Simon’s back in the ‘Masterchef’ kitchen

CHEF Simon Wood’s book is published next month

LITTLE did Oldham know it was harbouring an incredible culinary talent.

Simon Wood was not only the first northerner to become BBC MasterChef but now has Michelin-starred chefs and food critics clamouring for his recipes.

After lifting the much coveted cook’s trophy, friends of many years confessed they didn’t know Simon could boil an egg, let alone whip up a sabayon or throw together a tabbouleh.

Almost a year after his TV success, Chaddertonian Simon is on the verge of launching his first cook book and has just returned to TV as a judge on BBC One’s latest series of MasterChef. He is also putting Oldham on the menu as executive chef at Latics’ Oldham Event Centre.

Meeting Simon (39) to catch up on the hectic last 12 months, it’s clear these achievements — incredible for anyone, let alone an unassuming, family-orientated father of four who previously spent his days data crunching — are just for starters.

Simon has a huge appetite for spreading his food to the masses - which brings us to his new book, “At Home With Simon Wood - Fine Dining Made Simple”, out on April 11.

As well as the culmination of a long-nurtured dream to write his own cookbook, it’s his way of bringing his delicious twist on simple home-cooked food into as many kitchens as possible.

In many respects its good old-fashioned grub gone posh, but it’s by no means beyond the enthusiastic amateur. It features traditional ingredients elegantly spun into something high end and very worthy of emerging from the kitchen of any fine dining establishment.

Pork ribs and cabbage could in the wrong hands look like a school dinner from the 1970s, but under Simon’s guidance and presentation it becomes a mouth-watering masterpiece.

And his grown-up version of bananas and custard — with salted caramel and hazelnuts — is definitely something to be scoffed down not scoffed at.

“This book is what it says; fine dining made simple,” said Simon. “It’s my way of saying if you love food and you love cooking, with the right guidance and tools you can make something absolutely brilliant.”

The book also contains the recipe for his “MasterChef” calling card — chicken and chorizo tortellini and wild mushroom ravioli.

He admits he can’t seem to do anything wrong with a mushroom — only in the eyes of his children, Liam (21), Alex (19), Cameron (17) and eight-year-old Charlotte.

“I love mushrooms,” he said. “Whatever I touch with mushrooms it always turns out well. I’m not sure why. Unfortunately its one of the few things the kids don’t like and won’t eat.”

“I wrote most of the recipes for the book after I finished filming in the January when I knew I’d won “MasterChef” but couldn’t tell anyone. They’ve evolved and been refined but essentially they’re based on my experiences during that time and what I love to eat.”

It also contains tips on the art of plating — one of Simon’s trademarks.

Becoming the toast of “MasterChef” also meant he could indulge in his other great passion, Oldham Athletic.

The club’s new stand and conference centre presented a rare and unexpected opportunity for him to combine his love of food with that of his second love, supporting Latics, and he’s now the club’s executive chef, creating executive and match day banquets and hosting his own culinary events such as “Dine with Simon Wood”.

“This has been an amazing opportunity for me, working at the club I love and have supported all my life,” said Simon, who was once a Boundary Park Juniors football coach.

“The event centre and stand are such a great thing for Oldham and a fantastic venue for people to take advantage of.

“I love my job at the club and I’m hoping our relationship will be a long-lasting one.”

Simon is about to launch a new pop-up restaurant at the event centre called The Boardroom. From April 21 and then on every third Thursday in the month the Latics’ boardroom will be transformed into a lavish eaterie where Simon will present a specially devised three-course seasonal menu.

It was only a matter of time before Simon pursued a long-held desire to open his own restaurant and he excitedly revealed that that is now well underway.

Having turned down an opportunity to open a project in the flagship Old Town Hall development, he and a partner are now exploring locations across Greater Manchester for what he hopes will be his first Woods restaurant. The menu, not surprisingly, has already been pretty much created.

Simon says he’s learned a lot during and since “MasterChef”, where he became synonymous for his tight-fitting black tees and Converse trainers — even during a trip to the perishingly cold climes of Sweden — dyeing judge John Torode’s tongue green, doomed beetroot ice cream and presenting carrots five ways in one dish.

He also blew the minds of the judges with John saying “I love you” after eating one of his desserts and Greg Wallace describing his food as “lick-the-plate brilliant”.

Walking back into the “MasterChef” kitchen as a judge on the new series was, he says, a nostalgic pleasure.

“As soon as I walked back in to the kitchen and had a chat with John and Gregg all those feelings started coming back. I’d do it all again tomorrow,” he said.

“It’s absolutely terrifying and nervewracking and I totally understand how those contestants were feeling but it was such an amazing experience.

“The biggest thing is worrying what you look like and how you come across on camera. The minute you learn to forget all that and be yourself things start to fall into place.

“It’s given me a whole new outlook on everything and a belief I didn’t have before. If you want it badly enough and have the desire and passion and you put the hard work in you can achieve anything.”

As well as getting to work alongside his foodie heroes such as fellow northerner Marcus Wareing, Nathan Outlaw and Italian maestro Massimo Bottura, Simon has fronted Aldi’s Christmas campaign and worked with Team GB modern pentathlete Samantha Murray on a kids’ healthy eating project.

But it’s good to know despite working in the kitchens of the most revered gastronomes in the world, Simon still has days when he can’t be bothered to even make beans on toast.

“If I’ve been in the kitchen all day the last thing I want to do is cook tea so I quite often go to Ancora with Charlotte,” he admitted.

“It’s great. I can go in there and relax and enjoy nice food that I haven’t had to cook.”

For more information on Simon’s book and booking his Oldham Event Centre events go to www.simonwoodcooks.com.