Instagram story viewer> @1dish4theroad> Posts

Aaron Vallance

@1dish4theroad

3171

posts

2.2K

followers

1948

following

'Friday Night Chicken' due 2027 @eburybooks
Shortlisted Jane Grigson Trust award '25
Blog (shortlisted Guild Food Writers award '20 '21 '23)👇
NHS Dr

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Two pieces of news. Firstly, I’m writing a book! Secondly, the book’s just been shortlisted for the @janegrigsontrust Award! I’m totally bowled over by this, and feeling very honoured. It may still be early days for the book - ‘Friday Night Chicken’ - but to have its potential recognised by the judges, all of whom I greatly admire, means so much. A heartfelt thank you to them, and huge congratulations to the other shortlistees - @felicityspector and @poppy.okotcha - whose books sound so fabulous and inspiring, and I can’t wait to read. In the meantime, just to thank my fantastic agent @kaypeddlebooks for being such an incredible support and guide. And to my wonderful editor, @rumerritt, and all the @eburybooks @penguinukbooks team, for taking my book on, sharing my excitement, and championing it even at this early stage. I’m finding it really does take a team to make a book, so massive thanks to everyone who’s already helped me along the way. Shout out to my uncle Harry, whose beautiful illustrations will feature in the book, and my wife Sophie, for all her brilliant help and encouragement.🍗🕯️🕯️A word on the book… It’s a coming-of-age food memoir set in North Manchester’s tight-knit Jewish community, told through the eyes of my food-loving, football-obsessed childhood self. Here my world was steeped in chopped herring and chicken soup, challah and bagels; my Grandma spooning out crisp baubles of gefilte fish from the deep-pan fryer. It is both an intimate portrait of family life, where food is connection and devotion, and a wider lens to explore themes of immigration and identity, community and ritual. Anyway, there’s much to work on, and a long way to go, but for now just really enjoying the writing journey!🍗🕯️🕯️#foodwriting #memoir #foodwriter #jewishfood #foodculture by @1dish4theroad

187

140

a year ago

It's the @thegfw awards tonight! Feeling very honoured to be nominated for the Online Food Writer award, especially alongside the wonderful @mallikabasu_ and @baldflavours. So touched by the judges' comments too. Good luck to everyone shortlisted!🎉#gfwawards #foodwriter #foodwriters #foodwriting by @1dish4theroad

-1

75

3 years ago

Celebrating the end of exams with my boys at the fabulous @katsurolondon. Their chicken katsu sando has to be one of my all-time favourite London sandwiches.🍛#katsu #londonfood #londonrestaurant #katsusando by @1dish4theroad

-1

6

a day ago

Catching up with an old friend over a fabulous Lebanese feast @fairuz.london. All classic dishes, and each one absolutely spot on - silky smoky mutabbal (aubergine dip), a stunningly punchy hummus, musakaa (tomatoes, aubergine, garlic), warak inab (stuffed vine leaves), and charcoal roasted cauliflower with tahini. Plus a beautiful muhallabia for dessert.🌿#lebanesefood #londonfood #londonrestaurant #hummus by @1dish4theroad

-1

15

7 days ago

Homemade gooseberry crumble cake. Picked up a punnet of gooseberries from my local @londonfarmersmarkets. My usual go-to is to make a crumble. But with the heat and all, I thought, why not cake? And with @nigelslater's fabulous recipe, you get the best of both...🍈#gooseberry #gooseberries #homebaking #cakelover by @1dish4theroad

-1

15

20 days ago

My manuscript for 'Friday Night Chicken' has now been submitted, and off to the copyeditor it goes! What an adventure all this is. A huge thank you to my wonderful editor @rumerritt for helping guide me to this milestone. And my fabulous agent @kaypeddlebooks too! Now celebrating with some homemade 'kuchen' - a specifically Manchester Jewish bake, a bit like a babka, but laced with cinnamon and replete with its customary glacé cherry on top.🎉#kuchen #jewishfood #homebaking #babka by @1dish4theroad

-1

69

a month ago

Fabulous lunch @kneppwildingkitchen, whose produce comes from the Knepp Rewilding estate. Followed by a guided walk around this inspiring project, encountering wild pigs, cattle, storks and a landscape shaped by reintroduced beavers.🌿#knepp #rewilding #sussexfood by @1dish4theroad

-1

9

a month ago

Homemade noodle kugel (aka lokshen pudding). Not only have I been exploring some old family recipes for my book, but it's a real honour and thrill to feature some friends' family recipes too. Like this wonderful one from @akatzkennedy. I've only ever known lokshen pudding as a sweet cinnamon dessert, so really excited to try out this very different take on the classic Ashkenazi dish, one that's more a snack or side than a pud. This one comes with the innovative twist of pineapple - one of my mum's favourite ingredients too. So delicious!🥣#kugel #noodlekugel #puddinglover #jewishfood by @1dish4theroad

-1

11

a month ago

Made my great-grandma Beck's apple cake today. It's the first time I've ever baked it (road-testing it for my book!), but my late mum used to make it regularly, and especially at Rosh Hashanah time. It has certainly stirred up some very dear memories of them both. It's also really lovely that, whilst I was making it, so was my friend @akatzkennedy - kindly helping me out with the recipe testing, as we ended up messaging back-and-forth with the latest apple cake updates!🍏#applecake #familyrecipe #homebaking #cakelover by @1dish4theroad

-1

11

2 months ago

Homemade gazpacho. Hitting the spot in this heatwave! Fabulous recipe via @felicitycloake.🌞#gazpacho #summersoup #coldsoup #souplover #homemadesoup by @1dish4theroad

-1

3

2 months ago

Saying farewell to my Canadian auntie, before she flies back to Toronto. It's been an emotive visit to Manchester, but also very special to spend such quality time with family. And especially over good food, like it always is @lupo_caffeitaliano. Even just sitting at the table outdoors on the tarmac, the surrounding industrial estate basking in glorious sunshine, felt like an utter treat. Really delicious deep-fried courgette flowers, homemade tonnarelli cacio e pepe and their generous slice of millefoglie.☀️#courgetteflowers #cacioepepe #millefoglie #cucinaitaliana #manchesterfood by @1dish4theroad

-1

12

2 months ago

With a sky full of the sunshine that my mum once so deeply loved, we were again joined at the graveside by our loving family and friends. After unveiling the stone, we remembered my beautiful mum, her kind and generous soul, and all the wonderful and special things that she gave to the world.❤️Mum adored her garden, from the cerise-pink rhododendrons to the graceful dogwood, whose petals dance in the light and reminded her of her native Canada. It feels especially apt the garden looks such a picture this morning.🌸 #gardenlover #flowerlover english garden #gardenflowers by @1dish4theroad

-1

16

2 months ago