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Odette鈥檚 in London鈥檚 Primrose Hill may have three Rosettes, but for chef patron Bryn Williams it鈥檚 all about honest food and keeping it simple.

Having recently opened Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias on the North Wales Coast 鈥� close to his hometown of Denbigh 鈥� Bryn tells us more about his love affair with veg, the British food scene and why seasonality is everything.

How has the British food scene changed in recent years?

鈥淭he focus has returned to 鈥榣ess is more鈥�. Seven years ago, it was all about complex purees and foams, but now it鈥檚 more about honest cooking, with imagination and flavour. It鈥檚 about keeping it simple and highlighting the ingredients.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also 鈥� thankfully 鈥� more about seasonality now. 95% of what we use in the kitchen is British. While supermarkets have played an important role in bringing lots of good food to the public, they have gotten rid of seasonality. You can get any ingredient at any time of the year 鈥� it鈥檚 like having Christmas every day!

鈥淪easonality is what it鈥檚 about. When something comes into season, it鈥檚 exciting. We鈥檝e come full circle to how our grandparents used to do it. We preserve seasonal foods, we pickle it and ferment it, so we won鈥檛 have to order out of season. Seasonality shouldn鈥檛 be a PR word; it鈥檚 just how life should be. When it鈥檚 growing, eat it. If it鈥檚 not in season, it鈥檚 not meant to be.鈥�

What is your favourite British ingredient?

鈥淚t鈥檚 a tough choice between Welsh lamb and scallops, but I have to go scallops. It鈥檚 the most amazing and simple raw ingredient 鈥� I just love prepping them and cooking them. We get our scallops hand-dived from the Scottish West Coast. I love diving and I鈥檝e even dived for them myself in North Wales once; I鈥檝e learnt what to pick and to respect the ingredient.鈥�

How do you like to serve scallops?

鈥淭hey鈥檙e so versatile! While they are delicious raw in the shell, my favourite recipe is Seared Scallops with Braised Chicken Wings, Jerusalem Artichokes and Hazelnut Jus.鈥�

What would you drink with it?

鈥淎 classic choice would be a good Chablis, like the听Guillaume Vrignaud Fourchaume Chablis 1er Cru.听Another interesting option will be something more aromatic, with a hint of sweetness 鈥� like the Markus Molitor Haus Klosterberg Riesling. Scallops is a simple ingredient with a lot of flavour, so goes really well with a more complex wine.鈥�

You鈥檝e written a book 鈥楩or the love of veg鈥� 鈥� tell us more about this love affair

鈥淚 do love veg. People tend to think vegetables are there just to fill the plate 鈥� the old 鈥榤eat and two veg鈥� adage. But vegetables can be the hero of the dish. It鈥檚 a lot to do with how you prepare them. Instead of cooking them in a lot of water, rather salt bake, roast or steam your veggies to get maximum flavour.

鈥淲e grow our own vegetables in Wales for the restaurants, which has really taught me to respect these ingredients. It鈥檚 very hard work and you have to treat raw vegetables with the same respect you would meat or fish.鈥�

What are the best and worst things about being a chef?听

鈥淭he worst? You sometimes have to miss out on family occasions 鈥� you just can鈥檛 always get away. But the best thing? You meet amazing people. Your customers and people you work with become your friends.

鈥淚've known I wanted to be a chef since I was 10. At school we visited the local bakery to learn how to make bread. I loved it and got a job at that bakery when I was 12. It鈥檚 great to see how something goes full circle, from raw ingredients to final product, like when you make bread.

鈥淏eing a chef, all I really care about is making people happy 鈥� an empty plate and someone saying 鈥榯hat was nice!鈥� is all I need. Being a chef is not rocket science: you pick from the earth, you cook it with your hands and you serve it. Food is the best way of showing love, affection and friendship. All you need is family, friends, good food and good wine 鈥� it鈥檚 quite simple, that鈥檚 life.鈥�

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