Chef and TV personality Brian Turner strikes a pose in the Ronai and Steelite show kitchen at Gulfood 2010.
Caterer Middle East met up with TV chef Brian Turner at Gulfood for a chat about the show, healthy eating, London pubs and the possibility of a restaurant in the Middle East
Tell us about what you’ve been doing at Gulfood 2010.
This is my third year here — I’m a guest of Steelite and Ronai, and the idea is to showcase the companies’ tableware with live food. So while at a lot of the stands you see fake fruits, uncooked pasta and varnished food items to add something, we felt that it was a nice touch to offer some real food, so the visitors ca see exactly what it looks like.
What else have you been working on this year?
About 18 months ago I decided to take a break from running restaurants in the UK; it was just circumstantial and the right thing to do at that time, but with the economic downturn in the UK it’s worked out extemely well for me personally, so I’ve been spending more time doing television and radio work, demonstration work like at Gulfood and private parties.
Plus it’s allowed me to spend more time focusing on the charities and insitutions that I work with, which are all about food education for young people.
So really we’ve been lucky and had a very good year, because we haven’t had the problems many restaurant operators have faced, such as cutting costs and trying to look after staff — which is what the market seems to be about at the moment.
Advertisement
Do you have any plans to return to the restaurant business — and more specifically, will you ever open an outlet in this region?
You have to do things at the right speed. We have been given many opportunities in various parts of the world. If the time and situation was right, I’d love to do something in Dubai — and we are talking to people. People who are knowledgeable, who understand the market, who have the finances and who could actually put something decent together, so we’ll see.
I’m also looking at a small pub in the middle of London’s meat market, because for me that would also suit my character. Then when ‘off duty’ I could be in the pub; ‘on duty’ I could help people running restaurants in different parts of the world!
Who knows what will happen, but certainly I’m excited by this part of the world and given the right opportunity, I’d take it.
So until you decide to launch a Dubai outlet, what other projects have you got on your plate?
In the UK Ready, Steady Cook has been recommissioned; I’m also doing Daily Cooks Challenge, I’ve been working with Alan Titchmarsh and I’m also on This Morning — so that covers day-time TV.
Then we had a book that came out late last year, Great British Grub, which is the third book; I’m still no sure whether I’ll do another one for a while.
The other big project is looking for a London pub, because I’d love to find a place where the onus is on good dining, not necessarily fine dining. Somwhere people will queue up to get good, honest food and not worry about all that ‘la-di-da’ business.
And as for the outlet in the Middle East, who knows? Watch this space!
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
