Trying new things: A Chevening Scholar’s guide to British foods and experiences

A significant part of appreciating life away from home is keeping an open mind and being eager to explore new things.

As a Chevening Scholar, I have an amazing opportunity to live in the United Kingdom, particularly London, which is a melting pot of people, histories, and cultures.

With this I get to savour classic British dishes coupled with exotic cuisines from just about any country you can think of, crossing items off my bucket list and adding new items along the way.

Food adventures such as stall hopping at Camden Market on a Sunday morning, exploring local eateries at Hackney Wick, or satisfying that sweet craving at Italian Chocolate Bear, whether done alone or with company, promise to provide memories that will last a lifetime.

Fish and chips and everything in the mix

Coming from Jamaica, an island located in the Caribbean that is renowned for its well-seasoned and flavourful cuisines, I have a special bond with food.

At home in London, we do enjoy preparing British meals and incorporating a Jamaican flair with the spices and seasoning.

On those cooler mornings, the complete English Breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, baked beans, toast, tea, and orange juice really hits the spot.

Oftentimes fish and chips is served for lunch, and for dinner we enjoy layered shepherd’s pie or baked potatoes with cheese and beans, which allows me to cut through each layer and relish each creamy bite.

For Friendsgiving, we added a British touch with Tesco’s apple crumble and apple pie topped with custard and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was so good!

Hackney Wick Eats

Intent on indulging in as many cuisines as possible, I’ve been exploring restaurants and having fun visiting neighbourhood food courts and cafes. However, I recently wanted to try British dishes outside of home, so my colleague Haozheng and I deviated from our plans and went to Hackney Wick—an East London town rich in art, quirky cafés and eateries, and vibrant graffiti and murals near our university (Loughborough University London)—to try the British staple dish, fish and chips.

We arrived at The Wicked Fish in the Queen Boatyard after stumbling upon its artsy and eclectic décor and were cordially greeted by Harry and Richard. I ordered the signature fish and chips, while Haozheng ordered the lunch special.

We climbed upon the anchored wooden stools, peeling off the layers and preparing for the feast.

When my order arrived, I was astounded by the massive portions of fish that adorned the cardboard plates and was eager to dig in. Haddock, which Harry told us was a large fish, combined with the scotch bonnet pepper sauce was not too bland and fleshy, and I managed to eat half of it when the lemon was squeezed over it.

The smaller fish reminded me of Sprat which is a common fish in Jamaican waters. Bite size, oily, and of a more compact flesh. With the accompanying cayenne pepper sprinkled all over it, it was a scrumptious delight.

Tastebuds: Ready? Set. Go!

Whether you live in the UK at the moment or are planning to join the league of Cheveners in a future academic year, definitely add trying some British foods to your bucket list!