Find out more about Kikkoman Masters 2019 finalist Rebecca Allen.
Name - Rebecca Allen
Age - 26
Current Restaurant - St Ermins Hotel
Previous Restaurant - Restaurant associates, Searcys the gherkin, Paul Ainsworth number 6
Hometown - London
Favourite Hobbies - Cricket, used to play at county level. Now I just spectate now.
Favourite Cookbook - The flavour thesaurus
Favourite Kitchen Gadget - Thermomix
Rebecca Allen
Kikkoman Masters Dishes -
Starter - Aubergine, soy,
miso & apple - Soy & miso glazed aubergine, Soy miso caramel, Apple
miso sorbet, Rice vinegar pickled apple, Sour apple purée, Charred spring onion, Puffed wild
rice, Micro purple shiso, Apple blossom
Main - Tuna, Sesame, Radish, Ginger - Soy & Sesame Tuna Loin, Soy jelly sheet, Dashi Braised Daikon Fondant, Rice Vinegar Pickled Radish, Chilli & Garlic Sauteed bok choy, Avocado & Ginger Puree, Sake Soaked Raisins, Daikon Cress
Previous Competitions Entered - Compass junior chef of the year - 3rd place, salon Culinaire live theatre - 2nd place, blue arrow chef of the year - top 3 finalist
What Is Your First Food Memory - Making cupcakes with my mum, which is why I have a cupcake tattoo
Who has influenced your cooking the most - My first head chef, Brian Stocker. He’s classically trained so showed me the classics but also pushed me to try and do things differently and push myself to try new things.
Why did you become a chef - Feel in love with cooking when I started going to a Saturday cooking class at my local college when I was 14 and realised I could get paid to do something I loved
Where did you train? Thames Valley University (now the university of west London)
What did you want to be when you grew up - Sports physiotherapist
Who are your favourite chefs - Monica Galetti, Tom Kerridge
Other than your restaurant, what is your favourite restaurant - Oxo tower brasserie. The view is amazing and it’s where I went for my first date with my boyfriend
What music do you enjoy cooking to - classic rock
What was the last book you read - Private princess by James Patterson. I love crime stories
What is your favourite ingredient (apart from Kikkoman Soy Sauce) - chocolate as there as so many ways of using it and so many different flavour profiles
What do you think is the next food trend - I think the vegan and healthy eating trend is just going to get bigger
What food is your guilty pleasure - Cheese. After living in France for 6 months I love cheese. Especially Raclette!
Is there one food you really don’t like - Not the biggest fan of offal
Worst kitchen nightmare - Same as every chef. The ticket machine stopping in the middle of a busy service
Most memorable meal - 7 course Tasting menu at the oxford kitchen for my friends birthday. The food and service were amazing.
Last meal on earth - Tomahawk steak, truffle fries, bearnaise sauce, rocket salad. And a perfectly cooked chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream for dessert
Celebrity you would most like to -
Cook for - Duchess of sussex. She’s a foodie so would be nice to be able to discuss dishes and flavours with her.
Dine with - P!nk. I think she is amazing and would love to sit down and spend an evening talking to her over dinner.
