The Weekly Grill: Rotunda head chef Jai Parkinson on the delights of Barcelona and why you can’t beat his granny’s cooking
Who are you and What do you do?
I’m Jai Parkinson, head chef at Rotunda Bar & Restaurant, managing a small team of seven chefs. My main focus is developing new dishes based around our gate-to-plate ethos, featuring beef and Texel lamb produced at Corneyside Farm – our own farm in Northumberland. I introduced cooking techniques such as smoking and pit-coal cooking, adding new flavours and depth to each dish, whilst ensuring that the beef and lamb always remain the focus.
What’s new at Rotunda?
We have recently had a major refit, which included the kitchen being moved into the restaurant. Our guests can now watch us cooking on the Big Green Egg BBQ and Robata grill from their tables. The best view of the kitchen is seen from our new 12-seat Chef’s Counter.
What’s your earliest food memory?
My grandmother coming over to babysit my brother and me. I remember her cooking the best Sunday roast, which I have yet to match! I also remember watching her bake a three-layer chocolate cake, while I drank the gravy from the boat before moving on to licking the chocolate from the mixing bowl.
Tell us about the best meal you ever had
I’ve had so many great meals it’s hard to pick just one. For me, walking around Barcelona – off the main roads – and finding amazing little street food spots is very satisfying. In London, I had a great meal with my wife and friends at Naughty Piglets in Brixton where we ordered the whole menu. Simple, but well-thought-out cooking with great flavours.
What’s your favourite dish?
At the moment, it’s slow-cooked lamb leg or shoulder, cooked really low and slow and served with soft parmesan polenta, loads of lamb jus and some mint salsa verde with extra parmesan grated over the top. BOOM!
What’s the best thing about the London food scene?
London has got one of the best food scenes now, with so many fantastic, inspiring chefs. There’s so much diversity, from street food and pit BBQ cooking, to ultra high-end fine dining. London is really at its best right now.
And the worst thing?
The rates in London make it hard for any talented young chef wanting to start up their own restaurant – especially as it’s already a very tricky business with so many great restaurants creating a lot of competition.
• To book a table at Rotunda, Kings Cross go to rotundabarandrestaurant.co.uk