Can you describe what diners can expect from Theo Randall at the InterContinental? 

Seasonal Italian food using the best ingredients from the UK and Italy. We have a monthly regional menu that highlights food and wine of a particular region, and for the month of June, we will be in Veneto, serving four courses of delicious food with three paired wines from this spectacular wine-producing region.

What inspired your menu’s zero-waste summer cocktails?

Astrit Limani is the genius behind our bar and produces an amazing variety of seasonal cocktails. He came to me and said he wanted to make cocktails from ingredients that were left over after service and not needed the next day, so he could infuse them to make syrups and dried garnishes. For instance, any leftover lemon wedges, he macerates in sugar syrup for his Amalfi lemon martini. He uses the cooking liquid from our baked rhubarb and turns it into a rhubarb and orange syrup, and all our surplus herbs and fruit get kept for garnish or our seasonal sorbet gets used in a special cocktail of the day. Nothing is wasted, as Astrit hunts our fridge every day to see what he can use. The great thing about it is that we get to try his creations.

Which summer ingredient do you look forward to the most?

I love fresh borlotti beans – the bright red pods are a joy to see and are the first sign that summer is definitely in full swing. They are baked with herbs and olive oil and served with pan-fried Orkney Islands scallops with mixed greens, capers and roasted Datterini tomatoes. I also love girolle mushrooms from Scotland – they almost have an apricot taste and are wonderful to cook with butter, garlic, parsley and tossed together with fresh pasta. So simple, but when the ingredients are at their best you want to show them off. Lobster is always great in the summer – we poach it and make a lobster salad with the tails and use the claws for ravioli with lobster sauce.

What is your favourite memory from any of the recipes in your fourth and newest cook book, The Italian Pantry?

There are many, but tomato and sardine crostata (page 34) evokes many happy memories for me. Natalie [Theo’s wife] and I went to a beautiful restaurant called Magalone and ate a similar dish in the medieval town of Aigues-Mortes. I remember sitting in the late evening with the sun going down, eating spectacular food on the terrace of this tiny restaurant. The town of Aigues-Mortes comes alive in the evening, so there was a magical atmosphere and the enticing aromas coming out of the kitchen made it even better. We ate there many times. Sadly, the restaurant no longer exists but the memories do.

What has been your best piece of career advice?

Work hard, be respectful and kind to others. Never give up. Trusting your instincts is very important. Focus on your job of preparing food to make people happy. At the end of the day, a restaurant is busy because you are creating a pleasurable experience and customers will keep coming back for more. The best sign is when you have a lot of regulars. This is a result of consistent food quality and excellent service, from the person greeting you to the person cleaning your table. There has to be consistency in everything. Every day is a new day and a new experience, you just have to be ready for what might come.

What marks London as different from other cities in its approach to food?

We are open to ideas and have a fantastic multi-cultural society that opens its arm to creativity and variety. The London food scene has developed over many years but wouldn’t have if we didn’t have great support from people who want to experience so many different styles of cuisine. Restaurants are always popping up in the most unlikely destinations, and that is very much part of the excitement. When it comes to serving food, London is open to anyone and anything, making it a very special place.

What is your favourite restaurant in the world and what do you like to order?

Ristorante Belbo da Bardon in Piemonte.

I always order the Agnolotti del Plin with shaved white truffles on top – it is just so good. The restaurant probably also has the best wine list in the region.

You can buy Theo Randall’s latest cook book, The Italian Pantry, here; theorandall.com