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Q&As

The Chef’s 8: Dan Moon, The Gainsborough Bath Spa

In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf wrote “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” In that spirit, we’re picking the brains of those who make the latter happen: chefs. Next in our series is Dan Moon of Johann Lafer at The Gainsborough Bath Spa.

Q The first dish you learned how to make:
A

Shepherd’s Pie. I was around 13 years-old when my mum and I would visit the local butchers and grocery store to purchase the ingredients for this classic British dish. I’d then help prepare it in the kitchen for our family dinner — great memories! That’s when I got hooked on cooking. It was around this time I started to watch Gary Rhodes cookery programs on television. He’s still one of my idols.

Q Every first-time diner at your restaurant should try:
A

To start, my ballotine of smoked salmon, morseradish mousseline, olive crumb and yuzu. The dish involves an element of theater, in which the glass cloche is taken off the dish in front of the guest giving off a mouth-watering aroma from the oak-smoked salmon. For the main course, it would be my signature roast Creedy Carver duck with confit leg spring roll, plum purée and sesame. The duck is the best around and is sourced from Exeter where I trained as a chef. The plum and Asian-spiced spring roll is a truly distinctive combination of flavors.

The best seat is next to the grand marble fireplace, by an impressive wine wall offering an array of fine wines from around the world.
Q The best seat in the house:
A

The restaurant, situated within the historic building of The Gainsborough Bath Spa, was created by the award-winning Champalimaud Design and has a sophisticated-yet-informal vibe that I really enjoy. For me, the best seat is next to the grand marble fireplace, by an impressive wine wall offering an array of fine wines from around the world.

Chef Dan Moon headshot
Q Must have kitchen tool:
A

I cannot be without my MAC knife-sharpening stone to keep my knives razor sharp. It has a permanent home in my chef apron!

Q Favorite flavor or ingredient of the moment:
A

I’m a big fan of yuzu at the moment. It’s a citrus fruit from East Asia that is a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. I love the way it cuts through strong flavors, and contains triple the amount of vitamin C of a lemon.

Q After hours drink of choice:
A

I’ll have to be biased here as we have a fantastic bar in the hotel and some really talented bartenders, so my drink of choice would be a Sacred English Negroni. Made with Sacred Gin, Rosehip Cup and vermouth, it’s a subtle balance of sweet and bitter served in a very unique cocktail glass.

Q If you weren't a chef, you would be:
A

Definitely a food photographer. It’s one of my big passions. For me, capturing a perfect food image on a plate is an art.

Q The city you would most like to eat your way through and why:
A

That’s a tough question! It would either be Barcelona or Copenhagen. Barcelona for the family-run tapas and seafood eateries that have been influenced by the famous elBulli restaurant that closed in 2011. Copenhagen for its coffee, wine and new culinary experiences. I’d also love to visit Noma in Copenhagen — one of the best restaurants in the world, as some of the techniques used and dishes they produce are jaw-dropping.