We ask chefs and food producers to share the most fondly recalled dishes from their travels
interviews TONY NAYLOR
Mongolian flatbreads
“Some years ago, we trekked for eight days across the Mongolian steppe on short-legged ponies, with a guide and cook. On day five, the cook pulled a metal bowl from her bag, tipped in some flour and made a dough which, studded with garlic and sad-looking wilted spring onions, became the best crispy flatbreads. Bread-making always terrified me, but – formed by hand with no recipe or scales – those flatbreads inspired me to work with flour. I love cong you bing, Chinese scallion pancakes, which are similar. Eating them, I’m reminded of that extraordinary experience.” Amy Poon, Poon’s London and Wontoneria, London
Jamaican jerk
“My now-wife Michelle has family in Jamaica, and on my first visit in 2002, I fell in love with its food and culture. The jerk barbecue was a revelation. We visited Sotchie’s in Ocho Rios, one of what Jamaicans call ‘jerk centres’ – indoor-outdoor restaurants where meats are slow-cooked over charcoal and native woods. I was blown away by the meat’s tenderness, smokiness and the subtle flavours of pimento and other seasonings.”
Matin Miah, co-founder of Rudie’s Jerk Shack, London
Singapore’s street food
“I picked up a lot of inspiration travelling in Southeast Asia, specifically from the street-food scene. In Singapore, I discovered the art of snacking. No more crisps and cereal bars for me – not after tasting curry puffs. Some of my other favourites are chilli crab, popiah [fresh spring rolls] and chicken rice. Growing up with Nigerian parents, jollof rice was a staple. Discovering chicken rice encouraged me to experiment with methods of cooking it and get braver with flavours and spices to develop different jollof recipes.”
Ayo Adeyemi, executive chef at Akoko, London
Breakfast in Kyoto
“The way people eat breakfast in Japan completely suits my palate: clear broths, soft tofu, grilled mackerel, perfectly cooked rice, different pickles. It energised me for the day. That trip inspired me to change my breakfast routine. I always have dashi and pickles in, ready to go.”
Abby Lee, chef-owner of Mambow, London
Tuscan farinata
“I love Italian food’s hyperregionality. Take the two farinatas. One is the well-known Ligurian chickpea [flour] pancake, sprinkled with rosemary, herbs and sliced artichokes. Then, there’s farinata di cavolo
