 "Back to basics" it would appear, is the way forward, in the kitchens of some of the world's greatest chefs.
At the recent World Gourmet Summit, held in Singapore (March 30th - April 12th 2003), the Swiss Master Chef, Roland Jöhri of Talvo restaurant, St. Moritz, was keen to emphasise that "food should taste the way it's been grown; natural and fresh". Jöhri also expressed a preference for limiting the use of excessive spices and substituting, instead, common-or-garden fresh herbs, such as basil, rosemary, marjoram and thyme. His sentiments were echoed by a number of famous Master Chefs, from around the globe.
So, here we have it: simplicity is the new mantra, in the kitchens of those chefs who really know their organic onions.
"Simplicity", according to Floyd, "is the key to good cooking". Plain, quality fare, however, is one of the most complex things to prepare; it takes time, a great deal of effort and considerable forward planning - no mean task in a busy kitchen that is striving to achieve a seamless output of dishes that will "wow" its clientele.
There is, nevertheless, an art to delivering simple dishes. Fortunately, some of today's top chefs have been generous spirited enough to let us into the closely guarded secrets of their inner sanctum - the kitchen.
Michel Roux, of Le Gavroche fame, for example, advocates that simple quality dishes should consist of no more than "five or six ingredients" - a remarkable shift towards simplicity from someone who heads one of the greatest bastions of all that is rich, sumptuous and calorific. Le Gavroche is clearly moving with the times and embracing popular demand for plain, healthy recipes. Its menu, nowadays, is peppered with several divinely simple options that sit comfortably alongside the more traditional offerings of foie gras, truffles and dishes smothered in oh-so-sinful sauces.
On a lighter note, Jamie Oliver, star of the BBC series "The Naked Chef", has also helped demystify the art of simple cooking. Oliver debunks the notion that simple, quality fare is always quick and easy to prepare. On the contrary, simple dishes often require a great deal of planning and the sourcing of quality, fresh seasonal ingredients. But, the real secret, according to the effervescent Naked Chef who is synonymous with the "stripped-to-basics" approach to food preparation, is a blend of "good ingredients and a bit of common sense".
This gravitation towards plain cooking is evident across the whole spectrum of different cuisines, available in London, today. Up-market Indian eateries have revamped their menus to include freshly prepared dishes, using delicate and subtle flavours that bear no resemblance to the ubiquitous, heavy curries of yesteryear. A wave of new Italian restaurants has also taken simplicity and subtlety to fresh heights, by abandoning those all-too-familiar oleaginous tomato sauces and re-creating staple dishes using only fresh, seasonal ingredients. Modern British cuisine, too, is busy carving out a fine reputation for delivering innovative plain dishes where freshly prepared ingredients dominate.
However, in the rush to jump on the simplicity bandwagon, both diners and food preparation staff should always beware of confusing simplicity with mediocrity. It is all too easy to be swept along with the tide of gourmet opinion that "simple = supreme". Patently, this is not always the case, as is illustrated by the mediocre, uninspiring offerings that are churned out, at certain fast-food outlets!
And this takes me on the fascinating subject of food preparation. Ingredients aside, preparation methods are also part of the secret of "getting it right". London-based, Irish chef, Richard Corrigan contends that "respect for food - even the humblest carrot - is important"; and this, I believe, is the nub of the matter. Fresh, seasonal ingredients should always be prepared with respect for their potential flavours and textures - not over-cooked, not sloppily thrown together and definitely not left to fester in hot, sweaty serving areas. Although more labour-intensive, the "pan-to-plate" method is vital; the instruction to "serve immediately" is taken very seriously by those who understand the secrets of plain cooking.
Ultimately, the term "simple cuisine" is something of a misnomer. In the words of the ebullient Keith Floyd, "a simple meal is one of the most complicated things to prepare".
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