Friday 3 October 2014

Jamie Oliver's Fifteen

Jamie Oliver's Fifteen

I grew up watching Jamie Oliver on television. I enjoyed watching him because he had a passion for food, a passion that was catching, it spilled out of the television screen and inspired me to want to learn to cook. 

This week has been a busy one, so I was excited on Tuesday to go along to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant for dinner. Nothing relaxes me more than food. 

Fifteen was set up in 2002 as a social enterprise that uses the wonder and magic of food to help unemployed people find their start in life, with the ultimate hope of a better future. They are part of Fifteen's apprenticeship programme

Every year, Fifteen recruits 18 young people 18 - 25 years of age and trains then to become professional chefs. 
Jamie Oliver Apprentice programme
My evening begins with a Southside gin aperitif, Beefeater gin, mint, sugar and fresh lime juice and angostura bitters. 
Beefeater gin
It has just the right balance of sharpness from the lime, bitterness and sweetness from the mint. 

Fifteen is  entirely different to Jamie's Italian restaurant, which I have previously visited. Fifteen has a sharper interior. 
Jamie Oliver Fifteen
Jamie Oliver Fifteen
The overall feeling from staff is a relaxed and welcoming dinning experience.  

The menu is changed daily and is a modern take on British food. We begin our meal with fresh warm baked bread. 
Fifteen
We opt for three sharing plates for our starter. First up beef and barley buns and horseradish cream (£5). 

Beef and barley bun
Fifteen
Pictures cannot do these beauties justice, the filling was so delicious, rich beef and the horseradish cream was the perfect accompaniment. They remind me of luxury Cornish pasties. 

Our second starter dish... 
Fifteen
Cured Mackerel with crème fraiche (£9). My dining partner loved this dish. 

Third dish to share was cured pork loin, truffles, walnut and pickled walnut (£11). Well this was what the menu said but whilst there was definitely cured pork loin, there was no real taste of truffle or walnuts in this dish. 
Fifteen
Truffle has a wonderful and unmistakably taste. As you know it is an ingredient that I love cooking with. 

Whilst the pork was nice the remaining part of the dish was underwhelming and lacked flavour. 

Next it was onto picking the mains and to be honest the daily menu had lots of food that I would have happily eaten. 

As a chicken lover the option however for the pair of us was an easy choice. Rotisserie of herb fed chicken, crispy potato cake and aioli (£40 for 2 people).  
Rotisserie of herb fed chicken, crispy potato cake and aioli
The chicken was cooked to perfection, skin crispy but the inner bird moist. The addition of the aioli finished the dish with a wonderful creaminess.  

Overall a wonderful meal, that was tasty and was reasonably priced for central London. 

This is one restaurant that I will definitely be coming back too for a quick drink or relaxing meal. 

www.fifteen.net

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 photo foodieforce_32.jpg

17 comments:

  1. It's a lovely meal and I'm really impressed with the concept about the restaurant! We have just done something similar at my work and I've now got two new younger workers that couldn't get jobs before we trained them up and gave them jobs :)

    Corinne x
    www.skinnedcartree.com

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    1. The idea of training those who otherwise would be out of work is a great one. Glad that your work has considered taking this route hopefully they will do well Lucy x

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  2. Lovely! I haven't even been to Jamie's Italian yet, although we do now have one in Newcastle so I should go at some point really!

    I had to skim past your foodie pictures, I wolfed down a massive afternoon tea earlier and I'm so so full that I can't bear to look at food .. very unlike me eh?!

    Chloe x
    newgirlintoon.co.uk

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    1. Look forward to seeing the afternoon tea post, definitely need to go to the Newcastle one and test it out Lucy x

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  3. Looks like a fab dinner!!!! I want to visit a Jamie Oliver restaurant! I love him!!! Until I can, I can live vicariously through you!!!

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    1. Jamie Oliver is a passionate foodie, his restaurant was lovely. Glad that you liked the post Lucy x

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  4. Amazing, I'm incredibly tempted by everything you had even if I am veggie! I don't know what it is about truffle, I ordered truffle pasta in a very nice restaurant in Italy once and whilst it was smothered in truffle shavings, there just wasn't much of a truffly taste. So weird! I could see that it was there but the flavour just lacked. Perhaps it's truffle oil that normally gives the flavour? I have a bottle at home and that packs a serious olfactory punch whereas the truffles themselves are a bit milder xxx
    Lucy @ La Lingua Italy

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    1. Truffle oil has a wonderful taste but I am not sure that this had truffle in it. If it did it was tasteless which would be unusual. Truffle paste sounds like a real treat Lucy x

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  5. We absolutely love the reason why Jamie set up his 'Fifteen' restaurants. All looks delicious, food & atmosphere :-)

    x Roch & Tash x
    www.next-route-style.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. It is nice when a chef gives back and shares their skills. The restaurant was lovely Lucy x

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  6. I love the concept of the restaurant, and the food sounds great! I can never resist a good bread basket haha, but the chicken also looks lovely :) xx

    Toasty

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    1. It is a great concept and with so many gaining jobs afterwards it works. We should really try this more with other trades. The bread is always my downfall too Lucy x

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  7. I have been once to on of Jamie Oliver's restaurants in Clapham Junction and enjoyed the food a lot.
    Lovely post Lucy :)

    HAVE A GREAT WEEK! XOXO

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    1. Ooh I didn't know he had one in clapham. Will have to try this one. Have a great week Lucy x

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  8. what a wonderful idea for a restaurant, I hadn't heard of it before. It looks delicious!

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  9. I've never heard of Jaime Oliver, but the food looks delicious. You always go to such interesting places to eat. Have you tried Ethiopian yet? If you haven't, you really should give it a try.

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  10. Oh my word! I love Jamie Oliver, his food always makes me drool! Have you been watching comfort Food?! We went to Fifteen in cornwall about 7 years ago and it was amazing, the food was so fresh and tasty, the staff wonderful and the view was just beautiful, looking out over the sea, it is definitely up there in my top 10 fining experiences! X

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