Chefs hold a unique place in our hearts at Lolly. Not just because many of our lovely clients happen to be cupboard staples, and not even because our name is deliciously sweet, but because we are a team of self-confessed foodies who are captivated by culinary mastery and creative flair. There’s just something magical about the way they transform simple ingredients into gastronomic delights that leave us wanting more.
Take Jamie Shears, Executive Chef at Mount St. Restaurant & Rooms, located in the heart of London’s Mayfair above The Audley Public House. Since opening late in 2022, it’s been a runaway success, in no small part because of Jamie’s eclectic inspirations and unusual approach to sourcing ingredients. In his quest to use only the very freshest seasonal ingredients, he’s found himself foraging for fig leaves in Little Venice and working alongside the most reputable suppliers, like Flying Fish in Cornwall, that supply Mount St.’s lobsters.
Maybe we resonate with chefs so much because, like us, they’re creators. Crafting dishes that tantalise the tastebuds and ignite the senses isn’t all that different from what we do at Lolly. We, too, pull together vibrant ingredients, blending different flavours and textures, to serve up something delectable for our clients.
Speaking of big flavours, another Lolly favourite is star of MasterChef: The Professionals and head chef at St. James’s prestigious brasserie Maison François, Matthew Ryle. His love for food took hold aged 15 after his mum took him for his first gastronomical experience at a Michelin starred restaurant. Realising how fab food could be, he has developed into one of Britain’s most accomplished and experimental chefs. He often says the joy of building new and unexpected dishes is ‘why people become chefs’.
A big part of what makes a successful chef, like a marketeer, is the ability to tell a good story. The very best are able to weave narratives through their food, telling tales of tradition, culture, and innovation. Great dishes invite us to embark on a culinary journey, transport us to distant lands, and conjure nostalgia.
One mistress of arousing the familiar comforts of home is baking expert, food stylist, TV presenter and international best-selling author Juliet Sear. A self-proclaimed ‘cake wizard’, Juliet has made her fair share of traditional bakes, but she prefers dabbling with outrageous designs – like that for Peaches Geldof’s wedding – and unconventional flavour combinations like vanilla, rose and orange. She’s perhaps best known, though, for chocolate cake, and a rather famous – or infamous – one in particular. She reinvented the Bruce Bogtrotter cake for a new generation… just don’t try to finish it in one sitting.
Perhaps what most links us Lollies and the inspiring chefs we work alongside is our relentless pursuit of perfection. Only through pushing the boundaries of creativity can we keep raising the bar for excellence. In a nutshell: let’s stay delicious!
Photo by Mark Weinberg