Revelations: Tim Thornton, founder, Base Face, London
We delve into the life and inner thoughts of a top chef. This week, Tim Thornton, founder of Base Face, London
What was your best subject at school?
Music
What was your first job?
Double bassist. I was a jazz musician until Covid started and then I veered into the pizza world
What was your first job in catering?
I ran a pop-up restaurant with a chef friend of mine when I was a musician, called Karve. We paired a tasting menu with a set of music, so each course had a song that accompanied it, performed live alongside
What do you normally have for breakfast?
A smoothie with banana, greens, oat milk, chia seeds and almonds. In my defence, I have to do something to combat the amount of pizzas I eat…
What is your favourite drink?
The Ginger Boti… Botivo and Old Jamaica ginger beer. I gave up alcohol six months ago so before that it would have been a glass or two or three of a full-bodied red wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon or similar
Which is your favourite restaurant?
Da Enzo in Trastevere, Rome. I was first taken there by a local musician friend Francesco while on tour in Italy and it's my first port of call going to Rome every time. A tiny trattoria where you're rubbing elbows with the next table, serving all the Roman classics and great carafes of house wine
What is your favourite food/cuisine?
It would have to be Italian, given the pizza business and the fact I've married into an Italian family. My wife is from Puglia and I've also toured Italy as a musician extensively, so I've had a lot of experience eating Italian food
Are there any foods/ingredients that you refuse to cook with?
I've tried to avoid chicken on pizza, although I've always said that one day there'll be a place for it, probably on a special. I'm not writing it off forever, just for now. I'm a proud member of team pineapple on pizza, so I definitely don't have any qualms about bucking tradition
If not yourself, who would you rather have been?
My friend and exceptional pianist Joe Webb – everyone's happy when he's in the room!
If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?
Still playing double bass, I'm sure
Continue reading
You need to create an account to read this article. It's free and only requires a few basic details.
Already subscribed? Log In
