We’ve missed his cheesey maccy goodness recently, but Sammy Shonn is back with a pop up stint at Shoreditch’s Translate Bar.
We pinned down the man behind WhenMacMetCheese for a quick chat…
So how did WMMC come about? Why mac and why cheese?
I was made redundant in my last job and was thinking about what to do next. I always wanted to do something in the food industry but didn’t know what. Then on a tube journey out one night I just had a Mac and Cheese eureka moment (might have been the beer) and three weeks later I was set up and selling mac and cheese in camden lock market.
What were you doing before you were making awesome Mac n Cheese combo’s?
I was selling fabric to high street brands like top shop, river island, jane norman.
Well thats completely different! We love it :). In a world of instant food and quick meals, what makes good mac n cheese?
Definitely the consistence and the quality off cheese. its taken me a long time to get it right and I still stress over it.
If Mac meeting Cheese was a movie love story; who would play said ingredients in the film?
Sam Rockwell as Mac, Rooney Mara as Cheese and Mac’s bit on the side would be Juno Temple
WMMC’s Deep Fried Oreo’s!
A while back you asked for people to submit mac n cheese combinations and the winner would see their recipe realised. Where there any horrendous combinations?
Have you had any mac n cheese disasters yourself?
To be absolutely honest I’ve never come across or made a bad combo. I have a cheese addiction so will eat all things with cheese on it. The one that never got off the ground was Nick The Greek. Fetta, mozzarella and olives. Nobody ordered it and I loved it.
Food fests and pop ups have been rife this year, how have you seen the foody scene change since you started? is it a good time to be a food vendor in the city?
I personally think the food at the moment is amazing. Some absolutely amazing vendors doing amazing things. I do however think that the market is becoming too saturated. Everybody wants to be a food vendor or involved in the street food scene. Some people are getting involved because its considered cool but don’t really think about the product.
What are your plans for WMMC for 2014 and beyond?
Definitely have my own restaurant selling all things mac and cheese. Watch this space.
https://www.facebook.com/WhenMacMetCheese
WMMC will be popping up at Translate Bar, Kingsland Road from 7th-8th December 2013
