Chef Revelations – Silvena Rowe
What was your first job in catering?
A kitchen assistant in a fancy City dining room, wearing whites, two sizes too small as they didn't have my size, to the amusement of the City boys!
What do you normally have for breakfast?
Chorba, or a Turkish-style soup, either lentils or chicken
Which is your favourite restaurant?
China Tang
What is your favourite food/cuisine?
Ottoman cooking, my favourite is stuffed vine leaves
What's your favourite hotel?
The May Fair, Amanyara, Turks and Caicos
What is your favourite drink?
Ayran, a Turkish yogurt drink
What flavour combinations to do you detest?
Putting chocolate in savoury dishes. Yuk!
What do you always carry with you?
My secret Zaatar spice blend, which can turn the dullest dish into the most delish food!
Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?
Knife and matches
If not yourself, who would you rather have been?
Roxelana, Sultan the Magnificent's favourite concubine
If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?
The best female divorce lawyer
When and where was your last holiday?
October, Jamaica
Tell us a secret… Success is sexier than sex! Please keep it a secret!
What irritates you most about the industry?
Male chefs' egos?
What's your favourite film?
Basic Instinct
What is your favourite prepared food product?
A really great pizza
Who would play you in a film about your life?
Pink
What's your favourite music?
Rude house and Arabic music
Who would be in your "fantasy" brigade?
Rob, Steph, Rawad, Nick, Enver, Paolo, Alex, Claire, Sam, Khalid…the exact Quince team!
If you had more time, what would you do?
To go all the way tracing my Ottoman heritage. Maybe I will end up having been Roxelana!
