Every month, the Money blog interviews top chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks, views on the industry and more. Today we speak to Brayden Davies, head chef at The Box Tree in Ilkley, West Yorkshire – and a proud Aussie.
My favourite cheap eat for under £15 is… our local butcher/deli, Lishman’s. It has a great range of pork pies, scotch eggs and roasted hams and other bits. I always go for a sausage roll and a custard tart.
The percentage tip you think should be standard is 12.5%… It’s fair for both the guest and the team. Service is hard work and a small tip goes a long way in showing respect for that effort.
Michelin-starred food is the tastiest food there is… because when you’re working at that level, you can afford the best ingredients, even grow your own and have the right team to bring it all together. I choose Kent cherries, Aussie wagyu and prawns from Ireland because starting with the best ingredients gives each dish the strongest foundation. But sometimes, nothing beats a home-cooked meal that’s made with love.
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Australian food v British food… British food wins in the winter. You can’t beat a proper hearty meal when it’s cold outside. Australia wins in the summer, though. Half-baked lobster tails with butter, cooked on the barbie, are just amazing. When I go home to Perth, I’ll always go to my local butcher, Vince, and grab an Aussie wagyu tomahawk to cook on the barbecue with my dad and eat by the pool with the family. You can’t beat it.
If I was prime minister for the day, I would help the industry by… calling out the VAT on hospitality and the rise in national insurance. It’s crippling for independents. Hospitality is the backbone of so many industries. Just look at Germany’s lower VAT rate; it’s a model we should follow.
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Chefs shouldn’t try to make Kewpie mayonnaise… There’s just no competing with it.
The most reliable way to tell if a restaurant is good is… TripAdvisor, but word of mouth is what I trust the most. If another chef or friend recommends somewhere, that’s all I need.
The best way to complain in restaurants is… to politely raise it with the manager at the time, so the team can fix it. The worst is saying nothing and then writing a bad review after. It’s frustrating when you don’t get the chance to make things right.
The worst thing about modern dining is… the lack of old-school technique. Too many younger chefs rely on gadgets like thermomixes instead of learning the basics.
The best place to eat food in the UK apart from London is… Manchester. Places like Climat and Mana are doing amazing things and the Christmas markets are always worth the trip.
The one thing I hate that some customers do is… steal crockery. You’d be surprised how much goes missing!
One thing I never want to see in a restaurant again is… QR code menus. They kill the experience before it’s even started. I love looking back at the old handwritten menus on the walls at The Box Tree. Times have changed!
My favourite budget recipe is… Australian damper bread with Vegemite butter. Damper is a traditional Australian bread, originally made by early settlers and baked in the coals of a campfire. It’s defined by its simplicity, just a few ingredients, a little patience and a hot flame. This is my reimagined version of the Australian classic, a fusion of my Aussie upbringing and my proud British heritage, with grandparents from both sides of England. The buttermilk culture gives it an almost crumpet-like texture while staying true to its damper roots. We serve this bread at the restaurant and it’s a firm favourite with our guests.
Ingredients
· 400g self-raising flour
· 11.5g baking powder
· 10g salt
· 200g buttermilk
· 100ml water
Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and bring together by hand (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook).
2. Once combined, allow the dough to rest uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. Weigh the dough into 100g portions and roll into balls on a lightly floured surface.
4. Place the dough balls on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. After chilling, flatten each ball with your closed fist (like a hammer) into a rough circular shape using the base of your palm.
6. Dust each piece lightly with flour and place a cast-iron pan over a gentle heat.
7. Once hot, cook the dough rounds in the pan. You’ll see them begin to rise and colour.
8. Cook until both sides are nicely charred; don’t be afraid of the colour. Traditionally, damper is baked directly over the embers of a fire.
9. Transfer to a preheated oven at 180C for 8 minutes to finish cooking.
10. Serve warm with a generous helping of Vegemite butter.
(At the restaurant, we finish these on a Japanese BBQ instead of in the oven, a great option for any summer BBQ at home too.)
Vegemite butter ingredients
· 110g Vegemite (around half a jar)
· 250g unsalted butter
· Pinch of salt
Method
1. Bring the butter to room temperature.
2. Whisk in the Vegemite and salt (Marmite works just as well) until fully combined.
3. We like to serve ours in washed, repurposed Vegemite jars – it looks great and adds a touch of nostalgia.
Brayden is an Aussie Beef Mate, a group of chefs and food industry professionals who act as ambassadors for the Aussie Beef and Lamb campaign to raise awareness of Australian red meat in the UK.
