Surendra Naik is Head Chef at Mayfield Watford and is responsible for creating some of the most incredible taste sensations in the M Bar & Kitchen (trust me, I’ve tried them!).
I caught up with Surendra to find out a little more about what makes him tick, why he became a chef, and some of his favourite dishes...
How long have you been here at Mayfield Watford?
I started in October last year so coming up to a year.
Where were you before?
I worked at Fullers in Wembley for a while, and before that I was really happy at a high end celebrity residential home in Northwood. I was there for over 6 years.
Is that what inspired you to come to work at a retirement village?
I knew the kind of surroundings and environment I was expecting when I applied at Mayfield Watford. It’s a lovely residence here.
What surprised you the most?
I thought I knew what to expect when I walked in, especially to the bistro. I was like ‘wow’! It has the feel of a high end hotel, and a proper restaurant, with really wonderful people. We don’t have this kind of ambiance anywhere else I've worked or visited, even in London.
What’s your favourite dish on the menu?
On the Summer menu it has to be the confit duck leg with roasted vegetables. That’s my personal favourite and it’s very popular.
On the Autumn menu I'd have to go for the warm winter salad with roasted calves liver, bacon, mixed leaves, and honey mustard dressing. It’s light but still warming and delicious. I expect that to be popular when the new menu comes out later this month. Our homeowners here really enjoy calves liver so I’ve adapted the dish for the new menu, to offer a taste they love but as a lighter salad this time.
I feel I need to jump in here and add that my favourite dessert on the current menu definitely has to be the dark chocolate & toasted hazelnut Parfait. Wow! Chef Surendra was very proud to explain that everything on the plate was prepared entirely from scratch, including the sauce and the wafer. Exquisite.
Photo taken by Sam Happe, Audley Marketing.
Back to you Surendra...
What’s your favourite dish to cook for guests?
Biryani. I love to make it and I tweak it a little every time I do, so it keeps challenging me to make it better and better. That one dish keeps me on my toes.
The way to make a proper biryani is to marinate the raw meat, top it with half-cooked rice and then cook it very slowly. That takes it to the next level.
Do you have a favourite dish to cook for yourself?
That’s my favourite too! As a South Indian man, rice is a staple for me.
Are there any other local dishes you have brought with you to England?
My family are originally from Karnataka. I moved to London in 2010. I speak 5 languages – English, and 4 local dialects in India. I make sure I read and write in all 5 to ensure I don’t forget.
What inspires you?
As a child I wanted to be an engineer. In South India, if you’re good at maths and physics it’s common to go into engineering. I was very interested in philosophy too. A philosophy book inspired me to choose a path working in something that I would enjoy all my life. I thought long and hard about what I like to do. From childhood I was always in the kitchen with my mum. If you ask me today, I maintain that I will happily cook any time of the day or night.
At that time my parents were disappointed as your children's career path is a status thing in India. I knew what I wanted though, and I trained for four years to become a qualified chef. My mum is very happy for me now.
What makes you feel proud?
My cooking. I think everyone should take pride in their work, no matter what job they are doing. I started in a kitchen in Cardiff in 2008 at a 3* Rosette restaurant. I was a Commis Chef, chopping vegetables and every day I watched the Head Chef Daniel James and thought ‘I want to do what he’s doing’!. I always asked him questions, which he answered with great patience.
Then, in 2009 I went back to India for 9 months. I had learned so much practically in the UK, in comparison to my book learning in India. I then came back to London to do a Diet and Nutrition diploma.
What was most interesting about that?
As a chef, I feel you should know what’s in the food you’re preparing. It’s especially useful today when there are so many challenges as a chef. There are many allergies and I understand how sensitive people can be to allergens. I never take it lightly.
How would you describe working here?
The one thing I always like about working in any kitchen is the freedom to cook the way I want to cook. I have a license to be myself here at M Bar & Kitchen, and inject my own flair into the dishes. The whole team share their appreciation when I cook. It gives me the additional motivation to keep going at work.
Do you have any interesting hobbies?
I love to read, especially history books and medical journals. We can learn a lot from history, and how not to repeat the same mistakes.
I also like to play cricket.
Are you a tea or a coffee man?
It has been scientifically proven that coffee cleanses your liver. I love a good strong black coffee. I start my day with Bullet Coffee which is coffee with clarified butter. When you cook the butter, the milk content is burned off and the fatty oil that remains is used by the brain. That is one fat which has been used in cooking in India for thousands of years.
Most of the oil we buy in the shops is ultra-processed, unlike the freshly strained oils I grew up with in India.
General Manager, Nick Vincent’s comment:
Apart from his charisma and outstanding cooking, what I admire about Surendra is how he leaves nothing to go to waste! The bar team had some milk going out of date shortly, so Surendra jumped in and turned it in to Indian cottage cheese. He does it all the time, it’s seriously impressive to watch what he can create from a few leftover items in the kitchen.
