Dinner with: Annette Sprague, head chef at Redwood, Edinburgh

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 15:13

Annette Sprague, from Palos Verdes in California, is owner and head chef at Redwood (www.redwood-restaurant.co.uk), a Californian restaurant in Edinburgh's Stockbridge.

She gained a Diplome de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu cookery school, and graduated with distinction. After running a catering business for five years, she opened Redwood in December last year, realising her dream of cooking Californian cuisine in her own restaurant.

What's the best meal you've had?

It was at Claude's, a French restaurant in Sydney. Everything was so perfectly executed. Although it was years ago, I still remember the cheese souffl, which was particularly delicious.

What's the worst meal you've had?

Dinner at a Spanish restaurant in Edinburgh. The food was stale and stodgy. I got the impression it had been cooked days ago and reheated.

What's in your fridge? Lots of cheese – I love it. Also champagne, yoghurt, fresh fruit and vegetables.

What's your hangover fix? I rarely drink so much that I get a hangover, but if it is one of those few occasions, I make my own-recipe breakfast burrito – a tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, Monterey Jack cheese, chorizo, potato and onion, topped with sour cream and fresh tomato salsa. That cures it.

What's your most useful kitchen utensil? No chef can do without a really good set of knives.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

A watermelon margarita in the garden on a sunny day is my favourite.

What's your classic standby recipe?

Homemade pesto – quick and easy to make and it's so versatile. You can put it in sandwiches, or cook it with pasta or meat, to name a few examples.

Who would you invite to a fantasy dinner party? A few of my fellow Americans: Julia Child, who is credited with introducing French cuisine to the US; Jackson Pollock, the painter; Muddy Waters, because I love the blues; and Jodie Foster.

What kind of food says home to you?

The kind of big, fresh, leafy salad that California does very well.

Have you ever been on a diet? Yes, three times, and hopefully never again!

What's the food that always makes you feel better?

Mexican mole sauce is the ultimate comfort food. When it's done well, it's a perfect balance of flavours.

Do you eat airline food? No, I'd rather not. I usually bring my own packed lunch when I fly.

Do you buy organic? I don't buy it all the time, but I tend to try to use it as much as possible.