Not Just Fish and Chips

British food gets a persistent, and undeservedly bad rap by lots of folks who haven't eaten it recently.  In the States, it sometimes feels as if I am a one woman defender of Britain's culinary reputation.  You can't imagine how often I have had to rebut the charge that Britain's sole contribution to international cuisine is fish and chips.  That's a bit like saying that the only thing America has brought to the global table is the quarter pounder.  (See, it stings, doesn't it?!)...

In fact, in the last 20 years, Britain has become one of the most successful exporters of celebrity chefs around the world.  If you haven't heard of Gordon Ramsay by now, then you have either been residing under a rock for the past 10 years or don't own a televisual appliance.  Nigella Lawson may be less familiar, but those who listen to NPR will recognize her from her regular contributions to Morning Edition.  Jamie Oliver, long a British media darling, is about to challenge America's obesity epidemic in an ABC tv show which debuts this Sunday called Jamie's Food Revolution.  Yup, despite more than 230 years of Independence, there are still Brits ready to tell y'all what to do, or at least, how to eat.

Britain's own foodie revolution has become so well acknowledged that even the French are willing to give us some credit.  Perhaps he was punch drunk from receiving more Michelin stars, but Alain Ducasse, arguably France's most famous chef, recently declared London to be the restaurant capital of the world.

Of course, every stereotype has some grain of truth in it.  And in the case of Britain's dire food rep, I think that it is that if you want good food, you'll have to pay for it.  Americans, in particular, aren't used to this.  You can eat in a diner in Nowheresville, USA and often come away having spent only a few dollars, and having had a good meal.  That's far more difficult in Britain, where savvy restaurateurs and an increasing number of gastropubs have discovered that those in search of good food often have deep pockets.

And so it was that for my Mum's birthday, celebrated last Saturday, she and I ventured out to the village of Bray, located about 30 miles west of London on the river Thames.  Bray is tiny (a high street and not much more), but boasts 7 Michelin stars across three well known restaurants.  The one I had picked, the Waterside Inn, had three of those stars, and a menu that weighed in at a hefty £109 (about $164) per person.  Before wine.

Reader, we loved it.  (Just as well, really, since that meal will have to do her for the next few birthdays as well).  We ate lobster and foie gras, roast duckling and plum souffle, drank champagne and red wine and generally had something of a Bacchanalian afternoon which started at 1pm and didn't finish until five.  I'm happy to say that service and tax were included, otherwise I might at this stage be entirely bankrupt.  Fortunately, by the time the bill came, the Chef, Monsieur Roux (solid English name that) had visited our table to wish my Mum the very best (see picture above).   Which is probably what we were paying for all along.

Lest I have struck fear and despair into the hearts of those soon to visit Britain (not least my future relatives, who will be there in July), I should clarify that you only pay through the nose for the very best.  Tasty, fresh and inexpensive grub abounds - it just helps to know where to go to get it.

As for the naysayers who continue to doubt that there is any British food worth eating, then I say: Cease and Desist!  It's time to wake up and eat the strawberries.  (Preferably at Wimbledon, with cream).  Yum.