Exciting Chef QC Restaurant in London, Jun Tanaka
Not since the days of the British Empire has London enjoyed such confluence of new tastes and flavors, first as a center of trade, and now as the center of a culinary revolution. No longer will people think of British food as bland and uninteresting, because the definition of British food has taken on a whole new gloss in recent years and has been widened, as many star chefs (not only of the Michelin kind) have emerged. It is therefore not surprising then, that one of the most exciting chef in London is Jun Tanaka, of Asian roots and American citizenship who is making London his culinary playground, cooking up modern French fare with Mediterranean influences.
Heading the kitchen at QC Restaurant (named thus due to its proximity to the legal eagles at the Royal Courts of Justice), Tanaka, in the short time of just one year, has made this restaurant one of London’s premier locales for young and passionate food and wine lovers. With undoubted pedigree (he’s worked in starred restaurants such as Chez Nico, Marco Pierre White’s The Oak Room and The Capital), Tanaka is now recognized for inventive cuisine that shows accomplished delivery and Asian touches arising out of French techniques. His dishes such as rabbit ravioli with caramelized king prawns, salmon with chives and ginger, and lasagne of crab and shellfish velouté, are mere indications of what he can do. “I don’t go for unusual combination just to be different,” says Tanaka. “Not that I don’t admire the scientific combination that other chefs are keen to explore, but it quite simply isn’t my style.”
Keen to understand the business side of running a restaurant and also to explore the cuisine in Italy, he sees London’s eating scene still somewhat behind that of Paris in certain areas. “There are a great variety of places to eat in London, but we are still behind Paris with regards to quality. The French have a better understanding of food than we do, and what’s more, you can eat exceptional food for less!” Tanaka’s attention to fresh, seasonal ingredients and what he can do with them has made a loyal clientele of London’s in’ group, as well as international gourmets, sit up and take notice.
QC Restaurant
232 High Holborn, London
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