Alex Jackson's interest in cooking started a long time ago. From Birmingham, his passion for French cuisine was ignited by a year in Paris as part of his French degree at university, which served as an introduction to what simple French food really was. After working at Stevie Parle's Dock Kitchen, his interest journeyed further south to Provence, where from the surplus of sunkissed vegetables, fresh herbs, and good olive oil his restaurant Sardine was born. With rave reviews from Fay Maschler, Grace Dent, Diana Henry, Marina O'Loughlin and Tom Parker Bowles, since opening in the summer of 2016, Sardine has established itself firmly on the London food scene.
2024 WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL COOKBOOK GUILD OF FOOD WRITERS AWARD ‘If you fell in love with food through trips to France you’ll be in heaven. Frontières shows you why you felt that way in the first place. This will stand alongside my favourite books on French cookery, by Richard Olney and Anne Willan. A dream of a book.’ — Diana Henry 'What a clever, fascinating book this is, with Jackson delving into France’s borderlands, taking in everything from the Alps and Alsace to North Africa, the Riviera and the Southwest. These are permeable borders, the recipes often interchangeable with Germany and Tunisia, Italy and Spain. The writing is wonderful, the recipes sublime.’ — Tom Parker Bowles, MailOnline ‘Frontières is an intelligent and articulate research of authentic, tightly regional French recipes, anecdotes and stories. It is a delight. Ironically, poignantly even, in this 21st century, it could have only been compiled and written by an impassioned rosbif.’ — Simon Hopkinson ‘By exploring the overlapping flavours and traditions of the French borderlands Alex Jackson takes you on a fascinating and potent culinary journey. This wonderful and timely book serves as a reminder that good food always reflects a breadth of influence and, like music, art and friendship, it crosses all boundaries. It contains a superb collection of recipes.’ — Rachel Roddy ‘’Tis a joy to read of the pleasures of French cooking which have so inspired and informed cooks for generations. This book is a delightful new addition to a most distinguished company of cooks and writers, bravo Alex.’ — Jeremy Lee