Book review: Àclèaf by Scott Paton
Interspersed with ingredient deep dives and ‘project pages' as well as an ‘Acoustics of the kitchen' playlist, the titular book from Boringdon Hall's Michelin-starred restaurant Àclèaf is not your average cookbook.
But then, Àclèaf isn't your average restaurant, so this is perhaps to be expected.
The restaurant's head chef Scott Paton notes it is an industry book to be used as a "tool" or as inspiration for cooking, rather than as a blueprint. Many recipes provide quantities suitable for a restaurant rather than a couple or family, and Paton says there are several that if followed exactly, with the equipment listed, might cost "six or seven thousand pounds". Paton also reminds readers that Àclèaf's food is designed to be part of a tasting experience, so recipes will have to be tweaked unless chefs are creating an entire menu from the book.
Àclèaf takes its reader through the restaurant's journey, from its inception to the rejuvenation of its kitchen. An introduction to Paton hones in on his enthusiasm for a collaborative working style, as well as seasonality and quality, locally sourced ingredients.
The recipes that follow are, in theme, categorised by season, beginning with Paton's preferred time of year: spring. Featured dishes include veal served with asparagus and morels, and a raspberry pistachio and white chocolate dessert. This level of storytelling flows throughout the book, illustrated by striking photography by Sophia Best and Matthew Hawkey. Seven pages are dedicated to the restaurant's much-loved and longstanding crab dish; the work of art was developed by Paton in 2012, long before his days at Boringdon Hall, when he was coming up with a wedding menu.
Paton's collaborative approach to Àclèaf, mirrored in the book, makes for an engaging read, with the interwoven stories working to make the often-complicated recipes feel more approachable. While chefs might indeed find they need to improvise and adapt to fit different budgets and service times, the flavour pairings, stories and design may come as the source of inspiration they hadn't realised they were missing.
Àclèaf by Scott Paton (Away With Media, £50)
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