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Merlin.
meet.
"Master Merlin"

The meals of Merlin Labron-Johnson’s life have fed many, nourished more, taking him from the hotels of Switzerland, to the refugee camps of Lesvos and Chios. Most treat London as the El Dorado; Merlin simply stopped there, won a Michelin star, and found his groove somewhere else. We tend to brand chefs in different ways, either beloved household names (wholesome and family-friendly), or creative geniuses (neither of those things). Merlin lies between; forgoing what he described to Semaine as a “rather misspent youth”, to find the kitchen, and with it, his calling.

Merlin had been expelled from various schools and refused to go to class by the time this happened: “My teachers were sympathetic to my problems and when they saw me discover something that inspired me, they encouraged me to persevere and it wasn’t long until I got my first kitchen job.” Trouble found Merlin, or perhaps the other way around, but either way it was trouble that took him to cooking at first. Food, at home, had been simple fare: “Food wasn’t particularly significant in our home, we ate in order to not be hungry, sometimes with pleasure and often without. That being said, my parents were conscious shoppers and meals were wholesome and healthy where possible.”

The happy accident of a childhood near Riverford, now famous as an organic farm famous for its vegetable boxes, meant Merlin’s family subscribing to vegetable boxes before the trend was one. He left school with a view to cook, and took himself to Switzerland, France, and Belgium, in what would become a six-year stint: “I left school with virtually no GCSE’s and worked my way through some of the top kitchens in Devon before leaving for Switzerland at the age of 18. I learnt to speak French and worked in some very beautiful restaurants, honing my classical skills and slowly falling in love with the Alps.”

This ended in him coming home to the U.K., where he opened Portland. Merlin, together with restaurateurs Will Lander and Daniel Morgenthau, was awarded a Michelin star “within nine months of being open”. He was twenty-four. Not content to rest on his laurels, Merlin, in 2016, “opened a sister restaurant, called Clipstone. It was around the time that Clipstone opened that I started to expand my horizons as a chef and began working on various altruistic projects such as Food for Soul and Help Refugees.”

Photography by Ed Schofield

Since then, doors have opened for Merlin; he has held them open in turn for many behind him, because that is the kind of person he is. Food for good is one way to describe what Merlin Labron-Johnson means to do with such projects. In the light of such feats, that is, the juiciest morsel for which a chef’s career to date seems in hindsight to appear as an appetiser, critics like to contend with what inventions the star might play with yet. Merlin is no stranger to such speculation, but he has found his sense of purpose in Osip, his restaurant in Somerset.

Nowadays, Merlin spends half his salary on dining out. It develops his cuisine, the sort that is on show at Osip, not that Osip has a menu. Instead, they “serve a dinner that celebrates a time and a place in Somerset using ingredients that have been grown by us or by our neighbours.” This time and place can look like, for instance : sourdough broth, black truffle macaron, roebuck with parsnip, grilled purple mustard, and elderberries, and fig leaf ice cream.

Similar to the young boy growing up on the fringes of Dartmoor, Merlin still seems now as he describes himself then “untroubled and content with what we had.” The intensity of Merlin’s work ethic and the leanness of his model allowed him to create compelling new food models, rustled up from nothing. His food programmes play squarely to his strength, which is “providing sustenance for people who need it most.”

Allow other chefs to feed the belly of London. They miss the authentic rapture of a local institution, the laughs, and the altruism people like Merlin and his staff provide. And in the end, they don’t eat any better.

By Jonathan Mahon-Heap for Semaine.
stream.
"On The Screen"
There is only three things you need on your screen. One to laugh, one to learn and one to relax. Merlin’s got you covered.

1:

 

Fleabag
France Inter/ BBC iplayer
Merlin Labron-Johnson watches Fleabag

 

“I don’t normally watch TV series but I loved everything about Fleabag.
PWB’s brilliant ability to make you laugh and cry simultaneously.””

2:

 

Planet Earth
Netflix

 

“Apart from the obvious educational elements and incredible camera work, there is no sound more soothing and reassuring than the voice of Sir David Attenborough.”

3:

 

Calm App
Apple Store

 

“Calms me down, helps me switch off and occasionally, sleep.”

shop.
"Winter Market"

Shop all you need for some rustic cooking with these kitchen essentials.

Workwear Brown Gilet
Labor and Wait
£195.00
Westcombe Cheddar
Westcombe Dairy
£6.00
Roro Shirt
Studio Nicholson
£286.00
Reusable Snack Bag
Toast
£8.55
Pumpkin Padana
Franchi Seeds
£2.79
Pocket Knife
Opinel
£9.80
Pedlars Basket
Coates English Willow
£31.25
Kedma Petty Knife
Florentine Kitchen Knives
£137.00
Donate
The Felix Project
ENQUIRE
Cast Iron Oven Dish
Staub
£90.00
Cast Iron Casserole
Le Creuset
£305.00
Boston Shearling Lined Slippers
Birkenstock
£123.75
explore.
"All Around with Merlin""

From the rolling hills of the West Country, UK where he grew up, to a Masseria in Puglia set on six acres of olive groves, Merlin’s picks will leave you longing for an escape.

Vermouth Bar
Palermo, Sicily
Merlin Labron-Johnson travel pick is a bar on the piazza in Palermo, Sicily
“There’s a market square in Palermo where if you’re lucky, you’ll find a solitary man tending to a cauldron of pig spleen in oil. For 5 euros he’ll slice it up and put in a baguette with some salt and more oil and you can take it to a little bar around the corner full of old men drinking vermouth from the barrels at 10am in the morning. I’ve yet to find a more pleasing breakfast but I’m aware it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.”

East Prawle
Devon, England
Merlin Labron Johnson Travel Pick East Prawle Devon, United Kingdom for the rugged unspoiled beaches
“Rugged unspoilt coastline, beaches, campsite of dreams and a village pub that knows how to throw a party.”

La Grenouillere
19, rue de la Grenouillère
2170 La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil
France
Merlin Labron-Johnson Travel pick La Grenouillere, one of his favourite restaurants in the world
“My favourite restaurant in the world. Go here for groundbreaking food, architecture and design. Surrounded by picturesque french countryside.”

Mexico
Anywhere
Merlin Labron-Johnson's travel recommendation is Oaxaca, Mexico for its colourful markets
“Oaxaca for its colourful markets, mole and mezcal. Mexico city for street food and nightlife. The Yucatan for beaches. I’m longing to explore more. Mexico is my happy place.”

The West Country
UK
Merlin Labron-Johnson chooses the West Country as one of his travel picks on Semaine
“As a child, I was lucky enough to live on the edge of Dartmoor and a short drive from the coast which instilled in me a love nature and a particular fondness for the West Country and its rugged landscapes.”

Masseria Moroseta
Contrada Lamacavallo
72017 Ostuni BR
Italy
Merlin Labron-Johnson Travel pick is a Masseria in Puglia, Italy called Masseria Moroseta
“Beautiful guesthouse with just a few rooms set in six acres of olive groves run by the most lovely people. Near the incredible town of Ostuni. Book well in advance!”

read.
"Book Club"

The violent delights (and mislaid plans) of beautiful youth make for the best reads. Whether it’s Donna Tartt’s blackly comic portrait of murderous teens, or the repressed longings of Evelyn Waugh, Luke’s list has something for all.

1.
Merlin Labron-Johnson chooses Nose To Tail by Fergus Henderson for his bookshelf
Nose to tail eating: A kind of British cooking
by Fergus Henderson
“It makes me want to rethink the way I cook, eat and live. Fergus’ writing is incredibly
humorous whilst being eloquent and engaging.”

 

 

2.
Merlin Labron-Johnson chooses Antoine Leiris' You Will Not Have My Hate for his Semaine bookshelf
You shall not have my hate
by Antoine Leiris
“A beacon of hope in a dark world’-I read in on the Eurostar to Paris and wept during the whole journey.”

 

 

3.
Merlin Labron-Johnson chooses Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro for his Semaine bookshelf
Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro
“It’s incredibly bleak yet so beautiful and thought provoking.”

 

 

4.
Merlin Labron-Johnson chooses French Country Cooking by Elizabeth David for his Semaine bookshelf
French country cooking
by Elizabeth David
“A beautiful look at regional french cooking, easy to replicate and legitimate recipes. I love Elizabeth David”

 

 

5.
Merlin Labron-Johnson chooses Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee for his Semaine bookshelf
Cider with Rosie
by Laurie Lee
” I read it when I was young and then reread it recently. An evocative and poetic memoir of
rural England and village life.”

 

 

ask.
"Generosity, humility and patience"
Get to know Tastemaker Merlin Labron-Johnson like you never have before.

What does the word “taste” mean to you?
Merlin:
It means to experience and to feel something.

Do you have a life motto that you live by?
Merlin:
No.

What was the last thing that made you laugh?
Merlin:
I accidentally bumped into an old friend today that I hadn’t seen since I was 14. We reminisced about the good old days and laughed a lot.

What are your favourite qualities in a human being?
Merlin:
Generosity, humility and patience.

Who is your hero?
Merlin:
Fergus Henderson

What is your biggest flaw?
Merlin:
I have many! I am impatient, often selfish and I have a very short attention span.

What is your best quality?
Merlin:
Patience.

What would your last meal on earth be?
Merlin:
It would begin with a knockout negroni, involve a good steak tartare with frites and end with a sticky toffee pudding, the only way to go.

What does success mean to you?
Merlin:
Achieving the goals that you set for yourself, no matter what they are.

If you had the power to change anything you wanted in the world, what would you change?
Merlin:
I have been following the recent news surrounding the fire in Moria Refugee camp, Lesvos. I volunteered to cook there and in various other camps and seeing the way these people are treated breaks my heart to the point that I can’t bear to look any more. I wish I could change the world so people didn’t have to live like this.

END.
workbook.
"Merlin's Seasonal Cooking"
Workbook thumbnail

Merlin's Seasonal Cooking

Merlin Labron-Johnson may have become the youngest Michelin Star British chef, but when it comes to cooking, the simplicity of seasonality is key. Here, Merlin shares his favourite ingredients he looks forward to each season, as well as his favourite autumnal gratin. Serve on its own as a vegetarian course, or as an accompaniment to a roast.

ENTER WORKBOOK
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