This autumn, The Cheese Bar in Camden will launch Return of the Mac, inviting some of London’s favourite restaurants to put their spin on the classic mac’n’cheese.
Collaborators will be given free reign with their dishes, with one rule and one rule only, the cheese used must be British. Beginning on 14 October, the stellar line-up sees Bleecker, bubbledogs, Club Mexicana, Darby’s and POLPO contribute their own unique mac’n’cheese recipes, with each dish appearing on The Cheese Bar’s menu for one week only.
Kicking off with Russell Norman of POLPO with the ‘Telefono Ultimo’, the mac’n‘cheese is named after the expression Italians use when melted cheese stretches into long strings resembling telephone cables; the dish features Ogleshield, Coolea, Quicke’s Cheddar and braised leeks, topped with crispy breadcrumbs.
Week two sees Dean Parker, Head Chef of Darby’s showcase his indulgent truffled Baron Bigod mac’n’cheese, made with creamy Baron Bigod from Fen Farm Dairy in Suffolk, alongside white truffle oil and grated Old Winchester.
As the nights draw in, blue cheese fans can get their fix with Bleecker’s ‘Angry Mac’, as Zan Kaufman re-imagines her cult favourite Angry Fries into a mac’n’cheese made with Cropwell Bishop Stilton, topped with lashings of spicy, vinegary hot sauce.
From 4 November, vegans and non-vegans alike can enjoy Meriel Armitage of Club Mexicana’s ‘Club Mex Mac’; a vegan mac’n’cheese using vegan cheese topped with crumbled ‘chorizo’ made from spiced tempeh, and fiery jalapeños.
Last but by no means least, Sandia Chang from bubbledogs will round out the series from 11 November.
Mathew says, “As winter descends, there’s no better dish to warm up with than a mac’n’cheese. With such a broad range of dishes, especially our first recipe using vegan cheese, it really demonstrates the versatility of British cheese. We’ve always said that British cheese is some of the best in the world, so it’s amazing to see all our collaborators taking their pick of the country’s best for Return of the Mac.”
Each Return of the Mac mac’n’cheese will be on The Cheese Bar’s menu for one week only, from the below dates. Bookings can be made at www.thecheesebar.com/camden.
14 October: POLPO’s Telefono Ultimo
21 October: Darby’s The Truffled Baron
28 October: Bleecker’s Angry Mac
4 November: Club Mexicana’s Club Mex Mac
11 November: bubbledogs’ mac’n’cheese