Fergus Henderson
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- For the computer scientist, see Fergus Henderson (computer scientist)
| Fergus Henderson | |
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| Born | 1963 (age 44–45) London, England |
| Cooking style | British cuisine |
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Current Restaurant(s)
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Fergus Henderson (born 1963) is an English chef who founded the St John restaurant in St John St, near the famous Smithfield Market and St John Bread and Wine, next to Spitalfields Market. He is often noted for his use of Offal and other neglected cuts of meat as a consequence of his philosophy of Nose To Tail Eating. Following in the footsteps of his parents, Brian and Elizabeth Henderson, he trained as an architect at the Architectural Association in London. Most of his dishes are derived from traditional British cuisine and the wines are all French.
His restaurants became the 'hangouts' for the Young British Art scene and also the unofficial London clubhouse for gatherings of the world's great chefs. His stoic approach to Parkinson's Disease which was diagnosed in 1998 increased the regard in which he was held and he was awarded an MBE by HM The Queen in 2005. The same year he underwent innovative Deep Brain Stimulation which vastly improved his mobility and he has since become a symbol of hope to other sufferers. He now uses his considerable influence on the now affluent British Art Scene to raise money for Parkinson's charities.
Chefs Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali have both praised Henderson for his dishes, which optimise British food while making full use of the whole animal. A.A. Gill famously retracted his initial hostility to St John in the Sunday Times.
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[edit] Restaurant
In 1994, Henderson opened St John in London. Having had no formal training in cooking, his approach was dictated by what he had learnt from his mother and the archicultural principles of his training. These were honed by his involvement in Le Cassoulet lunches, the dionysian speakeasy at 17 Mercer Street and the Globe in Notting Hill. At St John, the menu changes daily, but often serves Henderson's signature dish Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad. Early dishes on the menu included Boiled Egg and a Carrot and Mince and Tatties but have since been dropped. London's beau and demi mondes celebrate success with his suckling pig; masters of the universe plot their coups over the woodcock or grouse; squirrel is an annual treat in season. He had previously cooked to critical acclaim at the French House in Soho. In 2003 he opened St John Bread and Wine in Spitalfields, London.
[edit] Book
In 1999 Henderson published Nose to Tail Eating: A Kind of British Cooking'[1][2] in which he provides recipes incorporating trotters, tripe, kidneys, chitterlings and other animal parts. Henderson also explains the philosophy behind his cooking explaining that "if you're going to kill the animal it seems only polite to use the whole thing"
In 2007, he published the sequel, "Beyond Nose To Tail".
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Fergus Henderson (September 6, 2004). Nose to Tail Eating: A Kind of British Cooking. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 0747572577.
- ^ Fergus Henderson (April 2004). The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating. Ecco. ISBN 0060585366.
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