akandpa (Alan King)

akandpa (Alan King)

Having been interested in cooking from an early age, I often cooked at home as a child.  My first job was as a trainee chef at The Ritz Hotel in Central London. However, split shifts and unsocial working hours were not for me, so I left and took up office work. I entered a career in the Civil Service, where I worked until late 2008, when I took early retirement.  I now have the privilege of working on things that I enjoy. Food and its creation has remained a passion throughout my life and I have been writing about it for some years now, originally as a house reviewer for london-eating, I moved to foodepedia at its launch. I write under the akandpa name as it is more distinctive than Alan King – there are a lot of Alan King’s out there!

  • Lake House Table Kitchen Suppers

    Tuesday March 29th, 2011

    The Lake House target customers are those professional couples among us. Those who don’t want to spend an eternity in the kitchen once they’ve got home from a possibly stressful day at work, yet want to put something on the table for their loved one that they at least have had a hand in cooking.

  • Harrison’s, Balham

    Friday March 25th, 2011

    Among the array of eateries in Balham, just off the High Street is Harrison’s, which can best be described as a bar/brasserie/restaurant. It's a great local restaurant, that was very popular the evening we were there; they give excellent value for money and absolutely deserve to do well, serving very good food in a great atmosphere that compliments the trendiness of the area.

  • A Mother’s Day wine selection?

    Friday March 18th, 2011

    We have looked at a four wines that you might want to consider buying for your Mother’s Day meal, these might help you select the right ones for your table on this special occasion.

  • Pearl, High Holborn, London

    Thursday March 10th, 2011

    Pearl has a lot going for it, wonderful surroundings and great service carried out with a quiet and efficient elegance, setting the scene for the amazingly good creations from the kitchen led by Jun Tanaka. These three elements come together to deliver the special experience you anticipate when you initially walk through the doors .

  • ORA, Little Portland Street, London

    Thursday March 3rd, 2011

    You can see ORA’s shocking pink neon sign from a good distance away, so vibrant is it that it seems to throb. This new Thai restaurant tucked away in Little Portland Street is otherwise quite unassuming from the outside, but as you enter it’s a different story. It’s smart and comfortable, a great space to take your time and enjoy a meal, but  don’t just take my word for it, check it out for yourself.

  • Celebrating 35 years of Nicolas Feuillatte

    Wednesday March 2nd, 2011

    This was the first time I have drunk Champagne throughout a meal and I have to say, it was a brilliant thing to do. I’m not, by any means suggesting that you might pair each of your courses at a restaurant or around your dining table, with different Champagnes as a regular thing; it’s a little decadent. But it’s a fun thing to do,

  • WB&CO raw vegetable juices

    Wednesday March 2nd, 2011

    WB&CO juices aren’t thick and gloopy like some healthy drinks, they are smooth and light, each with a clean and fresh distinctive finish. The colours are natural and the aromas of the vegetables greet you as you raise the drinks to your lips.

  • High Noon, at the W1 range

    Friday February 25th, 2011

    There’s some nervous, edgy eye contact, we’re introduced, shake hands, then move to different parts of Caldesi’s place. The clock was ticking by, moving ever closer to High Noon. This hullabaloo had been  arranged to find the perfect chilli, as part of the launch of Loyd Grossman’s ‘classic’ and ‘fiery’ chilli sauces, there could be casualties.

  • Wine with your pancakes, why not?

    Tuesday February 22nd, 2011

    We surveyed the shelves of Sainsbury’s looking for some interesting wines that you might like to pick up over the coming weeks. We selected four wines that, with Shrove Tuesday coming up, could well go with dishes you are preparing if you are doing something special with friends or relatives on or around that day and would like a wine to go with your pancakes, whether they are sweet or savoury.

  • The Vintner, supplying the trade and the public

    Tuesday February 22nd, 2011

    I seem to be writing about New Zealand wines a lot of late and it has to be said, quite justifiably. I have tasted some excellent vibrantly fruity produce from this part of the world. So when invited along to a wine tasting at The Vintner, I was pleasantly surprised to find that all the wines on the table for tasting were also from New Zealand.

  • Mont Tauch launch Les Garrigues

    Saturday February 19th, 2011

    I have written about the Mont Tauch co-operative in Fitou before. Renowned for their adopting an environmentally friendly, sustainable approach to their winemaking, Mont Tauch recently launched its Les Garrigues Grande Reserve Grenache Noir 2010. I would unhesitatingly recommend you seek this one out; it's delightful.

  • Grim’s Dyke, a bit of history, a bit of old England

    Wednesday February 16th, 2011

    You won’t have to be an artist, music lover or someone struck by interesting architecture to enjoy a visit to or stay at Grim’s Dyke, you will be charmed by what it is, a great, quaint, well preserved Victorian house that has some very interesting history to it. At the very least go there and enjoy a meal in the restaurant, or afternoon tea, you absolutely won't be disappointed.

  • Marisco wines

    Thursday February 10th, 2011

    We tasted the Marisco Pinot Gris, The Ned and The King’s Favour Sauvignon Blanc, two bold white wines each with big distinctive character.

  • Vagabond wines - a taster or a glass?

    Wednesday February 9th, 2011

    Together with a select group of food and drink writers I was invited recently to Vagabond Wines to sample some of the wines that owner, Stephen Finch, considered particularly special among those he has on sale at this unique, perhaps groundbreaking shop.

  • Nepenthe wines - an elixire, or simply great wine?

    Thursday February 3rd, 2011

    The name Nepenthe is drawn from one of the most famous works of historic Greek poet, Homer. In the Odyssey Homer described Nepenthe as an ancient herbal drink so powerful that it eases grief and banishes sorrow from the mind. Do these Nepenthe wines have magical qualities that raise the spirits? I’m not sure, but what I can say is that they are great quality and absolutely worth seeking out.

  • Little Beauty, delightful New Zealand wines

    Tuesday February 1st, 2011

    The Little Beauty wines come from Marlborough in New Zealand, the country’s principal wine producing region, where the climate and terrain is renowned as being ideal for growing grapes that make excellent wines. The two wines that I tasted recently, the Dry Riesling 2009 and the Pinot Noir 2009 are prime examples of this.

  • Charbrew specialist teas and tisanes

    Thursday January 27th, 2011

    Charbrew teas contain some interesting ingredients including, among other things, lemongrass, coconut rasps, fruits, cardamom, beetroot and carrot, as well as whole leaves and flowers, in bringing together their range. These little bags of promise deliver some very bold vibrant flavours, that lingered on the palate after drinking.

  • Plateau, Canada Place, Canary Wharf

    Monday January 17th, 2011

    As you enter this vast place, through Plateau Bar and Grill into the main restaurant, you’re struck by the unmistakable Conranian style of its interior. Plateau is an excellent place to go for a special meal to wow your guests not only with the food but also the environment and the views. On the level, it’s an impressive restaurant.

  • Celebrate Australia Day on 26 January with Australia’s First Families of wine

    Monday January 17th, 2011

    I have written about wines from Australia’s First Families of wine before, but with Australia Day coming up it seemed appropriate to check out a few of their wines for those Aussies among us and those Aussiephiles who might just want to celebrate the day with some quality wines from this Australian collective of winemakers.

  • Auchentoshan launch two limited edition whiskies, collectors’ items or something to savour?

    Monday January 17th, 2011

    Auchentoshan from Glasgow is, we are told, Scotland’s only triple distilled single malt whisky producer, with a history dating back to 1823.  Auchentoshan has, over the years, developed a reputation for creating single malts with a smooth delicate flavour and they have recently launched two limited edition whiskies.