Our Head Chef's Latest Adventure
We’re catching up with the mind behind Spoke & Stringer’s unique cuisine. Head Chef Ewan Lindsay tells us what he’s been up to.
So, where did your latest adventure take you?
I travelled to Japan with a few friends. We’ve all got a passion for skiing and it was a dream trip to spend four weeks exploring and riding the mountains. We spent a bit of time in Tokyo, Osaka and then we flew up to Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan. There’s some of the highest snow fall in the world up there. We hired a jeep and travelled across Hokkaido, exploring, skiing and taking in the culture.
Tell us a bit about what skiing means to you?
I was introduced to skiing at a young age. I got my first set of skis when I was five years old in Scotland, and since then I’ve been completely hooked. I love the feeling of escapism. It’s a mix of the adrenaline rush, floating through deep powder and being somewhere so remote. There’s no one else there and you’re cutting your own tracks. It gives you the chance to be creative. There’s no right or wrong way down, it’s all up to you. Hit some jumps or drops and create your own journey.
What’s it like skiing in Japan compared to places closer to home?
You get snow patterns coming across from Siberia, making the snow extra fine and dry. So you get much lighter snow compared to Europe and North America where it’s a lot heavier. Japan has lots of natural onsens, so after skiing you can easily find one, strip off and go straight from -12 c̊ into hot water.
You’re also mixing skiing with an amazing cultural experience. As a chef, passion for food is a big part of anywhere I go. It was a great opportunity to check out local cuisine and hopefully bring some ideas home with me.
What were some of the highlights of your trip?
I got to visit the Tsukiji fish market. The biggest fish market in the world. I went there at 5am while all the trading was going on to see the scale of the operation. It felt like it went on for miles, so much hustle and forklifts zooming in every direction while I was trying not get run over. There was such variety and things I’d never seen before. It was incredible.
The best highlight of the trip was touring up Mount Yotei – an inactive volcano. You need the right weather to try and make it to the top. We tried so many times, but the weather was too changeable, until we got the perfect day and set off early.
Any lowlights?
Horse sashimi, say no more.
What’s next for you?
Any exciting adventures on the horizon? Saving up for the next trip, I’d love to get to Alaska. I Recently got into surfing from being at Spoke & Stringer, so it Would be nice to plan some big surf trips.
