Heston Blumenthal – The Chef Behind The Fat Duck
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Chef Heston Blumenthal opened The Fat Duck in the mid 1990s. He purchased a very old building that used to be a salon with a “bad” reputation. The old building, with 450 years of history to boast of, was the place where loud and noisy drinkers usually go to. These were the drinkers who were kicked out of the regular salons for their rowdy behaviors. This, the reputation of the building, obviously was not what he wanted for his first restaurant, but he had no choice since his budget was limited. However, he had two things that can change the “image” of the building – culinary talent and the determination to succeed.
Armed with exemplary skill and knowledge in French cooking, he slowly but surely changed the reputation of the building. Michelin stars was the farthest thing from his mind at first, as he simply wanted his first restaurant to have a decent reputation; however, in time, customers began trickling in, praising his unique culinary style. His culinary skill also caught the attention of food critics that he began earning their praises, too. The good reviews brought him more customers.
Three years after first opening The Fat Duck, in 1998, he finally earned his first Michelin star. By 2004, he earned the third Michelin star, and the year after that, he was named as one of the world’s best restaurants.
In 2009, The Fat Duck climbed to the top of the list and landed on the second place, with El Bulli claiming the first spot. However, this year, 2010, The Fat Duck slipped down a spot and landed on the third place. The Fat Duck might have climbed down a spot, but this is not a small feat, considering that his career, restaurant, and reputation were put to the test when he was involved in a food poisoning scare last February 2009.
The food poisoning controversy took place on the 28th of February. About 40 diners began complaining of feeling sick after they have had their meals at The Fat Duck. When the media got hold of the news, the numbers of complainants bloated to 400 people, a true nightmare for a restaurant with a very solid reputation.
Of course, this prompted an investigation of Chef Blumenthal’s kitchens. The restaurant was ordered to close for the duration of the investigation, and the Health Protection Agency of Britain took over and mad a thorough inspection and investigation of the restaurant and what happened to the victims. The kitchen staff of Chef Blumenthal was also tested, but the tests showed negative. The investigation did reveal that the cause for the victims’ illness was contaminated shellfish. To this day, Chef Blumenthal, his staffs, and the restaurant’s spokesperson insisted that they keep very strict rules and policies in the kitchen, especially when it comes to sanitation.
The Fat Duck was closed for more than two weeks, and when Chef Blumenthal reopened it, his food was missed so much by his clients that it was good business as usual. It was good business, indeed, as Chef Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck is still very much considered as among the top restaurants in the planet.
These days Chef Blumenthal is very much busy not only with his restaurant but also with his latest project, the Dinner. The Dinner is set this coming January 31, 2011 and will be held in London’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Starting from, December 1, 2010, reservations are now being accepted, so if you want a taste of Chef Blumenthal’s culinary creations, be sure to book yours now.
Then there is also “The Big Fish Fight” that Channel 4 has in store for its viewers. This show is all about the techniques of cooking fish, and it will also tackle the problems of diminishing fish numbers because of society’s huge appetite. Chef Blumenthal will be on the show, together with other famous chefs like Jamie Oliver, and this will start airing on January next year.
When it comes to his delectable foods, be sure to grab your Hidden Orange Christmas Pudding now. This is a pudding created by Chef Blumenthal and is becoming the must-have this holiday season. In fact, you can order yours through eBay, but you have to hurry though as the puddings are almost sold out.
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Australian Chef- Matthew J. Goudge is the mastermind behind the formation of the ProChef360 platform.
Now this is an interesting one Chef. The Fat Duck is on my list of ‘must go’ to restaurants (The Bucket List) & didn’t know the background, enjoyed the read. The fact The Fat Duck survived the food poisoning scare is testimony to such a great chef. Awesome read., thanks
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I’m always fascinated to see what concoctions Heston comes up with. His food is always so out of this world. Excellent to hear that the food poisoning scare didn’t effect his reputation.
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Chef Matthew J.G Reply:
December 20th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
CityHippyFarmGirl you are so right. He is a true champion for sure.
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You will get “the finest meal in the world” with Chef Heston Blumenthal of “The Fat Duck”.
Check this out: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1373520/Heston-Blumenthals-23-000-mile-trip-cook-The-finest-meal-world.html
Thanks.
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