A quicky with Jay Rayner

Image courtesy of jayrayner.co.uk

Jay Rayner is a journalist, writer, broadcaster and musician. Most of you will know him as a food critic on Masterchef; of course he has written food reviews for many years to achieve such fear and admiration from both the amateur and professional contestants.

He has his own sense of humour, and honestly describes when a meal or flavour combination has had an epic fail, and yet with very few words, you know he has tasted something great.

He has published some books, his latest one is The 10 (Food) Commandments, and he is currently eating and talking his way around the country with his live one man show.

If you are not into his thoughts on food, he is also a musician with his own jazz quartet.

After seeing his tweets regarding his upcoming shows being in Devon, I asked him 5 questions, which he has kindly answered for me below...enjoy.

1. What food establishment made you say wow (perhaps you walked in with a plan on hating it).

It was the first serious restaurant I ate in with my own money: le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham, now a well known name, but back then in 1991 just a neighbourhood bistro finding its way. Each ingredient tasted intensely of itself. It was a good ten years before I started writing about restaurants but it ignited a hunger for the best food experiences.

2.  What’s going to be the next big thing in food - don’t say fried bugs! 

The future, like the past, is another country, one I have not visited. In short every time I've tried to make a prediction I've been wrong. I have no idea.

3. Why should people buy your book...what's in it for them?

On the face of it the 10 Food Commandments is a bit of a gag: me playing a fake biblical prophet. But in truth it's ten detailed essays on how and what we eat now, full of robust arguments based upon serious reporting. All that, plus a few knob gags and some cracking recipes.

4. Many chefs and foodies have a comfort food, nothing fancy; what's yours?

Cheese on toast, made with strong cheddar layered with bacon and dribbled with tobasco. The edges of the toast -sour dough ideaaly - need to be slightly burnt.

5. I have a train ticket to any UK destination of my choice - where should I go based on a great place to eat?

The easiest question of the lot: Bristol. It has the most intriguing restaurant sector of any city in Britain. Start with a table at Wallfish and work out from there. The new openings in Bristol make my head spin.

The End Bit
I love his honesty and sense of humour, delivering the final verdict on a plate of food in only a way Jay Rayner can. I'm looking forward to attending one of his upcoming shows to see him in action and in the flesh.

I Want One
All of Jay's shows, (food, music etc) can be found here: http://www.jayrayner.co.uk/live-shows/

DONE!