It isn't often that newsreader Katie Derham and her restaurateur husband John Vincent let the press into their house. As a rule, they keep their private lives out of the public eye, especially as Derham has been bothered by a few 'nutters' in the past. In December last year, however, she was moved to let a journalist into her home to defend her position as newsreader for London Tonight and the ITN Lunchtime News, following a rash of abuse from veteran newsreaders claiming that modern presenters were overpaid and under-experienced. Jon Snow, John Humphrys and Michael Buerk expressed concerns, while Kate Adie accused the BBC of employing newsreaders 'with cute faces, cute bottoms and nothing in between'. Derham, who earns £120,000 a year, and has a pretty face, and quite a nice bottom, decided to take a public stance.
'I told this journalist that reading the news is a difficult job,' explains the Cambridge graduate and 34-year-old mother of two, while feeding pumpkin mush to her seven-month-old daughter, Eleanor. 'I have a huge amount of respect for my colleagues - Jon Snow is a really good bloke - and it does hurt a little bit being accused of being dim and brainless just because I'm not cut out to be a war correspondent. I'm not saying it's rocket science, it's not, but it has its challenges. You can't do it without knowledge, experience and a journalistic background.'
Derham was an arts correspondent for ITN before, at the age of 27, she became the youngest-ever newsreader on British national television. She accepts that there is an emphasis on how male and female presenters look, and enjoys dressing up for paparazzi-attended events, but has no desire to join the Hello! crowd, a fact that is made clear by her husband at the security gates of their north London home.
I hardly have time to say 'hello' when Vincent interrupts, 'I know this is The Observer, but I don't want this to be like an article for Hello! That's not our style.' Derham adds, 'You see, I don't want to get into the situation where you have to wear the latest fashions on your day off. I'm not being a model, I'm doing a job and I have a lovely family. I'm very proud of both, but I want to be able to keep them separate if I want.'
Today's interview is far less controversial; this time Derham is celebrating her husband's success. OFM has been invited into Derham's home, formally a sculptor's studio, because Vincent and business partner Henry Dimbleby are causing a fast-food revolution.
The pair met while working in business consultancy and were soon united by their passion for business and good food. Dimbleby has a professional history with food - while his father is veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby, his mother is the food writer Josceline Dimbleby, and he once worked as a chef (although he was 'pretty crap, far too messy'). Vincent and Dimbleby were both perplexed by the hole in the market for quality fast food, and decided to remedy the situation. In 2004 Leon was opened on the corner of London's Carnaby Street and Marlborough Street serving delicious, nourishing fast food that offered more than a sandwich fix. The menu includes grilled chicken with aioli, coq au vin, and their bestselling 'Superfood' salad, all within a £1.20 - £6 price range. Leon was instantly packed out with appreciative customers and went on to win the OFM Newcomer of the Year award in 2005. The second Leon opened in Ludgate Circus late last year.
Dimbleby is surprised that no one has ever tried this concept before in the UK, and puts their success down to the fact that the people behind most fast-food restaurants are more concerned with the manufacturing industry, than the food. 'The method is like fast food but, rather than putting processed frozen food in one end, we put in well-sourced, fresh produce. Some ingredients are organic, and our chicken is free range,' he explains.
Dimbleby, Derham and Vincent are assembled today for the ritual tasting of new dishes, all of which have been shortlisted to appear on the spring menu. Leon takes great pride in varying its menu on a seasonal basis. TV chef Allegra McEvedy is development chef and brings all the food round to Vincent and Derham's house. McEvedy, who has cooked at London's River Café and is writing a recipe book, has invited her fiancé along. Derham is always excited by these occasions. 'We have had a lot of great tastings round here. It's fab watching a chef work in your own rather sub-standard kitchen turning out all this amazing stuff. I must say, it's been no hardship at all supporting the family firm.' Derham often pops into the Carnaby Street Leon because it's close to Classic FM, where she presents a weekly show. 'I can always make the excuse: "Oh if I go to Liberty and buy some shoes I can pop into Leon and support them."'
Today's new dishes include beetroot and goats-cheese filo pastry, cockle and leek soup, and a rhubarb and raspberry tart. Judging from the way the tasters are digging in and demanding seconds, they will all make it on to the menu in a few months' time. However, nothing could move Vincent, McEvedy or Dimbleby to strike their incredibly popular Moroccan meatballs off the menu, to make space to accommodate any new additions. The Leon meatballs are the ultimate comfort food, full of flavour and, unlike their distant cousin the Ikea Swedish meatball, they taste fresh and natural.
'Everything is made 15 minutes before customers buy it,' explains McEvedy. 'It only took us a week to predict what people would order and make it.' Vincent adds, 'People are surprisingly predictable when it comes to eating.' The only things that have been struck off the menu so far are Vincent's chocolate porridge and 'runny' taramasalata.
Both Vincent and Derham are healthy eaters. However, Derham certainly doesn't go without the odd fry-up or Mars bar. 'I've always been reasonably lucky with my weight because I'm not a great fan of the gym. At the moment I can pretty much eat what I want, which annoys my colleagues who say, "How come you don't put on any weight?" I reply that it might be the adrenaline or the rare moments of terror.'
She uses insider tips to make sure her voice is newsworthy - apparently chocolate or warm water work wonders if you've got a frog in your throat - and her husband's involvement in Leon has also improved Derham's food education. 'I'm more knowledgeable than I was about the rights and wrongs of organic versus free range and what is good and bad sugar, because these guys try to provide as many tasty options as they can. Food wasn't so newsworthy five years ago, but now with the Jamie's-school-dinners effect there is so much more knowledge out there. It's sad that the vulnerable in society eat the worst food.' Since Vincent and Dimbleby will open two more Leons this year and have a long-term plan for the chain to be as visible as McDonald's, Derham is hopeful that, by the time Eleanor reaches nagging age, she will be saying, 'Mum, can we go to Leon?' instead of McDonald's.
Champagne rhubarb & raspberry tart
Champagne rhubarb is a great variety and these berries were looking so unloved in the market, I felt obliged to take them even though they're out of season.
Serves 6
For the pastry
200g plain flour 70g caster sugar 100g unsalted butter (cold) 2 egg yolks 2-2 1/2; tbs milk to bind
For the filling
400g rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into 10cm batons 150g sugar 1 punnet raspberries
For the custard
4 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split
300ml milk
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Lay the rhubarb batons in a shallow roasting tray in a row like soldiers. Sprinkle on sugar and cover in foil. Put in the oven for about half an hour - you want the rhubarb to be cooked but still holding its shape. In a food processor spin the flour for a second with the sugar. Split the butter into 6 knobs and add them one by one until the butter is completely incorporated. Now add the yolks and a little milk to bring it all together to a pastry consistency. Allow to rest for around 10 minutes.
Line a 20cm loose-based tart case with the pastry. Roll it out or just squash it into place. Whack in the freezer again for 15 minutes to harden up. Then place in the oven for around 12 minutes. Remove the tart case and fill in any cracks that have appeared in the pastry.
Once the rhubarb is cooked strain off the juice that came out of it (I'd keep this for syrup at a later date). Lay the rhubarb in the case and dot on the raspberries. Drop the oven temperature to 170C/gas 3.
Make the custard by beating the eggs thoroughly with the sugar and the vanilla. Now pour in the milk over the egg mix, whisking all the time. Pop the tart into the oven and fill it up with the custard. Bake for 20 mins until the custard is set. Allow to cool before serving with crème fraîche.
Cockles and leeks
I first made this as a saucy bit for a piece of poached halibut, but was so happy with the flavours that I thought it deserved its own moment of glory. Cockles are one of our more underused native shellfish, and it's a crying shame that they are most familiar in polystyrene cups doused in vinegar at the seaside, rather than being given more of a chance to show off their delicate flavour.
Serves 6
800g leeks (you can use baby ones if you've got some)
2 tbs olive oil
500g fresh cockles (in the shell)
2 glasses white wine
300ml fish stock
100ml double cream
20g parsley (rough-chop the leaves, and discard the stalks)
20g thyme, chopped
70g butter (unsalted and at room temperature)
black pepper
Boil a pan of salted water. Trim the leeks, and blanch for 6-8 minutes until al dente. Run them immediately under cold water until they reach room temperature (they should feel neither hot nor cold), then cut into thick rounds, or if using baby leeks, into halves or thirds. In a deep frying pan heat the olive oil until nearly smoking. Throw in the cockles, then a minute later the white wine, and put the lid on. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the fish stock, toss in the baby leeks, and reduce by half. Lower the heat, stir in the double cream, rough-chopped parsley leaves and chopped thyme. Whisk in the butter in knobs and season with black pepper (it should not need any salt). Serve in shallow bowls, discarding any cockles that are not open.
Competition
Win a meal for six people worth £100 with house wine at a branch of Leon (35 Great Marlborough St, London W1 or 12 Ludgate Circus, London EC4).
1. To win a meal for six people at a branch of Leon (35 Great Marlborough St, London W1 or 12 Ludgate Circus, London EC4). Just send a postcard marked MEAL with your name, address and daytime telephone number to R Seal, Observer Food, 119 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3ER, specifying which restaurant you would like to visit.
2. Entries must be received by 6 March 2006.
3. The prize consists of one meal per person for six people worth £100 with house wine.
4. The winner will chosen at random and will be contacted on 7 March 2006.
5. The promotion is open to residents of the U.K. aged 18 and over.
6. The promotion is not open to employees of Guardian Newspapers Limited or [partner], their agencies or anyone else connected with the creation or administration of the promotion.
7. Only one entry is allowed per person.
8. No responsibility is taken for entries lost, delayed, misdirected or incomplete due to server functions, virus, bugs or any other causes outside GNL's control. Proof of entry is not proof of receipt.
9. The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable, and are not redeemable for cash or other prizes. GNL retains the right to substitute the prize with another prize of similar value in the event the original prize offered is not available due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
10. The winner will be notified by e-mail/phone on 7 March 2006. The winner is required to accept the prize within 1 day of notification. In the event of non-acceptance, GNL will re-draw and select a new winner (the same acceptance period will apply for the new winner).
11. No purchase necessary.
12. Winners may be required to take part in promotional activity.
13. GNL cannot accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrant as a result of entering the promotion or accepting the prize or any injury or damage to the entrant's or any other person's computer or mobile telephone relating to or resulting from participation in or downloading any materials in connection with the promotion. Nothing shall exclude GNL's liability for death or personal injury as a result of its negligence.
14. The promotion will be governed by English law.
15. The promoter: Guardian Newspapers Limited, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER.
· All recipes by Leon's Allegra McEvedy
