Leamington and Warwick Living Jul - Aug 2023

IT’S ALL ABOUT
THE FOOD
WITH JACK STEIN
Jack is the middle son of Rick
and Jill Stein and, like his father,
he’s always had a passion for the
world of hospitality. The brand
Rick Stein has undergone a great
deal of change over the past few
years including the launch of
Jack’s own cookery course at the
Rick Stein’s Cookery School as
well as new boxes he created for
the online nationwide delivery
service, Stein’s at Home. Here, he
talks with Sally Thomson and tells
us more about his love of cooking
and all things seafood…
HOW ARE YOU?
Great thanks and feeling refreshed - I
was in the sea this morning, but it was
pretty cold!
YOU’RE BRAVE – I DON’T LIKE
GOING IN THE SEA IN THE
ENGLAND, EVEN IN THE SUMMER…
I’ve been doing it since I was a child in
Cornwall, but there are certainly some
days I’m not so keen...
I MET YOUR DAD FLYING TO
THAILAND WHEN HE WAS ON HIS
WAY TO AUSTRALIA. WE HAD A
LOVELY CHAT ON THE JOURNEY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE A
FAN OF INDONESIA?
I spend a lot of time in Indonesia - it’s my
home away from home as I like to surf
there. I love the food and the people are
incredible. I did a lot of research for my
book while over there (Jack Stein’s World
on a Plate: Bloomsbury & Absolute Press)
with many recipes inspired by my travels.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD?
Thai food – I did a TV show when I
was out in Bangkok, learning about
the cuisine in the north, especially
around Chang Mai, the food there is
unbelievable. I also enjoy southern dishes
which include coconut milk curries. It’s
such an amazing style of cooking.
HOW DIFFERENT IS THE COOKING
IN THE REGIONS OF THAILAND?
The eastern region is very dry with hot
spices and they use a lot of offal. For me,
it’s the best – they’ve got super inventive
dishes using blood and bladders and
all that kind of stuff! I know it can be a
bit off-putting for those who aren’t keen
on it, but chefs love cooking with those
ingredients. In Bangkok you get more
traditional dishes whereas in the south,
you get hotter food with a wide variety of
spicy curries.
I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST WENT
TO THAILAND, I ALSO FELL IN
LOVE WITH THE FOOD AND I DO
TRY AND COOK THAI DISHES,
OBVIOUSLY NOT AS GOOD
AS YOURS! SO, WHAT’S YOUR
FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD
TO VISIT?
It depends on what you are going for.
India and Sri Lanka are amazing and
there is so much variety - you could live
four lifetimes and always be learning
about the nuances of their cuisines. I
also think that Spanish food is great
and have a big soft spot for northern
Spain, especially Basque food in the
San Sebastian area. There are so many
Michelin-starred restaurants there too.
I THINK THAT IN ENGLAND, WE
HAVE BAD PRESS WHEN IT COMES
TO COOKING. THERE ARE SOME
DISHES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND
FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY
SHOULD BE RECOGNISED FOR
HOW GOOD THEY ARE – DO YOU
AGREE?
Well, when you think of some ‘traditional’
English dishes, such as a Full English or
roast dinner, there’s actually a lot of skill
involved. The timings are imperative and
that’s a big thing for chefs. When you’re
cooking different things at the same time,
you have to concentrate and get it right.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR
DAD TRIED TO TALK YOU OUT
OF JOINING THE TRADE. IS THAT
CORRECT?
Yes, he wanted us to go to university,
which I did, but when I finished my
studies, I went straight into the kitchen.
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