Have you ever been curious about the brains behind your favourite London restaurants? Do you wonder how they started out on their foodie journey, or perhaps simply what takeaway they order on Deliveroo when they’re having a night in? In the London leg of our Doorstep Taste Tour with Deliveroo, we met up with some big names in the UK food scene to find out a little bit more about their culinary passion – from their favourite dishes to top cooking tips.
Kricket is not only one of our favourite Indian restaurants but it has just been crowned the best Indian & Nepalese in London at Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards. So we thought we’d quiz Kricket co-founder, Will Bowlby, on all things food.
Keep reading to sink your teeth into our juicy chat with Will, over an even tastier Deliveroo of Kricket’s best dishes.
1. How long have you worked as a chef?
Unofficially since I was about 15-16 where I worked for myself in my private catering company, and as a KP/ kitchen helper in my local pub. Officially since I was 21 when I started to work properly in a professional kitchen.
2. What made you decide to become a chef?
I discovered my passion around the age of 10 when Jamie Oliver came onto the scene and I started to pay more attention to the delicious food my mother and grandmother cooked for me.
3. What has been the proudest moment in your culinary career?
Cooking collaborative dinners at our annual chef series with the likes of Michel Roux Jr and Pierre Koffmann will always stay with me. But there is no real single moment, and what makes me most proud is often watching my team doing the company proud.
4. Who are your biggest culinary influences?
Rowley Leigh and Vivek Singh, who have taught me a huge amount in my career.
5. Kricket explores flavours from all over India – take us on a culinary journey through India, and tell us which dishes on the menu are inspired by which places.
The food in India varies massively everywhere you go, from household to household, and from state to state. It is defined by topography, religion, terrain, and in such a vast country, you can only imagine what endless possibilities there are in the cuisine. Our food isn’t restricted to any particular region, rather than by our continuous learning of what we discover when we read, learn and visit different parts of the country.
6. When getting Kricket on Deliveroo, what should you order?
Samosa chaat, gobi 65, Old Delhi chicken, Hyderabadi aubergine, dal and paratha. Every dish will be totally unique in flavour and presentation.
7. Everyone has a favourite takeaway dish. What’s yours?
My favourite is the samosa chaat. It’s a dish I’ve eaten many times on the streets in India and I feel it translates very well here and also travels well, despite originally being a quick street food dish
8. What’s your ideal night in set up?
Kricket takeaway, Chelsea (playing well) on the TV and some good red wine with my dog.
9. How do you express your creativity within the Kricket takeaway menu?
I think familiarity is key when it comes to ordering a takeaway, so we try to create dishes that people are familiar with, but at the same time trying to make the best versions of that dish. We apply the same ethos towards the delivery menu as we do in the restaurant, we never compromise on quality and preparations of ingredients.
10. What is one cooking tip everyone should know?
Learn how to season food with salt correctly! It’s the most common distinction between home cooked and restaurant food. Also confidence is key! The more confidence you have (within reason) the better cook you should be.