London Restaurant Festival: Theo Randall

The London Restaurant Festival Summer Edition takes places across the capital, from 1 to 30 June, with top restaurants and chefs offering special menus and events including foodie themed boat trips and walks, and masterclasses. Theo Randall will be doing a four-course dinner at his restaurant, Theo Randall at the InterContinental, as part of the festival…

Tell us, Theo, what are your favourite summer dishes and ingredients? I love a simple roasted whole seabass with salsa verde and grilled marinated aubergines, zucchini and red peppers or Paccheri fritti di mare which is Paccheri pasta with prawns, clams, white asparagus. white wine, garlic and parsley. This dish is currently on our Campania regional menu, which we change every month. For the month of June it is Liguria 

Where are your favourite places to eat in London? Pali Hill in Mortimer St, Lemonia in Regent’s Park Road and Jin Kichi in Hampstead. 

Who are your food heroes? Valentina Harris, her knowledge of Italian food is second to none. Her book ‘Food of Italy’ is a very informative read. Phil Howard from Elystan Street, a fantastic chef that is always pushing for perfection and has an inspiring passion for seasonal ingredients 

What’s next for you? A double on the meat section 

What is the one thing you’d like to change about the industry? Encourage more young people to start in our industry, I started young and having good opportunities early on will set them up nicely for a long-term career. 

What are your foodie memories of growing up around the Hampton Court area? Our garden had an abundance of fruit trees and a huge walnut tree, my mother used to use everything that grew and would preserve everything, from elderflowers made in to a cordial to pickling walnuts. I would help my mother bake, cook and pick the fruit, very happy memories.  

Where do you live now and where are your favourite places? I live in Primrose Hill. I love Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park, I walk my 9-year-old Labrador, Maude, every morning and when I get back from the restaurant. It’s always great thinking time.

Read more

Marco Pierre White on vegetarian cooking