Wednesday 5th October 2011

We were talking about the phenomenon, at first sight odd, of Poor Little Rich Gay involvement in the former Communist countries of the Central and Eastern of Europe.

But, as you’ll see, it’s more of an intervention than a visit.

The international food writer and stylist took his 50th birthday in a cow stall in Romania. The central commemoration dinner was ordered in and offered in the cow stall  at Prince Charles’s Viscri guesthouse. Of filthy food taken in the bloc over the years, (Anthony Mottram’s mother, on gaining the aeroplane after the Bulgarian Orphans, exclaimed, ‘At last – clean food’), this was at the better end. A wholesome light chicken broth with vegetables and pasta ribbons only a little over-cooked, was followed by well-steamed cabbage parcels with possible pork and offal contents… then coffee. As Merle Barr pointed out the next day when the 15 euro a head price was announced, several courses appeared to be missing. There was a special occasion cake, though. Charlie Hurling said, ‘I’m getting Febreze.’ His partner, Archie Brahams, considered the sponge to have formerly been the back-seat of a Ford Cortina.

Guests were asked to pay tribute to Angus on his 50th Birthday: Charlie Hurling said, ‘It’s been a joy – except in 1997.’  ‘What happened then?’ we asked. ‘I’ve not forgotten,’ said Charlie. ‘You didn’t come to my 40th in India,’ Angus said resentfully.  ‘That was because my mother had just died,’ Charlie said and did a drama of breaking down: ‘Thank you for reminding me.’  (Sob! Sob!) The food writer, Judi Dench, praised as follows: ‘You were hell to work with but I’m glad I kept the friendship.’  I said, ‘Angus has shaped and re-styled world and made it a better place than when found.’

Of course he’s hell to work with.

The next night, he somehow secured a barn and an outdoor kitchen. This is what I mean by making inroads. These facilities were  in someone’s private garden. The owner’s veg patch and freezer were forthcoming with tomatoes, aubergine and beetroot as well as goulash pork. Angus, in command in the outdoor kitchen, then re-modelled the Romanian National Dish, yoking it for the first time with rice. The owner, who dined, when not hovering with a bucket of water for fear of the candles that had been styled into the intensely wooden and dry barn, was stunned but accepting.

The Romanian Barn Dinner for the Second Night

Angus Willis's Outdoor Romanian Kitchen for the Second Night

Angus Willis: Food Styling in Romanian Outdoor Kitchen