Engine Chef Colin
Published:Thursday | January 24, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Garfene Grandison, Gleaner Writer
It was more than a surprise, or should I say shock, when the Food desk got an invitation that only read 'Cooking with a Difference with Chef Colin Brown' as the title. Further down, there was the date, the location, the menu and the props that would be used to carry out what could only be described as a culinary masterpiece. After all, the chef of choice was renowned London-based culinary expert, Colin Brown. The day's menu; yam mash with steam-roasted sea bass filet was prepared on spot and cooked on the engine of the Mini Cooper S.
Patrons stood in awe as the chef, who hails from Trelawny, spoke about how he got into cooking food on a car engine. "I started doing this way back in the day when I used to go on dates and there wasn't much money to go around," he stated. However, the main difference between then and now, apart from his new successes - being a restaurateur and all - is the type of engine.
When he first started, Brown shared that he first used the engine of a Lada compared with that of the BMW Mini. "The engines back in the day were much better, because you were able to cook the food in no time because of the amount of heat that they gave off. A Lada is a Russian-make car, so it's built to withstand cold and give off excess heat, so it was perfect for cooking." He continued, "These new cars nowadays are so posh, with the air conditioning and all that; it will take a longer time for the food to cook," he said.
Those in attendance were treated to a two-course meal which consisted of prawns for the starter, and salmon as the main course. The third course was skipped because there wasn't enough time, so persons missed out on the chocolately treat.