There’s a quiet confidence that comes from cooking food you know in your bones. For chef Jemma Harrison, that means fried chicken, golden potatoes and sauces that don’t apologise for being buttery, garlicky or rich. Having worked in some of London’s most ingredient-driven kitchens – Koya, Jolene and, most recently, Camille under Elliot Hashtroudi – she’s taken that precision and channelled it into something more personal.

At Kaunter, her residency at Giacco’s in Finsbury Park, London, her menu nods to her Ashkenazi roots while pulsing with New York energy – food that’s grounded in memory but sharpened by a modern palate. These are recipes that speak fluently in both languages: chicken schnitzel “kiev”, with its crisp panko coat and melting green butter; red bisque gnocchi, where shellfish, tomato and leftover potato skins meet in a bowl of quiet luxury; and latkes with radicchio and anchovy, proof that fried potatoes and sauce will never go out of style.

Each plate is deceptively simple, layered with taste and texture in ways that betray her restaurant background – but they’re made for the home table, not the pass. “You got this,” her sous chef once said as they worked through five kilos of gnocchi on a freezing winter morning. These dishes carry that same spirit: skilled, soulful and just a little bit romantic – the kind of food that brings restaurant magic home.

Chicken schnitzel ‘kiev’

“Fried chicken, lashings of garlic butter. What more could you want? Growing up in a Jew-ish household, you can imagine the amount of fried food that came out of that kitchen. Chicken kiev was a staple, usually eaten with boiled potatoes or rice. Here, it’s a showcase of its own: golden, crisp, unapologetically buttery.”

Serves: 2

Time: 1½ hours

Ingredients:

For the brine:

300ml water

Salt (3% of water weight – approx 9g)

1 white onion, sliced

4 sprigs thyme

10 black peppercorns

10 coriander seeds

1 garlic bulb (halved) – keep one half whole, separate and peel the other

For the chicken:

2 chicken supreme fillets (skin on, bone in)

Flour

2 eggs

Splash of milk

Panko breadcrumbs

20g Parmesan, finely grated

A few sprigs fresh thyme, picked

Salt

Vegetable oil, for frying

For the garlic butter:

100g unsalted butter, softened

10g parsley

Half a garlic bulb (peeled)

1 lemon (zest and juice)

Salt

Black pepper

Method:

1. Make the brine: bring the water to a simmer with the salt (3% of total water weight, about 9g). Once dissolved, toss in a few ice cubes to cool it down. Add your sliced onion, thyme, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and the whole half of your garlic bulb. Let it infuse and cool fully.

2. Flatten the chicken: unpack your chicken supremes and place them between two sheets of greaseproof paper. Bash gently with a rolling pin until they reach an even thickness. Where the bone is, the meat’s thicker and more forgiving so it can take a firmer bash. Don’t go too crazy, though.

3. Brine time: pop the bashed chicken into the cooled brine and leave it for one hour in the fridge. This adds flavour and keeps things juicy later.

4. Garlic butter magic: blanch the parsley in boiling water for 10 seconds, then shock it in ice water. Squeeze out any excess moisture and blitz in a food processor with the peeled garlic and softened butter until smooth and bright green. Season with salt, black pepper, lemon zest and a squeeze of juice. Taste it – this is your finish line flavour.

5. Heat the oil: fill a pot with vegetable oil and bring it up to 180C. Use a thermometer if you have one – temperature matters here.

6. Panne station – the holy trinity. Set up three bowls: for flour, eggs (whisked with a splash of milk), and panko mixed with thyme, Parmesan and a good pinch of salt. Don’t forget to season – seasoning is everything.

7. Coat your chicken: remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towel. First into the flour (shake off the excess), then the egg mix, then the panko. Press firmly – you want it fully coated and evenly covered.

8. Frying time: fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through – about 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness. Let it rest on a wire rack or paper towel. It’s earned a moment.

9. Serve: top with a generous spoonful of that garlic butter while it’s still hot. Let it melt in. Crack over some black pepper, and serve with a gem lettuce salad and a lemon wedge.

10. Enjoy. Obviously.

Gnocchi with bisque, Datterini tomatoes and crispy potato skins

A chef’s memory in a bowl – pillowy gnocchi meets shellfish bisque and sweet roasted tomatoes (Kate Shanasy)

“I learnt to make gnocchi working at Petersham Nurseries, where we’d sometimes be churning out 5kg a day. It was like a machine. I’d be out back in the freezing cold middle of winter, layered in scarf and hat, shaping dough on metal benches so cold they could burn your hands. The trick was wearing about five layers in the morning – by the end of the day, you’d be down to two once you started moving. We worked in rhythm – rolling, cutting, shaping – moving fast before the potatoes went starchy.

“I’d run trays up to the Dutch doors and pass them in to another chef inside (the kitchen was a converted stables), blanching and refreshing them on rotation. Then the tray would come straight back out to me, steam hitting the cold air, and I’d be ready with the next batch. My sous chef would be in my ear saying, “You got this, you got this.” It was like a baton race, except we were cooking. I’d never felt more alive.”

Serves: 2

Time: about 1½ hours

Ingredients:

For the gnocchi (for homemade; shop-bought is also fine):

500g floury potatoes (like Maris Piper or Desiree)

1 egg yolk

100g plain flour (more or less as needed)

30g Parmesan, finely grated (optional, in dough only)

Salt

For the bisque:

Shells from prawns or langoustines (approx 300g)

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stick, diced

1 small fennel bulb, diced

1 shallot or onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

1 red chilli (deseeded if you prefer less heat)

1 tbsp tomato paste

100ml white wine

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

A few sprigs thyme

*200g tinned chopped *tomatoes

300ml water

A splash of cream (optional)

Olive oil

For the roasted tomatoes:

A handful of Datterini tomatoes, halved

2 garlic cloves, smashed

A few sprigs thyme

Olive oil

Salt

To finish:

White crab meat (approx 100g), picked and ready to serve

Crispy potato skins (from the baked gnocchi potatoes)

Chives or fennel fronds (optional)

Method:

1. Roast the tomatoes: preheat your oven to 130C. Place the halved Datterini tomatoes in a baking dish with the smashed garlic cloves and thyme sprigs. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 1 hour until soft, sweet and dry, holding onto all that tomatoey goodness without falling apart.

2. Bake the potatoes: bake your potatoes whole, skin-on, at 200C until completely tender, about 1 hour depending on size. Once baked, scoop out the flesh while still piping hot and save the skins. We’ll crisp those later.

3. Make the gnocchi dough: pass or mash the hot potato into a bowl. Add the egg yolk, Parmesan (if using), salt and just enough flour to bind. Be super light with your hands – the heat helps everything come together, and you want to avoid overworking the dough at all costs.

4. Shape the gnocchi: divide the dough into ropes and cut into your desired shape and size. Keep being super gentle with your hands when rolling. If the dough feels dry, wet your hands slightly. If it’s a little moist, dust with a bit of flour. There’s always a way with cooking. Dust lightly with flour or semolina and set aside on a tray.

5. Crisp the potato skins: toss the saved potato skins with olive oil and salt, then roast at 200C until golden and crisp. These will add the perfect salty crunch at the end.

6. Make the bisque: in a large pot, heat a good glug of olive oil. Add the shells and cook until they smell fragrant and warm. Add the carrot, celery, fennel, shallot, garlic and chilli. Cook until soft and starting to caramelise. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook out for a minute, then add fennel seeds, coriander seeds and black peppercorns. Deglaze with white wine and reduce slightly. Add thyme, chopped tomatoes and water. Simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing down well to get every bit of flavour. Return to a clean pot and reduce until glossy. Finish with cream if using.

7. Cook the gnocchi: blanch your gnocchi in salted, gently boiling water – they’re done when they float. Remove and toss with a little oil to stop them sticking.

8. Finish the dish: warm the bisque, fold in the cooked gnocchi and roasted tomatoes. Just before serving, gently fold through the white crab meat to warm it through without overcooking.

9. Enjoy. Preferably somewhere warm, with less shouting – hat and scarf optional!

Latkes with radicchio, anchovy and a soft egg

Crisp, creamy, bitter, bright – the ultimate balancing act in one bite (Kate Shanasy)

“Crispy potato, creamy anchovy, bitter leaves – all rounded out with a jammy-centred egg. You really can’t go wrong with fried potatoes and sauce. It’s a classic for a reason. This one’s all about balance: how much lemon, how much anchovy, how much paprika you’re in the mood for. Everything else just supports the bite. If you’ve got time, press the latkes overnight for extra crunch. If not, a good squeeze and shallow fry will do just fine.”

Serves: 2

Time: about 1 hour

Ingredients:

For the latkes:

3 medium potatoes, peeled

1 white onion

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 egg

100g unsalted butter

2 sprigs thyme

30g matzoh meal (or fine breadcrumbs)

Vegetable oil, for frying

Salt

For the anchovy mayo:

Mayonnaise (homemade or shop-bought)

Anchovy fillets (check for bones)

1 garlic clove

Lemon juice, to taste

Salt

Smoked paprika, to taste

For the salad:

1 small head radicchio, thinly sliced

Chives, finely chopped

Pickled red onions (slice red onion, season with salt and white wine vinegar)

A punchy vinaigrette (your favourite – lemony or sharp works best)

To finish:

2 soft-boiled eggs (6 minutes from boiling)

Parmesan, for grating

Method:

1. Prep the potatoes: grate the peeled potatoes and the onion. Season lightly with salt and let sit for a minute to draw out moisture. Then, squeeze out every last drop – really go for it – using a clean tea towel or cheesecloth.

2. Infuse the butter: melt the butter in a pan over medium heat until just bubbling. Take off the heat and add grated garlic and thyme sprigs. Let it sit and infuse for 2-3 minutes.

3. Mix the latke base: combine the drained potato-onion mixture with the infused butter (discard the thyme sprigs), egg, matzoh meal and a pinch of salt. Add a small splash of vegetable oil to help bind everything. Mix well. Form into small, flat rounds and set aside.

4. Shallow fry: heat a shallow layer of oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the latkes in batches until golden brown and crisp, around 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel and keep warm.

5. Make the anchovy mayo: if you’re making mayo from scratch, start with a classic base (egg yolk, mustard, oil). Blend in the anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, salt and a touch of smoked paprika until smooth. If using shop-bought mayo, blitz everything together and strain if needed for a silky texture.

6. Build the salad: toss the sliced radicchio, chopped chives and pickled onions with a generous amount of vinaigrette. Don’t be shy – this needs to cut through the richness of the dish.

7. Boil your eggs: cook the eggs in boiling water for exactly 6 minutes, then transfer to ice water. Peel gently – you want those yolks runny and golden.

8. Plate up: place a few latkes on each plate. Top with a spoonful of anchovy mayo, a soft egg sliced open, and a heap of the radicchio salad. Grate over a flurry of Parmesan to finish.