28 March 2022
Having driven through country style roads and thinking we had taken a wrong turn and ended up back in Wexford, we convened outside an unassuming building in the Dublin suburb of Stepaside. A long dining room with concrete walls clad with wood panels, the eye leads down to a curved bar with an overhead wine display. It’s a classic, contemporary design, bright and airy, yet cosy. Immediately, I feel comfortable in the room and am picturing myself tucked into a quiet corner, enjoying the fayre. This is an inviting room and it reflects the personality of the chef patron Simon Williams, who was there to meet us.
The bar was laden with Kilner jars of all sizes, filled with interesting produce. We smelled, tasted and listened all while Simon chatted with us about Woodruff. At times he would smile seeing one of the group’s reaction to a smell or taste and his eyes would dance as he talked about walks in the forest and the discovery of something new to experiment with. He not only loves food, he lives and breathes it. Simon has an intense curiosity and is not afraid to experiment and try something new. One of the group likened his restaurant kitchen approach to a laboratory and how right she was. Woodruff is a warm, cosy restaurant, chic and understated but full of passion. The margolio, a pine and brown sugar syrup, was inspired by his wife and a Transylvanian traditional recipe. Simon uses it instead of maple syrup – because he has created something that works in its place and is different to what everyone else is using.
I think more than any of our meetings this year, Simon really inspired me. His use of everything and I mean everything was inspirational. This evening I made dinner at home and had pieces of fennel and the ends of broccoli and asparagus that I would normally discard straight into the compost bin. Instead, I’ll pickle them as my own experiment. There were so many things that I tasted and smelled that were just every day, normal vegetables and he managed to transform them into something magical. The cured egg yolk, for example is most certainly on my list to try as is the kimchi after seeing Simon’s. It looked fantastic and again, it’s another way of using up vegetables that might otherwise be discarded.
Simon obviously has a great connection with his suppliers. He mentioned McNally’s farm often and he had so much respect for the hard work they put into every vegetable or leaf they produce, that he uses it all, every bit. Even the onion skins. High praise indeed and so much part of botanical cuisine. Wasting nothing and making something amazing out of what others would waste. While standing in the wash-up section of his kitchen, Simon said he thinks about the long days spent outside by farmers, braving the elements while he works in his warm, dry kitchen. It is this level of empathy and connection with his suppliers and their produce that made an impression on me. Having seen how hard Jenny and Pat work on their farm, the blood, sweat and tears that go into their farm, I understood how he feels. He’s a chef with a conscience, an understanding of hard work and how important it is to honour the work of others.
There’s no fancy kitchen with all the bells and whistles but there’s a big heart in the kitchen. Simon mentioned that one of his chefs, from the Philippines, wanted to make a dessert from his country for the team to taste. Simon was only too happy to taste it for himself. Together, they tweaked the flavours, balancing the sweetness and he has that dish, ube halaya cake, on his menu. There’s no ego there- he sees every opportunity to learn and try something new. The weekly menu change must make this an exciting place to work. Always trying new dishes and never staying still. As used as I am to a menu remaining the same for three months before changing, it’s repetitive and boring. Changing it up every week is so exciting and keeps things fresh and innovative.
We tried a sample of the charcuterie and it was beautiful- full of flavour. We tasted coppa, air-dried lamb, duck and lomo. Woodruff is not vegetarian but more plant forward. Again, using cuts of meat or the offal that others shy away from in favour of more prestigious cuts, is Simon’s speciality. The dry aging fridge with Himalayan salt blocks can be seen close to the kitchen entrance. Simon age dries using herbs and spices to flavour the meat and offal, infusing it wonderfully with unique tastes.
Simon spoke of his business partner, Colm Maguire, a Wexford man. He manages the restaurant front of house. I suspected a Wexford connection as soon as I saw the Ballycross apple juice behind the bar. Again, another example of supporting good, small, hard-working producers as Christian von Englebrechten most definitely is. The pair have put everything they have into making this restaurant a success and that is reason to admire them. ‘’Fortune favours the bold’’ as the adage goes, and I hope in this case that it the truth because they truly deserve it. The team are a close-knit bunch and work together with a clear vision. Work/Life balance is a term often bandied about but not put into practice but not in Woodruff. Simon spoke about how their brunch service was very busy and obviously important revenue for the restaurant but they called time on it due to the extra hours and pressure on the team.
What else can I say but those couple of hours spent in Woodruff was, for me, one of the highlights of this academic year. His enthusiasm is infectious and his passion for his food, his restaurant and creativity is inspirational. On the drive back to college, we bubbled with how much we had learned, what we would try from what we had seen. It was uplifting. Simon’s lack of pretense and down-to-earth personality is evident in the design of the restaurant and its ethos. We agreed as a class that this is the place that we would like to celebrate once we have finished our course. So I will be back and am already dreaming of the experience.
As we left, I spotted an award tucked away in the corner which was given for the architectural design of the restaurant. I know a good thing when I see it!
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