CHEF’S RECIPE
Chef Gary Lee talks about the recipe diners ask for again and again at one of London’s most famous restaurants
"The Ivy has been serving London’s theatre district since 1917, and the famous shepherd’s pie is one of the recipes regular diners insist stays on the menu. What makes our version of this classic comfort dish stand out is that it’s a hybrid – a cross between a shepherd’s pie and a cottage pie, given that we use both beef and lamb mince to make it. This combination gives a little more complexity, and elevates a humble dish into something special.
I also think that in the face of current food trends, where everywhere you turn there are foams and gels in place of recognisable ingredients, shepherd’s pie is something people feel safe ordering – something that doesn’t force them out of their comfort zone, as so many menus do these days. This dish is nursery food par excellence.
As for the cheese: no, it’s not authentic. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure – you can’t beat the salty kick of a mature cheddar melted over hot mashed potato."