FOOD + DRINK
BRIGHTON
A MasterClass from a MasterChef at etch .
I DON ’ T THINK I ’ VE EVER KNOWN AS MUCH HYPE TO SPREAD THROUGH THE STREETS OF BRIGHTON & HOVE AS IT DID WHEN WORD GOT OUT THAT STEVEN EDWARDS , 2013 WINNER OF MASTERCHEF : THE PROFESSIONALS , WAS OPENING A RESTAURANT . IN HOVE NO LESS ; BRIGHTON ’ S LESS BOISTEROUS NEIGHBOUR AND A PART OF THE CITY THAT ’ S GATHERING STEADY PACE WHEN IT COMES TO GREAT PLACES TO EAT . INTERVIEWED BEFORE THE 2017 OPENING , STEVEN DIDN ’ T GIVE MUCH AWAY , BUT ALLUDED TO TWO THINGS – FIRSTLY , ETCH . ( LOWER CASE ‘ E ’, FULL STOP AFTER THE H ) WAS TO BE A CELEBRATION OF THE INCREDIBLE LOCAL PRODUCE THAT SUSSEX HAS IN ABUNDANCE , AND SECONDLY , THAT DINERS SHOULD EXPECT TO BE SURPRISED . HE HAS ACHIEVED BOTH . AND A LOT MORE TOO . BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
What strikes you first walking into etch . is the welcoming lack of pretension – if there is a rulebook about fine dining ’ s dos and don ’ ts , Edwards and his trendy , smiley staff have ( thankfully ) thrown it away before reading the intro . Just because he is a chef of very high pedigree , training first with Raymond Blanc then joining Matt Gillan ’ s acclaimed brigade at the five-star South Lodge Hotel in Horsham before winning MasterChef : The Professionals at the tender age of 26 ( one of the youngest chefs ever to do so ), doesn ’ t mean he has to fall into the stuffy , affected trap that many other fine dining restaurants do .
Edwards ’ definition of fine dining is clearly a very updated version of the fusty stereotype of yore ; there is not a crisp , white tablecloth in sight and diners are very welcome to drop their guard . The décor – a cool combination of midnight blue and burnt orange with pops of neon , industrial lighting and artwork provided by the very current likes of Pure Evil and Magnus Djoen – encourages fun , which is surely what a night spent eating exceptional food paired with an expertly curated wine flight should be .
Setting this relaxed scene however is all part of a bigger , cleverly conceived picture ; one that lures you into a lovely , laid back frame of mind before wowing you with course after course of food that has been planned , prepared and delivered with the precision and care that you would expect from a chef of such calibre ; etch . might be pretty hip , but don ’ t be fooled – Edwards takes food very seriously .
The first thing I taste after starting proceedings with an appetite-whetting glass of sparkling Nyetimber from the eponymous West Sussex vineyard , is a miniature mushroom doughnut , which looks as though it should be heavy but is of course as light as air and smacks of truffle , so instantly I ’ m sold . Truffle is an incredible ingredient when used by knowing hands , something that becomes even more apparent when I taste the celeriac / truffle dish that ’ s delivered next ; I can think of little more comforting than a warm bowl of aerated celeriac soup concealing a thicker puree and seared celeriac cubes , all laced with the rich earthiness of truffle ; there was never any doubt that the chefs at etch . have style and technique , but this dish alone proves that food here has a lot of substance too .
Another dish that delighted in equal measure was broccoli / egg . I remember reading somewhere that Edwards didn ’ t like broccoli as a child , so I was intrigued to see how it would take centre stage . One of his main aims with etch . is to celebrate the diversity of vegetables as much as meat and fish and this dish does just that ; a glossy , slow-cooked duck egg yolk next to a charred broccoli floret sat on top of what looks like a simple croute , but is of course elevated by shards of raw stem , delicate shavings of salty parmesan and a hint of foamy hollandaise ; it tasted phenomenal .
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