Miele (pronunced Mee-luh) sells stylish, premium, household products from vacuum cleaners to steam ovens. That brings me on rather nicely to talk about a supper I was invited to, at their showroom in central London. It’s where you can see their full range of products and find out how any you buy work – properly.
When I visit though, Martyn Meid from the restaurant INK is showcasing his simple cooking using a Miele Steam Oven. His cooking principles take the best fresh, locally sourced products and use their raw, natural shape. Each dish he presents connects people with space, plate and emotion (his words, not mine). I should mention here that Martyn is from the small town of Klaipeda in Lithuania but Nordic food is his thing. It’s not until we arrive that we discover that Martyn is behind the pass. His 72-hour tasting menu at his restaurant needs 3 days notice and guests get to sample 7 courses, with wine matched. I’m so excited to be sampling his food.
To start we have the most amazing ikura eggs on the most delicious bread, a stunning way to kick off the evening and truly photogenic.
Each dish is masterfully paired by Sommelier Jonas who’s been spared from INK for the evening.
For fans of Rene Redzepi, you’ll know that he’s a big fan of ash (not cigarette – think wood, vegetables and hay) and for a bit of culinary history ash has been used for aeons by Native Americans. If you’ve not tried it, the taste is one of smoke (obvs) and bitterness.
It worked well with Martyn’s dish of Mackerel and Beet.
If ash isn’t your thing then maybe butter is – this Sea bass on Chicory, cooked with 2kg butter.
Burnt potato puree with morels and salted egg yolk (and boy was it salted). Probably the only dish I didn’t really enjoy as much as the others.
Crab, razor clam, langoustine in cucumber with delicious burnt onions.
Salted cod with tomato textures – in the restaurant Martyn serves this 48 hour salted-cod dish in which he dehydrates and smokes the tomatoes, served alongside confit potatoes drizzled with lemon oil.
And to finish, a bread pannacotta with raw milk chocolate.
Lifestyle events, cooking classes, demonstrations and ‘appliance schools’ are in central London and Abingdon and they run a plethora of different courses from bread making to entertaining at home. For more details, visit their Creative Living page.
The Miele London Gallery is just off Cavendish Place W1.
