Tea, chocolate and hot new chef talent
There’s been a lot of noise about new London restaurant The Woodford and its ferociously talented Head Chef Ben Murphy whose young age (25!) belies his ambition to succeed and excel at the top of the cheffing industry. He has a huge amount of skill, determination and passion.
A former Young National chef of the Chef winner 2012 and protégé of Pierre Koffman, Eric Frechon and more recently Arnaud Bignon, Ben is classically French trained and has worked in Michelin starred establishments in London, Paris and the South of France.
I was there for a meeting and tea tasting with the lovely Dandylion Teas, a beautiful range of teas which pair specially with pastry, dessert and cheese. So of course we had to sample a few puds alongside the teas. The best was Textures of Chocolate with Lavender and Milk paired with Dandylion’s Coffee Frangipane. The phrase ‘rising star’ is used a lot for young chefs but it is patently obvious that Ben has a stellar future ahead of him and is a talent to watch and admire. Am definitely planning a trip back to The Woodford for the full dining experience.