Fergus Henderson
Encyclopedia
Fergus Henderson is an English
chef who founded the St John restaurant in St John St, London. He is often noted for his use of offal
and other neglected cuts of meat as a consequence of his philosophy of Nose To Tail Eating. Following in the footsteps of his parents, Brian and Elizabeth Henderson, he trained as an architect at the Architectural Association in London. Most of his dishes are derived from traditional British cuisine
and the wines are all French.
His stoic approach to Parkinson's Disease
which was diagnosed in 1996 increased the regard in which he was held and he was awarded an MBE
in 2005. The same year he underwent innovative Deep Brain Stimulation
which vastly improved his mobility.
Chefs Anthony Bourdain
and Mario Batali
have both praised Henderson for his dishes, which optimise British food while making full use of the whole animal. A. A. Gill
famously retracted his initial hostility to St John in the Sunday Times.
in Soho
for some years.
, London
.
St John was awarded a Michelin star in 2009.
, kidneys, chitterlings
and other animal parts.
Henderson also explains the philosophy behind his cooking explaining that "it seems common sense and even polite to the animal to use all of it. Rather than being testosterone-fuelled blood-lust, it actually seems to be a gentle approach to meat eating."
In 2007, he published a sequel, Beyond Nose To Tail.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
chef who founded the St John restaurant in St John St, London. He is often noted for his use of offal
Offal
Offal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
and other neglected cuts of meat as a consequence of his philosophy of Nose To Tail Eating. Following in the footsteps of his parents, Brian and Elizabeth Henderson, he trained as an architect at the Architectural Association in London. Most of his dishes are derived from traditional British cuisine
British cuisine
English cuisine encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with England. It has distinctive attributes of its own, but also shares much with wider British cuisine, largely due to the importation of ingredients and ideas from places such as North America, China, and India...
and the wines are all French.
His stoic approach to Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
which was diagnosed in 1996 increased the regard in which he was held and he was awarded an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in 2005. The same year he underwent innovative Deep Brain Stimulation
Deep brain stimulation
Deep brain stimulation is a surgical treatment involving the implantation of a medical device called a brain pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain...
which vastly improved his mobility.
Chefs Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Michael "Tony" Bourdain is an American chef, author and television personality. He is well known for his 2000 book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and is the host of Travel Channel's culinary and cultural adventure program Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.A...
and Mario Batali
Mario Batali
Mario Batali is an American chef, writer, restaurateur and media personality. In addition to his classical culinary training, he is an expert on the history and culture of Italian cuisine, including regional and local variations. Batali co-owns restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,...
have both praised Henderson for his dishes, which optimise British food while making full use of the whole animal. A. A. Gill
A. A. Gill
Adrian Anthony Gill is a British writer who uses the byline A. A. Gill. He is currently employed by The Sunday Times as their restaurant reviewer and television critic and Vanity Fair magazine as a restaurant reviewer...
famously retracted his initial hostility to St John in the Sunday Times.
Early career
Henderson had no formal training in cooking, and has never worked under any other chef. Before opening the St John restaurant that made his name, he and his wife ran the French HouseThe French House, Soho
The French House is a pub and dining room at 49 Dean Street, Soho, London. It was previously known as the York Minster, but was informally called "the French pub" or "the French house" by its regulars...
in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
for some years.
Restaurants
In 1994, Henderson opened St John in London. The menu changes daily, but always includes Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad. In 2003 he opened St John Bread and Wine in SpitalfieldsSpitalfields
Spitalfields is a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, near to Liverpool Street station and Brick Lane. The area straddles Commercial Street and is home to many markets, including the historic Old Spitalfields Market, founded in the 17th century, Sunday...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
St John was awarded a Michelin star in 2009.
Books
In 1999 Henderson published Nose to Tail Eating: A Kind of British Cooking in which he provides recipes incorporating trotters, tripeTripe
Tripe is a type of edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals.-Beef tripe:...
, kidneys, chitterlings
Chitterlings
Chitterlings are the intestines of a pig, although cattle and other animals' intestines are similarly used, that have been prepared as food. In various countries across the world, such food is prepared and eaten either as part of a daily diet, or at special events, holidays or religious...
and other animal parts.
Henderson also explains the philosophy behind his cooking explaining that "it seems common sense and even polite to the animal to use all of it. Rather than being testosterone-fuelled blood-lust, it actually seems to be a gentle approach to meat eating."
In 2007, he published a sequel, Beyond Nose To Tail.