As a means of operation, supperclubs have always been, at least in theory, shrouded in mystery and fuelled by word-of-mouth. In this instance, though, that mouth happens to be the blogosphere – giving anyone with a decent amount of interest and a computer relatively easy access. This goes both ways and has become fuel for the chef himself. “I’m constantly look at food websites from all over the world,” he says. “I look at a lot of supper club websites and most of them are a different style to what I do.” And this style he talks about? “There is a strong European influence as I was in Denmark for four and a half years, and now a slight Asian influence as well. Being in the middle of London has broadened my horizons!” It’s obvious from his choice of ingredients that the Denmark stint had a profound impact, especially when you then consider that this time was spent first at Kommandanten, then Noma, The Paul and finally chef de partie at MR. It’s another characteristic of supperclubs that they create a sense of intimacy for their attendees. By allowing visitors into their homes, and quite often into their kitchens, supperclub chefs establish a natural rapport with their audience. And with all the current debate over urban vs rural and global vs local within both food and wider culture, it provides a way of addressing such issues and bringing them to life. And Greeno does so with his culinary finger very much on the pulse: “A big trend at the moment is getting into eating vegetables as the main ingredient rather than a big piece of meat. I always do one vegetable course but I wish I could get away with more.” With his next project yet to be revealed, let’s hope for all our sakes that Ben Greeno intends to stick around here in Blighty. We’ve become accustomed to his food and unique approach, and would love to see where the next culinary step takes him. There is a strong European influence as I was in Denmark for four and a half years, and now a slight Asian influence as well. Parsnip, Brown Shrimp and Clementine. Mackerel, Cucumber and Kohlrabi. Goose, Jerusalem Artichoke and Pear Stickelton. Apple, Cider and Christmas Pudding. Welcome to the delicious world of Ben Greeno. And if all of this doesn’t make your mouth water, then it’s doubtful anything will. He began his whirlwind career as a chef at 21 Queen Street in his hometown of Newcastle, followed by a move to Nottingham’s only Michelin-starred restaurant as a sous chef. But after several years abroad and finally back on home turf, this time around he isn’t working in the shadow of anyone else. Greeno is part of a new generation of chefs – and a new generation of chefs requires a new generation of diners. So instead of focusing on the traditional restaurant format, he’s turned whole-heartedly to a more timely dining format – namely the supperclub. First with The Loft Project, then Tudor Road, and lately the Young Turks. Through all of these, his aim remains to appeal to “young people who want to go out and eat, who don’t want to spend a fortune but want to enjoy something a little different.” Joined by Isaac McHale from Elliots and James Lowe of Fergus Henderson’s St John Bread & Wine, Young Turks is the embodiment of this attitude, with chefs collaborating rather than competing.

http://www.bengreeno.co.uk/