Five minutes with… Anna Hansen

As The Modern Pantry celebrates its 10th anniversary, head chef Anna Hansen shares her favourite place to eat in London, indispensable ingredients and what she likes to do with a day off

Food and Drink 8 Oct 2018

Anna Hansen

Anna Hansen of the Modern Pantry

Who is your role model?

Sonya my daughter! She’s five, she lives in the moment, calls it how she sees it (AND she’s usually right).

What ingredient can you not live without?

Coconut oil – great for cooking with, blending into coffee (if that’s your thing) and infusing spirits – it makes a mean fat-washed gin.

What item, apart from your passport, can you not travel without?

Can I have two please? Mascara – never without it. Max Factor 2000 Calorie, in black/brown. And G-Star jeans. It’s got to be both!

The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell
The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell

Where is your favourite place to eat in London?

Jikoni – it’s everything you want when you go out to eat.

What do you like to do on a day off?

Honestly? Cleaning! I love a bit of organsing, of pottering, a day at home.

Apart from food, what are your biggest passions?

Random quirky things but most recently I’ve been growing succulents – they’re hard to kill.

If you could choose anyone from today or history, who would be your ideal dinner party guest and why?

Nobody! I want to eat alone! Or my Danish grandfather. I used to spend many hours exploring fresh ingredients with him.

themodernpantry.co.uk