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Every week, we interview top chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks, views on the industry and more. Today, we speak to Tim Brindley, head chef at Toum off Regent Street in London…
The best budget bite in London is… Padella in Borough Market – famous for fresh, handmade pasta at unbeatable prices. A plate of their pici cacio e pepe or beef shin ragu clocks in at around £10-£12. Quick service, great buzz and arguably the best pasta in London without breaking the bank.
If I were prime minister for a day, I would pass… zero VAT on hospitality for independent venues earning under £1m. A targeted, meaningful relief that would help hundreds of small businesses stay open.
My supermarket guilty pleasure… M&S’s “Our Best Ever” prawn mayo sandwich. Genuinely elite – soft bread, quality prawns, generous filling.
Designed-for-sharing? Absolutely. Tap water? Of course, but… if six people nurse one starter for two hours and pull out their own bottle of wine – that’s not hospitality, that’s freeloading.
My favourite restaurant chain is… Dishoom. Give me the house black daal, lamb chops and a hot chai any day. The consistency, service, and value are spot-on.
A minimum spend policy is acceptable… if disclosed upfront. Especially in small, high-demand venues. But surprising guests with it? Never okay.
To me, British cuisine… is deeper than fish and chips. Think Dorset crab, Kentish strawberries, Yorkshire rhubarb. When it’s seasonal and regional, it’s brilliant. The critics just aren’t looking hard enough.
Dinner party guests should bring… a bottle of chilled Muscadet Sevre et Maine – crisp, light, and brilliant with food, especially if there’s seafood or lighter dishes on the table. It’s affordable, French and just left-of-centre enough to feel considered. Or bring a proper loaf of sourdough from a good bakery. Just please, no supermarket hummus in plastic tubs.
The customer behaviour I find most annoying is……
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