Cooking lunch at a City Bank

There are always unforeseen and unexpected issues which arise when you are cooking in a strange kitchen. Yesterday we were asked to cook lunch for a dozen high powered City bankers in the beautifully panelled and listed Board room of a well known City bank. A dream gig you might think - well not really! The challenge was the kitchen which although boasting a reasonably good electric cooker, oven and grill had absolutely no utensils whatsoever, nada, nothing. As a result we had to take a taxi across London laden like medieval travelling iron mongers clanking with all the necessary cooking accoutrements pots, pans, tongs, fish slices, and of course knives - it's just as well were not made to pass through a metal detector when we arrived!!! The menu suggested had taken this problem into consideration and was as below. Timing was of the essence. Luckily it all seemed to go down pretty well!

Starter:  Smoked salmon and avocado, celeriac and dill remoulade, gravad lax dressing

Main: Marinated filet of lamb brochettes, French beans with citrus and

roast vegetable cous cous, tahini dip

Dessert: Pears poached in Port and red wine, star anise and cinnamon

with Kentish cherries and creme fraiche