The N^TH Degree Lunch At M Restaurant & Interview With Michael Reid

7 November 2018

The N^TH Degree Club enjoyed a special lunch at M, an award winning restaurant in Victoria Street. Executive Chef Michael Reid trained in two of London’s definitive fine dining restaurants, Le Gavroche and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, where his skills were honed under the tutelage of celebrated chefs Michel Roux Jr and Ramsay himself. In this post, we’ve shared all the pictures from this special event plus our exclusive interview with Culinary Director Michael Reid.

The N^TH Degree Club: Where are you from and where did you grow up?

Michael Reid: I was born and grew up in London.

The N^TH Degree Club: When and how did your passion for food start?

Michael Reid: I was always passionate about food, from a very early age I was in the kitchen cooking and baking. All through school I knew what I wanted to do but it wasn’t until after university that I committed to cooking full time.

The N^TH Degree Club: What is the first dish you created?

Michael Reid: Chilled Strawberry and Tomato soup with a white pepper oil. I was still an apprentice at the time and was super proud of it, ha.

The N^TH Degree Club: Do you have any special memories from the kitchen when you were growing up?

Michael Reid: Learning to bake in the kitchen with my mum, she is a fantastic baker and it is where my love of sweets began.

The N^TH Degree Club: Where did you do your training and what was your first job?

Michael Reid: My first job was in a 2 rosette brasserie in Portsmouth but my proper training begun at the In and Out club in St James in London where I did my apprenticeship.

The N^TH Degree Club: What advice would you give to aspiring chefs?

Michael Reid: Commit to the profession in your early years and learn from as many good chefs as you can. Don’t hop from job to job but soak up as much information from each kitchen over a period of time until you feel you are ready for the next challenge. The first 5 years are crucial, so put your head down and learn!

The N^TH Degree Club: What can we expect if we visit your current restaurant?

Michael Reid: Our philosophy at M is about showcasing the best of 6 countries cuisine which we believe have the best beef and wine in the world. So you’ll find dishes inspired from Japan to South Africa on our menu but also the likes of Kobe and Blackmore wagyu which is come of the best beef in the world.

The N^TH Degree Club: Tell us about your signature dishes.

Michael Reid: Smoked Wagyu Tartare, which is all about apples, pickled, fresh, compressed, gel and smoked in Applewood under a glass dome! We then finish it with grated foie gras at the table.

The N^TH Degree Club: Where do you think food trends are heading for 2019?

Michael Reid: The emergence of African cuisine and high end African dining will continue to prosper in 2019.

The N^TH Degree Club: If you could create a menu for four famous people (alive or dead), who would they be, and what would the menu be?

Michael Reid: Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Michael Jackson and Jim Carrey….tough question ha. Menu would be the following:

Carrots | Served 8 ways | Parmesan | Raisins

King Fish Sashimi | Tangerine | Fennel | Tarragon

Blackmore Wagyu Sirloin | Anchovy Mayonnaise | Samphire | Girolles | Fermented Roots

White Chocolate Ice Cream | Cucumber | Lemon | Olive Oil Sponge | Meringue

The N^TH Degree Club: If you could cook with one other chef, who would it be?

Michael Reid: Andoni Aduriz from Mugaritz, one of my favourite restaurants in the world and his cooking is just phenomenal

The N^TH Degree Club: If you could eat anywhere in the world, where would you go for a special meal and what drink would you pick to go with it?

Michael Reid: Noma during the vegetable season and I would have their juice pairing menu

Address – M Restaurant, Zig Zag Building, 74 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6SQ

Visit the M Restaurant website. 

Visit Michael Reid’s website.

Follow on Instagram Mrestaurants & mikereidchef