When we received the news that we had made it to the Final of the F Word’s Best Chinese Restaurant Competition we were estatic (Watch us battle it out here). Thanks to our wonderful customers who nominated us, we were on the map a la Gordon. However, before Gordon,  we were and still are are the third generation of women restaurateurs and have always had great families follow us generation after generation. Their gran knew our gran (who set up her restaurant before Chinatown was established), their mum knows our mum and now the third generation visit Sweet Mandarin.

Nothing had quite sunk in even when a black car picked us up at our home to drive us to the studios in London. Having not slept the night before didn’t help when we were faced with 50 chicken breasts and about 100 pieces of squid to cut in the F Word kitchen – and we had an hour’s prep time to get through the mountains of ingredients.

I was cutting away in my own little world when suddenly this voice said ‘Hello Lisa!’ It was Gordon Ramsay. He was so tall and I was so shocked that it was the man himself that I nearly cut my hand.  It was at that moment that it finally sunk – I was in the competition headed up by Gordon Ramsay to find the UK’s Best Local Chinese Restaurant and after three generations who have endured rollercoaster after rollercoaster it was a chance for me to restore the family name.  Then I got nervous.   I finally realised that this competition was real and was shocked that Gordon knew my name. I’ve seen him on the TV, but for him to know and praise me was a chef’s dream come true.  It was a true honour to cook with him and a huge accolade to get 82/100 mark for the Mabel’s Claypot Chicken (my mother’s recipe which we serve at Sweet Mandarin). When we won the Best Local Chinese Restaurant Award 2009-2010 I had tears in my eyes.  To my dear customers and to all of Manchester, this trophy is for you.

If you want to pop over for my mum’s claypot chicken, please book a table here

I have an exceptionally sweet tooth that its embarrasing.
‘How many sugars do you want in your tea?’
‘Four please’ I respond
‘Four!!! Is that enough?’ said sarcastically
‘Oh go on make it five then’.

When I’ve been especially good, I give myself a little bit of Heaven on Earth, a pot au chocolate. Hey I know I’m Chinese but we Chinese can cook a mean dessert and even give the French a run for their money. I buy the real chocolate, the 72% chocolate to make this exceptional dessert. It feels really naughty and indulgent. There have been occasions when I make the batch. Eat the batch. Wash the pots and you didn’t even know a masterpiece was made. Selfish? Totally. Naughty? Oh Yes. But my goodness, or should I say Ooh la la, are they good. And that’s why my pots au chocolat make #981 Sweet Nothing.

Here’s my recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
550g 72% chocolate
6 egg yolks
125g icing sugar
250ml full-cream milk
1 pint double cream
25g blueberries to dress

Method: How to make pot au chocolat
1. Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie.

2. Beat the egg yolks with the icing sugar.

3. Boil the milk and cream together and combine with the melted chocolate and sugared egg yolks.

4. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and cool. Refrigerate until required and add some blueberries to dress.

If you want to try them, I’d be happy to save one for you (since its you)…..so when are you coming to visit me?
Book here for your oh so naughty pot au chocolat.