Traditionally cheap, offal has historically been associated with peasant food, eaten primarily by poorer members of society – a key component of ‘cucina povera’ in Italy. This legacy is also strong in Britain, with haggis, black pudding, faggots and liver and bacon still encountered in greasy spoons across the country. 

It remains affordable, a big draw for chefs at a time when the costs of running a restaurant are soaring. At The Pack Horse in Hayfield, Derbyshire, chef-owner Luke Payne is a fan of trotters. Costing just eight pence each, they are the main component of the kitchen’s master stock, which is used in a number of recipes. The leftover meat is then picked and made into a croquette served with black garlic ketchup and fried egg. 

In summer Payne serves lamb-heart kebabs, but admits that not everybody jumps at the chance to eat them. Around half of customers are adventurous. “A fair amount of young people aren’t willing to try anything,” says Payne, who thinks older customers often do so for nostalgic reasons. Chicken liver parfait, however, is a staple, and “very accessible”. 

Payne has also been driven by resurrecting long-lost British traditions. On one occasion he got hold of six woodcock. “Traditionally the right way of cooking it is with the innards inside,” says Payne. “When the bird was resting we pulled the innards out, the intestines and lungs, chopped them up, fried them in port and bacon, and spread it on toast.” That was plated alongside the birds, whose heads were split open so people could eat the brains. “Everyone who ordered it ate the brain, it’s a delicacy,” Payne adds. 

More so than when St. John opened, environmental concerns are pushing chefs – and diners – towards dishes previously sniffed at. “People are questioning things a little bit more,” says Leach. “It makes sense if you are going to serve meat to serve all of it, and to be as resourceful as possible. Chefs should be educators when it comes to offal.” 

Ultimately, however, it must taste good. Dom Fernando, founder of Paradise, a modern Sri Lankan restaurant in London, is slowly adding more offal to the menu. Currently, a dish of barbecued ox-heart with kithul molasses, pear, and coconut chutney, is flying off the pass. 

“They taste absolutely fantastic,” says Fernando of the gamey, mineral-rich organ, which has a gentler flavour than kidney. Fernando says his chefs are excited to experiment with offal (something others echo; it is more challenging to make tripe tasty than, say, a ribeye), and hopes to put devilled sweetbreads on the menu soon.