Our interview with Olivier Hubert, the polar chef at the British Antarctic research stations “Halley” and “Rothera” , taking you into the heart of one of the most isolated culinary outposts on the planet. From preparing meals with limited fresh ingredients to cooking in extreme conditions, Olivier shares the challenges and rewards of cooking in Antarctica.
The Fashiongton Post: Olivier, knowing you worked at both “Halley” and “Rothera” Antarctic research stations – what brought you to each and whether it was your choice or just any kind of a regular staff rotation?
Olivier Hubert: I first worked at Halley in 2016-2017, which was the year of the station move. Although a childhood spent reading rather a lot of Jack London had primed me more for the Arctic, I was eager to join an adventure and felt curious about Antarctica, which I knew very little about. I was fortunate to be granted a 6-month sabbatical by my employer and even more fortunate to get the job with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). At that stage I had no idea how different the various stations were so I went for a summer contract, as this was just the right length of time and thus ended up on the Brunt Ice Shelf at “Halley” station. I decided to go back in 2021, after the last of my children had left for Uni, this time applying for a winter season at “Rothera” station, partly because I wanted to see another station, partly because I wanted to experience an Antarctic winter, and partly because this was by then the only place that employed chefs through the winter months.
F.P.: How does the station’s power supply and equipment limitations influence your cooking choices?
O.H.: Whatever you undertake down South, power consumption is always at the back of your mind. We need to be mindful of how we use our energy supply. We may have to stagger use of the large Combi-ovens we have at “Halley” and “Rothera” with other plants. Generally, there is little impact on what you can cook and the kitchens at “Halley” and “Rothera” are pretty similar to anything you might expect to find in the UK, with the added bonus of stupendous views from the kitchen windows.
F.P.: Have you ever taught any of the crew members how to cook or bake anything specific?
O.H.: I’ve had many occasions to teach various colleagues – especially during winter when the station is quieter and there’s plenty of free space in the kitchen. Bread, especially sourdough, is usually what people want to learn how to make, although I’ve also showed people how to make Profiteroles, Tarte Tatin and Beef Bourguignon, among other things. Cookery workshops are always popular and a great way to entertain the team on a stormy day when people find themselves confined indoors.
F.P.: What were the differences and challenges in terms of the kitchen equipment and utensils if compare these two UK’s polar stations?
O.H.: As far as layout and equipment are concerned, there is precious little difference between a polar kitchen and its UK equivalent; save perhaps for treble glazed – UV filter windows at Halley station. What does make a huge difference though is the fact that we only get our goods delivered once a year, at relief, when the ship sails in. A corollary of this annual event is that we are having to hoard a huge amount of food on station, sometimes making it quite challenging to retrieve the food we are looking for. Never in the UK have I ever had to spend 20 minutes digging out snow and ice before I could reach the door to my food stores.
F.P.: Have you ever created themed dinners or events to liven up the crew’s dining experience?
O.H.: Special events are a regular occurrence in a place where you have to create your own entertainment – and food is always high on the list of people’s priorities. Saturday nights tend to be the social high of the polar week and chefs usually push the boat out on that occasion, often preparing exotic food based on any suitable theme. During my winter we organised a beach-themed evening, with Caribbean dishes, where people turned up in their swimming trunks, shades and towels and, in one notable instance, dressed as a lobster – a Speakeasy dinner with Cajun dishes and Jazz and a lurid 70’s dinner party with grapefruit and glazed cherries, mash and frankfurters built into some sort of tower and something weird and wonderful made out of green jelly and pineapple – admittedly this one was more about fun than gastronomy. We also had a New Year’s BBQ on the ice at Halley by -20c which was tremendous fun.
F.P.: Are there any food-related superstitions or traditions that you’ve adopted while working as a chef at the polar stations?
O.H.: Life in Antarctica in a past age was punctuated by celebrations and traditions, necessary for morale and useful in providing something to do on long, cold, dark days when there wasn’t much else on offer. Many traditions have survived to this day, such as the Sun Up/Sun Down ceremonies on wintering stations where the crew will assemble on the last day of summer – when the sun rises above the horizon for the last time and the last day of winter, when the sun rises again. On both occasions the whole team gathers around the flagpole, and the Union Jack is lowered by the oldest member while, at the other end of winter, a new flag is hoisted again, this time by the youngest member of the crew. Burns Night is also a significant milestone in the Antarctic calendar, alongside more usual celebrations such as Christmas and New Year but the main winter feast is the Midwinter celebrations, where people exchange gifts that they’ve made for each other before sitting down to a long and leisurely meal.
F.P.: Do you ever experiment with “minimalist” dishes that reflect the starkness of Antarctica?
O.H.: Minimalist dishes are an interesting idea, probably better suited to warm, comfortable dining rooms than to an Antarctic scientific research station. The polar ration clocks in at around 5,000 calories/day – about twice the normal amount for a grown man; that’s a lot of food to ingest and it’s fair to say that after a day’s work on the ice most of our staff tend to lean towards the full roast with all the trimmings and the sticky toffee pudding rather than seared tuna and blueberry foam. Salads, however, are highly prized, as fresh fruit and vegetables are so difficult to get hold of down South and people always appreciate when green leaves, oranges or tomatoes make an appearance.
F.P.: What’s the one ingredient you had to use there but always wished you wouldn’t have to?
O.H.: We have an extensive store of ingredients on station, most of them of very good quality, even though a lot of them are frozen, canned or dried. We also carry what appeared, to me at least, stranger stock such as “Angel Delight”, “Smash” and “SPAM”. When I announced to my team that I was going to be cooking in Antarctica for the next 18 months they gave me, as a tongue-in-cheek farewell present, a Spam cookery book. I must confess that I wasn’t particularly looking forward to using this pink rubbery substance, and I’m still to be converted!
F.P.: Have you incorporated any distinctly British comfort foods, like shepherd’s pie or scones, into your Antarctic menus, and how do they resonate with the crew?
O.H.: Traditional English comfort food is always high on the agenda. Eating habits tend to be deeply engrained and most of our workforce being British means that even a French chef like me has to contend with fish and chips, cottage pie, Lancashire hot-pot and bread & butter pudding.
F.P.: Can sound a bit of a cliche but have you had a 5 o’clock-tea culture at “Halley” and “Rothera” stations? Or a glass of an old good whisky beats it all?
O.H.: There is a very strong culture of “Smoko” in Antarctica. Smoko, old navy slang for a smoke and a cup of tea, has now morphed into something like a full fried English breakfast served between breakfast and lunch. The afternoon Smoko, your traditional tea and cake, still happens but much less so – probably due to people being conscious of their waistline.
F.P.: Traditionally, your piece of advice to The Fashiongton Post readers?
O.H.: Try and achieve a few dreams in your life, they don’t have to be big ones either and it need not be specifically in Antarctica – but having a dream and pursuing it gives you a sense of purpose!
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