A chef who holds two Michelin stars, and has made several television appearances, cooked up a feast at an East Lancashire restaurant.
Atul Kochhar, who has appeared on The Great British Menu, Saturday Kitchen Live and other shows, was a guest chef for two nights at The Three Fishes in Mitton.
He cooked alongside long-time friend and restaurant chef patron Nigel Haworth.
The five-course menu comprised a fusion of Atul’s signature Indian cuisine and Nigel’s seasonal food-with-roots-style cuisine.
Dishes included an aloo bonda, dhokla and vegetable samosa snack, pan-seared buttered scallops, green pea puree and cumin tossed green peas and locally sourced lamb with cumin and spinach in a Rogan Josh sauce.
Originally set to cook with Nigel for a one-off evening, due to huge demand, a second evening was added, with Atul gracing The Three Fishes kitchen on the evenings of March 1 and 2.
Regarded as the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star, Atul’s talent has changed the way that people perceive and experience Indian food and he has become the recognisable face of modern Indian cuisine on television.
He has also written a number of admired cookbooks and diners at The Three Fishes were able to take signed copies of his work away with them on each night.
Atul said: “The evening was fantastic. To come to Nigel’s kitchen is the biggest highlight for me, I’ve always enjoyed working with him, he’s a gem of a person and I’ve known him for many years.
"He’s been a great friend, a brother and a supporter, so to come back together and cook again was special.
“Working with Nigel is fun, he’s quite an energy in the kitchen, he can’t stand still!
“Coming up with a menu together was easy. We have been cut from the same cloth and believe that we should cook with whatever is in our vicinity.
"Everything was local and the lamb on our menu was the best quality I’ve ever cooked with.”
Nigel said: “What a fantastic couple of nights we’ve had with Atul at The Three Fishes.
"The style of Indian food with a modern British twist was unique and our guests loved the combination of flavours, especially the seabass and coconut course.
“Atul is an amazing chap and drives a brilliant team. He’s calm and articulate in the kitchen and having cooked with him around the world, it was a pleasure to welcome him to The Three Fishes and be back together again.”
Atul’s visit to The Three Fishes this week marks his first trip to Nigel’s new sustainable dining venture.
He added: “The Three Fishes is one of the most amazing restaurants I’ve seen in Lancashire.
"Nigel’s cooking has always been top notch and to be able to do it in this beautiful farm-to-fork setting, I can see a lot of accolades coming his way. He’s a genius and is doing it right again.”
Atul’s visit was the first of many other guest chef evenings planned at The Three Fishes.
Later this month Nigel’s son, Kirk Haworth, will join him for an evening of cooking at the restaurant.
The six-course set menu will fuse Kirk’s passion for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with plants and Nigel’s signature ‘food with roots’ style, embracing the farm-to-fork nature of the Mitton restaurant.
Kirk and Nigel will be cooking on Thursday, March 30. Tables are limited and can be booked by calling 01254 826 666 or visiting The Three Fishes website.
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