Neil Taylor is the head chef of 贰蝉辫补帽补, and, although his restaurant just won first place in the best Spanish category of Westender鈥檚 Best of the City Dining awards, his Spanish cuisine is self-taught.
Taylor grew up in Sandhurst, a small town in the U.K. At 16, when he finished high school, he went to work in his first kitchen at a three-star hotel restaurant in the next town over.
Today, the 36-year-old chef is tucked away in the kitchen at 贰蝉辫补帽补, the West End restaurant he co-owns with two others. Taylor cooks ingredient-driven food, made from scratch. He doesn鈥檛 make a claim to authentic Spanish cuisine, although he prepares many of the country鈥檚 signature dishes.
鈥淭he flavours that we go with are not always exactly as you would find in Spain, but the technique and method behind it is very traditional,鈥� he says, speaking with Westender by phone one busy afternoon.
For example, the paella follows the traditional preparation method of slow-cooking onions, peppers, saffron, paprika and garlic, and is served over the traditional bomba rice, which he says, has a 鈥済reat absorption rate.鈥�
Beyond the traditional Spanish flavours, the menu is influenced by Spain鈥檚 neighbouring countries.
Despite the layered flavours of the dishes he turns out, Taylor is also a lover of simple food, and 贰蝉辫补帽补鈥檚 frequently changing menu reflects that.
鈥淭he food that I like is really simple and clean and not fussed around with. We buy nice ingredients and hopefully we let them speak for themselves,鈥� he says.
鈥淲e buy really nice pickles and marinated anchovies, and they get served really, really simply on toast, and that's one of my favourite things to eat.鈥�
贰蝉辫补帽补
1118 Denman Street
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Gold 鈥� Best Spanish
Gold 鈥� Best Tapas
Silver 鈥� Best West End Restaurant
Silver 鈥� Best West End Late-Night
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