Simon Hulstone wins Santa Maria’s Tellicherry Black Pepper Recipe competition

The Staff Canteen
Simon Hulstone, chef proprietor of the Elephant restaurant, has taken gold in Santa Maria’s Tellicherry Black Pepper Recipe competition, judged by Dan Doherty and Barnaby MacAdam. Simon Hulstone's winning dish Competing against top chefs such as Donald Marshall, executive development chef at leading UK contract caterer Elior and Sushant Sanzgiri, sous chef at Hilton London Kensington, Simon won the competition with his roasted fillet of halibut with a Tellicherry Black Pepper and lemon cracker, Jerusalem artichoke mousse and warm tartare sauce recipe. Santa Maria Foodservice, The UK’s leading spice experts, launched the competition in order to raise awareness about the use of black pepper as a signature flavour. The competition required chefs to use Tellicherry Black Pepper as an integral ingredient, to show off the taste, flavour and aroma. Judge Dan Doherty, executive chef at Duck & Waffle said, “Simon’s dish tapped into the flavour profile of pepper using the delicate fruity notes of Tellicherry Black Pepper to create the dish. It was tough judging as all contestants really took on board the brief and explored the taste and aroma of Santa Maria’s Tellicherry Black Pepper. The atmosphere during the cook off was calm and organised but one thing that shone through above all else was how passionate each chef was about pepper.”

Watch Simon in action

Simon will be joining Santa Maria in Kerala, India, to visit Tellicherry where the pepper is grown. He will be able to explore the pepper’s journey from growth, visiting nurseries, right through to the final drying process. “I’m well known to enjoy a good challenge and I love to travel so taking part in the Tellicherry Pepper competition ticked both boxes. I hadn’t previously given much thought to the flavour profiles of peppercorns so I’ve enjoyed experimenting with Tellicherry which has more delicate notes than many I’ve used before. I’m delighted to have won and I’m really looking forward to discovering more about Tellicherry on my trip to Kerala next year." Simon said.

>>> Read our interview with Simon about the awards he has won for himself and retaining three rosettes and a Michelin star for the Elephant. 

Santa Maria has released a guide to encourage chefs to get the most out of the different types of peppers they can use in their dishes.To download this guide visit www.tasteofpepper.com
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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 20th November 2015

Simon Hulstone wins Santa Maria’s Tellicherry Black Pepper Recipe competition