DS Automobiles And Brand Ambassador Pascal Aussignac Bring Chefs Of The Avant-Garde To Taste Of London

June 5, 2017 by DS Automobiles

•DS Automobiles and Michelin-starred chef Pascal Aussignac are bringing four of the most talented up-and-coming avant-garde chefs to the Taste of London festival (14 to 18 June)

•Selected by Pascal for their innovative cooking skills, all four chefs will prepare the dishes which feature innovative insect ingredients, a first for the prestigious food festival

•Watch video DS Automobiles and Pascal Aussignac's four Chef Protégés

DS Automobiles has joined forces with Michelin-starred chef Pascal Aussignac to find the most talented up-and-coming chefs that embody the French brand's spirit of avant-garde. Ruth Hansom, David Hussey, April Lily Partridge and Andrea Vailati, trained by Pascal, will assist him in creating an insect inspired menu for Taste of London that has never before been seen at the prestigious food festival.

Pascal's choice of an insect menu showcases the DS brand's forward thinking and bold spirit. Insects represent the future of the culinary world, due to being high in protein, low in calories, and sustainable. For Taste of London, the four chefs are preparing dishes – crunchy grapes, crispy risotto, crackling lemon posset, and crusty corn – that include a surprisingly tasty insect ingredient for attendees to try for themselves.

Protégé Chef Ruth Hansom

Ruth Hansom is the first female Young National Chef of the Year winner, as well as Demi Chef de Partie at The Ritz, London. Ruth's career began when she took part in a school cooking competition at 15, and got through to the national final to realise she wanted to become a chef. Aged only 16, Hansom packed her bags and moved from Darlington to London to pursue her dream. Her braveness of character complements the DS brand's bold spirit. Her favourite cooking ingredient is garlic, and her favourite dish is saddle of lamb 'belle epoque'. On creating the insect menu Ruth commented: 'Working with insects is something that I've never done before. We're trying to break barriers and bring the audiences at Taste of London something completely new and I think they'll be pleasantly surprised'.

Protégé Chef David Hussey

Chef David Hussey competed against seven other top chefs in a 90-minute cook-off to win the prestigious Sodexo Chef of the Year Award this past January. At the age of 12, David was already an enthusiastic chef and even made his parents' cake for their wedding day. His breakthrough moment happened while working as a kitchen porter in a restaurant where one of the chefs didn't turn up for work one night, so David had to step up to the challenge and make his mark. David was selected by Pascal for his ability to create eclectic combinations of ingredients such as pomegranate, duck heart and tamarind, in perfect tune with the DS mix of innovation and tradition. In true French spirit, his preferred last meal on earth would be foie gras, bread and butter. While working with Pascal, David commented: 'The attention to detail is the prominent trait for both DS and Pascal. At Taste of London, we wanted to show the public that insects are an inspired addition to modern cooking'.

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Protégé Chef April Lily Partridge

April Lily Partridge, the youngest of the four protégés, is currently a chef at Luca Restaurant and The Little Bread Pedlar. Cooking was in April's upbringing from the beginning, with her mum being a catering manager, and her stepdad a chef. April started cooking at 16, working at The Ivy on weekends, where she fell in love with all the possibilities the kitchen had to offer. Her background of studying art gives her a perfect view on cooking. When getting ready for Taste of London with Pascal, April said: 'So much love, knowledge and craft have to go into preparing these dishes and who would have thought ants were absolutely delicious?'. April especially enjoys plating, which she considers to be a form of food art and her creative vision made her an obvious match for DS, a brand which is always looking to stand out from the crowd.

Protégé Chef Andrea Vailati

Andrea Vailati is currently a Chef de Partie at The Clove Club in Shoreditch. Looking for a job at the age of 17, Andrea did a stint in a restaurant where he was inspired by the passionate people he met there, and he's never looked back. His experience cooking in Italy and Australia has given Andrea an interest in international cuisine; however his favourite cooking ingredient is flour. On his day with Pascal, Andrea commented: 'I learnt new things that I had never seen before. We are really going to challenge ourselves and the audience at Taste'.

DS Automobiles is a brand born in Paris that embodies the spirit of avant-garde through its range of distinctive vehicles. The contemporary designs bring together traditional French craftsmanship and know-how with the latest technological advancements. Attendees of Taste of London will be able to see the very latest new DS model and the Parisian marque's first stunning SUV in the range – DS 7 CROSSBACK – which is a vehicle aimed at customers who appreciate a taste of luxury.

The general public will be able to try Pascal's insect dishes and meet the four protégés at the DS stand at Taste of London, from 14 to 18 June 2017.

About DS Automobiles

A French brand born in Paris, DS was officially founded on 1 June 2014. Its ambition is to revive the tradition of premium vehicles in the French automotive industry. Inspired by the very best of French know-how, DS perpetuates the values of innovation and distinction inherited from the first DS, launched in 1955.

Designed for customers looking for a means to express themselves as individuals, the DS Collection comprises DS 3, DS 3 CABRIO, DS 4, DS 4 CROSSBACK, DS 5 and soon the all-new DS 7 CROSSBACK. The models in the DS range stand apart through their avant-garde design, refinement and attention to detail, advanced technology and dynamic serenity. Presented at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, DS 7 CROSSBACK, the SUV by DS featuring Parisian-style innovation and savoir-faire, ushers in the second generation of DS models. With the DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première limited edition model, forward thinkers can reserve their car online or at a DS Store or DS Salon, and be the first to get behind the wheel. Committed to high-performance hybrid and electric cars, the Brand will launch the DS 7 CROSSBACK equipped with E-Tense, the hybrid powertrain by DS, in 2019.

Available from DS Stores, DS Salons and a selection of other dedicated zones within the Dealership network, DS also has flagship stores – DS WORLD PARIS and a DS URBAN STORE in the UK, located in the Westfield London shopping centre in White City.

DS also supports year-round artistic and cultural activities on the themes of fashion, design, art and gastronomy, respecting and inspired by the values of the DS line. In the UK DS Automobiles is a sponsor of Sky Arts and with gastronomy has Pascal Aussignac as its UK DS brand Ambassador linked to participation and sponsorship at Taste of London (14-18 June) and Events-in-the-Sky (held in Glasgow, London, Newcastle, Bristol & Southampton).