Q & A with Head Chef at The Square Kitchen, Kyle Jordaan

In light of the new summer menu launch at The Square Kitchen we sat down with Head Chef Kyle Jordann to discover the inspirations behind his cooking and what to expect from the new menu.

1. Can you describe the new summer menu in one sentence or phrase?

Seasonal, locally sourced produce and the style of food is contemporary, European with a few Asian influences.

2. What inspired the recipes that you created for the summer menu?

As mentioned all the ingredients used in the new menu and in all our menus are seasonal, so it is very much about working with what we have and what is available at the time. This can mean that the menu changes or evolves over the season as some of the ingredients have such a short prime. I generally have a basis for an idea, but the whole team contributes to the final outcome. I think it’s really important to get everyone’s input.

 3. What’s your favourite dish from the menu?

It’s got to be the pan roasted rump of lamb with herb crust, morels, black garlic puree, truffle gnocci, young turnips and split jus.

4. What was it that sparked your love of food and inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?

I loved being in the kitchen from a young age and have always been really interested in trying new food. At 17 I got a job in a bar of a Greek restaurant and seeing the food that came out of the kitchen there just encouraged my love of food.

5. What was your first kitchen job and where did it go from there?

An opportunity in the kitchen came up in the Greek restaurant I had been working in, I took it and have never looked back. I worked there for 5 years and studied at the same time so I was constantly learning and growing as a chef. From there I moved to Sun International; a conference centre and hotel, and spent 3 years as executive sous chef and then 2 years as executive chef. Then on to the Rosebank Hotel for 3 years as a sous chef. Following this I worked as a new business consultant which involved working with new restaurant ventures to help them create and develop their menus.

I then took the step to move from South Africa to Bristol in 2014. I had friends that had already taken the step to move and they told me what a great city Bristol is. I applied for a job at The Square Kitchen straight away and got it.

6. What is your favourite dish to cook at home?

It has to be braai (a BBQ), if the suns out. Even if the suns not out actually! BBQ food is the food I love to cook, lots of veg and marinating different meats. On the occasion it's not a BBQ and it’s indoors, then it would have to be a curry.

7. Bristol’s food scene is booming at the moment with new restaurants popping up all the time and the development at Wapping Wharf. What is your take on this, is there anything that particularly excites you about what we may see in the future? Eg. Food types, trends, cooking techniques …

There is a lot of molecular stuff going on at the moment, which does have its place. In honesty though, I do prefer the classic techniques. The thing that is great about Bristol at the moment is the fact that there is so much choice. You could try something different everyday. As well as all the new restaurants opening up the street food scene is growing too. This is the food I like to eat so it makes me very happy. There is also still big potential in this market too. Watch this space.

Fancy trying the new summer menu at The Square Kitchen for yourself? Book your table here.