At the time of writing, the head pastry chef/chocolatier at Soko, John Almeida, is starring in Bake Off: The Professionals
Tell us about your cooking
For me, it’s all about showing respect for the ingredients. Before the products came to me, someone had to work very hard to produce them. It’s about showing respect not just for the ingredients but also for their producers. I like to mix different styles of cooking, pick different ingredients from the places I travel to and just experiment. Ultimately, it’s about well-balanced food packed with flavour.
How did you become a chef?
It all started when I was 14-years-old and I knew I would need to know how to cook to fend for myself once I moved out of my parents’ home. Little did I know I was about to find my passion for the culinary world and become addicted to it. Understanding the hard work that goes into each product to achieve the best always fascinated me. That’s how it all started for me, watching my grandparents sustainably grow and nurturing every crop to provide for themselves and the family back in Portugal. Such a childhood opened the doors to creativity which led to exciting new beginnings.
I went through culinary school in Portugal and worked in diverse places to discover what route I wanted to follow. Fine dining was always in the background of what I wanted to do. When I moved to England to do my degree in Culinary Arts Management at University College Birmingham, I came across some great opportunities in the fine dining world. Places like The Wilderness and Opheem were probably the highlights until I started to work at Soko Patisserie.
What do you eat at home?
I like to vary – anything like curry, stir fry or some good traditional Portuguese dishes. A cheeky Ramen and sushi Deliveroo once in a while. I always keep some ice cream in my freezer.
Who’s the best chef in the world and why? And who’s the best in Brum?
There are too many great chefs in the world that I look up to. Currently, for me in the patisserie world, I would have to say one of them is Amaury Guichon. In Birmingham, I can’t answer that – but in Portugal, no one beats my grandma’s or mother’s cooking. However, I will have to mention my pastry mentor Bharat Chandegra with his work ethic and amazing products.
Share a cooking tip
Always season your ice creams or ganaches with a bit of salt. Salt is a flavour enhancer and trust me it will make all the difference in the world.
What was your favourite food as a kid?
I wouldn’t be a good Portuguese if I didn’t say a good Pastel de Nata. However, eating a freshly picked tomato from my nan’s farm with a sprinkle of salt with my sister every summer will always be a fond memory of my childhood.
Food heaven and food hell?
Food heaven – Petiscos! Portuguese tapas on a late afternoon with a nice chilled bottle of white wine with a table full of friends and family. Food hell – Anything that involves Marmite!
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve eaten?
Not so unusual in Portugal, but one of my favourites would be chicken gizzards slow-cooked with beer, wine and port and loads of piri-piri and aromatics. A nice cold beer to go with that, please.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
I don’t see myself doing anything else apart from being a chef! I think it’s something that just runs in my blood and will always be something that will influence my life. But if not that, maybe the next Cristiano Ronaldo… haha!
Give a nice easy recipe for our readers to make at home using those lingering items in the store cupboard
This recipe is one of my all-time Portuguese favourite desserts and super easy to do at home. It’s called Leite de Crème and consists of a nice Portuguese custard that you can flavour with anything. Make sure to caramelise the top with some Demerara sugar for that extra texture.
To make Leite de Crème, you will need:
- 1,000g whole milk
- 170g caster sugar
- 40g cornflour
- 120g liquid egg yolk
- 2 vanilla pods
Bring the milk with the vanilla pods to a boil (scrape the pods). Mix the sugar with the egg yolk and cornstarch. Add a bit of milk into the mix while mixing to temper the mix. Pour everything back into the pan and cook it until it thickens and the flavour from the cornstarch is gone. Leave in the fridge to set. Sprinkle some sugar on top and pass the blowtorch to caramelise the sugar.
Happy eating!