SUPPLIERS

In the same way that my mum used to make sure she got the freshest fish and ripest fruit when shopping at the market, finding the best-quality ingredients is very important to me. I have built up a number of trusted suppliers that I use. Most, though not all, of these companies only supply wholesale, but I’d like to mention them briefly – I’ve also included a list of shops and websites where you can find many of the ingredients mentioned in the recipes in this book.

Wherever you live, it’s important to shop from companies or people you trust, if you can, and to build up a relationship with them. Then, when you need to find something slightly out of the ordinary, you can ask them to help you out, as I do with my suppliers.

BRINDISA (wholesale and retail, brindisa.com)

I’ve been working with Brindisa for the last sixteen years; they are friends of mine and we are very supportive of each other. They were the first company to introduce many Spanish products to the UK, and everything they sell is good quality.

MASH PURVEYORS (wholesale; retail at New Covent Garden Market, or online, in London, from farmdrop.co.uk, selected produce only)

Dating back over 150 years, Mash supply fruit and vegetables to top UK restaurants. They come to see me once a month with a small box of stuff and they always have something I’ve never seen before – finger limes from Australia, say – which teaches me about new ingredients. Their produce is very fresh, good value and they’re lovely people to deal with.

NATOORA (wholesale, natoora.co.uk; retail from their two London shops and other outlets, or from ocado.co.uk)

Natoora specialize in Italian produce and have amazing pomegranates with deep burgundy insides, peppers and tomatoes.

IBERFLAVOURS (wholesale, or check website, iberflavours.com, for smaller retail orders)

Based in Barcelona, this website delivers amazing Spanish products and many things that are very difficult to get hold of in London (Iberian ribs, pig’s ears, top-quality prawns, to name a few).

LE MARCHÉ DES CHEFS (lemarchedeschefs.co.uk)

A very small supplier, Maurice is English but grew up in France and travels between London, France and Spain a lot. He is one of the best fresh suppliers I’ve ever met and has incredible offal, meat and vegetables.

CHANNEL FISHERIES (wholesale only: channelfisheries.com)

Brilliant for English fish: they call me in the morning, tell me what the best catch of the day is, I buy it and it’s delivered.

BASCO (wholesale and retail, bascofinefoods.com)

Run by Javier De La Hormaza, a chef and importer, this company supplies Basque ingredients such as gernikas, piparras, and much more.