The Brit-nominated singer started an award-winning podcast by hosting supper for friends – including Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith – with her mother. On the launch of their first cookbook, she shares her pick of the best restaurants in the world.
What’s your dream breakfast location?
‘It has to be Russ & Daughters in New York. I’d order the lox platter – in fact, I’d take liberties and have practically everything because you also have to try the latkes with sour cream and apple sauce. Plus, a selection of the bagels; my top pick is the Everything bagel. Let’s call it brunch!’
Biggest splurge?
‘I’m a huge fan of tasting menus. One of the most exciting eating experiences I’ve had was at A Wong Chinese restaurant in Pimlico, London. There were these pulled cumin-lamb buns that were like nothing else. Grab two stools at the bar and watch head chef Andrew Wong at work.’
Learn how to cook super noodles with super chef Andrew Wong
Favourite place for street food?
‘Tel Aviv, where they make the most delicious kebabs: the naughty on-the-way-home- after-a-night-out kind. But somehow they’re beautiful, filled with baba ganoush and fried aubergine, just delightful – and very nearly virtuous.’
The best coffee you’ve had?
‘There’s this café in Oslo called Fuglen, which also sells furniture. It’s very cool – I think I actually read about it in Condé Nast Traveller when I was touring. But as soon as I arrived I realised I’d been to its sister outpost in Tokyo, too – it’s unlike any other coffee experience. ’
The dish that reminds you of your childhood?
‘My grandma’s gefilte fish because there is nothing more nostalgic than the smell of my gaga’s “chopped and fried”. It reminds me of travelling up to Manchester on the train, which used to take forever, but as soon as we got to her flat there would be this waft. Balls of fish sound completely unattractive but it was the greatest smell in the world. Her recipe is one of my favourites in the cookbook.’
Most memorable feast?
‘I got married on Skopelos in Greece where a brilliant restaurant, Rodi, served us fall-off- the-bone slow-cooked lamb with lemony potatoes. There was incredible mastic ice cream for pudding with a filo-pastry flan drenched in orange-blossom syrup – I’m not sure people appreciated the food as they were all so drunk by this point.’
What do you always take on tour?
‘Marmite. And Yorkshire Tea. In our book we have a recipe for carrot and Marmite soup. I’ll put it in anything; on toast with peanut butter and a sharp, grated Cheddar is God’s greatest gift – the triple threat.’
The strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?
‘I recently went to a tasting for Santiago Lastra’s restaurant, Kol, in London – he was trying out dishes at his house and when I arrived the first thing he offered me was an ant. It was very sour, which I didn’t expect.’
Your go-to drink?
‘A dirty Martini. I went in search of a dive bar in Ubud – Naughty Nuri’s – because Anthony Bourdain once described its Martini as the very best. It was so full-on it blew my head off, but it was very lovely.’
Your cooking hero?
Yotam Ottolenghi has made everyone so adventurous and he’s definitely sexed up vegetables. I still love pomegranate on everything. I’m grateful he brought out his Simple cookbook though, as I’m a self-confessed slap-dash cook.’
The ingredients you can’t live without?
‘Anchovette spread. My mum begs our friends to bring it over from South Africa – it’s so good on buttery brown toast. The honey on Skopelos is the best I’ve tasted. I eat it with thick Greek yogurt and fuzzy peaches. And yuzu salt from Japan is also wonderful. You can use it on anything and it’ll look like you’ve made a real effort.’
Jessie Ware's cookbook is out here. Buy ‘Table Manners: The Cookbook’ by Jessie and Lennie Ware (£22, Ebury Press) here.
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