Chef Matt Manning is a British born and London trained chef and restaurateur who has made his home in Cape Town where he has established a series of well-known dining establishments.
These include the bistro eatery Grub & Vine, The Chef’s Studio where interactive culinary experiences are on offer, the Blue Room and the Culture Wine Bar where he shares his passion for wine.
Chef Manning – who has vast experience including working in international Michelin star restaurants – admits that he has his own secret weapon in his restaurant kitchens – a smart kitchen gadget that gives him the edge.
Home cooks love them but smart cooking devices, such as the TOKIT Omni Cook C2, are found in professional kitchens around the globe. And the reason is simple. These all-in-one smart machines – which combine multiple features and do the job of more than 21 traditional appliances – provide exceptional, consistent results using a restaurant’s own recipes, which staff can programme into the machine, saving valuable time and effort.
It acts as a “second sous-chef” by automating time-intensive tasks like creating silky purées, emulsions, custards, and risottos, while allowing chefs to focus on creative tasks. The machine offers accurate temperature control and blending power, saving time and reducing kitchen mess.
Chef Manning explains the benefits provided by the TOKIT Omni Cook C2 in his own kitchens.
He says the number one reason is the time saved by using the device: “In a restaurant environment, time is everything and anything that helps streamline preparation without compromising on quality, provides is a big win.”
It is also an easy machine to use: “The TOKITallows the kitchen brigade to execute certain processes faster and more consistently, which means we can focus more on the refinement of dishes and less on repetitive tasks. The beauty of the kitchen genie is that it doesn’t replace skills, rather it supports the chefs and that’s where a real edge in hospitality comes from.
“It’s alsobrilliant for ‘cheffy’ applications thanks to its precise in-built scale for weighing out ingredients, exact temperature controls in cooking, the incredible level of accuracy the TOKIT offers in an accessible way and its ability in building depth of flavour into any dish in the most user-friendly way. It is simple to use with a multitude of applications and now, with the in-built AI, what more can a chef ask for?”
Chef Manning shares his TOKIT go-to recipe.
“This lamb dish impresses guests and is easily made and successfully in the TOKIT which does all the work. It’s the kind of dish that looks and tastes like a full kitchen effort and yet it feels considered and layered with the TOKIT taking care of the time intensive part. It produces lamb that is melt-in-the-mouth tender and builds a depth and richness to the sauce. It is delicious!”
Harissa Lamb with Herb Couscous, Seasonal Vegetables and Rich Lamb Sauce
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Lamb:
- 800g–1kg lamb shoulder or lamb shank
- 30ml (2 tbsp) harissa paste
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
- 5ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
- 5ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika
- 250ml (1 cup) lamb or beef stock
- Salt & pepper
Herb Couscous:
- 250ml (1 cup) couscous
- 250ml (1 cup) hot vegetable stock
- Handful fresh herbs e.g. parsley, coriander, mint, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Splash of olive oil
- Salt to taste
Seasonal Vegetables:
- A mix of whatever’s in season -carrots, courgettes, green beans, sufficient to feed four
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method:
1. For the lamb add the lamb, harissa paste, onion, garlic, spices, stock, salt and pepper into the TOKIT. Set to a slow-cook or stew function and cook for approximately 1.5-2 hours until the lamb is soft and pulling apart.
2. Make the lamb sauce by removing the lamb once it is cooked and set aside. Switch the TOKIT to a reduce/simmer function and let the cooking liquid reduce into a rich, concentrated sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed.
3. Prepare the couscous by pouring hot stock over it, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to steam for 5 minutes. Fluff up the couscous with a fork, then fold through herbs, lemon zest, a splash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast or sauté your seasonal vegetables in the TOKIT with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook until just tender but still vibrant. Chefs in professional kitchens can input their own recipes. However, the TOKIT Omni Cook employs the CookNJoy platform where users can find thousands of free recipes which can be accessed through a touchscreen interface on the machine, a phone app and the TOKIT website. The recipe collection is constantly updated with new dishes from different regions of the world.
5. To serve, spoon the herb couscous onto warmed plates, top with the pulled harissa lamb. Add the seasonal vegetables to the plate and finish off with a generous splash of lamb sauce. Serve immediately.