The Seven Sins of Adam Byatt |
Chef Patron, Trinity |
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Known for his serious commitment to contemporary British cuisine, Adam Byatt is one of London’s most exciting chef-restaurateurs. Adam Byatt was raised in a cooking home; his mother was a professionally trained chef and his grandfather was a cook in the army. Now, with three critically acclaimed restaurants under his belt, it’s clear that an early exposure to a passion for food has had its impact.
First leaving home at the age of sixteen to embark on his culinary career, Adam completed a coveted apprenticeship at Claridge’s before moving on to work with Phil Howard at The Square, Mayfair’s iconic 2 Michelin-starred restaurant.
Adam first introduced his seasonal, sustainable philosophy with the opening of Thyme in 2004. Having achieved both local and critical success with his first owned restaurant, he returned to Clapham Old Town with Trinity in 2006. Following from the success of Trinity, Adam opened Bistro Union in 2011, and oversaw the hugely successful launch of his newest venture, Upstairs at Trinity, a recent recipient of a Bib Gourmand Award. |
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Trinity now holds a coveted Michelin Star as well as three AA rosettes and numerous other accolades. Voted in the top ten restaurants in London by both Hardens and Zagat, it has also been included in The Times’ Top 100 Restaurants in the UK.
Adam’s enthusiasm for seasonality and the great outdoors is matched by his desire to give back to the community. He has worked for many charities including DEBRA and Action Against Hunger and travels to numerous culinary schools and colleges to give talks on careers in the hospitality industry. |
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| Wrath - What makes you angry about the hospitality industry?
Social media is really a double-edged sword. The part about social media that I dislike the most (although I’m very guilty of it) is that in this industry we can give away too much! People already know what our food looks like and what artwork we have; they make up their mind about a place based on images that they’ve seen, and this is often very different to the human side of what we do. I freely admit that there are restaurants that I have not gone to, where I may otherwise have done, because I feel that I have enough of a sense of the place already via social media! Crazy.
Greed - If all your food fantasies came true what would be on your Plate?
If I were able to experience one meal without any restrictions, it would be with my wife Vicki and our children, plus some of our foodie friends. We’d be in a chateau in France during late autumn with open fires, cigars and brandy to follow. The menu would read something like this: native oysters, whole crab mayonnaise, core de veau [veal cutlet] with creamed spinach and morels, custard tart, truffled vacherin cheese, chocolate, strong coffee and grappa.
Sloth - What do you do to unwind?
I fish and shoot as much as I can, or as much as the business will allow me to.
Pride - What are you most proud of?
Being awarded a Michelin star this year was an incredible honour. I has certainly given us a renewed sense of confidence in what we offer and will no doubt spur us on to push further and achieve an even more heightened guest experience.
Lust - Is there anything that you are still lusting to achieve?
I try not to dwell too much on achievements. The focus is and always has been very much about maintaining the high standards that we set for ourselves and polishing up what we already have – if achievements happen to come along with that ethos, that’s really just a bonus.
Envy - who are you most envious of?
I really admire David Chang, I would love to have him come by one of the restaurants sometime. He’s a bit of a food hero of mine and I would imagine he would be great guest.
Gluttony - have you ever over indulged?
I’m not sure how much I over-indulge, but I really like to eat out with friends and family. I love Chez Bruce for a long wine-fuelled lunch, and drinks-wise I tend to head to Spuntino in Soho before heading east to Happiness Forgets, being sure to write off the next day...
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| We put the spotlight on the industry's most recognisable faces in our new interview segment "Seven Sins". If you want to know what inspires the industry's movers and shakers or what your favourite food loving celebrity likes to indulge in then you'll find it in their Seven Sins. |
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