Qin Xie

Qin Xie

I’m a journalist who is madly in love with every last morsel of food. I like to cook it, eat it and sometimes write about it too. My mad ramblings are generally in pursuit of the stories behind the food. And when I'm not cooking, eating or writing about food, I am probably thinking about it. There have been occasions when yoga sessions were consumed by thoughts on the best way to make chicken stock and surfing was all about the post-surf sandwich.

I enjoy my fair share of accompaniments too, everything from tea and coffee to wines and cocktails.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is my food hero. I love his passion and his approach to food, which is rather unfortunate for my parents' garden. It always gets plundered at the end of an episode of River Cottage. But one day I will have a Rangemaster and chickens to call my own.

  • Catch at Andaz Hotel

    Monday October 24th, 2011

    Qin Xie visits a City restaurant with a City banker. Does the seafood measure up?

  • A shucking good time at Patara

    Saturday October 8th, 2011

    Qin Xie heads to Patara to learn and shuck oysters for the first time... and wins a box of oysters!

  • Is matcha the new superfood trend?

    Sunday August 21st, 2011

    Qin Xie was recently invited to learn about matcha as the latest superfood trend to sweep the UK but it has raised a question or two in her mind...

  • Summer puddings workshop at Leiths

    Wednesday June 22nd, 2011

    The unpredictable weather hasn’t stopped Leiths from putting on a summer puddings workshop, and for a sweet tooth like Qin Xie's, the offer to attend was never going to be met with much resistance. So there she was on a surprisingly sunny Saturday morning, a large collection of Tupperware in tow, arriving to attend the workshop led by Maxine Clark.

  • Discovering Turning Leaf colours

    Wednesday May 25th, 2011

    Californian winemakers Turning Leaf have recently launched their “Discover the Colour” campaign to present their portfolio of five wines as expressions of colour. To be precise, Turning Leaf's oenologist Stephanie Edge has teamed up with Dutch chef Esther Röling to create a new series of colourful recipes designed to match the Turning Leaf wines throughout the seasons. Qin Xie was invited to sample their selection of wines and some of the summery dishes to match.

  • Good Godfrey opens at Waldorf Hilton

    Sunday April 17th, 2011

    The Waldorf Hilton has once again found itself in the cocktail world with a brand-new bar that's a nod to the Waldorf's theatrical past.

  • Commemorative food and drinks for your own Royal Wedding party

    Sunday April 17th, 2011

    If you're having your own party for the Royal Wedding, here are a few commemorative things to get you started.

  • Royal happenings to celebrate the Royal Wedding

    Sunday April 17th, 2011

    Whether you think the Royal Wedding is an over-hyped media circus or the most exciting event to have happened for decades, or perhaps you're simply nonchalant about the whole thing, there's no denying that it's a great excuse to party. we check out some of the Royal happenings.

  • Egg-tastic treats for Easter

    Thursday April 14th, 2011

    With Easter right round the corner, it's time for Qin Xie to bring you a round up of some of the best Easter eggs out there.

  • Discover the Origin with Matt Tebbutt

    Saturday April 9th, 2011

    This week Qin Xie was invited to a Discover the Origin masterclass with chef Matt Tebbutt of The Foxhunter in Nantyderry, Monmouthshire, where she learnt about the ingredients and cooked up a storm.

  • Ultra-glam Searcy's launch at One New Change

    Monday April 4th, 2011

    It was 5pm on a Tuesday and the perfect time for some champagne. Well champagne and canapés at the glamorous new Searcy's Champagne Bar launch, that is. And that's exactly where Qin Xie was on the 29th of March.

  • Whisky and more at 69 Colebrooke Row

    Sunday March 20th, 2011

    Qin Xie was recently invited to sample some fine Scotch whiskies at 69 Colebrooke Row, where many a delightful cocktail had been consumed in the past. It's the sort of bijoux venue where there's just enough light to cast a pleasing glow over everything, and everyone. And, if you know someone who knows someone, you can even take a tour in the lab upstairs where the possibilities are simply endless.

  • Butchery in the city

    Saturday March 12th, 2011

    With news of the fourth National Butcher's Week (13-20th March) arriving in Qin Xie's Inbox, she had an epiphany. She should, and need to, learn about those cuts of meat by exploring some of the best butchery classes right on her doorstep. After one or two train/tube/bus rides, that is.

  • Making Japanese cocktails at Watatsumi

    Thursday March 3rd, 2011

    Have you been to Watatsumi? It's a bit fishy in there. No, not in that "there's something suspicious going on" sort of way but rather, they're a bit fish obsessed. Qin Xie was recently invited to an evening of cocktail making at Watatsumi, the high-end Japanese restaurant at The Club Quarters Hotel.

  • Marmalade Breakfast at Fortnum & Mason

    Tuesday February 22nd, 2011

    With marmalade appearing in the news here, there and everywhere, you'd think it was in vogue. But it's not. The truth is, it never really went out of fashion.

  • Namaaste Kitchen, lunch like no other

    Thursday February 3rd, 2011

    When you get invited to sample the menu at a new restaurant, you sort of expect to try a few things that define the restaurant and make up your mind based on that. Generally, they're the most interesting things on the menu anyway but you will almost always walk away more than satisfied. On this occasion, Qin Xie was invited to sample the new menu at Namaaste Kitchen – a restaurant so new, even finding its website on Google had been a struggle. But they do have one, it's at www.namaastekitchen.co.uk.

  • Haggis and whisky tasting at Boisdale

    Saturday January 22nd, 2011

    Ahead of Burn's night on the 25th of January, Qin Xie was invited to a lunch time blind tasting of haggis and malt whisky at Boisdale of Belgravia.

  • Guilty chocolate pleasures

    Thursday January 13th, 2011

    There's a lot of talk about January detox but admit it, how many of you have already fallen off the bandwagon? And even if you're still going strong, isn't the best part of the detox the day when you get to retox? And there's nothing so tempting as the guilty pleasure of chocolates so that's why Qin Xie has brought you the ultimate guide to chocolate in the next few months.

  • Desserts and wines with Nancy Gilchrist MW

    Sunday December 12th, 2010

    Leiths School of Food and Wine, famed for training professional and amateur chefs alike, has recently launched a new series of evening tasting classes. Qin Xie went to its West London kitchen classroom to try some food and wine matches.

  • Entertaining with Laurent Perrier

    Tuesday December 7th, 2010

    The Christmas season is definitely upon us with snow descending across the country and the opening of advent calendars. To ease us into the party season, Laurent-Perrier held a little class on the art of entertaining. Qin Xie was there to enjoy a little champagne and take notes.