Quality ingredients are king of the plate
CHEF Chris Duffy is a fairly laid back sort of guy...until he brings out a selection of the ingredients he gets to work with at the Radisson hotel's Filini restaurant.
Suddenly, the 34-year-old Scotsman is animated.
There's a pearly white smoked ricotta.
"Sliced, pan-fried and added to a salad, it's almost like adding smoked bacon," says Chris.
A block of taleggio has a pale orange rind and is a world away from the cheese available at supermarkets.
"It's the best you can get," boasts Chris. A soft cheese, crema di pecorino , is a revelation - creamy, sweet and subtle.
The cured pork speck di merano, cut from the loin, is tender and lightly coloured, its flavour singing with the spices used it its preparation.
Bresaola, a cured beef taken from the animal's calf, is a different thing altogether - deep red, marbled with yellow fat, its aroma intense but its flavour surprisingly elegant.
Served with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, it is fabulous. Lightly veined gorgonzola dolce, a gently sweet version of its feistier brother, is rich but restrained.
Chris, who has been in Birmingham at Filini for three years, jokes: "I reckon I've put on two stone since I came here.
Every time I cut a piece of cheese for a customer, I eat a piece."
Next comes a selection of oils and vinegars that are used, including an incredibly lush and gorgeously amber reduction of balsamic vinegar and saffron that is served with scallops.
In Chris's kitchen, ingredients are undoubtedly king.
They are carefully sourced, many from small producers in Italy.
Chris, who leads a brigade of 12 chefs in the kitchen, recognises that he is fortunate to be given the opportunity to work with such produce and is determined to treat it with respect.
"The produce makes my job easier," he adds.
"We won't over-garnish or have too many flavours on the plate - just two or three main flavours."
His skills and approach to cooking have been developed during 15 years as a chef.
Yet Chris, born and raised in Glasgow, only entered the profession when his father, who worked in hotels, got him a job in the kitchen because he was unsure what to do when he left school.
Then followed jobs in his native Scotland, Brussels and Sydney, mostly in hotels.
Today, though, he is settled in Birmingham - happy to show off those wonderful cheeses, cured meats and other ingredients that make Filini such a great place to eat.
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