Sarah Wasserman, head of food development at SE1’s mallow, tells The Biscuit why eating plant-based can help the planet, sustainability in the kitchen, and her family links to Borough…
The Biscuit: Tell us about yourself, Sarah…
Sarah Wasserman: Apart from a teenage babysitting gig, I have been in hospitality almost my entire working life. As a vegetarian and then vegan, I started in wholefood in North Carolina and worked in various hippy establishments in the states where you grind your own flour and make tofu brownies.
When I moved to London, I went to study art and supported myself by working as a chef. I came to Mildred’s when I was a student at the Royal Academy of Arts and gradually, the skills I learned in art school to develop and defend ideas married with my work in the kitchen.
I have been a kitchen manager, head of pastry, head of central kitchen, development chef and author of two cookbooks with Mildred’s. My work always changes and has never been boring!
At mallow, you’re 100% plant-based. Can you explain why this is important in a restaurant?
We are the first fully plant-based restaurant in Borough Market and therefore opening mallow was a huge milestone for us as a business but also for the market. The market is a celebration of food culture in the capital and mallow is an acknowledgement of the importance of plant-based food to our city.
What are the benefits of eating plant-based?
The health advantages of eating a wide range of plants are well known. A high-fibre and nutrient-dense range of plants and vegetables is good for your heart and your gut. However, there is no reason just because you eat plant-based that you will be healthier, we all have to be careful to keep our diets balanced. The main advantage to eating more plant-based meals is the huge reduction in your carbon footprint – up to 50%. So even if you choose to eat plant-based a couple more times a week, you are doing something good for the planet.
What are some menu highlights for you?
I’m really proud of our mallow menus and we have done some great things as a team. When Cedrick, our pastry chef, came up with our brioche brûlée French toast, the leek and cheddar croquettes with black butter ketchup, the five-course Tuscan-inspired Christmas tasting menu – developed with my development colleague Alessandra Malacarne – and the many variants of our beautiful market thali have been great moments
Mallow strives to be as sustainable as possible – waste can be high at home and in restaurants, but can you tell us how you cut down on your waste? And why it is important?
The good habits you learn as a chef, to not waste food, are just as applicable for a home cook. In mallow, we aim to use as much of the plant as possible: using things that would usually go in the bin, like leek tops, into beautiful garnishes. Making base stocks with trimming is a chef habit that will help at home, too. I keep all of my suitable trimmings in the freezer at home so that when I have enough, I make base stock or dashi with them. Then I can knock up a tasty soup or stew at home easily.
The other major way we try to be less wasteful at mallow is by cooking seasonally and that’s something we can all do. This makes us a good reflection of the market around us.
When working on a new menu addition, can you give us an insight into the recipe-creating process?
We always start with seasonality and that gives us a framework to develop new dishes. We also try to retain a good balance of international influences and we’re so lucky to have a team of talented, inspiring chefs from all over the world whom we can turn to for help and advice with recipes. We follow our passions and a big drive for us is being able to offer something plant-based, which isn’t usually plant-based. We want people to understand that eating plant-based is not about giving anything up, it’s about opening yourself up to a world of new experiences and flavours.
You are also writing a third cookbook – what is the focus?
The title of the third cookbook is ‘Vegan Easy’ and it’s a passion project for us to show how approachable and simple vegan cooking can be. There are over 115 recipes, and it has something for everyone for any occasion.
Finally, what do you love about SE1?
For me, it’s a very meaningful location. My great aunt Rosemary was housekeeper to the Bishop of Southwark, though she was such a terrible cook – so much so she was sent off to do a Cordon Bleu course.
Borough attracts people from all over the world and we are proud to be an offer that welcomes everyone. The market is so beautiful and diverse, but it hasn’t always been the best place to be plant-based. As a Londoner, I’m proud we are part of the move to welcome more people to the area.
mallowlondon.com
1 Cathedral Street, SE1 9DE
