Ottolenghi’s top secret test kitchen opened for the first time — and I nabbed an invite

Nestled between a charity shop and a Lidl is one of the last places I’d expect to see Ottolenghi’s iconic red logo.

But this is exactly what you’ll find at 422 Holloway Road, home to the most crucial part of the bougie deli, bakery and restaurant business.

Hidden away inside a rather boring-looking building is the foodie paradise that is the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen.

Usually, only employees are allowed inside, but for the very first time, the doors opened to a select group, and I was lucky enough to nab an invite to see where the magic happens.

What’s inside?

As the name suggests, this is where all of Ottolenghi’s recipes are tested.

If you’ve ever flicked through one of Yotam’s cookbooks, you might recognise the space, as content is shot here too.

It’s a bustling, vibrant hub with walls the colour of Cadbury Mini Eggs, shelves rammed full of ingredients, cookbooks galore and A LOT of food.

For those unfamiliar with Ottolenghi, the food is rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions, but draws on a range of diverse influences and styles.

Today, every surface is covered in salad, meat and veg, as well as platters of cake and cookies.

It’s all part of the new Spring menu launch, which we’re here to celebrate. 

In one corner, iced tahini matchas are being whipped up (a truly delicious drink), while on the other side of the room, someone is dipping brioche buns into a vat of glossy pink icing. 

It’s a mesmerising scene, and I was like a kid in a candy store, taking it all in.

Exclusive access

As well as the Test Kitchen, I was given an exclusive tour of the Ottolenghi Central Kitchen and Bakery.

Signs at the entrance proclaim ‘no unauthorised personnel allowed beyond this point’, but I was ushered past into the giant industrial space, where around 40 people work each day.

Here, the team preps anything that can’t be made in Ottolenghi delis across the UK, as well as pre-packaged items, like biscuits. 

I watch as pastry is laminated, granola gets spread out on giant sheets to be toasted, jars of strawberry and sumac jam are made, and an insane amount of babka dough is beaten around and around in a heavy-duty mixer.

Everywhere I turn, there’s a supersized version of something from my own kitchen, including the biggest blocks of butter I’ve ever seen. It feels as if I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.

The weirdest thing I saw? A huge contraption dubbed the ‘shakshuka bath’, where shakshuka is cooked in bulk, because, of course, the Ottolenghi kitchen needs one of those.

What’s on Ottolenghi’s new Spring menu and how does it taste?

After the tour, it was finally time to try the new products, all of which will be available from March 16.

The Spring selection features dishes like Bold Bean Co. black chickpea burgers, beetroot & black bean dip with walnut salsa, kohlrabi, plus saffron & orange chicken with fennel. 

The chicken was the standout for me, it’s bright and sweet with aromatic notes from the fennel, and has a visually striking ochre-coloured sauce.

I also enjoyed trying kohlrabi, which was new to me. It’s known as a German turnip or turnip cabbage and is crunchy in texture, with a slightly peppery kick.

As for the sweet stuff, filled buttermilk brioche buns are the stars of the show.

One is inspired by a Boston Cream pie, another is a twist on a classic doughnut filled with raspberry and pomegranate jam, and the third is citrussy with yuzu and lime curd.

The three will rotate on the menu, which is probably for the best, as choosing between them is no easy task.

I can see the Boston Cream proving popular. It’s incredibly rich and decadent, filled with burnt custard and whipped cream. Ottolenghi says it’s a very American dessert, but there’s something about putting custard and cream together that feels especially British to me. Either way, this one isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Also launching are pistachio & white chocolate babka buns, cardamom, apricot & kumquat brown butter brioche tarts, karpatta choux buns with pecan praline & whiskey cream, and a chocolate bar with blackcurrant cream.

But my favourite by far was the new sesame and tahini milk chocolate cookie. 

I consider myself somewhat of a cookie connoisseur, and these are spectacular, with wonderfully crisp edges, a chewy middle, large chunks of chocolate throughout and shards of caramelised sesame seeds on top.

The flavour is sweet and nutty, with a subtle earthiness. It’s a chocolate chip cookie, but not as you know it, and I am obsessed.

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