Simon Hopkinson, author of one of Britain’s best selling cook books, “Roast Chicken and Other stories” has had “cooking block” for the past four years.

He confirmed this in an exclusive interview with chef.co.uk, and spoke openly for the first time about the pressures of life in a busy commercial kitchen that had led him to his “mini crisis”.

Eye witnesses recalled Hopkinson storming out of the kitchen at the Michelin building where he worked, and announcing to startled diners that he had what he then called “cooking block.”

To read the rest of this story, or buy a copy of Hopkinson’s book, click “more” below”. To win a copy of “Roast Chicken and other Stories”, published by Ebury Press – send us your experiences of eating at a well-known restaurant – the best story wins the book – write to nick@chef.co.uk.

“That was when I had a mini crisis –I (had already) said I was going to stop cooking and (it was) about three months later that happened.
“Alain Ducasse was in the dining room that night, of all people, but he did like my Ginger pudding, and he asked for the recipe and I gave it to him, and that was it.” Hopkinson’s partners and fellow-Directors of the restaurant, Sir Terence Conran and Michael Hamlyn were also there that night when Hopkinson dramatically threw in the apron.

Roast Chicken and Other Stories – buy it from Amazon UK

Roast Chicken and Other Stories – Second Helpings – buy it from the UK
Roast Chicken and Other Stories: A Recipe Book – buy it in the US for $19
Hopkinson’s affliction does not affect his enjoyment of food, or of cooking at home, but does prevent him from cooking in restaurants, for money.

“I didn’t like it any more,” he told me in a phone interview from his West London home.

“I did mentally not like it any more. Not just being in the restaurant kitchens but that kind of cooking” he said. “The staff problems – people moving on very quickly. Its even worse these days, with two new restaurants a week opening in London,”

“Restaurant kitchen block maybe” more accurate, he said – I never stopped loving cooking. But I could never go back – not to a restaurant kitchen

“I am not mad about the eating public in general — I don’t mean just here — but in general.

“I don’t like giving,” he admitted. “Its not to say that I don’t like providing but I do sort of slightly want it to be on my terms and I don’t want to be paid for it.”

Since then, Hopkinson has been considering his position. He may also have writer’s block, as the Roast Chicken book was published some time before his crisis: “I chose to have a little sort of think. And it went on rather a long time, he said”. “I wish more people did that instead of jumping to the next new place.”

“There’s too many restaurants, and not enough people to go round.”

On the current trend towards slow cooking he exclaimed “I’m not going to slow grill a lamb chop – Its about doing things properly isn’t it – but it’s the wrong idea to cook things slowly – its about taking care. Looking after the food.”

Hopkinson’s Roast Chicken book was recently rediscovered when readers of Waitrose Magazine voted it Britain’s most useful cookbook. It sold 1776 copies last week.