Chef Ed Tejada has been cooking in restaurants in London for over eleven years. Throughout his career, Ed has spent a significant amount of time working in sustainable restaurants, notably as Head Chef at Silo, a zero-waste restaurant founded by Douglas McMaster. His time at Silo opened his eyes to the deeper purpose of cooking – beyond just cutting up vegetables and putting them in a pot – it became clear that every step in the kitchen holds intrinsic value, shaping not only the meal but also the impact on the environment.

For London Design Festival, Toogood invited Ed Tajada to create a Forager’s Lunch as part of TOOGOOD OPENHOUSE. While out foraging for ingredients, we caught up with Ed about his work and the world around him.

How has your commitment to sustainable cooking shaped the way you approach ingredients in your dishes?

Sustainable cooking for me is about more than just preparing food; it’s about minimising waste and truly valuing ingredients. When you understand where your food comes from and the importance of soil health, it transforms your thinking. I now use at least 90% UK produce from suppliers who are making a positive impact by improving soil health and restoring nutrients. When you know the care that’s gone into producing ingredients it changes how you handle them in the kitchen. And ultimately, when that care carries through to the dish and you are feeding it to loads of people, it feels like everything has come full circle.

When do you feel most creative?

In and amongst the chaos of doing events. I need to be stimulated and the chaos brings me the peace that I crave.

What are your tools of the trade?

My hands, my hands, my nose palette. It’s changed over the years, before it used to be a very physical thing, but now I sit and spend a lot of time intentionally. It’s still physical but I spend a lot of time feeling and observing the world around me.

Where do you begin when building a menu?

I always start by looking at the produce list from my vegetable supplier to see what’s in season. I’ll ask them about what’s at its best, what might be in surplus or what’s especially abundant. Based on their feedback, I’ll start picking ingredients and work from there to create dishes. Working closely with what’s available makes me more in tune with the seasons and the produce. It creates a more natural and responsive way to cook. And when it comes to foraging, Hackney Marshes in London is one of the best places – there’s such an abundance of wild ingredients to discover.

What can you find in Hackney Marshes?

More brambles than you can shake a stick at? Towards the end of summer, you get loads of very good, black, very little brambles. There's a couple of sloe trees out there, hidden away, which is quite fun, loads of elderberry trees, crab apples, and meadowsweet, which is one of my favourite herbs ever. It's quite sweet, and when you're around it, the whole air changes.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start foraging?

Start by spending more intentional time outdoors. It all began for me with wild garlic and the more I explored, the more curious I became about my surroundings. I’d see something and think, ‘What’s that, and that?’ That curiosity really helps you learn about the world around you.

My main advice would be, don’t put anything in your mouth unless you’re absolutely sure.

While that might seem intimidating, it gets easier with time and knowledge. There are plenty of great foraging books, and you can always reach out to people for advice – you can even message me on Instagram and I’d be happy to help you with identifying plants. Foraging is about sharing knowledge, so no need to keep it a secret, though I might keep a few favourite spots to myself.

What's the most exciting thing you've found in the wild?

Grapes! They seem to pop up in unexpected places around East London, especially in areas like Shoreditch. It’s fascinating how they spread – often discarded seeds or plants that someone had, and then they take root and grow in new spots.

If budget was no barrier, what is a project you’d love to bring to life?

I’d love to create a project focused on educating people about the Earth and our soil. This would involve teaching everyone – from kids to adults – about why it’s so important to be mindful of the connection between our environment and our choices. How to be more mindful about what you consume, how to maximise your food, and how to reduce waste.

What makes a great dinner?

Friends, friends, oh, friends.

 

And for the quick fire round! What’s the best thing to put on toast?

Butter.

 

Favourite book?

Gathering moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer

 

Sexiest smell?

Meadowsweet.

 

What poster did you have on the wall of your teenage bedroom?

Loads of cutouts from Thrasher skateboard mag.

 

What drink are you making for me if I come for a nightcap?

That has to be an Old Fashioned.

 

You are DJing the last party on earth, what last song are you playing?

I hope the sky is gray when I wake up by Lola. It's end credits, you gotta put a chill song on.

  

Desert Island Dish?

Bacon, sweet breads, peas and mint from St. JOHN.

 

Do you have a favourite work of art?

Witches Going to Their Sabbath by Luis Ricardo Valero.

 

And what is your most treasured possession?

My bike.

 

Can you share a piece of advice?

Take your time and trust yourself. The plants do it, we should too.

Find out more about TOOGOOD OPENHOUSE and where to find Toogood at London Design Festival 2024.

Follow Ed Tejada on Instagram.