Revelations: Margo Kujawa head pastry chef, Lexington Catering

We delve into the life and inner thoughts of a top chef. This week, Margo Kujawa head pastry chef, Lexington Catering

 

What was your best subject at school?

 

Biology – I loved it. I wanted to know how everything ticks

 

What was your first job?

 

I used to dress Christmas trees in Poland, in opera houses, restaurants and hotels. The needles really hurt your skin!

 

What was your first job in catering?

 

Polishing cutlery for an events catering company in Poland. It was very boring but I did this for a couple of years while I was still at school

 

What do you normally have for breakfast?

 

I make sourdough bread at home every Sunday, so I have a toastie every morning, oozing with ham, cheese and butter

 

What do you do to relax?

 

Gardening. I love it but my wife thinks it’s a granny hobby. She likes the tomatoes I grow though!

 

Which is your favourite restaurant?

 

It’s closed now but it was Indian Accent in Mayfair. They made the best treacle tart

 

What’s your favourite hotel?

 

Mama Shelter in Shoreditch. It’s not fancy but it has so much character

 

What is your favourite cuisine?

 

Thai. When I was in Bangkok there was a lady with a street food stall making green papaya salad with fermented crab. Crunchy salty, acidic – delicious. All my friends said I’d be ill, but I ate it every day

 

Are there any foods/ingredients that you refuse to cook with?

 

Tinned pineapple and fermented raw pickled herring. I grew up in north Poland and it’s a popular Baltic seafood dish. It’s really good for you but I hate the smell

 

Which person in catering have you most admired?

 

For years it was Polish chef Wojciech Modest Amaro. I went to his restaurant and met him and I’ve never been so starstruck in my life

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?

 

My grandpa. He taught me to garden and forage for ingredients and to make medicinal extracts. These are really precious skills

 

What irritates you most about the industry?

 

Prejudice. When I started 10 years ago, it was worse and very monochrome. The industry is changing, but you still don’t see many women or queer people in management positions. There is still work to be done