Chef Revelations – Antonin Bonnet
Antonin Bonnet, executive chef/partner at the Greenhouse, London, talks about Keith Jarret vinyls, Alain Ducasse, Foucault's Pendulum and cherry granola…
What were your best subjects at school?
Geometry, graphic design and science
What was your first job in catering?
Commis chef at the Relais de Sevres in Paris
What is your favourite restaurant?
Michel Bras, Laguiole, France
Which ingredient do you hate the most?
Dehydrated stocks
What is your favourite hotel?
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
What is your favourite cuisine?
Fresh and simple cuisine with great ingredients
What do you always carry with you?
A notebook, a black pen and a copy of The Manual of the Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho
What do you have for breakfast?
Black coffee, porridge with blueberries and toast with butter and chestnut honey
Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?
A record player and the whole collection of Keith Jarret vinyls
Which person in catering do you most admire?
Alain Ducasse
Which person has given you the greatest inspiration?
Michel Bras
What flavour combinations do you detest?
Let's say kiwi and anything
If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?
Working as an architect
When and where was your last holiday?
Ombras in Lozere, south of France
What do you do to relax?
I ride my mountain bike
Tell us a secret…
I want to open a simple pub or restaurant, but when I say simple, I mean really simple
What's your favourite book?
Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
What is your favourite prepared product?
Cherry granola from Melrose & Morgan
Who would be in your fantasy brigade? Honestly I am really happy with my team at the Greenhouse. They are my dream team: Daniel, Ricardo, Stephen, Will, Daniel, Josh, Hantz, Yannick, Jodi, Geoffrey, Pierre, Sam, Stephan, Stevens, Johan, Marc, Alexandre, Kristian, Eric, Olivier, George, Fatiou, Mujeeb
