Top chefs show the Standard how it's done as Taste of London: The Festive Edition comes to Tobacco Docks

It's not every day a two-Michelin-starred chef helps you rustle up the perfect dinner party dish. But Londoners wishing to take their culinary expertise and food repertoire to the next level can learn from the likes of Tom Kerridge, Marcus Wareing and Chantelle Nicholson at this year’s Taste of London: The Festive Edition.

This year, some of the country’s finest chefs – including Kerridge and Nicholson, who started working with the revered Wareing 12 years and is now the Chef Patron at Tredwell’s – will be hosting the Taste Masterclasses when the event comes to Tobacco Docks in east London at the end of the month.

When the Standard took part in a masterclass, Lee Tiernan, Head Chef of Black Axe Mangal, in Hughbury, north London, cooked a version of his Malaysian High Tea dish – sardines with a spicy fresh Asian salad – as a starter. First, the sardines were gutted before being cooked simply on a griddle and then served atop a mixture of cucumber, radish and spring onion tossed in a dressing of chilli, fish sauce and lime.

Kerridge was demonstrating his venison chilli which is served at his restaurant The Coach for £12.50. The chilli was made by cooking venison mince, adding a rich venison stew, red wine, chocolate and lime and served with crème fraiche.

On his masterclass, Kerridge said: “It seems like people are more and more interested in food, and not that goes beyond simply dining in great restaurants across London. Now people want to know how to cook too. A masterclass is a great way to nail an impressive dish before then serving it up at a dinner party this winter.”

Last but not least, former lawyer turned chef Nicholson made a dark chocolate tart with mulled wine cream – a dish she said was “super simple, but very impressive looking” and made a great alternative to Christmas puddings.

She added: “People tend to be scared of making puddings, or they run out of steam and just buy one. But this is a real show stopper, and is really easy.”

The sister event to the food festival in Regent’s Park in June, Taste Winter Edition will see 21 of London’s top restaurants based at Tobacco Docks over the four-day event offering tasters of their classic dishes. This year’s restaurant line-up includes Tredwell’s, Hix, Bubbledogs, Kurobuta, Café Spice Namaste, Jose Pizarro, Tom’s Kitchen, Daar Bar, Mole Taco Bar, Chi Kitchen and Oldroyd New this Christmas is the Craft Beer Trail where beer fans can sample some of the best craft beer around, along with a selection of bars serving wines, spirits, cocktails, hot toddies and of course, mulled wine.

Taste of London: The Festive Edition will run from November 17 to 20. Tickets on sale now from £15 at tasteoflondon.co.uk

Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from London’s food scene.

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