Latest features MsMarmiteLover gets grilled

Date Published:

09/07/2009

Hannah Williams met up with queen of the underground restaurant scene, MsMarmitelover, to talk samba, secrecy and Marmite pudding

How long have you been doing this?

Six months - every weekend for six months.

With a different theme every time?

Basically.

How did it all start?

Well basically, I haven't got a husband; I've got a teenage daughter who for years only ever ate pasta and fish fingers and I just thought, 'I love cooking and I've got no one to cook for'.

So basically you had a feeder fetish?

I didn't know there was a name for it! [Laughs] No, basically I'd love to have a restaurant but I haven't got the funding for it; also, we all know how many restaurants start up and then fold in six months to a year because people don't know how much hard work they are and how hard it is to make money. If you want a restaurant, the best thing you can do actually is open up a home restaurant to get a real idea of what it's actually like.

Where did it all start?

Both Horton [founder of The Secret Ingredient] and I played in an anarchist samba band.

As all great restaurants start…

Basically he started his and two weeks later I started mine. Somebody said, 'oh there's a disused house in East London, you could use that' but I thought it's really far away and in the end I thought why not just do it here [in her home]?

It's obviously really hard work. Do you enjoy it?

I really enjoy it. Every week I think, 'f**k this, God, I'm sick of this, why am I doing this, I'm insane'. But I really enjoy it.

How early in the week does the preparation start?

To be honest it's all the time. I'm either replying to emails, working out admin, researching dishes, researching where I can get the ingredients - you have to work it all out a few days in advance. Last week I did tapas and I wanted to get padron peppers so I had to do a lot of research: where can I get them from etc...

Who does the cooking?

I do.

All of it?

Yeah. Today I had help from Emma from Tsuru who did a lot of the cutting of the fish; I can't cut fish for sashimi. I like to do collaborations, working with other people because I'm always up for learning and you learn something from everybody. And I have volunteers; everyone's a volunteer who comes here.

The food's not what you'd get anywhere. I've put my own twist on it.

Of all the themes you've done has there been any that you've thought 'never again'?

I must admit the Marmite one… I cooked with Marmite for every course; Marmite cocktail, Marmite pudding. One of the guests said, 'I'll bring my blood pressure tablets with me'. I think he was a bit overwhelmed.

How do you do Marmite dessert?

Actually that was one of the tastiest things; you cook the ice cream with a Marmite and chocolate caramel sauce. It was a Gary Rhodes recipe and it worked really well.

Marmite sent me a lot of free Marmite; they love me.

Why do you think underground restaurants are so popular at the moment?

I think because they're new and people like novelty. Let's be honest. I think they like illegality. They like anything that sticks two fingers up at the Government.

Would you like to see underground restaurants becoming more popular?

I'd like to see one in every area. What excites me is really, really good home cooking. I'm not madly into celebrity chefs. I do have a lot of respect for restaurateurs. It's hard work, I don't make money out of it. It's really hard graft so respect to them, but personally that's not my thing.

So for people out there who are serious about setting up their own underground restaurant, what would be your top three tips?

Don't start drinking till after you've served the main course. Leave enough time and above all, be nice.

Read 4Food’s blog-sperience at an underground supper club

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