Ben Lippett (@dinnerbyben)
Sofia Coppola, Sunday Sauce & no Aesop
Taste Maker is a food guide from creatives, artists and professional eaters.
Ben Lippett is a chef, recipe writer and co-founder of Dr Sting’s Hot Honey. Having cut his teeth working at a spate of restaurants (Orasay, Marion, Elystan Street) in the UK, US and Australia, including a brief but rewarding stint as a butcher - Ben knows his way around the pans and the modern kitchen. His food is simple, ingredient led and approachable for the home cook looking to stretch their culinary legs. You’ll now find him as Senior Food Producer at Mob and with brands like Le Creuset, Smeg, Waitrose and Pernod Ricard under his belt, he’s one to watch.
Where do you live most of the year?
London, England.
What do you look for in a restaurant when you walk in?
The most important thing is the smell of delicious food. If you can smell the grill your food will be cooked on, you’re probably in for a treat. Restaurants that smell like Aesop are a red flag. A warm welcome, loud conversation and good music don’t go amiss.
What is your final meal?
An enormous bowl of pasta al pomodoro. It’s just good tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, pasta and parmesan. I eat it every Sunday with my partner, we call it Sunday Sauce, it’s a good habit and hits every time.
3 guests for dinner, dead or alive?
Alive: This changes a lot, but today it would be; My partner Lou, Sofia Coppola (I’m getting very into her movies, Priscilla is perfect!) & Bret Easton Ellis (he’s very funny, bone-dry and I just finished a book by him that I have lots of questions about)
Dead: Freddie Mercury, Anthony Bourdain and James Gandolfini
Ben’s Taste Maker Guide
Breakfast: A.P Bakery, Sydney, Australia
Order: I’m a sweet pastry man, and nothing beats a beautiful french pastry and a bitter black coffee. But we’re not going to France, we’re going to Australia… A.P Bakery is one of my favourites. The vanilla bourbon canelé is sensational, as is the kouign-amann, the buttermilk croissant is also fantastic. If you want something for lunch later on, pick up a pie. Their Black Chicken Curry pie is best I’ve ever had.
Coffee: Anywhere in Italy.
Order: Double Espresso.
Lunch: St John Bread & Wine, London
Order: It varies, because everything on the menu is great and there’s plenty of movement. Some past highlights include ox heart with chard and anchovy, welsh rarebit and devilled crab. Good, hearty British fare, done exceptionally well.
St. John has a few outposts but for me, the atmosphere is best in Bread & Wine. It’s like its older sister (the O.G. in Smithfield) but has loosened its tie a bit, the buzz and chit chat is a bit louder, offering a slightly looser vibe.
Special dinner: Bistro 916, Sydney, Australia
Order: Another departure down under to eat French food. It’s obvious I haven’t spent a huge amount of time in France, but have in Australia. The cooking down under is something special, and absolutely worth the trip.
I stumbled into this spot on a rainy Thursday night, I was by myself and completely unaware that I was about to eat a completely and utterly perfect meal. Unfussy decor, candles on the tables, white tablecloths without the stuffy edge and a hum of conversation welcomed me in.
I ordered 6 Oysters, Chicken Liver Parfait, Duck Frites and Riz au Lait Brulee, Drank a glass of champagne with your oysters, and a glass of chardonnay with everything else. It’s just great, classic cooking in an understated, classy, dimly lit room. Bliss!
Casual dinner: OREN, London, England
Order: My favourite in London! The whole menu is delicious, Oded and Lisa who own/run the show are so lovely. A beautiful little spot in Dalston, the kitchen and menu commanded by their charcoal grill and a creative hand. Lisa’s cocktails are great and the wine list is fab, too.
A must order is their Jerusalem mixed grill. Grilled chicken hearts, livers and thigh stuffed into a fresh pitta and covered in Amba sauce and tahini. I dream of it.
Special shoutouts
Dinner for One Hundred, Nunhead, London - Favourite Pizza ever
Falafel and Shawarma, Camberwell, London - Best quick lunch
Skehans, Nunhead, London - Best pint of Guinness around
