HISPI’S Gary Usher joins a stellar company of chefs from across the globe for the 18th Obsession annual gastro-extravaganza at Northcote (January 18-February 4, 2018).
Chef patron Nigel Haworth (above) announced the line-up in London yesterday to cap a week when his revered hotel-restaurant near Blackburn retained its Michelin star and saw 23-year-old junior sous chef Danny Young win the title of Young Natonal Chef of the Year.
Working alongside the exciting array of stellar chefs who come over every year for thre Obsession festival must certainly have helped in Danny’s development. 2018’s line-up of 21 chefs with 16 Michelin stars between them and restaurants in Japan, Russia, Mexico, the USA, India, Australia and Hong Kong, may be the most exciting yet.
Our own Gary Usher (above), whose turn to take over the Northcote kitchens is on Friday, January 19, must be rubbing bis eyes in disbelief at the British contingent he is part of – Jason Atherton (kicking off Obsession the previous night), Tom Kitchin, Tommy Banks and, of course, impresario Nigel Haworth himself, who as usual concludes the 18 days of culinary heaven on Sunday, February 4.
Obsession first took place in 2001 and was created by Haworth as a celebration of great food, wine and a meeting of friends, old and new. From that first event, its size has grown but the ethos is still very much the same, always looking to offer guests a completely memorable culinary experience, created by some of the world’s most innovative chefs.
He said: “This year we’re celebrating 18 years of Obsession and it just keeps getting more exciting each year. We’re bringing different styles of cooking, different cultures and different flavours to Northcote for both our guests and our kitchen team to experience.
“Sharing ideas has got to be one of the most important and inspirational things we can do in cookery and we’re in a privileged position that the Obsession 18 chefs are open to sharing their ideas with us.”
Booking starts at 8am on Tuesday, October 17. The obsession booking hotline is 0333 999 7762. The chef line up is below. To put flesh on the bones – chef’s bios, ticket prices downlod d the Obsession magazine here. https://www.northcote.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/northcote-obsession18-magazine.pdf
Jason Atherton (Pollen Street Social, London Jan 18)
Gary Usher (Sticky Walunt, Hispi, Jan 19)
Manish Mehrota (Indian Accent, New York, Delhi, London, Jan 20)
Jean-Phiippe Blondet (Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, Jan 21)
Jan Amador (Amador’s Restaurant, Jan 22)
Lisa Goodwin-Allen (Northcote, Jan 23)
Daniel Calvert (Belon, Hong Kong, Jan 24)
Hiroshi Nakamichi (Restaurant Moliere (Hokkaido, Japan, Jan 25)
George Blogg (Gravetye Manor, Jan 26)
Larry Jayasekara (Petrus, London, Jan 27)
Tom Kitchin (The Kitchin, Leith, Edinburgh, Jan 28)
The Three Amigos (trio of Mexican chefs, Jan 29)
Martin Milesi (Uno, London, Jan 30)
Jorge Vallejo (Quintonil, Polanco, Mexico, Jan 31)
Tommy Banks (The Black Swan at Olstead, York, Feb 1)
Berutzky Twins (Twins Garden, Moscow, Feb 2)
Nell Robinson and Kirk Haworth (nel, Sidney and Plates, London, Feb 3)
Nigel Haworth (Northcote, Feb 4)