Exciting Times For Top Chef
Michelin-star chef Nigel Haworth has been hard at work concentrating on new projects as he continues to support local producers, suppliers and the hospitality sector, writes Gail Bailey
Born in Whalley, chef Nigel Haworth still has his food roots firmly established in the area and is totally committed to using the fabulous produce grown by local farmers and suppliers.
With a focus on sourcing the very best and with sustainability at its core, Nigel champions the smaller producers and gives them continuing support by showcasing what they do. In turn, these high-quality products enable him to use his culinary skills to create outstanding dishes.
“Quality is far more important than quantity,” Nigel says. “The lockdown has led to people having a different relationship with food. In the past decade there has been a focus on producing higher volumes of cheap food – now I see people getting excited about making their own bread and it excites me that people are now appreciating and looking at food in a different way.”
Nigel’s passion for food and quality has taken him on a culinary journey, from his initial training in Lancashire to working in London, Scotland and Switzerland, before returning home to take over the kitchen as head chef at what was then Northcote Manor back in 1984. By 1995, Nigel was named Egon Ronay Chef of the Year and just a year later, gained his first Michelin star, which he has retained ever since. He spent an amazing 35 years at Northcote: “Northcote was a huge part of my life, but when I left it was the right time to hand over the reins and do something different, along with the opportunity to spend more time with my family,” he says.
Never one to stand still Nigel has a number of new initiatives and projects he is developing. One of these has been the launch of Haworth@Home – a fabulous range of food boxes giving customers the opportunity to enjoy gourmet food with menus exclusively designed by the Lancashire-based chef, with his own original recipes. Using only the finest and ethically produced ingredients, they are prepared by Nigel and sent direct to the diners’ home for them to finish, plate and enjoy!
The first boxes were launched in February and continue to be available on a weekly basis – and unsurprisingly they are selling out quickly. A typical box menu could include mouth-watering delights such as sourdough bread with black pea hummus, Dorset char, with new season asparagus and wild garlic mayo with a delicious macaroon tiramisu for dessert. For those looking to step it up another notch, Nigel is also working with experts to offer a matched wine flight, cheese board and caviar.
The Haworth@Home gourmet boxes have already been hugely popular with one customer saying: “It was truly delicious, as to be expected from the culinary genius that is Nigel.”
While this past year has been difficult for many, in support of the wider hospitality industry Haworth@Home will be making a donation to Hospitality Action for every box sold – giving back to an industry he is passionate about.
The TV and YouTube chef also grows his own produce at home, and in a further exciting project he is recording and live-streaming the Shed Sessions from a converted studio summerhouse, which allows him to demonstrate his culinary expertise and share via YouTube and social media platforms.
For further details on Nigel’s current and future projects visit: nigel-haworth.co.uk
