Osip in Bruton, Somerset is Merlin Labron-Johnson's first solo venture and his first restaurant outside London. His cooking is inspired by whichever local ingredients arrive on his doorstep in the morning.
At what age did you decide that you wanted to become a chef and who or what inspired you?
I decided that I wanted to become a chef at the age of 15. I used to help the cook at my school to prepare the lunches and she taught me the basics of cooking. She was classically trained and very encouraging.
Who’s the best chef you have worked for and which other chefs do you admire?
I most enjoyed my time working for Kobe Desramaults at In De Wulf.
I have a great deal of admiration for the work of French chefs Alain Passard, Pascal Barbot, Emmanuel Renaut and Laurent Petit. Alexandre Gauthier too.
In the UK I most admire the cooking of Jeremy Chan (from One Michelin-Starred Ikoyi), Tom Adams (Coombeshead Farm) and Skye Gyngell (Spring).
What is your favourite restaurant and why?
La Grenouillère in Montreuil sur Mer, France. I love the originality and the incredibly thoughtful and abstract approach to cooking. I appreciate the chef’s sensitivities to art and design and how he incorporates that into the experience of eating at his restaurant to create something much greater than the sum of its parts. Every detail is so well considered.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
A wonderful dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in upstate New York with my partner, Michelle.
What’s your favourite local ingredient?
Local cheddar from Westcombe Dairy and cider. Separately or together.
And your favourite global ingredient?
Fresh masa (ground corn) in Mexico.
Where do you get your influences from?
I get my influences from nature, the changing seasons and being outdoors. Because I grow my own vegetables, I am very much influenced by what I’m growing and that tends to dictate what I cook with and how it’s presented. Aside from that, I read a lot and draw on my experiences of cooking in Europe.
Is there a dish you could never take off the menu at Osip?
No. The menu at Osip is all about evolution and constant change is central to how we cook and think. We virtually never cook the same dish twice (once it has left the menu, that is!).
What’s the best thing about being a chef?
For me, it’s being able to work with nature – and I take a lot of pleasure in seeing how food can bring joy to our guests. I also enjoy the camaraderie of kitchens and the magic of working with a really great team.
And the worst thing about being a chef?
It’s easy to feel exhausted and burnt out a lot of the time as we have an inherent culture of pushing ourselves a little bit too hard! It’s important to take time out. I sometimes wish life as a chef could be a bit more balanced but on the other hand, I hate not being in a kitchen.
And finally, which are your favourite restaurants in the Michelin Guide UK & Ireland?
Brawn, Tower Hamlets, London
River Café, Hammersmith, London
Ikoyi, St James's, London
The Clove Club, Shoreditch, London
Coombeshead Farm, Lewannick, England
Osip was one of 17 restaurants newly awarded One Michelin Star in the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2021. See the full list of awards here.
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