Recently in Francesco Mazzei Category

Jay Rayner has called off his search for the perfect BBQ after dining at the World's End pub in Brighton.

The "dirty food" served by chef John Hargate features "meaty" ribs which are "proper, thick cut numbers" and "properly sauced", according to The Observer's food critic. He even discovered the closest thing to a Texan delicacy: a cream cheese stuffed jalapeno wrapped in sausage meat and bacon which is "outrageously moreish".

Writing for the Daily Telegraph, Matthew Norman is equally delighted, having dined at Jason Atherton's new venture, Pollen Street Social.

The former Gordon Ramsay chef's culinary expertise creates "solid gold in the mouth" in the form of delights such as oyster ice cream, escabeche of quail and the tiramisu with hot mocha-chocolate sauce being dubbed "one of the finest puds" Norman has ever tasted.

Ambience also proved key for the critics, with the Sunday Telegraph's Zoe Williams noting the St Pancras Renaissance hotel's super-high ceilings renders the Gilbert Scott too big and airy to feel comfortable, while The Independent's John Walsh gives Pebble Beach restaurant at Barton on Sea top marks for its atmosphere.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Independent on Sunday's Amol Rajan finds the feel at Gidleigh Park "abysmal", slamming it as "staid, oppressive and stuck in the 1990s".

Back in London, the Sunday Times' AA Gill finally gets around to eating at L'Anima to find that it does food for "corporates" better than expected, while the Metro's Marina O'Loughlin says tapas bar José's real excitement comes from its daily specials board - but its tiny dining room won't please everyone.

Last week, Italian chef Francesco Mazzei, co-owner of L'Anima in the City of London (which is closing for an extension this summer), went on a mission to find the perfect potato for gnocchi.

Mazzei and his team of chefs set out to test three different varieties of potatoes to see which one would make the best base for the Italian staple, with iconic French chef Pierre Koffmann testing the final product.

The varieties of potatoes on the menu were: Markies, Ramos and Sierra Gold which were supplied by QV Foods.

After boiling, peeling and ricing the potatoes, the chefs added flower and egg yolk to make the gnocchi dough, which they rolled out into strips, cut into pieces and shaped with a ridged, wooden gnocchi board.

First up was the Markies potato, which Mazzei mixed with dried spinach to give the gnocchi a vivid green colour. Markies are the new rival of the ever popular Maris Piper; they are a good all-round kitchen potato with a floury texture and mild flavour.

Mazzei served the Markies gnocchi with basil pesto and the result was a bright green plate of food made up of gorgeous, light and fluffy gnocchi perfectly balanced by the sweet basil sauce. "A definite winner," judge Koffmann declared.