This menu is different. It’s meant to be. Instead of starting with a geographical location, I wanted to look at food from another perspective; how can a variety of flavours and traditions be derived from processes that are so similar in design. Take the concept of cooking over fire; it isn’t new and is relatively simple as a base idea. You only have to wait for the first sunny day in the UK for the smell of barbecues to fill the air. But (and this is no disrespect to the hard labour of dads across the country) let’s be frank; a well-fired sausage and mustard that’s been dusted off from the cupboard is not the same as grilled fish on a beach in Jamaica or wood fired smoked seafood on the sands of Goa. Speaking of which, the sheer variety of ways in which we eat seafood is a marvel in itself. Brighton, with its coastal setting, is abundant with ocean-laden delights (I’m thinking of the seafood platter at the Salt Room or Little Fish Market’s gorgeous tasting many). Yet there is something magical about a Mediterranean fishing village or island-caught delights in Thailand that just offer a whole other culinary world to explore.
In perfect harmony?
So is it fusion? Not really. Anyone lucky enough to dine at The Set knows that there is something much more intrinsic in each of its courses. It’s about every morsel singing in its own right. Putting these dishes side by side is tantalising; it’s an opportunity to see how flavours react and interact. They aren’t meant to blend into one; there should be moments of reminiscence and moments of new experience. Like a carefully put together concept album, each dish is meant to give you something unique. They demand your attention, rightfully, and an opportunity to consider what makes them stand. That is the magic of The Set, by the way; you think that the next dish can’t possibly be as good as the one you’ve just had, but it just keeps coming.
What’s on the Menu?
The menu spans cuisines from the Caribbean to southern India, with inspiration taken from a range of styles. The key aspect is in the title of the evening; it is driven by the elements and processes which make each dish special. Kickstart with a gorgeous smoked Rasam; a traditional soup from southern India it is a flavour eruption from the outset. By the time you finish on banana pudding, you’ll be hard pushed to pick a favourite.
So what’s the Supper Club bit?
It comes back to the essence of Wanderlust; that desire to explore and be presented with things you’ve not come across before. How do you choose to travel? Are you led by a guidebook or do you want to discover things at your own pace? Do you look for the restaurant with the best reviews online or do you follow your nose? The Wanderlust Supper Club is founded on the belief that people who love travel and food want to (and should) share their stories. Through the journey of the meal, you might discuss destinations, but you might just find that the story of how you got there is just as incredible. And you might not have been there yet, but it’s on your list to go; perhaps your new dining companion has some ideas to help you get there.
Why this? Why now?
It’s about breaking the mould; looking beyond flight times and hotel ratings and thinking about how you really want to experience the world. One moment should spark the idea for your next adventure and your food journey is part of that too. Maybe you haven’t thought about visiting southern India yet, or perhaps you’re in two minds about whether you are ready to go back to the Caribbean. Maybe you visited Asia on your gap year but you’re ready to go back and see it with a different perspective. This menu is about the joy you get out of exploration and trying new things.
Cecily English is a personal travel consultant based in Hove. Passionate about the intrinsic link between food and Travel, she founded Cecily’s Wanderlust Supper Club.