How to cook the perfect crêpe

Nick Willoughby, founder of Crème de la Crêpe in Covent Garden, offers his tips for creating the perfect crêpe.

Nick Willoughby, founder of Crème de la Crêpe in Covent Garden knows a thing or two about creating the perfect crêpe. He learnt his trade in Meythet, France, where he gleaned crêpe-making secrets from local experts, bringing back some invaluable knowledge with him, as well as a specialist crêpe-making machine. Following his successful residency at Borough Food Market and showcasing his fare at Covent Garden’s Summer Night Markets, Nick launched Crème de la Crêpe in Covent Garden. All of Nick’s crepes, salads and hot drinks are served to diners on celebrity-designed crockery from the charity, Whatever it Takes. As well as getting your mouth around Crème de la Crepe’s menu, you can eat from plates and cups featuring hand-drawn designs from the likes of Gwen Stefani, Coldplay and Ewan McGregor.

Here are Nick’s tips for creating the perfect crêpe:

• Always use a non stick frying pan.

• Allow the pan to become sizzling hot before you pour in the batter.

• Make your crepes unique! Try adding cocoa powder or vanilla pods to the batter mix for sweet crêpes, or chilli or dill for a more savoury flavour.

• Be creative with fillings. Try different recipes, such as an English Breakfast in a crepe.

• Go large! Try making a crêpes cake by cooking approx 20 crepes and layering them up, spreading cream, chocolate sauce and fresh fruit on top of each layer.

On Tuesday 24th February 2009, Crème de la Crêpe will be hosting the first ever ‘Crêperama’ at Covent Garden’s Market Building. In an attempt to find the best crêpe creator in London, Covent Garden’s Crêperama offers an evening of crêpe-fuelled frolics, and the chance to win free crêpes for a year. Yum.

The Crêperama will take place at 6pm, Covent Garden Piazza. For further information, menus or to create your own crepe please visit: http://www.cremedelacrepe.co.uk