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I met Chef Joel Wambua during a trip to Serena Lodge, Lake Elementaita, and he impressed me with his etiquette in the kitchen.

First, before he begins to work on anything in the kitchen, he tells me that he washes his hands and uses barrier cream for cleanliness, of course, then he goes on to check whether the food he is about to use is stale or not.

He also ensures he has all the correct ingredients as well as utensils and that they are all sanitised. Once all that was in place, we began preparing the Lake Elementaita rack of lamb, one of the signature dishes in this camp.

He tells me in simple terms, the meal is a part of lamb that is cut perpendicular to the spine. It’s different from lamb chops in that while lamb chops are more expensive but tender and are taken from the ribs, the rack of lamb is usually a number of chops left and cooked together as a whole.

As he begins mixing the ingredients, Joel lets me know that his passion for cooking came from his dad, who was a hotelier. He would visit him in the hotel and watch chefs cook. He also loved watching his mum cook the family meals and would sometimes assist in the kitchen.

One spice he can’t cook without is black pepper and even in this meal, he used a bit of it. You can see it in his eyes and also in how he prepares his meals, that cooking is not a chore or a job to him but a passion.

I ask him how he sharpens his cooking skills and he says the Internet, visiting chefs in other hotels and also going for training perfects his skills as a chef. Once the meal was done, Joel served it with market vegetables and sautéed potatoes. He complimented this with a tot of mulled wine.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 (7 bone) rack of lamb, trimmed and frenched

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

METHOD

1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). 

In a large bowl, put the garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten the mixture and set aside.

2. Season the rack of lamb all over with the rest of the salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy ovenproof skillet over high heat. Sear the rack for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush the rack of lamb with the mustard then rolls in the garlic mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.

3. Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the centre of the meat after about 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.

TIPS

Wear disposable gloves but remember you can still cross-contaminate.

Wash hands and equipment regularly throughout the operation.

Ensure hot food items are kept above 65°C.