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At H2O Publishing’s first ever Road Test, barbecue pro, Ben Bartlett trialled Essential Cuisine’s Street Food Chef Seasonings. Spoiler alert, he was not disappointed…

We know it’s not easy for pub chefs to always find the time to try out new products in their kitchens – hectic hours, menu favourites and seasonal fluctuations can dictate what ingredients are frequently used and when, so who has the time to trial the host of other options out there? With these experiential limitations in mind, H2O Publishing, which publishes Pub & Bar magazine, launched its Road Test campaign, encouraging chefs from across the hospitality and foodservice industries to trial products on behalf of the on-trade. Seeing as summer is upon us, what better place to start than at the grill with a sprinkling of Essential Cuisine’s Street Food Chef Seasonings? Last month, revered barbecue champion Ben ‘BBQ Ben’ Bartlett cooked up a mouth-watering feast in front of our camera crew, experimenting with the Street Food Seasonings and providing vital feedback for pub chefs. “The foodservice industry is an ever-changing environment, with caterers having to stay up-to-date with the latest health trends and ingredient influences,” says Essential Cuisine’s senior business development chef Jon Harvey-Barnes. “Our vegan-friendly Street Food Chef Seasonings allow chefs to easily explore global flavours – a key food trend for 2021.

“We put our brand new range of authentic Street Food Chef Seasonings to the test, as we were confident that BBQ Ben would be impressed by the distinctive flavour profiles and versatility. “Suited to both vegans and vegetarians, the range also contains no declarable allergens [under the EU regulation 1169/2011]. We’re certain our Peanut Free Satay seasoning left him lost for words!” Lost for words, you say? Well, let’s hear from the man himself. Pub & Bar caught up with Bartlett moments after he stepped away from the grill. 

P&B: BEN, THE FOOD SMELLS AMAZING! HOW DID YOU FIND PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRST EVER H2O ROAD TEST?

BB: I love tasting new foods, chatting about new food and new culinary ideas, so the H2O Road Test was enjoyable in many ways. It gave me the opportunity to be creative and devise two delicious dishes, and then film them with a professional videographer and photographer. It was a great afternoon.

P&B: DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE PRODUCTS BEFORE?

BB: I have my own range of rubs and spices, so I try to keep myself up to date with what else is on the market. Anything vegan is certain to raise its head in food circles and Street Food Chef Seasonings were not completely unknown to me. For the Road Test, I created a vegan dish with chargrilled avocado, filled with a Zesty Chermoula cucumber and tomato salad, and topped with Spicy Persian-toasted chickpeas. For the second dish, I used the Peanut Free Satay style that has a nice ginger kick, and it gave an appetising golden colour to the rotisserie chickens.

P&B: HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE ROAD TEST?

BB: With any tasting, I do my best to have an open mind with no preconceived ideas about what to expect. Of course, I did a little research on Street Food Chef Seasonings and in the last few weeks ahead of the session I started planning work and ideas around street food. Getting an understanding of what street food is and what it means enabled me to tell whether the product met its mandate. As a result, I came into the Road Test and was prepared to be wowed by something versatile and new.

P&B: WHAT WERE YOUR OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF THE STREET FOOD CHEF SEASONINGS?

BB: Overall, the Street Food Chef Seasonings were of top quality. I love the fact they are vegan in every way. I am not vegan, I am a barbecue chef, but when something is vegan it should not try to be something not vegan. Street Food Chef Seasonings has not tried to imitate anything and has a range of genuinely authentic products. The close attention to allergens caught my eye and I believe that the seasonings offered are perfect for any chef knowing they are safe for most consumers.

P&B: IF YOU WERE TO ADVISE A PUB CHEF ON USING THESE PRODUCTS, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?

BB: Any kitchen that has these seasonings in its cupboard now has the perfect shortcut to creating some different and exciting street food flavours to once ordinary dishes. Street food is a trend and for any restaurant, pub or catering business to survive, keeping up with food trends is essential and this range enables that.

P&B: YOU SOUND CONVINCED! ANY RECIPE OR COOKING TIPS FOR PUB CHEFS?

BB: I can heartily recommend using the seasonings to spice up and liven up a burger on the barbecue, but that is perhaps a little too simple, even though it would be amazing. Adding these seasonings to fish on the grill or in the wok could change a humble piece of cod or haddock completely. I touched on the vegan side of Street Food Chef Seasonings, and it is all too easy to make vegan and vegetarian dull and boring. These seasonings can really add some lift. I will certainly be applying my mind to how best to use these on the barbecue… so watch this space!

P&B: WE CERTAINLY WILL. FINALLY, DO YOU THINK PUB CHEFS SHOULD CONTINUE TO TRY NEW PRODUCTS?

BB: Pub food, in general, is seeing a bit of a change. No longer are pubs expected to offer the usual ‘in a basket’ food, as pub goers are wanting more exciting, enticing, and different tastes and foods. It is essential for pubs to try out new tastes, perhaps change their menu every now and again and venture away from the conventional. The Street Food Chef Seasonings range makes adding a new taste, flavour or style to the menu easier. Having new products in the kitchen is always necessary for various reasons: young, up and coming chefs will want to try and experiment with them, new dishes can be created, some cooking can become more efficient and new products enable pubs to keep up with the changing tastes of customers.

Explore the allergen free, vegan friendly street food inspired seasoning range here.