40 exclusive minutes with Heston Blumenthal

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MF_+W Festival 2009
With thanks to the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

It’s 3.50 on a Friday afternoon. I’ve just finished a great meal cooked by Scott Pickett at The Point in Albert Park and his mentor the brilliant Phil Howard from Two Michelin star The Square in London as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

I can’t get a taxi to take me to The Langham where I’m interviewing possibly the most important chef in the world Heston Blumenthal who is over for the festival. Finally with about 15 minutes to spare Tim, The Point’s sommelier, comes to the rescue. We drive two-thirds of the way there but a gas tanker has overturned.
I’m forced to run to make my 4.30 appointment. I arrive one minute late, hot sweaty and slightly moister than I would have liked.

Heston is also caught in the traffic chaos on his way back from thrashing Shannon Bennett at Raquetball.
He arrives equally moist, 40 minutes late. And what was meant to be 20 minutes with king of culinary whimsy expands to some 40 minutes.

Here is what I compressed into 800 words for SBS Food.

We talk about his philosophy, the food poisoning scare, esoteric studies into how we taste and kebabs.

I kick-off: “You are quite cheeky compared to what other chefs do.”

Listen here to the full conversation with Heston Blumenthal:

Are you just having a laugh?

This interview is about 40 minutes long.

Coming soon: Thomas Keller and Sat Bains.

Ed Charles is a journalist and digital consultant who spend the better part of the part two decades in Australia. He trained with IPC in London and has written for major international and national business and lifestyle titles. Establishing this blog in 2005, he was one of the first of a handful of food bloggers in Australia. He's spoken at the Melbourne Writers Festival and Emerging Writers Festival and has broadcasted regularly on food and digital media issues. He is currently writing a history of mankind told through food.