The Fat Duck
He's been called a magician, scientist, artist, culinary alchemist and a gastronomic messiah - there's no doubt that Heston Blumenthal and his creations served at The Fat Duck capture the imagination. When classic dishes like Snail Porridge and Egg and Bacon Ice Cream made headlines in the early 2000s, his fate for media stardom was sealed. Three Michelin stars for The Fat Duck were to follow, along with an OBE, an Honorary Doctorate, award-winning books and more recently the BBC TV series In Search of Perfection.
With attention-grabbing dishes from The Fat Duck's legendary Tasting Menu tending to steal the limelight, it's easy to forget that the restaurant is a fine-dining establishment which also offers a traditional à la carte menu and where service is of the upmost importance.
The restaurant is also a showcase for Blumenthal's passion for exploring multisensory dining, and the effects of smell, taste and texture and sound on the palate, senses, memory and emotions. Inspired by his research with food historians, new dishes will be launched this spring in a bid to re-introduce dishes from the British past - albeit with his trademark modern twist. These include Chocolate Wine; a velvety-frothy drink that dates back to 1710, made by whisking a strong wine like claret or port with sugar and chocolate, and Flaming Sorbet; ice cold sorbet served on a leather plate surrounded by flames.
At the time of going to press, Blumenthal was nominated for a BAFTA for his BBC2 series Heston Blumenthal Further Adventures In Search of Perfection, which saw him revolutionising some of the nation's favourite dishes.
Also watch out for The Big Fat Duck Cookbook, which will be published this autumn by Bloomsbury. Not so much a cookbook, it's Blumenthal's biography, along with recipes of classic dishes and the people he's met and been inspired by along the way, including the taste technicians, scent specialists, historians, psychologists and fellow chefs.
Behind the stove:
Heston Blumenthal and Head Chef Ashley Palmer-Watts
What they say:
"Heston Blumenthal is like a cross between Professor Branestawm and Willy Wonka and, contrary to all appearances, this ordinary-looking room in the heart of the Home Counties is his psychedelic chocolate factory." Toby Young, ES magazine
New dish this year:
Beef Royale
Not a lot of people know that:
Blumenthal is an avid Arsenal fan
The Fat Duck, High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ, England+44 (0)1628 580333www.fatduck.co.uk
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