The espresso shot is downed in an instant, and Ben Spalding, the twenty-four year old Head Chef at Simon Rogan’s Roganic in Marylebone, recounts getting his fingers burnt with a restaurant which very nearly opened with him at the helm.
Three days before his restaurant was due to open in Folkestone, he was seeing everything unravel before him. He was told bluntly by his business partner that the money simply wasn’t there to open for business. A tangled web of failed loan applications brought the vision to a shuddering halt.
“Even worse it was two days before my first wages from him, he had included it in the loan! I couldn’t believe it.”
Stunned by the news, the reality of the situation revealed itself.
“He had applied for several loans from various money sources with a complete business plan over several months, had been getting knocked back by them and decided not to tell me. He pretended everything was fine. I hit the roof.”
With a family and young child to support, life took on a darker hue as he realised he would have to look towards London for work.
“I had created a restaurant in Folkestone that had everything, forty covers, right on the sea, making our own salt and butter, I poured six months of my life, heart and soul into it…”
Having been in the kitchen at L’Autre Pied in Marylebone, and at Rhodes W1, Ben was swiftly involved in a damage limitation exercise.
“After I cooled down I contacted various contacts in london who we then met with to find funding. It was too short notice, it was clear it wasn’t going to happen – I was gutted. The effects were devastating, to the point now where I live in London five days a week to work because of our flat contract commitments. I’ve had to sacrifice my family because of incompetence. I listened to many people close to me who told me to cut my ties with this guy and I decided to look for a new project – which ended up being Roganic.”
His time spent working with Simon at L’Enclume in Cartmel has been ideal preparation for the working partnership they now have.
“Ultimately it’s Simon’s business but my kitchen. He expects me to run it properly and consistently. Simon is giving me an incredible amount of trust, responsibility and respect. We write the menus together, I must keep his ethos and style but I have free will to create, which I thrive on.”
Forty dishes have been created for the opening, which will come on the Roganic menu over the coming months, with some making way for new dishes throughout the year, coming back refined and stronger. One of his favourites will be the Seawater cured Kentish Mackerel, sea beet, onions and honey.
At twenty-four years old, there is precocious talent here, with a period at Per Se in New York under Thomas Keller to his name, and time spent in Melbourne.
“Thomas Keller is an incredible chef, Per Se is without doubt the best place and best meal I have ever eaten anywhere. Utterly inspirational.”
Now he’s back in London, I ask him if he feels both New York and Melbourne are still leading the culinary dance in many ways.
“Yes I would, just about. I lived and worked there in 2006 so times have changed and London is now very close behind with underground movements like The Loft Project and The Young Turks. Then you have places like Polpo and Terroirs providing accessible and affordable dining.”
He loves his music.
“If I wasn’t cooking I’d be striving to be a great DJ.”
There is a palpable energy emanating from him as he speaks, a crackle of excitement – he’s almost feverish. He answers in an instant when asked how he lets off steam.
“Clubbing at Fabric for some hedonism!”
**A version of this interview will appear in the July issue of Flavour London magazine. Bitten & Written is on page 22 of the current issue.
Roganic opens on 25th June 2011.
19 Blandford Street
London, W1U 3DH
MENU PREVIEW:
*Broad bean and hyssop, fresh curds and beetroot
*Roasted brill, chicken salt, cockles and ruby chard
*Shredded Ox tongue, cucumber pickles and sourdough
*Flaky crab and mallow cream, young squid and cucumber
*Warm spiced bread, salted almonds, buckthorn curd, smoked clotted cream
