Bulli for who?

Saturday, 26 April 2008

If Belarus won the Eurovision Song Contest every year, there would be an outcry. If Kofi Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for a decade on the trot, there'd be an inquiry. If Peter Carey took the Man Booker five times running, there would be blood in the streets. So when Ferran Adria took to the stage at Restaurant magazine's World's 50 Best restaurants 2008 ceremony on Monday to pick up the best restaurant in the world gong for the third year in a row, people started to mutter.

Chop chop: Star recipes from Mark Hix's new restaurant

Saturday, 26 April 2008

As regular readers of this column will know, after 17 years working in some of London's finest restaurants, I decided at the end of last year it was time to go it alone. (Well not quite alone, as Ratnesh Bagdai will be joining me as my business partner. Ratnesh worked for eight years with me as finance director at Caprice Holdings, which made him the obvious choice when it came to a creating a workable, hands-on partnership – see box overleaf.) But now, after months of work, I can proudly announce that my new restaurant, Hix Oyster and Chop House, is about to open.

Wine: Stars of Argentina

Saturday, 26 April 2008

Earlier this year, Argentina staged a significant coup. When the country's top reds made from malbec, their signature grape, were tasted by the American magazine, The Wine Advocate, over 100 wines scored 90 points plus. 13 achieved whopping scores of 96 or more. Such ratings are normally reserved for the very finest wines of France. Cue collective Argentinian euphoria. Not surprising then that Wines of Argentina in this country should decide to put on a tasting of its 'icon' reds in London too. 'The UK rarely likes to be told what to do by our Atlantic cousins', they said, 'but it is fair to say that the Americans have got the jump on us when it comes to discovering the super reserve and limited edition bottlings that Argentina has to offer'. This is what's known as a no-brainer: the results go to their heads and bypass their brains.

Wine: Something For The Weekend

Saturday, 26 April 2008

Going solo: Mark Hix's on how to launch a restaurant

Saturday, 26 April 2008

After running places in a group that includes some of London's finest restaurants – Scott's, J Sheekey, Le Caprice and The Ivy – the expectation was that I'd do the same thing in my own restaurant, but that's not going to happen.

The booming wine market

Thursday, 24 April 2008

The summer of 1811 was heaven sent for making legendary wine. The vineyards of Bordeaux were bathed in hot sunshine for week after week, followed by the sort of warm and dry autumn that winemakers pray for. Then, just as the grapes were being harvested, the night sky was illuminated by the trailing tale of Halley's Comet. Superstitious vintners took it is a sign of divine blessing and called it the "Comet Vintage".

Let them eat spuds: potatoes - the world's new staple?

Monday, 21 April 2008

When the order came down from the top brass of Bangladesh's armed forces it sounded like a joke. Some of the soldiers and sailors who were told that from now on their daily rations would include increased servings of potatoes almost certainly did not take it seriously either.

Tapas of the gods: Skye Gyngell recreates a Melbourne meal she'll treasure

Sunday, 20 April 2008

As strange as this may sound, I rarely enjoy the experience of eating out. Which is not to say that I'm not dazzled by the cooking of a great many chefs, nor that I think Petersham is a barometer of perfection. It's just that I always crave a certain type of food and restaurant that I rarely seem to find.

Pucka up, America: How Oprah Winfrey could help Jamie Oliver crack the States

Sunday, 20 April 2008

The South Beach sunshine is splitting the palm trees in the fantastically froufrou garden overlooking the pool at the Delano Hotel. In the midst of this Miami cliché sits Jamie Oliver, the epitome of the Brit abroad, mulling over the question of how to crack America. But he's not being given much of a chance – every few minutes a passer-by butts into our conversation ("I'm your biggest fan!") and pulls out a camera. On each occasion he is polite, patient and poses with a trademark grin. "I love that," he says, as we're left alone. "They always say 'Sorry to interrupt', then they start talking for 10 minutes. Being known in America, it's horrible. Imagine being really famous here..."

Orient express: Mark Hix's Vietnamese classics

Saturday, 19 April 2008

I live in Hackney on the borders of Islington, Stoke Newington and Dalston, and the area is a magnet for great food outlets. Most of the old eel, pie and mash shops have gone or are on their way out, but there's an endless choice of great Turkish cafés and food shops – and best of all, Vietnamese eateries. The Vietnamese have been there since they fled their country in 1975, and over the years they have set up great-value cafés and restaurants.