Food for Thought – Mario Perera at The Dorchester
In a leafy village 5,415 miles from London, near Colombo, Sri Lanka, a young Mario Perera was flicking through the pages of a catering magazine. Serendipitously, his eyes caught an advertisement for The Dorchester, a five-star luxury hotel in central London, describing it as “the place to be and to work”. The fledgling chef decided – there and then – that working at the famous hotel would be his destiny.
And so it turned out. In 1995, Perera took the plunge and left Sri Lanka, becoming a commis chef at The Dorchester, where he was soon promoted to Executive Sous Chef. In July, he achieved his childhood dream and was appointed Executive Chef, overseeing six kitchens and 100 chefs when the Dorchester finally re-opened on the 1st of September. He has cooked for high-profile guests and celebrities from around the world and has even prepared sole for Her Majesty the Queen. As Perera dials in from The Dorchester – you can’t help but wonder if he ever leaves – he explains where it all began, tracing the roots of his success back to the heart of the Perera family.
“My mother was a hairdresser, and my dad worked for a tractor company. So, my mother was very creative, and my dad had a strong work ethic, and I guess that’s defined who I am,” the wide-grinned Perera says. “I had three other brothers; when they would want to buy toys, I was far more interested in buying food so I could try out a recipe.”
Perera would carefully observe his mother and father – both keen cooks – as they rustled up food and filled the house with whirling smells of flavour, spice and seasoning. “I remember fondly how my mother would make her legendary chicken curry; all it took was a good piece of meat, roasted curry powder, coconut milk and seasoning.”
He adds: “My grandmother also had a farm, and there was a bakery in the village, and so we could get fresh bread from there, and meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables from the farm.” This “farm-to-fork” ethos would later become core to Perera’s food philosophy, as he would take these principles of quality, seasonality and sustainability and effectuate them in the busy kitchens of The Dorchester.
After seeing that fateful advertisement in the magazine, Perera – with the support of his encouraging family – went to do his apprenticeship at the Taj Samudra, Colombo. Here, he would learn the basics of multi-culture cuisine, with a specialisation in French cooking. He then packed his bags for the UK and followed Professor David Foskett at Thames Valley University for seven years, learning to become a master in the field of pastry, kitchen and larder.
After honing his craft, he called up the HR department of The Dorchester hotel and met with the Executive Chef at the time. “He showed me around, we talked, and asked when I could start,” Perera recalls. “I said I could start tomorrow, and he turned to me and said meet me at 8 am.”
And so began Perera’s long and successful career at The Dorchester. “For me, it’s such a privilege to work at The Dorchester, as you always get the best product and work with the best quality ingredients,” he explains. “Using local products from local farmers and working with the seasons can make the dish much more flavoursome. I have my own dairy farm, which makes the cream and a farm that makes the jam for afternoon tea. We try and let the ingredients speak for themselves.”
Over the years, Perera has amassed an eclectic list of “signature dishes.” He is famed for gin and tonic salmon with finger lemon and Bromley apple; Wagyu short rib ravioli, chervil root, marsala jus and pistachio crumble with pecorino cheese foam; steamed wild sea bass on a bed of new crushed potatoes and Cornish seafood chowder, dandelion pesto and Cornish sea lettuce with a tapioca crisp.
According to Perera, the inspiration behind these dishes is from following “culinary trends, seasonality and innovation”. He is currently orchestrating a rooftop pop-up that changes guest chef every two weeks, which has proved to be a huge success.
“We knew people couldn’t go away, so we tried to bring an experience to them,” says Perera. “One of the pop-ups was Sri-Lankan themed, and it was the first time I got to showcase my native cuisine.” The pop-up served Hen’s Egg Hopper (a fermented rice flour and coconut milk pancake and Cacklebean egg); a light buttermilk load with swirls of turmeric and purple yam, but, of course, the most popular was Mario’s mother’s recipe of Ceylon Chicken Curry.
Perera describes how one pop-up was all about the seaside, and so he curated a menu where guests could, once again, travel via their taste buds. They put “little Cornish treats on ice” for guests, including edible seaweed; dive scallop with radish and truffle yuzu; blue lobster with blood orange and Oyster with oyster leaf and champagne sauvignon.” The pop-up currently taking place features Adriana Cavita, who is bringing a taste of Mexico to The Dorchester Rooftop.
When asked what sort of experience the Executive Chef wants people to have when dining at The Dorchester, he zealously replies; “It’s a special occasion sort of place. People and families come here to celebrate, for a reunion, for a birthday and from all around the world. That’s why it’s important for us, and for me, to make it memorable.”
He continues: “Take the legendary afternoon tea, for example. It may just be a cup of tea and a sandwich, but it has to be 100%. The bread has to be freshly baked, and the chicken has to be roasted till it’s delicious and tender. Using good produce and quality ingredients means a lot to me, but also means a lot to the client.”
For Perera’s last ever supper, he picked an uncomplicated starter of “smoked salmon, lemon and capers.” For his main course, “a good-aged steak and chips,” and for his pudding, “a strawberry trifle.” To drink, a strong-and-sharp glass of whisky.
“After lockdown, it was great to see the guests come back and have tea and a scone. It’s such a joy to see,” Perera smiles. “I am very proud, it wasn’t always an easy journey to get here, but I am very humbled to be a chef at The Dorchester; it really is a great privilege.”
Portland crab salad & Diver scallop fricassee
Ingredients
1 Scallop
120g Crab white meat
20g Chives
50g Mayonnaise
100g Bread crumb
10g Bronze fennel
10g Chervil
5g Bee pollen
150g Shellfish bisque
Method
First for the scallop and crab: prepare the scallop by removing the guts and clean and cover. Pick the white crab meat making sure no crab shell is left.
For the Crab mix: in a bowl add the mayonnaise white crab, lemon zest and salt esplette.
To finish the dish: plate the crab, mix two different size of rings as shown in picture and set aside.
Pan-fry the scallop and cook both sides till golden brown and then Monte the scallop with butter till done.
Then, warm the bisque (see below), reduce it slowly to a medium thick consistency and serve warm.
For the Shellfish bisque:
Ingredients
1 kilo Shellfish shells (Prawns, lobster, crab)
100g medium white onion diced
100g medium celery diced
100g medium fennel diced
100ml Nolly prat
100ml Brandy
100g tomato puree
100g fresh diced red tomato
2 oranges cut in half
200ml Double cream
Method
Roast the shellfish bones in the oven temperature 180C for 25 minutes till it gets golden brown
In a pan sauté the diced onion celery, fennel, and sweat them. Add the roasted shellfish shells and cook for another 15-20 minutes till nicely roasted and add the alcohol (brandy, Nolly prat) flame it and add the diced fresh tomato and puree and roast for another 15 minutes.
Cover with water and cook for another 35 minutes until the shells are completely braised, add diced oranges and cook for another 10 minutes to infuse.
Then using a strong hand blender, blend the shells very finely to release all the flavour from the shells with the stock and pass two times through chinois (strainer) making sure no shells.
Reduce the bisque slowly to a required consistency and finish with double cream for extra smooth texture.