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Heading to London? This Restaurant Lets You Be a Chef for the Day

Feb. 23, 2019
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2 min read
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Heading to London? This Restaurant Lets You Be a Chef for the Day
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Have you ever had a meal so divine that you were left wondering what kind of magic was occurring in the kitchen when it was made? At Scully St James's, a restaurant located near Piccadilly Circus in London, you can ruin the mystery. Every Tuesday, the restaurant brings two people into the kitchen to help prepare and cook. In return for the session, helpers get to enjoy a lunch on the house.

The chef behind it all, Ramael Scully, was born in Malaysia to a Chinese and Indian mother and an Irish and Malay father. He moved to Australia at age 8, and made his way to London in recent years. Without a doubt, Scully pulls influences from across the globe, crafting unparalleled dishes that have been praised by critics. (Before opening the restaurant, Scully served as head chef of the widely adored NOPI restaurant.)

Fiona Duncan of The Telegraph got to experience the inter-workings of Scully's kitchen with her friend Henrietta, who discovered the opportunity. As an early customer of the restaurant, Henrietta was quick to applaud its culinary work, once even sending her compliments to Chef Scully himself while seated at the bar overlooking the kitchen. To that, he replied, "Come and join us."

On their designated Tuesday, the two women spent four hours preparing food with chef Ramiro Gasparotto in the storerooms below the restaurant. While preparing meats, vegetables and sauces, the team of three covered the bases of food in conversation, talking about everything from logistics to philosophy. Scully's philosophy on food? According to Gasparotto, it's simple: "Tasty."

Following the day's work, helpers like Fiona and Henrietta get to indulge in the meals they helped to prepare. Their meal was four courses, including — but nowhere near limited to — puff beef tendons, chargrilled broccoli, forbidden rice, barbecued Galician octopus and beef short rib pastrami. All of that with a side of wine, plus the satisfaction of knowing that you took part in it? Count us in.

H/T: The Telegraph

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  • Intro Offer

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    $325

  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.