Mum > Michelin
🙃🙃🙃
One of the interesting things about doing the Wednesdays podcast is that we get to really dig into the lives of chefs. Yes, they obviously love food and serving others. But, the thing that keeps coming up in all these episodes? Family.
Specifically: their parents. More specifically: their mums.
In our most recent episode featuring up and coming experimental Indian pop up Firangi, the two chefs were brutally honest. For them, their mums are a bigger judge of quality of their food than Michelin.
Can I say I was shocked? Honestly no. My parents joined one of our recent trips to Normandy and I have to say, I was low-key stressing too.
Anyway, veering back into my lane.. lots of goodies below, including a very special shout-out to one of Wednesdays OG members. Here’s to the summer, may we all find good food, happiness and…parental approval 🙃
Dhruv, Wednesdays
What’s On:
SUMMER POTLUCK BARBECUE: Sunday 26 July
Summer's here, which means it's time for our annual potluck BBQ on Sunday 26 July. This time we're going BIG 😈. We've rented out the ESEA Community Centre garden and secured our own supply of juicy natural wines too 🌳🍷
FIRST LOOK: CAFE KOWLOON: Wednesday 5 August
Cafe Kowloon’s menu reads like a love letter to Hong Kong…with a twist 🌀
Yes, there's char siu, but it’s taken up a notch using Mangalitza shoulder (the Kobe beef of pork ). With Chef Budgie Montoya (Ex: Alpas/Sarap) at the helm, it’s clear Cafe Kowloon isn’t just yet-another wanna be “authentic” Cantonese restaurant. This is Hong Kong meets East London 🤛
Wednesdays Podcast Episode 5: Firangi
Indian food in London… yawn right? Wrong.
Firangi, a new dynamic duo led by Chef Ruhi Amin and Simar Deol, are waking up London to a more exciting, more playful, and honestly just way more fun version of South Asian cuisine. In this podcast we talk about their bold takes on why London still has a gap in Indian food, what it’s like breaking into such a mature market, and why yes, of course, mum’s the ultimate test, not Michelin, when it comes to their food. Shoutout to fellow member Chanelle who has been crushing this podcast. We are already on episode 5 and have many great ones already in the pipeline!
Member Spotlight: Shell M.
Shell is one of the OG members of Wednesdays, having joined her first event well over 2 years ago. Since then, she’s amazed all of us with not just her passion for adventuring and eating, but also cooking and baking too. Shell, no one will ever forget your epic mango sago cake for Wednesdays 100 Banquet. Thank you for bringing such great energy and delicious baked goods to Wednesdays. Exciting for many more advenutures ahead. Check out Shell’s new bakery here: Shell Bakery.
Wednesdays is a club for adventurous people who enjoy food. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where does your adventurousness come from? What got you into food!?
People find it so odd when I tell them that I was really fussy as a child. I'd go through phases of eating/not eating certain things (ketchup, gravy, pasta sauces) and to my parents dismay I would refuse to eat vegetables. Even as a fussy child, I'd still eat everything on the table when we'd travel to Birmingham to go to Wing Wah/Chinatown for dim sum, and to stock up on essentials.
I am from and grew up in Coventry - my mum is from Hong Kong and my dad is Irish. Sadly, the options for Chinese food in Coventry were limited at the time so the occasional journey to the bigger, more diverse city of Birmingham was always a welcome treat - I once ate so much yuk see chow mein (crispy noodles with shredded pork and vegetables) that I ended up throwing up in the car on the way home - oops!
My mum always encouraged my siblings and I to try new foods and my dad echoed that sentiment by eating everything - so whilst I haven't always been an adventurous eater, I've definitely grown into being one!
What’s been your favourite Wednesdays memory so far and why?
My favourite Wednesday's event has got to the the 100th event at the ESEA community centre hosted by Jenny Lau, who designed a Chinese banquet menu with lots of play-on-words and auspiciousness running through each of the seven courses. I baked a mango sago cake for the occasion - chiffon cake layered with mango jam and coconut whipped cream, topped with fresh mango and sago pearls, which went down a storm!
I loved being involved with the occasion - there were some lovely extra touches to the evening that made this event feel extra special - the t-shirt, speeches and being in the community centre gave me such a adrenaline high for the days following the event.
Anything else you'd like our readers to know about you?
I've recently launched my bakery business/side hustle, Shell Bakery I'm still figuring things how - mainly how to balance full-time work, baking alongside socialising and rest! I'm open to orders - whether it be birthday cakes, a batch of pandan cinnamon rolls or a whole Basque cheesecake, just send me a DM!
Wednesdays is a London-based social club for adventurous people who enjoy food. Join our newsletter to find out about upcoming events and restaurant recommendations. Join our other newsletter, Wednesdays Travel, for priority access to all our trips and subscribe to Wednesdays Podcast where we chat with our favourite industry friends.