Roasted lamb shoulder with potatoes

A few words on how I like to roast a lamb shoulder

Back in 2015, I spent two wonderful weeks on a stage at St. John Restaurant in Farringdon. It was my “holiday break” before starting a new venture at Maltby Street market, having just left my role as sous chef at a Greek restaurant in King's Cross. St. John, often described as a national institution, was an inspiring place to explore new cooking methods. I particularly loved their generous use of extra virgin olive oil and red wine in their dishes.

One memorable day, we were roasting three whole pigs stuffed with a bread-and-onion filling. The head chef casually asked, “So, how do we feel today?” before sending me to the larder for spices. That simple question stayed with me. Cooking there wasn’t just about following recipes — it was about mood, intuition, and emotion. Recipes with personality and feeling — how wonderful!

Today, I felt like making something festive and comforting for a Sunday roast: roasted lamb shoulder, one of my personal favourites! As a child, lamb was the only meat I would eat — always roasted with garlic and chunky potatoes, paired with something green like a simple lettuce salad to balance the richness.