James is head chef of Lost In the Lanes and Tide Seafood Kitchen.
TELL US ABOUT THE FOOD YOU COOK AND WHY YOU LOVE IT
I would sum up my food style as ‘Rustic Refined’. I love fancy plating but flavours need to be simple and not over complicated. Everything on the plate should be there for a reason, and the dish should always showcase one key ingredient. My food is generally colourful and packs a punch. I always follow the ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat’ mentality to ensure nothing is missing, everything works in harmony and the customer always wants more.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN / WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I was born in Sutton, then I moved to Dartmoor in Devon when I was 10 and grew up there until I was 26 before moving to Brighton.
EARLIEST FOOD MEMORY
My first cooking memories were when I was about 12 and my parents thought I was sensible enough to stay home alone sometimes! As soon as I saw them leave the driveway, I would enter our larder cupboard and hunt around to find whatever weird and wonderful (maybe not) combinations that I could then bake into something that mildly resembled a cake, which very often had a bluey green appearance to it. Somewhere between then and now, I’ve got good enough to run my own kitchens!
HOW DID YOU END UP IN BRIGHTON?
Growing up in Devon was nice and it’s a lovely part of the country, however it’s a bit slow. There’s not a huge amount going on regarding food & drink and also my other passion which is music. I knew I needed to be somewhere a lot more energetic and also somewhere where I felt inspired. I’d heard a lot about Brighton, and I hastily moved up here without even visiting; it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
WHAT PASSIONS DO YOU HAVE OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Aside from being a chef, I am also a music producer and DJ. My first love is music. I try my best to juggle food and music as much as I can, and some skills transfer across both fields, especially attention to detail and perfectionism. I certainly burn the candle at both ends!
BEST KITCHEN MEMORY
Doing our first Lost Nights supper club was amazing. Because before that I was really doubting I was a good enough chef, but on the night I managed to pull off a 7 course tasting menu which lots of guests said was as good as some Michelin restaurants they’d eaten in.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COMFORT FOOD?
I am a sucker for a big bowl of rigatoni pasta with a rich tomato sauce and either jumbo king prawns, or veggie meatballs. All of this will be covered in mozzarella and then grilled. I have no shame in admitting I often introduce a big dollop of garlic mayo!
IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING IN FOOD, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU BE DOING?
I’d like to think that I’d be performing in some sort of way. Either musically, or as a TV presenter or possibly a comedian!
WHAT FOOD TRENDS DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN THE COMING YEARS?
I feel that the vegetarian BBQ scene is going to kick off. I am already seeing lots of coal roasted veg dishes on menus. I personally love treating vegetables like they’re meat. Mushrooms for example can, when cooked in a certain way, taste and feel like steak!
I would like to do more open fire cooking, because you can’t beat that charred and smoky flavour.
WHAT ASPIRATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR CAREER / BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE?
For our LOST brand we aim to take things up a notch; hopefully becoming the leading daytime restaurant spot in Brighton, that also offers the best brunch and cocktails. I also hope to host other chefs to come and cook with me for events and also offer our kitchen space out as a pop-up opportunity for budding restaurant entrepreneurs.
With Tide Seafood Kitchen, the aim is to keep it fun and street food orientated but always look for ways to make our dishes more exciting and even tastier whilst focusing on sustainability.
NAME A RECIPE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE IN THEIR REPERTOIRE
Our French Toast recipe, but unfortunately I can’t share it with you, yet. Wait for the LOST cookbook…..
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR INSPIRATION?
Everywhere really. I am completely self taught, so I’ve always relied on books, YouTube, MasterChef, Great British Menu etc, and of course eating out very regularly! I barely ever copy anything I see. It’s more about taking a slight bit of influence here and there, then building it into my own ideas. Trial and error has served me well through the years.
RESTAURANTS YOU WANT TO VISIT
I would really like to go to Hide and also Frenchie, in London.
As a seafood fanatic, I am also desperate to go to Tom Brown’s restaurant Cornerstone. I did book it once, but it happened to fall on the day we last got locked down. Locally I am looking forward to visiting Slow & Low Smokehouse, and also Fourth and Church again as the food I’m seeing on their Instagram looks incredible.
Follow James Flavell
@james_flavell_chef
Published: 1st March 2022
