BIOGRAPHY
With an emphasis on locally-sourced food, Mike Robinson creates unique dishes with wild game, fish, and veggies at his restaurants throughout England. Mike is a connoisseur of outstanding food as a Michelin Star chef, but he also enjoys his time as an outdoorsman. On fishing expeditions and in the forest, he reels in fish and forages for his meals. In both worlds, one thing is clear: Mike Robinson doesn’t play when it comes to creating memorable meals and living life to the fullest.
Wildly Foraged Meals, Mike Robinson's Way
Q&A
Interview with Mike
Hot and fast or low and slow?
Mostly low and slow, but hot and fast for fish and quick cuts of venison.
Favorite ingredient, and why?
Wild Fallow Deer. It is the best meat in the world. It’s epic slow-cooked and amazing when cooked quickly as steaks.
Favorite cooking tool?
My Flint and Flame chef’s knives, which I had a hand in developing. It’s the original food processor!
Best cooking lesson you learned by trial and error?
Cooking meat gently and carefully, then reverse searing for the best and most consistent results.
What started your passion for cooking?
Hunting wild food as a teenager. The only rule was that I had to cook what I caught.
Why is cooking with wild ingredients important to you?
Wild ingredients are truly sustainable and connect you to nature while you are gathering them.
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Mike's Favourite Recipes
Slow Braised Venison and Pesto Lasagna
When Chef Mike Robinson makes this rich and hearty lasagna, he uses muntjac shoulder and other tough parts from the small Southeast Asian deer, but venison shank makes a good substitute, and even lamb shank, though the flavour profile will be slightly different with lamb. Mike also uses wild garlic—which the muntjac eats—for his pesto. But because wild garlic has a short season and may not be easy to find—look for it at farmers markets—this recipe uses basil with some added garlic instead. That said, if you can find wild garlic, or its cousin ramps, go ahead and try that and omit the garlic cloves in the pesto.
