FOOD & DR INK
JACK’S GELATO GLOBE JACK KEEPS A LIST OF INTERNATIONAL GELATERIES OF NOTE ON HIS GOOGLE MAPS: IF YOU’RE HEADED OFF TO FOREIGN CLIMES AND ASK NICELY NEXT TIME YOU’RE IN HIS SHOP FOR A SCOOP, HE MIGHT
JUST GIVE YOU SOME RECOMMENDATIONS...
Pica in Rome
Fata Morgana in Rome
San Stefano in Bologna
Gelupo in London Their white truffle is insane Gelato Messina in Australia They’ve got their own dairy farm, they’re going back to basics and doing some seriously amazing stuff
to Leo at Steak & Honour, and asked to borrow the restaurant for an evening – he said yes – so that’s just how this idea’s happening, fast and quick. Turns out it’s quite hard to make a good falafel,” he laughs, “but we’ll get there.” With exciting side projects in the works, a stable and thriving business on one of the busiest streets in Cambridge and a presence at most foodie events throughout the summer months – it sounds like Jack’s in a good place. “My 20s were very much about hardcore being in the kitchen, learning how to cook: my 30s have been about Mattie, and running my business – so my 40s, I do see being more about a larger purpose. I’m going to try putting more energy into that over the coming years.” And what would he say to himself at the start of his gelato journey, ten years ago, with all this ahead of him? Jack laughs, quietly: “I’d probably tell myself not to do it – if I’d known what I was in for, I probably wouldn’t have done it.” He smiles: “But now, I’m glad that I did.”
for example – and make a quarter of the amount of money that opening a shop in Oxford would. We’re a stable business now: we don’t have to worry about where the next months’ rent’s coming from, so we don’t have to juice every pound out of it – let’s have some fun.” And it sounds like that fun might not always be of the frozen variety. “While on the bike in Lebanon I had time to think – this is one of the best things about going away, the perspective it gives you: ideas just bubble up,” he says. “I’ve been thinking about a charity project based around falafel. I was blown away by the falafel in Israel; it’s just unbelievable – so I want to do something that’s completely focused on charity, none of this ‘5% of our profits’ and so on – one where no-one involved has any kind of financial stake or incentive.” His bike-based Lebanese ponderings quickly moved into action when back in Cambridge, with Jack heading to Mill Road to buy chickpeas and fava beans for recipe development in the kitchens. “I popped down and talked
73
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9
Powered by FlippingBook