Sam Clark is a hero of mine, not least because she cooks like a goddess but mainly because she’s made it in a man’s world without taking them on at their own game. Sam has relied instead on her innate skill and food knowledge to get to the top despite being self-taught, and, in my opinion, transforming the way we eat and cook without any fanfare at all.

Headlining the Wilderness Festival’s culinary line-up for the third year running, Sam can’t wait for the fun to begin, not that she’s under any illusions of how much hard work is involved, having served the thousands of people who flocked to the Moro tent last year.

And yet 16 years ago she was opening Moro in Exmouth Market, in London, and wondering if she was about to lose everything, although the Clarks pared-back style, fresh ingredients and Moorish food were an instant hit.

Having fine tuned her culinary skills at The Eagle in Clerkenwell (the UK’s first gastropub) and then the River Cafe alongside Jamie Oliver, Sam had always been desperate to open her own place, alongside her husband Sam (she’s a Samantha, he’s a Samuel).

The Clark’s honeymoon therefore consisted of three months in a campervan driving through Spain, Morocco and the Sahara and exploring the very food they were about to start cooking: “It gave us an edge and made it richer and more authentic, so was really useful, giving us the background, culture and feel of the food which you just can’t get from a cookbook,” Sam explains.

“It was key and gave us those extra touches which are so important, but also having the luxury of no responsibilities doesn't happen very often,” she sighs with a mother’s smile.

No longer a novelty but equally as popular, the Clarks have since opened up a tapas bar next door and are now branching into festivals and food markets to spread the Moro word, never ones to rest on their laurels. “It’s all self-inflicted but we want to keep up with the food theme and vibe because it’s exploded recently,” Sam verifies.

Yet regardless of the achievements and accolades, the successes, books, and new openings, Sam remains very much in the background, avoiding the limelight enjoyed by other equally high-profile chefs. “Yes, I’m quite shy,” she admits, ”So when I met Sam in The Eagle kitchens it was very gradual, which was the best way, and talking about food was a great ice breaker. Looking back we just got to know each other.”

Impossible to imagine them apart now, the pair managing their little empire alongside a growing family (their kids are 12, 10 and 3). And yet Sam almost didn’t venture into cooking at all, admitting that she ‘drifted’ into food rather than having an action plan. “I went to school and uni, spent time in France and Italy, discovered Spain, came home, heard of this place The Eagle, went there and fell into a job as a waitress until I talked to the chef one day who offered me a job in the kitchens. I had only cooked for family and friends so had a very hard six months months cutting and burning myself but learned how to cook and loved it,” she says. “It felt very natural and I have never looked back.”

So what took her so long? “Well all my childhood memories are about food in a semi-obsessive way and my grandmother lived in the South of France so we went to Provence every summer and she was an amazing cook. But when I told my mum I was going to be a chef I think she was a bit disappointed. I think she had an idea of me working in the city as a banker,” she laughs. “But I did what I wanted to do, I was eager and hungry,” she says firmly.

When not working, food dominates at home too, the pair enjoying working in their allotment and travelling. “We shamelessly nick the other allotment holders’ recipes,” Sam laughs. “But they always give us things to try out and are so proud of their heritage.” Having just returned from holidays in Turkey “wonderful pistachios, kebabs, meats, breads and salads,” the Clarks also have a place in Grenada in the mountains. “We can never be away from Moro for more than two weeks but it’s also important to stay inspired and push ourselves in terms of new menus and to stimulate our chefs, so it’s vital to travel as well. So we do bits and pieces – I’ve just been to Paris, Sam’s been to Istanbul, and then we’re going to northern Spain to do part of the Pilgrims Trail and eat the simple but delicious food – chickpea stews, fish, white beans, bread,” and she’s off again concocting menus in her head.

Any Moro fans who went to Wilderness last year will be equally as spoiled. “This year we are using local produce sourced locally on the Cornbury estate – lamb slow roasted on a spit, Daylesford fruit and veg, goats cheese from Windrush Valley. I like that angle, of coming to Oxfordshire and using local produce.

“Besides what’s not to love about Cornbury and its sweeping parkland and landscape? Wilderness perfectly fits the park – it’s a great mix of culture, music and food.”

So does Sam get to enjoy the festival itself? “I swam in the lake last year and I’ve booked into the spa this year, so will escape from the tent for a bit. Plus we are pre-warned and pre-armed this year with a new menu and 100 staff, so we know what to expect.“ Seasoned festival-goers then? “We have been asked to do other festivals but don’t want to overdo it, and are happy with Wilderness for now,” Sam tells me. “We loved it last year — we get a real buzz from it, so it’s a real privilege to be involved.”

 

 Wilderness Festival
 August 8-11
wildernessfestival.com
£40 per head for Moro ‘feast’ — a gourmet five-course meal