef billed as 'India's answer to Gordon Ramsay' has caused chaos in Melbourne after fans turned out in droves for a glimpse of the famous cook. Sanjeev Kapoor is currently visiting Australia to launch Arth, his new range of 'authentic' Indian products that have just hit 440 Coles stores nationwide. For the uninitiated, Chef Kapoor is a household name who has amassed over 20 million followers across Facebook, YouTube, X and Instagram. He also hosts Asia's longest-running cooking show 'Khana Khazana' and has more than 200 best-selling cookbooks. To mark the arrival of his 15-food products on Aussie shelves, the celebrity chef attended the Tarneit Central store in the outer suburbs of the city on Wednesday – and was greeted by hundreds of excited fans. Footage obtained by shows the retailer swamped by Aussies hoping to snag a photo with Kapoor. Coles said the introduction of the new product line comes as India has surged ahead of China to become the largest source of new Australian citizens and now ranks as the second-largest overseas-born population in Australia. 'Our customers are telling us they want more variety, more global flavours and simpler ways to enjoy dinner at home – and that's exactly what we're focused on delivering with the Arth range,' Coles chief commercial officer, Anna Croft, told 'We know that the Global Cuisines segment is expected to grow significantly in Australia as more customers look for simple solutions to create authentic meals at home. 'And this is a trend we are also seeing with our customers, with the Asian and Indian segments two of the fastest growing categories in our grocery aisle.' Coles said that the range, which offers curry pastes, marinades, pickles and sauces, is an 'example of how we're listening and responding to our shoppers'. 'Partnering with Chef Kapoor has been the perfect way to deliver real Indian flavours to Aussie dinner tables,' Ms Croft added. 'These amazing products take the pressure off and give you that full-flavour hit without spending hours in the kitchen – no hard-to-find ingredients, no complicated steps.' Despite knowing Chef Kapoor's huge reach with consumers, the supermarket said it has been taken aback by how many shoppers have turned out to meet the star. 'We've been blown away with the demand for our Arth Authentic Indian range since hitting the shelves,' Coles Senior Manager Global Cuisines, Joel Wishart, told 'Sanjeev is a global sensation, and it was fantastic to see so many customers get to meet him at Coles during his visit. 'We're seeing more Aussies seeking food and recipes from around the globe and Sanjeev's new range offers an authentic taste of India that's easy to prepare and delicious – with products starting from $3.' Chef Kapoor said the range was designed to take the guesswork out of cooking and help more Australians fall in love with Indian food. 'I've spent my career showing people how authentic Indian food can be easy and enjoyable, and the Arth range is the next chapter of that journey here in Australia,' he said. 'This range really is for everyone – whether you've grown up with these flavours or want to try something new. You don't need special skills or fancy ingredients but just a love of good food.' The supermarket giant said 'standouts' from the range include the Mutter Paneer Paste (270g) – a North Indian favourite for $5.80, and the Tandoori Marinade (270g) perfect for chicken or lamb at $6.00, as well as the Masala Khichdi – a risotto-style blend of rice, lentils and warming Indian spices for just $3.00.
