IT’S nearly 30 degrees and Daniel Grimm is trying to persuade Sheffielders to try some of his soup. For free.
In this heat? Is he mad? No, he’s Hungarian.
Hungary is in the very centre of Central Europe where they love cooling, soothing, often fruity summer soups.
So this is just the kind of day for soup. If you were in Budapest.
Sweet and sour plum anyone? Or sour cherry? How about chestnut or if you want savoury, turkey and tarragon?
Daniel, aged 39, with a quarter of a century in the food business behind him, has just launched a new company, S(o)uper Ltd, selling eight different varieties in takeaway tubs from his pals at Cafe Tucci’s premises on Surrey Street and Ecclesall Road.
I’d have thought a Hungarian would be selling goulash, I say, scanning the list and failing to spot it.
“Sshh! We don’t use that word here, it’s a Neapolitan cafe,” says Daniel pointing a finger to where the Soup That Does Not Speak Its Name hides coyly behind the label, beef and vegetable.
Daniel, in Sheffield since 2012, in England since 2005, has done virtually everything in the food business both sides of the kitchen door. You might have seen him as general manager of Brazilian steakhouse Tropeiro ( now closed ) or front of house at Ego.
“Now I want to do something for myself and build a business,” says Daniel, who has teamed up with Romanian Claudiu Bungau to run the company.
He’s wearing a T-shirt which says ‘Ask me about my soup,’ so I do.
Central Europe goes big on soups and they just don’t think of them as winter dishes. Served cool or cold, they can take the edge off long, hot summers.
As he is just starting out Daniel, who uses family recipes, is hiring space in a commercial kitchen while the fledgling company gets off the ground.
The soups sell at £5.50, initially at Cafe Tucci, and he is hoping local supermarkets and delis will also take the product on.
It’s lunchtime and he is serving free samples to curious passers-by. His personal favourite is turkey and tarragon, not too hot, which tastes quite luxurious.
A Filipina lady approves. “It reminds me of soup back home. Without the coconut.”
Think of Hungary and you think paprika but, oddly, Daniel is not one for spicy food. “Which is strange since I’m married to Mo, from Nigeria, and they love hot spices.”
Other flavours will follow. He’s waiting to see which tickle the Sheffield appetite. He’s a friendly, enthusiastic chap and I wish him well.
In fact, I hope he finishes up in the soup. Literally!
*Cafe Tucci will be opening a third venue shortly at Kommune so Daniel’s soups will also be available there.
Another helping from Martin Dawes 