Celebrating the 2018 Small Luxury Cookbook at Shaun Rankin’s Ormer in Mayfair

Cocktails, sumptuous dining rooms, award-winning dishes and an elegant hotel. Just some of the things you can expect when dining at Ormer inside the luxurious Flemings Hotel Mayfair. Ormer is looked after by Shaun Rankin who received a Michelin star in 2005 for his first restaurant in the Jersey which he held this for eight years, until the launch of his second restaurant in 2013 for which he was awarded a Michelin star just four months after opening. In Mayfair, lucky diners can experience the best of Jersey and beyond – right in the heart of London.

Apart from the many, many dishes you’re about to read about it was one dish in particular that led us to Ormer and all in the name of a brand new book full of delicious recipes which span the globe. Small Luxury Hotels of the World has launched a collection of handpicked recipes from the brand’s portfolio of over 520 hotels in more than 80 countries. The Small Luxury Cookbook features 142 main dishes created by chefs and local taste makers – to globally renowned masters of their craft. Read on to find out more…

Whilst we toiled over the menu here at Ormer and before trying that special dish from the new cookbook, we had the very difficult decision of what else to actually eat. That’s when a small amuse bouche arrived in the form of blue cheese and walnuts in a shard of radichio. A very simple few mouthfuls, but incredibly satisfying and something I could have eaten many more of. Though thankfully the outstanding home-made bread with sea herb infused butter kept us feeling just as excited.

Beef tartare, smoked oyster mayo, salted egg crumb and baby pickles. A menu descriptor to send me to heaven and one mouthful later and I was already in it. Beautiful meat, no doubt sourced from the finest butchers or farms. A nice depth from the egg crumb, a little saltiness from the oyster mayo and a good helping of smokiness which came thanks to the surprise smoke hiding under the dome bell it was served within at the table.

One dish which really caught me by surprise was the roast rabbit loin, wrapped in pancetta and served on a bed of herb gnocchi, girolles, coco beans and truffle. The smell when it arrived at the table was incredible, the rabbit was cooked to such perfection and the depth of flavour with each mouthful was so precise. A truly wonderful dish.

Getting excited to try that elusive dish we’d heard so much about. We continued to explore more about this incredible sounding cookbook. The Small Luxury Cookbook features many recipes that have been passed down through generations or are inspired by world-class fine dining curated by internationally recognised chefs. From Maldivian tuna with tropical fruit salsa and slow cooked Greek octopus with aubergine miso to Swiss chard ravioli with scallops and Valencian paella with crayfish and mussels – the array of cuisine and technique of these special recipes offer at-home chefs a taste of luxury. It’s all in the book!

To coincide with the release of the new cookbook, SLH identified some of the biggest culinary insights to note for this year and we got to try one of them! The dish in question was a stunning creation and the smell – well it simply transported you to foodie heaven. Crispy pork belly with just the right fat/meat ratio. Perfectly cooked calamari. Chorizo & apple chutney and pressed sweet Asian pear. It’s the sort of pairing you’d never imagine yourself, or think you could recreate at home but once you have the book in your hand. Everything seems possible.

Now when I say this is the best piece of lobster I’ve ever eaten, you need to believe me and if you don’t – come and experience it for yourself. Stunning Jersey lobster cooked over the josper grill and served on a bed of sea vegetables and garlic butter sauce. The latter was so good in fact so I was very glad when they brought a side of it for pouring.

If the lobster wasn’t already a piece of art, the flavour combinations of its accompanying side dish were. Deep fried balls of Jersey crab on a bed of dressed crab, textures of avocado and dollops of some sort of citrus gel. This felt like a dish in its own right, but when eaten alongside that lobster it really changed the dish altogether and made for something very special indeed.

Simple, but a plate of food really showcasing the produce of Jersey was this chunk of turbot. Cook to absolute perfection and topped with a pistachio and pine nut crust, charred cauliflower, pickled cockles and sea vegetables. I don’t know what it was about this dish, maybe it was the quality or harmony of flavours but it was incredibly refined. Even if it didn’t look it.

When it comes to creativity, this apple crumble dish had it all. Expecting that British classic to arrive in front of me with a pot of custard on the side, instead it was a pink sphere made our of white chocolate. Drizzled with warm caramel so the sphere melted right in front of your eyes, it was filled with a rich apple centre, vanilla ice cream and served on a bed of crumble texture. A must order.

We finished with Shaun Rankin original Treacle tart which was absolutely epic. Probably not the best word used to describe a dish, but it only seemed fitting. Hands down the best treacle tart you’ll ever come across and I’ve eaten my fair few. The pastry case was crisp and buttery. The base of the tart was almost like caramel in texture and the treacle which made up for the rest of the filling had a texture in the mouth I’ll not be forgetting anytime soon. It’s topped with raspberries (which I didn’t think were needed) and a spoonful of Jersey clotted cream ice cream – which helped make those millions of calories feel lighter.

If all of that food wasn’t already enough, then a visit to the sumptuous Manetta’s Bar is a must – especially as they serve up some of London’s best cocktails. It’s absolutely gorgeous inside and being a little dark, my photos really don’t do it the justice it deserves – but if you love what you see now, wait till you visit yourself. Rich wood panelled walls, accents of gold & copper and a cocktail menu full of intrigue. Our favourite was the The Hanky-Panky. One of my favourite martini variations and they do it so well here.

Words can’t even begin to describe what an incredible meal we had here at Ormer and if I had to pick my top five London restaurants right now – this would certainly be one of them. Two things I’ll be doing next? Booking a table at Ormer and cooking this award-winning dish from the Small Luxury Cookbook myself – tough I’m not sure my cooking skills could create quite a masterpiece.

If you fancying booking a table at Ormer then click HERE or if you fancy cooking the iconic Slow Cooked Pork Belly dish yourself then click HERE to purchase the full book which is filled with this and other recipes from around the globe.