OYSTERS METHOD

• Set a bowl of ice on the work surface; place another bowl on top and then place a sieve on top of the empty bowl. Shuck the oysters, removing as much shell as possible before pouring the oyster and its juice into the sieve. Repeat with the remaining oysters.
• Now trim the skirt from the oysters so you have just the plump oyster meat remaining. Strain the oyster juice through a fine chinois twice to remove any grit or shell.
• Add the oysters to the juice, ‘wash’ them in the juice for 30 seconds and carefully remove the oyster meat. Place in a lidded plastic container and refrigerate immediately.
• Now strain the juice through a chinois again and pour into a separate container; refrigerate immediately.

AVOCADO METHOD

• Strain 100g lemon juice through a tea strainer into a bowl and add 50g water.
• Split the avocados, discard the stone and skin and immediately add the avocado to the lemon water, turning around to coat the avocado and stop any discolouration.  Remove from the lemon water, place in a lidded plastic container and discard the lemon water.
• Just before serving, finish the avocado with half sunflower oil and half olive oil (this is to calm the dominant flavour of the olive oil) then season with Maldon sea salt and black pepper.

WATERMELON METHOD

• Remove all the skin from the watermelon and then slice into thick discs (1 per person); you won’t need the entire melon.
• Remove as many of the black seeds as possible.
• Set aside the watermelon slices until assembling the salad. 

CUCUMBER METHOD

• Peel the cucumber then cut in half and slice into long sheets on a mandolin.
• Set aside the cucumber sheets until assembling the salad.

CREAM CHEESE METHOD

• Add a smear onto each plate before plating.

Bacon METHOD

• Break the chocolate up, place in a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water.
• Chop the bacon into small dice and fry until golden brown in a non-stick frying pan; make sure you have an even layer.
• Strain the fat off and then add the bacon to the chocolate – but don’t stir until just before serving (this stops the bacon from going gummy and soggy).

Chilli METHOD

• Half the chillies lengthways and remove the seeds.
• Now cut them into tiny dice (brunoise), add to the honey and water and stir well.

CHOCOLATE METHOD

• Add the chocolate to the freezer one hour before using.
• Remove from the freezer and grate the chocolate with a microplane over the finished dish.

BABY GEM LETTUCE METHOD

• Remove and discard the outer leaves.
• Cut the stem off and peel the leaves off carefully, keeping only the perfect and unblemished ones – discard the rest.
• Wash the leaves in cold water and drain with a salad spinner.
• Add the washed and dried leaves to a large clean bowl ready to use.

Dressing METHOD

• Mix together well and season to taste.

PLATING YOUR DISH

The plating of your dish needs to come from you and your instinct – just taste as you go (i.e. a massive spoonful of chocolate is too much!