New York-based chef and author of critically acclaimed memoir Blood, Bones and Butter, Gabrielle Hamilton flew to London to cook with her British counterpart Angela Hartnett for the first of three consecutive dinners celebrating female culinary talent. Created by Hartnett and leading food writer Fiona Sims, Girls Night Out kicked off at 1 Lombard Street with the chefs cooking a heartfelt, cadent menu reflecting their shared passion for Italian food, with wines matched by acclaimed sommelier Dawn Davies. “Knowing a bit about Gabrielle’s food, I thought it was similar to what I do—it’s not about presentation, but it’s good, honest cooking,” explains Hartnett, who offered a dish of roasted monkfish tail, creamed chicory, smoked paprika and chicken wing followed by a light, textured dessert of chocolate ganache crumble, passion fruit sorbet and mint. The current holder of the prestigious title of James Beard NYC Chef of the Year for her East Village eatery Prune, Hamilton's starter of pasta kerchief with poached egg, French ham and brown butter, is a signature dish at her restaurant, whose hectic brunches set her up for the hefty task of poaching eggs for 150 people. “I did feel an instant camaraderie, I think because everyone’s at the top of their game—there’s no aspiring junior,” she says. “We had not met before, but Angela was already pulling me into her bosom, giving me a kiss on the forehead.” Neither chef will be drawn into the male versus female chef conversation, but Hartnett was adamant about one thing: “If you didn’t know who’d cooked that food would you think it was particularly feminine? No, you wouldn’t––you’d just think, ‘that’s a good dish.’”

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