BY CELEBRITY chef standards, Ottolenghi’s repertoire is modest: he’s been cooking for 15 years and “only” has four delis, two restaurants and seven books to his name. But, thanks, in part, to his column in The Guardian “The New Vegetarian”, which began in 2006, his influence far exceeds the sum of these parts.
Known among the food literati as “the chef who made veggies cool”, Ottolenghi‘s name is often accompanied by an eye-roll and a reference to obscure ingredients (harissa, tahini, sumac), but it has also become a happy household adjective for heavily spiced, veg-focused dishes that are designed to be shared.
Born in Jerusalem, Yotam is of Italian-German Jewish descent, which explains the myriad cultural traditions that infuse his recipes. His latest book, Simple, is no exception, featuring dishes…
