Meet Southgate’s new chefs

Three Southgate restaurants, Miyako, Artusi and Pure South Dining, have recently welcomed new head chefs just in time for the launch of ‘Good Food Blooms’.

Miyako’s new head chef Yosuke Furukawa comes to Southgate following a five-year tenure as head chef of highly-regarded CBD restaurant Izakaya Den.

Mr Furukawa will prepare a striking Japanese dish Hana Sakari (flower fully bloomed) – Sashimi Carpaccio wrapped with asparagus and Persian gold petals in translucent rice paper with a marinated Sakura sushi ball.

Having never previously worked with edible flowers, he said he had been determined to create something special with his first attempt.

“I tried to express the whole flower in the dish. It was a very fun experience and I can’t wait to serve it to the customers,” he said.

“The asparagus represents the stem of the flower, sashimi is the petal, with wasabi-dusted Tobiko (flying fish roe) representing the flower’s pollen heart.”

Having previously worked in Spain and London and been a former finalist in the 2012 Best International Italian Young Chef awards, new head chef at Artusi, Nicola Romano, brings 10 years’ experience to the restaurant.

The menus he creates exemplify his passion for creating dishes that focus on the pure taste of produce, sourced through Artusi’s artisan producers.

And that passion is reflected in the dish he has prepared for Good Food Blooms – poached New England ranges organic chicken, gem lettuce, sweet corn, chicken crackling and viola flower Merry Melody and chrysanthemum flowers.

“It’s an interpretation of a Caesar salad so it’s basically the same ingredients but the process is very different. I’m really looking forward to serving this dish,” Mr Romano said.

“I still use edible flowers in the menu that we have now and I’m especially comfortable using them in my dishes when the supplier can give them to me because they can be very hard to get.”

Pure South Dining’s authentic story of respect for provenance and ethical, sustainable produce is familiar to its new head chef David Hall.

Having grown up with a chef for a father, the native Glaswegian has held a passion for cooking from a young age and said he had a natural appreciation for Pure South’s working relationships with its farmers and fisherman.

“Such beautiful fresh produce has come into the kitchen in my first week, especially the seafood,” he said.

“I am delighted to be working with such great farmers and fisherman. I really enjoy the Pure South Dining story and I am looking forward to writing the next chapter with the team.”

As part of Good Food Blooms, David will prepare a mouth-watering Mt Gnomon farm Wessex saddleback pork belly, brawn kohlrabi, pork consommé, with viola flowers.

These are just some of the delicious offerings available as part of Good Food Blooms so be sure to make Southgate your second home this Spring Racing Season!