Interview with Chef Fergus Henderson
St. John Bar and Restaurant was opened in 1994 by Chef Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver. As an art historian, I can tell you that having a background in architecture is a huge advantage in any art field; specially in the culinary field. Fergus studied architecture before turning his heart towards food. Fergus’ food is British; simple but in no way boring. Think of Alvar Aalto or Isamu Noguchi. Fergus took the time to answer a few of our questions about his daily life and love of cooking.
FE: Did you cook growing up?
FH: Yes, the first thing I made was floating islands.
FE: Who in your life has influenced your cooking the most?
FH: My Mum
FE: What made you decide you would become a professional cook?
FH: The Fickle Finger of Fate
FE: What misconceptions do people have coming into the field?
FH: More misconceptions than conceptions
FE: Best cooking tip for a novice?
FH: If unsure always ask.
FE: Which three cooking tools or gadgets are your favorites?
FH: A good knife, a corkscrew and a spurtle
FE: Funniest kitchen incident?
FH: Probably didn’t seem that funny at the time.
FE: Favorite food to cook with?
FH: Depends on one’s mood.
FE: When at home, what do you like to eat?
FH: Mainly pasta as the only good shop nearby is Italian
FE: Your favorite cookbook?
FH: Marcella Hazan’s ‘The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking‘
FE: Is there a specific etiquette in your kitchen that you pride yourself in?
FH: Be polite!
St. John Restaurant and Bar is located at 26 St. John Street London EC1M 4AY 020 3301 8069