Find out more about Kikkoman Masters 2019 finalist Scott Braithwaite.
Name - Enrique Javier Diez Garcia de Olalla
Age - 23
Current Restaurant - The Frog Hoxton
Previous Restaurant - The Frog E1, Adam Handling at Caxton, Ting restaurant At Shangri-la Hotel at the shard
Hometown - Barcelona
Favourite Hobbies - Sports: Handball and Rugby.
Favourite Cookbook - Fäviken by Magnus Nilsson
Favourite Kitchen Gadget - Spoons, chef knife
Kikkoman Masters Dishes -
Starter - Isle of Wright Tomatoes, fresh Wasabi curd and soy pickles
Main - Salt aged duck, Burnt Orange, Master stock
Previous Competitions Entered - 2nd place Young stagiaire of the year 2018, 2nd place Gosset competition
What Is Your First Food Memory - My mums “Patatas con sepia” is like a fish stock with diced up squid and potatoes.
Who has influenced your cooking the most - Non professionally my grandma, her ability to cook since I was small always amazed me.
Professionally my
Head chef at the moment Jamie Park, we have been working together for 5 years
now. His point of view towards food and the respect for the zero waste concept
inspires me to move forward.
Why did you become a chef - I always loved to eat and as soon as I could I started to work in the hospitality, after my IB exams ( A levels) I did a 1 month internship at Aqua a 3* restaurant in Wolfsburg, Germany. It was incredible and after that I was sure I wanted to become a chef.
Where did you train to be a chef - ? I didn’t do any college but I tried to do stages to learn the craft.
I was in Aqua, Wolfsburg(3*)
Dinner by Heston, London(2*)
Noma, Copenaghen (2*)
Adam Handling has also been a big influence on my formation for the past 6 years.
What did you want to be when you grew up - Engineer like my dad.
Who are your favourite chefs - Simon Rogan, Rene Redzepi
Other than your restaurant, what is your favourite restaurant - Noma and Coombeshead farm
What music do you enjoy cooking to - Depends on how busy the day is looking but mostly Rock or Reggaeton
What was the last book you read - Just came back from holiday and I was reading the third plate from Dan Barber, the respect towards the product and understanding of the environment that surrounds you.
What is your favourite ingredient (apart from Kikkoman Soy Sauce) - Onions, because they are humble but versatile.
What do you think is the next food trend - The concern for flavourful vegetables on a big scale, affecting big groceries stores.
What food is your guilty pleasure - Dulce de leche
Is there one food you really don't like - No
Worst kitchen nightmare - Be cooking on sauce section and run out of sauce.
Most Memorable meal - Abac, Barcelona
Last meal on earth - A good Rib eye steak.
Celebrity you would most like to -
Cook for - Not a celebrity chef (or so he says ) Gordon Ramsay
Dine with - Roger Federer
