Wealden Times | WT243 | August 2022 | Taste Of The South East Supplement inside

Chef’s table
Meet Daniel Lee – Executive Chef at Seasons, a beautifully bright space in
Windlesham, Surrey that champions local ingredients with modern and fresh menus
What’s your favourite cuisine?
Asian, French, Italian and Middle Eastern
flavours are all firm favourites. But my
heart lies with Modern British Cuisine
– classic dishes, seasonal ingredients,
sourced as locally as possible, and
innovative flavours. It’s the basis of every
Seasons Kitchen menu I create.
What’s your signature dish?
My wife Hannah would say my Beef
Wellington. My three-year-old son Alfie,
would say my Pasta Bake. But the kitchen
team at Seasons Kitchen would all agree
it’s my take on Steak Tartare. On the
menu now, it combines raw Surrey Rump
Cap, burnt onion, blue Millie cheese,
pickled egg yolk and nasturtium leaves.
Who taught you to cook?
Professionally, my first role was at the
Brooklands Hotel under Nick Sinclair,
who I worked with for five years. But I
grew up cooking with my mum (Maria)
and nan (Mavis). My mum has genuinely
been the biggest influence on my career
so far. My childhood was full of delicious,
homemade family meals that she cooked
from scratch most evenings, and she
always involved me – getting me to peel,
chop and grate vegetables while still
wearing my primary school uniform!
What makes the South East so brilliant
for foodies?
Surrey has some of the best producers,
makers and growers in the whole of
the UK. In both Seasons Kitchen and
our on-site Seasons Farm Shop, we
champion as many local products as
possible. Our pork is sourced from
Little Ellis Pork Farm in Chobham, we
work closely with Surrey Hills Butcher,
enjoy mind blowing charcuterie from
Tempus in Weybridge, cheese from
Cheese on the Wey in Frensham and
have daily deliveries of fresh fruit and
veg from Boz in Woking.
What couldn’t you live without in your
own kitchen at home?
My coal barbecue. I love cooking
outside, over flames. When I’m home
you’ll find me outside in all weathers!
Are there any ingredients you don’t use?
Are you ready? It is… black pepper!
Let me explain. Most people season
their cooking with salt and pepper. But
while salt enhances the flavour of an
ingredient and a dish, black pepper IS
a flavour and cooking with it changes
the taste of your dish. So at Seasons
Kitchen we omit it from 90% of the
dishes on our menu!
What’s your favourite dish on your menu?
The Fisherman’s Catch Seafood Platter,
the Sussex Lamb, and the Truffle
Mac’n’Cheese are all favourites. But
on our current menu (we update it
with the seasons) it’s our Smoked
Tuna Carpaccio with Dill, Fennel and
Orange Salad.
If you could dine in any restaurant where
would it be and why?
Les Halles (New York) in the Anthony
Bourdain era. Amazing French food,
amazing chef. If only I could have been
in New York in the 1990s!
You can invite any three guests to dinner
– who would they be and why?
First, Anthony Bourdain – he had
such a rare passion for food, culture
and hospitality. Number two would be
Jeremy Clarkson for what he has done
for British Farming, bringing much
needed awareness to an incredibly
vital British industry. And lastly, Keith
Floyd – his enthusiasm for eating,
drinking, cooking and sharing was
palpable. I’d love to have shared a
bottle of red (or two) with him!
Book a table to try Daniel’s wonderful
food at Seasons seasonssurrey.co.uk
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