We dropped in to chat to Jake Rumsey, Head Chef at Blend, Sneinton Market, about Chickki Minaj and his mum's flapjacks...
Describe your venue in three words...
Coffee. Cheese. Pigeons
When did you first know you wanted to make food for a living?
I don’t think there was ever a singular lightbulb moment, I fell into it through travelling and just found myself enjoying it and getting better the more I did it.
Who has been the biggest influence on your cooking and why?
Besides everyone I’ve worked with I’m gonna be cliche and say my mum. Her flapjacks speak for themselves!
What's the best selling item on your current menu and why?
Nikki Minaj – a Cajun chicken grilled cheese. The jalapeno guac gives it a nice lil’ kick!
What’s the best meal you have ever cooked?
That’s always going to be the last thing I cooked, haha! Maybe not the best, but I cooked Seth Rogen a burger once in Vancouver – he said it was delicious.
What’s the best meal you have ever eaten? And who cooked it?
Too many to narrow down, but I would urge everyone to go to Japan and eat everything you can. Yakiniku in Tokyo with your mates is a hard one to beat.
Other than your own place, where do you eat out most in Notts?
Sosu. They’ve only got eight seats, but I could eat their ramen every day.
Who are your five ideal dinner party guests alive or dead? And what’s on the menu?
Let’s go musical, with Carol Kaye laying down some bass lines for Prince, Otis Redding, Rod Stewart, and Robert Smith. I’d cook some chilli prawn linguine.
Visit Blend at Unit 30, Sneinton Market, NG1 1DW
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