The head chef of 670 Grams in Digbeth, Sacha Townsend, talks about her journey from cooking with mum to leading a kitchen and why a jacket potato with tuna and green giant sweetcorn is always 10 out of 10. Oh, and how she became an egg ‘snob’
Tell us about your cooking?
My cooking is always flavour-led and carefully considered. I just cook the things I like to eat. I don’t just cook something because it’s a ‘classical pairing‘. That said, my execution is always very precise. I started out working on the pastry section, so that never really leaves you. Seasonality is really important – if you can get the ingredient at its peak, you’re guaranteed great quality, and equally, the flavour is unmatched. I still get excited when a piece of meat is slowly rendering on the BBQ. You get those lovely flickers of heat when the fat drops down. The flavour and caramelisation you get from a BBQ just can’t be recreated.
How did you become a chef?
Being a chef was never the dream. I went to a school where they pushed for more academic studies. So, I didn’t even know being a chef was a ‘proper’ job. I just remember speaking to my friends, thinking it was mental that they didn’t do any cooking on a weekend or even enjoy it, for that matter. I realised it could be more than just a hobby, so I left sixth form and started at culinary college. After various work placements, I started at the Man Behind The Curtain in Leeds, where I stayed for four years, learning a lot of what I know.
My family are a big reason that I love cooking so much, my mum would always let me get involved in the cooking and educate us about food, and where it comes from. I became a bit of an egg snob once I learned about battery hens. Just the daily ritual of sitting at the dinner table, talking about your day, was just always something I looked forward to.
What do you eat at home?
At home, sometimes it’s nice to get a bit ‘cheffy‘, especially at Christmas time. But a jacket potato with tuna and green giant sweet corn is honestly 10/10.
Who is the best chef in the world and why? And the best in Brum?
Best chef in the world, I’m gonna say Gareth Ward. Genuinely, I think he changed the way chefs cook and plate food. Best chef in Brum, we’re so lucky there’s loads. I’m gonna say James at Chancers Cafe in Stirchley. The fried chicken is bonkers, and the gaifan is unbelievable with a side of smacked cucumber. Also, shout-out to Luke Tipping, longevity and all that, Simpson’s is beautiful.
Share a cooking tip
If you’re cooking a steak, oil and season it before cooking. Not the pan. You just end up with a smoking pan, and you’ll probably set the fire alarm off.
What was your favourite food as a kid?
Definitely my grandma’s casserole. She would cook it all day while we were at school, and my grandad would make the butteriest mash.
Food heaven and food hell?
Heaven, I’ll go with pizza – P2 from Otto, to be exact. Hell? OMG anything with offal. I know that’s so ignorant, but I just can’t get down with it. Deep-fried monkfish liver, it’s a no from me.
If you weren’t a chef what will you be?
An architect – I love Grand Designs.