And so the journey continues.. work experience at Ottolenghi

This week I've been pursuing the opportunity of getting work experience at Ottolenghi in Notting Hill and it was just excellent!  I really loved the experience, and learnt so much from an amazing team. Everyone was so nice to me.  I feel very lucky!

Working with a fantastic head chef, I learnt so much about producing beautiful and consistently good food in mind blowing quantities (for an amateur like me anyway) .  The pastries and cakes made me forget I don't have a sweet tooth.  Gorgeous, inventive and delicious.  Yum yum!  As I write, the kids are deciding who gets the last of the raspberry meringue, having already polished off the white chocolate cheescake with raspberry compote.



I worked in the savoury section which supplies the deli and dining upstairs, as well as outside catering.  So many beautiful ingredients and fresh flavours, and the vegetable store looked like the MasterChef invention test, Ottolenghi style.  I enjoyed myself immensely, and may have even perfected a few skills.  Practice something for a few hours and you may start to find you get quite good at it!

I prepped and roasted a lot of aubergine during my stint... but worth it because this dish just melts in your mouth.  The yoghurt sauce is tangy with a little bite, finished with a special sumac mix, fresh herbs and seeds.  Simple, beautiful & lunch on both days!

I want to say a big thank you to all the team at Notting Hill who took time out to teach me and making me feel at home.  Hope to see you all again soon... x 

And thanks to the lady who hugged me in the street.  You made me smile all the way back to Euston!