Rounding up Rosemary Hutton’s review of the Island Expo 09, she head for the live cookery demonstrations. We were there yesterday and concur that Cyrus Todiwala’s food was mind blowing (we have an interview with him coming up soon on VB). Ed
Live Cooking
Having been caught up chatting to so many lovely people from the myriad of companies at the exhibition, I only managed to catch one of Cyrus Todiwala (MBE)’s cooking demonstrations, in which he cooked the most wonderful pork vindaloo, a vegetarian kale and beetroot dish, as well as a lobster dish made from lobster caught by a Yarmouth-based fisherman called Jamie (more on him later).
Cyrus’ manner and stage presence was very enthusiastic – anyone who walked past the cooking stage ended up being suckered in by his humour and character.
Despite heckling his interviewer from Taste of The Wight magazine (who handled it admirably), he was unphased by the video cameras shooting him and the food from different angles, for the big screen behind the stage, as well as a series of videos for the Taste’s Web site.
While running his restaurant in London and occasionally appearing on the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen show, he gets the restaurant’s supply of lobsters and crabs from the Isle of Wight, which makes his presence at the Island Expo even more exciting.
There is no other way to explain Cyrus’ personality when cooking but focused, yet full of character.
The dishes tasted exquisite, and the pork vindaloo was nowhere near as spicy as I had expected it to be – it did leave a warm feeling, but the combination of spices and indeed texture of the meat used left both myself and my partner hankering for more.
We took one of the recipe cards for the dish and will be trying it out very soon!
The curly Kale dish was equally as flavourful, and with the bright greens and purples, it was brilliantly colourful dish. Whether it was spices and aromas, or Cyrus’ warm personality, we felt thoroughly invigorated after having been able to taste his foods.
We may have also put the idea to the Cafe Spice Namaste team that it might be worth them bringing their mobile catering car down to the Island for Cowes fortnight! So if you missed out on seeing Cyrus and sampling his amazing foods, then there will definitely be other opportunities.
We’ve Got Crabs!
Now that that daunting title is out of the way, let me explain. Jamie Green, the Yarmouth-based fisherman I mentioned earlier supplies Cyrus’ restaurant with lobsters and crabs caught about 30 miles off the coast of the island.
The lobsters are of a good quality and a local breed, which although tasting good all year round, are especially tasty during the summer months.
Jamie currently supplies 10 restaurants in London as well as some supermarkets and local restaurants too. He has a friendly personality and anyone who hands me a business card with the banner “We’ve Got Crabs” on it wins my vote every time!
Jamie has said that he’d be happy to take one of the VB crew out on a lobster run some time, and I am more than willing to step up to the plate!
Quite literally too, once we’re back on land! ;)
You can contact Jamie on: 01983 754199
