Tell us about the ethos behind The Other Naughty Piglet & Naughty Piglets...
It is a philosophy... Be merry and happy like a naughty piglet...
We love that your menu is built around seasonal ingredients. How important is sustainability to you?
Very! We like to know where the product comes from. We work with suppliers who work in an organic way. We know how the cow is treated from the time of birth to the time of death. Same for the wines, we know most of the wine makers we promote, we like to know there's a soul, an ethic and a massive respect for the environment behind.
Tell us about your favourite dishes that are on the menu at the moment...
Definitely the XO linguine with cured egg (at the Other) as it is proper intense, complex and delicious.
The Other Naughty Piglet, 2017.
What was the inspiration behind the original Naughty Piglets?
We really wanted to have our own little restaurant, we felt ready to convey our own way. We knew exactly what we wanted and how we wanted it. Naughty Piglets was born out of a lot of love and passion.
Did you have a strong relationship with food and wine growing up?
Yes! Being sat at a table was a big part of my youth and so was Joe's!
"We know most of the wine makers we promote, we like to know there's a soul, an ethic and a massive respect for the environment behind."
What are the most basic staples you think every home cook should have in their kitchen pantry?
A good knife and a proper dry store (pepper corns, maldon salt, amazing olive oil etc)
Natural wines are always going to throw out different fruits, styles and clarity; your list is a shrine to Natural wines, have people in London taken well to this style of wine?
Yes, definitely! Natural wine has been around for a long time now, the trend was about 5 years ago, now it is part of a culture, I think. I mean you can go to any Michelin restaurant around the globe, over half of their wine list is about natural wines, they just don't shout it as it can be quite controversial. I personally like to take a stand (whereas I did not when we first opened NP) after meeting many wine makers in the last seven years, and seeing their dedication to the terroir, their passion, their hard work, the purity of what they do, I think everyone should know more about it. People care so much about what they put in their plates, why wouldn't they care about what they have in their glass?
The Other Naughty Piglet, 2017.
Do you see fine Natural wines having longevity to match the likes of some Bordeaux and Burgundy?
Yes of course. Not all of them, but surely some. Prieure saint Christophe, Michel Grisard in Savoie, Chateau le Puy in Bordeaux and many others, If you think about it, a few decades ago, this is how they used to make wine, the idea of being a control freak in the winery is newer than natural wine...
"People care so much about what they put in their plates, why wouldn't they care about what they have in their glass?"
How do Natural wines handle being open for those on the by the glass list?
Let's not forget that natural wine is "wine" essentially! Some don't last and are badly made, some are fantastically made and last once opened, in conventional or natural wine making....
The Other Naughty Piglet, 2017.
Do you have any exciting plans or events coming up that our readers might be interested in?
We are thinking of doing a collaboration with another chef for the Evening Standard food festival event in July and we will be doing wine dinners with a special wine maker each time in the next 6 months.
The Other Naughty Piglet
At The Other Palace.
12 Palace St, Westminster,
London SW1E 5JA