Finders Keepers: René Redzepi and fellow chefs forage on Hampstead Heath

It was a crisp autumn blue-sky day when René Redzepi – in London for the last leg of his world book tour for Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine – went foraging on Hampstead Heath with fellow chefs and forager Miles Irving, author of The Forager Handbook. Turns out it’s amazing what culinary goodies you can find in places you might not think to look.

Chefs clad in wellies met at The Wells Tavern, on Well Walk in Hampstead, before being led by Irving on a three hour walk across the Heath. Finds included wild garlic and sheep’s sorrel, while René Redzepi’s personal favourite were the wild serviceberries which he’d never seen or tasted before (and which, apparently, had a sort of tamarind flavour). Irving led the way - and the explanations in describing what the products were used for, together with interesting historical anecdotes.

Aside from the section of the party that got separated and lost circling Parliament Hill, the day passed without a hitch, and the group was re-united in time for a rewarding lunch at the Bull & Last with a menu put together in the spirit of using wild ingredients. A reason, if ever one were needed, to go forth and forage.