Chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi runs a number of restaurants in London. Photo: Keiko Oikawa/Reuters

So bold are the flavours in Ottolenghi: The Cookbook that author Yotam Ottolenghi said he and his partner considered beginning it with a warning: if you don’t like lemon or garlic, skip to the last page.

Chef and restaurateur Ottolenghi and his co-author and co-chef Sami Tamimi have several eateries in London, including Nopi, their high-end location.

“There’s no understatement in our food. It clearly states what it does. In that respect, it’s deeply rooted in the culture and temperament of the Middle East and the Mediterranean,” said Ottolenghi about the 140 recipes in the book.

Ottolenghi: The Cookbook predates the London-based team’s runaway bestseller Jerusalem, which was named Cookbook of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals in April.

The 44-year-old spoke to Reuters from London aboutcooking food that shouts, the joys of eating out in present-day London and the magical properties of the pomegranate.

How does your partnership work?

We’re both from Jerusalem. One is Jewish, the other Arab. I come from a European background, while Sami had typical Arab fare but our sensitivities are similar in terms of food. We cooperate very well together in (a) blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern.

What are the features of this blend?

Basically we’re quite out there in terms of flavours and colours. We use a lot of spices and herbs. We also tend to cook quite rustically, more like in the Middle East – simple... It’s definitely not Scandinavian food. There are no subtle flavours. It shouts quite loudly.

Did you always want to be a chef?

I was drawn to it after a career in academia, working in a university and at newspapers. Food was always important in my family, but I didn’t think of it as a vocation until a later point in life.

What is your training?

I took a few courses at the Cordon Bleu (in London) but acquired most of my practical knowledge working in various establishments here in London.

Has London finally shed its reputation for bad food?

From where I’m standing, that’s just a distant memory, some kind of folk story people tell but nobody believes anymore. There are tons of wonderful places to eat in London. It’s quite amazing to think that it was such a desert only 15 or 20 years ago.

What’s always in the pantry?

Spices like cardamom, cumin, turmeric and coriander seeds; herbs like tarragon, cilantro and chives. Condiments or infusions like rosewater or orange blossoms. And pomegranate is very popular in the Middle East. We had it growing in our garden. There’s tons to do with it, it’s healthy and very beautiful to look at. In many ways it’s a magical ingredient.