Ben Tish might be from the UK, but he seems to have Mediterranean blood coursing through his veins. Synonymous with the heady foods of Italy, Spain, North Africa and the South of France, his food presence on the British restaurant scene has been built upon layers of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, za’atar and the spices of those warm southern climes. Through the many Cubitt House pubs he oversees as chef director, he transports diners over the Channel and down into the Levant that he so loves. His new book Mediterra, which hits bookstores in July 2024, is another love letter to the region he so reveres and follows on from previous hits such as Sicilia and Moorish.
“The new book has a completely Mediterranean focus. That's my passion, as you probably know,” he tells me. “I wanted to expand on both of my previous books because Sicilia obviously focuses on Sicily, but Mediterra is a bit more of a travel log. It touches on a lot of places around the basin of the Mediterranean, so it’s divided into studies of the islands, the northern shores, the southern shores and the eastern shores, across North Africa, the Middle East, and then the familiar Mediterranean stuff. It’s about what links all of those places together, which is the climate and the geography, the use of olive oil and southern spices, dried fruits, all the common denominators of Mediterranean cuisine.” He admits that, in a saturated food book market, the pressure to produce something different is on but tells me that, when writing, it’s all about staying authentic because, “if it isn’t authentic you aren’t going to write a decent book.”
As if not busy enough, Ben is also penning a Cubitt House cookbook, which is a “lifestyle book with lots of recipes, a bit like the Soho House book,” offering up the history and geography of the pubs across the Cubitt House Group, as well as some delectable dishes to cook at home. The privately owned London pubs include The Orange in Belgravia (which has been serving since 1800 and recently underwent a major refurb) and The Princess Royal in Notting Hill, amongst others, all of which focus heavily on the preservation and sustainability of its sites.
I’m curious to know where Ben would move to if he were chuck it all in and leave the UK for his much-loved Mediterranean? “Puglia,” he tells me, without a moment’s pause. “It’s not as raw as Sicily. Sicily is lovely, but I don’t know if I could live there. It’s quite ‘Wild West’ in places but Puglia strikes the balance of still being very authentic and, while there is a tourist element, it’s not as noticeable as a lot of other places in Italy. The food is amazing and there are some really cool things happening culturally."
And, when enjoying precious time off without hopping on a plane, Ben and his wife, Nykeeta, skirt off to the shores of Rye in East Sussex. The nearby beach of Camber Sands is “wonderful for dog walking. It’s the right pace for us, I think. It’s not Margate; it’s a bit of an older, I suppose bit more gentrified place, and it’s lovely. Our friends own an amazing lifestyle shop there – Hunter Jones Store – the whole area has a lovely artistic culture and, though it’s not right on the beach, you’re only five minutes away from Camber Sands.” And, with that, Ben gives me his top five, must-visit places to eat and drink a weekend away in Rye.
Tillingham
“This is on the outskirts of Rye, overlooking the sea and the Romney Salt Marshes. It’s a winery, so the team make their own natural British South Coast wines. It’s also got bedrooms alongside an amazing restaurant. The chef [Brendan Eades] is ex-Moro, so he cooks that kind of Mediterranean, simple food done really brilliantly that I love, with lots of grilling and cooking over an open fire. There’s also a shop where they sell wine and other lovely lifestyle bits to take away with you. It’s just such an amazing spot.”
Who comes here?
“This is a bit of a lifestyle place; it’s got a big bar where people come and drink the natural wines from all over the county and beyond.”
Best table in the restaurant
“Anywhere in the restaurant is lovely, but also worth a look in is the big wood-fired oven outside that they have - that’s another lovely spot serving up wood-fired pizzas (although there's no gluten-free pizza). You can sit there and overlook the countryside; it’s quite a dreamy place.”
Best time to go
“I think it’s amazing in the summer.”
Dish to order
“I had charcoal grilled lamb chops with cumin, borlotti beans, some turnip tops and a mint dressing. It was really moreish; just delicious.”
The Gallivant
“Again, this is just outside of Rye on the road between Rye and Camber Sands. It’s literally on the road and a stone’s throw from the beach. It’s so fantastic because you can have lunch there and just head straight to the beach. It’s got a bit of a California theme to it, which sounds a bit weird, but I think [the owner] must have some kind of experience with that whole West Coast lifestyle. The food is fantastic and they do yoga and things in the mornings; it’s got a slightly hippy feel about it.”
Who comes here?
“It’s amazing, but the secret is out, and it’s a bit of a destination place now because of its location and the fact that you can stay. And they’ve got a Bamford spa now, too, so it isn’t locals only.”
Best table in the restaurant
“I would sit outside overlooking the beach if the weather is nice, but it’s really cosy inside in the winter, too. They’ve got an open fire and, as you walk in, there is one room that feels like a sort of country house sitting room where you can sit and have drinks and things with a huge open fire.”
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Best time to go
“I’ve been for brunch, lunch and dinner, but I think the brunches are really interesting.”
Dish to order
"The Gallivant is quite seafood-heavy and, again, they cook over charcoal and wood, so expect things like whole skate wing with new potatoes and garlic, and they do lots of local, fresh lobsters and prawns over the grill. And at brunch, they do this Iberico bacon brioche bun with homemade brown sauce or other stuffing like portobello mushrooms with confit garlic and grilled tomatoes."
The Fig
“This is right in the centre of Rye, and it’s a café, but they also do drinks in the evenings. It’s quite Ottolenghi-esque, serving up things like fresh salads with spices, harissa and cumin; it’s just really well executed.”
Who comes here?
“It is loved by Rye locals, but there are also rooms to stay in, so you’ll get people visiting from all over.”
Best table in the restaurant
“The Fig is very buzzy, and the tables in the window looking out onto the street just add to the liveliness and conviviality.”
Best time to go
“They do breakfast all day, and they do an excellent brunch, so that’s when I would personally go, but they also do cocktails and things in the evenings if you’re after an evening out.”
Dish to order
“I had aubergine shawarma, which was spiced aubergine with dates, chickpeas and dukka, and another dish that was really good was their local smoked salmon done at the smokery in Rye with horseradish, new potatoes and courgettes on a home-made rye bread.”
The George Hotel
“The George Hotel is a bit of a Rye institution and it’s been there for ages, but it burnt down in 2019. There was a huge fire and the owners did a massive renovation project so it’s since reopened its doors. I went before and after the fire and it was really wonderful. They must have spent a fortune on it when it was re-done, and the results are amazing.”
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Who comes here?
“Again, because The George has rooms, you’ll get guests from all over, but the restaurant is about 80 per cent fish, I’d say, so those who love fish will book in, too. Again, they’ve got a big charcoal grill, so you can expect that wonderful open-fire flavour to everything.”
Best table in the restaurant
“If you want something really relaxed and informal, there’s a really cool bar where you can eat if you don’t want to sit in the restaurant, though both spaces are lovely.”
Best time to go
“I’ve done both lunch and dinner, and both are excellent. You can book a table even if you’re not staying there.”
Dish to order
“I had a fantastic surf and turf that they do with a generous, local ribeye steak. That is then served with grilled Gamba Rosso on top (scarlet red prawns) with a preserved lemon butter.”
Marino’s Fish Bar
"This is, as the name suggests, basically fish and chips. It’s really excellent fish and chips, though, done either to eat in or to takeaway. They still cook the chips in beef fat (though you can have them done without, as they’ve got another fire if you don’t want that). There’s a lot of bad fish and chips in this country, let’s be honest, but Marino’s is not one of them. I come from Skegness in Lincolnshire, so I was brought up around some pretty bad fish and chips. Marino’s do it really, really well, though. I come from Skegness in Lincolnshire, so I was brought up around some pretty bad fish and chips but I reckon this is better than any of the supposedly good ones in London as well. It’s like a cafeteria with Formica tables, but it’s an institution."
Who comes here?
“People come from far and wide for Marino’s, and they queue outside if they have to. It’s right on Rye High Street, and it’s very cool.”
Best table in the restaurant
“Honestly, I think it’s lovely to order and take away to the beach if the weather allows it.”
Best time to go
“Anytime is a good time, but I’d say spring or summer, so you can take them away and head to the sand to sit down and eat.”
Dish to order
“I get a small cod and chips with mushy peas and curry sauce.”
Mediterra will be published on 4 July 2024 by Bloomsbury. Ben Tish is also chef director at Cubitt House and The Orange (37 Pimlico Rd, Belgravia) is now open again following its refurbishment.