WIFI Enabled
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n association with Aussie Beef Mates The Chefs’ Forum put on a special Women in the Food Industry (WIFI) lunch at City Restaurant in Bristol at City of Bristol College on Monday 10th June.
The aim of the event was simple: showcase the finest Aussie beef as cooked and served by Bristol’s top female chefs. Kasae Fraser from Masterchef: The Professionals 2023 led the team with Charlotte Vincent (Great British Menu), Brinda Bungaroo (Brinda’s Mauritius Delights), Lucy Bowden (The Cross Keys in Cornwall) freelance chef Caley Briddick.
Director of The Chefs’ Forum Catherine Farinha explained: “We’ve teamed up with WIFI because equality for women in the Food Industry is seriously important. We felt that Aussie Beef Mates was an excellent opportunity to let our great women showcase their talents and takes on Aussie Beef as its easy to see that as a boys club. Not only are female chefs keen on steak – they know how to cook it, too!
“We want to see more women coming into the food industry and being able to work and thrive on their own merit and not feel threatened or any less than their male colleagues. The WIFI movement has some great ambassadors in the UK and we have been working closely with Mecca Ibrahim.
“The lunch was a great showcase of women and steak!”
Kasae Fraser, MasterChef: The Professionals finalist 2023 said: “This was a brilliant event and I was thrilled to be asked to take part. I want to see more women in the business and this was a great way to showcase what we’re doing in our own kitchens. Being from Australia, it’s great to see that Aussie beef is readily available in the UK and we can showcase the quality and flavour of this world-class meat.”
Here’s what the all-girl brigade of brilliant Southwest chefs cooked:
Kasae Fraser, MasterChef: The Professionals Finalist 2023
Kasae’s homeland Aussie picanha tartare
60-day aged Jack’s Creek grain fed picanha Angus
Lucy Bowden, The Cross Keys Inn, Cornwall
Roasted Aussie sirloin with Parmenter potatoes, Tenderstem broccoli and red wine jus
60-day aged Jack’s Creek grain fed sirloin Angus
Brinda Bungaroo, Brinda’s Mauritius Delights
Aussie bavette kalia
60-day aged Jack’s Creek grain fed bavette Angus
Caley Briddick, Freelance Chef
Sous-vide Aussie feather blade, garlic mustard almond pesto, tempura garlic mustard leaves, bone marrow brown butter hollandaise, orange peel powder and garlic mustard flowers
60-day aged Jack’s Creek grain fed feather blade Angus
Charlotte Vincent, Great British Menu
Char sui marinated Aussie bavette, maple and beef dripping butter, creamed potato, beef fat onion compote and beef crackling
60-day aged Jack’s Creek grain fed bavette Angus
Wine sponsored by Brown Brothers
Fresh produce sponsored by Dole Foodservice
Photography and film by Carlos Farinha
Chef of the Week: Richard Wainman, Chef Patron at Dick’s Smokehouse in Bromsgrove
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have owned Dick’s Smokehouse for 7 years. 4 years in street food and 3 years as a restaurant.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
It’s a cheesy reason… but I was on holiday and was reading Gordon Ramsay’s autobiography, and the way he described being a chef had me intrigued. I pulled out of university and applied for a catering course. I was hooked from there.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
There’s a huge amount I enjoy about being a chef. Firstly it’s being able to turn ingredients into wonderful tasting dishes. The trial & error of working on new dishes is massively satisfying. The joy you get to see & hear from customers enjoying the food you cook. And I think the most is the family values you get at each restaurant. You spend so much of your life with the same people every week, you all become big parts of each other’s lives.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
- Eggs – Eggs can do so much within cooking and are so diverse across sweet & savoury dishes.
- Spices – We use a lot of different spices at Dick’s Smokehouse. Getting the right balance of each spice is great to learn and can really lift a dish.
- Vinegar – Vinegar is a great ingredient to use, especially when using heavy flavours. It’s great to lift a flavour, or cut help cut through a rich flavour. A little vinegar can make a big difference.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
It has to be my smokers. Cooking is different to a normal oven. You must learn how the flames react and adapt to them all the time. Cooking over coal adds such a special flavour to any food. It’s very different to just turning on an oven and cooking.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I think with the current economy, chefs are trying to utilise cheaper ingredients and make them a featured dish. It’s great to see more dishes with offal being used again, and cuts of meat that haven’t been used for a long time. I also think a lot more restaurants are aiming for more informal dining.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Copying other chefs. A chef should always cook what they want to cook. Not want others are cooking. By all means use other chefs as inspiration but make the dish your own!
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Spring is a great time. We’ve all been using root vegetables and hearty meals for a few months, and the spring greens and lighter dishes are a warm welcome.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
Our ribs will always stand pride on our menu, they’re what customers travel all over the country for. We also have a lovely goat’s cheese & beetroot dish, that customers beg us to put on during the winter.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Social media is a great way of seeing what people are cooking and discovering new ingredients. We don’t just throw new dishes together. We play around with them until we’re happy with it. We will experiment with different spices & sauces and see what type of cooking over coal works best. Some dishes only require light smoke, and others can take stronger smoke flavours.
Who was your greatest influence?
I’ve always found the chefs who I’ve been working for to be my greatest influence. They are willing to give their time to make you a better chef and help shape your career. I have a bible of recipes all provided by my past head chefs!
Tell us three chefs you admire.
- Stuart Deeley
- Tom Shepherd
- Dave Boswell
What is your favourite cookbook?
Out of the hundreds of books I have, I always find myself flicking through Thomas Keller’s books.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Stuart Deeley and Tom Shepherd.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
The Wildmoor Oak in Bromsgrove. It has been a great addition to the restaurant scene in the area.
S.Pellegrino Announces the Five Prestigious Chef Judges for this Year’s UK Stage of the Competition
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, a global initiative searching for the most talented young chefs aged under 30 as part of its Young Chef Competition, has announced its stellar jury line up for its 2024 UK regional final, due to take place this September.
Alex Dilling, Adam Smith, Santiago Lastra, Lorna McNee, and Nokx Majozi have all come on board to judge finalists and support the UK’s future talent as they undertake the task of identifying the UK’s next star chef to compete in the global finale in Milan next year.
During the competition, the five jurors will mentor participants to help them bring their vision for the future of gastronomy to the table, as well as equip them to take their culinary skills to the next level and bring their best to the table.
Selected participants for the UK competition will join the Regional Finals event that will take place on 25th and 26th September in London where they will showcase their talent and compete in front of the prestigious jury.
S.Pellegrino is passionate about inspiring new generations of young chefs with the knowledge and expertise of experienced professionals. This is why, through its academy, the business is campaigning to improve perceptions of the sector and nurture the talent of tomorrow through a global network where some of the world’s leading chefs can share ideas, best practice, and inspiration with upcoming talent.
The S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition is open for entrants, with chefs under 30 years of age encouraged to register for the competition before it closes on 19th June 2024. Applicants must submit a Signature Dish that expresses their unique creativity and vision, which will then be assessed by ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts, before a shortlist of competitors is drawn up ahead of the Regional Finals.
Commenting on being part of the UK jury, Alex Dilling said: “To be able to support the next generation of culinary talent in the UK as part of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition is an incredible honour for me. The competition provides a special opportunity for myself and the wider jury to share our knowledge and skills with young chefs and give them a platform to be creative.”
Adam Smith added: “The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition is an amazing opportunity for young chefs to showcase their skills, creativity and talent alongside others from around the world. The competition can open the door to fantastic career boosting opportunities, and it’s a real privilege to be part of the judging process for 2024. I’m extremely passionate about encouraging the next generation of our amazing industry, and I think this is a perfect way to help do so!”
Santiago Lasta commented: “I am very excited to be part of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef judging panel. Now more than ever we need to inspire and nurture the next generation of culinary talent, and I’m proud to be part of a competition that does just that. I look forward to meeting the finalists and tasting their dishes in September.”
Lorna McNee said: “I am where I am in my career to date because I was nurtured by my mentor Andrew Fairlie. He was a firm believer in nurturing and developing young chefs, whilst installing a core set of skills and values that gives the next generation a solid foundation to build upon. For me, it is vital that this knowledge is passed down through generations.”
The Signature Dishes will be evaluated on the basis of three Golden Rules; for each of them the jury members shall assign a score between 1 and 10:
- Technical skills: ability to select the finest ingredients in terms of quality, freshness, and uniqueness, to obtain an excellent taste, combined with technical skills that bring out the flavours of the ingredients, whilst maintaining their original essence.
- Creativity: ability to explore original, stimulating, and innovative perspectives with a personal and contemporary style, whilst maintaining a perfect balance between flavour and aesthetic appearance.
- Personal belief: ability to communicate a clear message that summarises the “vision” of their work, their vision of the world of food and their contribution to today’s society in general through food.
The competition will offer even more opportunities for young talent to embark on a culinary journey that will bring visibility, prestige and the chance to compete for the global S. Pellegrino Young Chef Award at a Grand Finale in Milan in 2025.
Encouraging young UK chefs to apply to the competition is the winner of last year’s UK regional final, Marcus Clayton: “Winning the last edition of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition is a real highlight in my career. The competition process from the regional final in London to competing with chefs from across the world in the global finale in Milan was an incredible experience. I’d encourage any aspiring young chef to enter the process – you won’t regret it.”
The winners of the Regional Finals will not only gain visibility and prestige in the culinary world but will also have the chance to compete for the global S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award at the Grand Finale in Milan in 2025.
As with the 2019/21 and 2022/23 editions, the 2024/25 competition, will also feature three additional awards alongside the main prize:
- The S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award – voted for by the Sustainable Restaurant Association which runs the Food Made Good program
- The Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award – voted for by the competition mentors
- The Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award – voted for by Fine Dining Lovers readers
To start the application and discover more about the initiative please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/the-competition/application-form
Prestigious Regional Chef Contest Launches with 20th Anniversary Celebration
The South West Chef of the Year competition has launched its 20th-anniversary edition, marking two decades of culinary excellence and innovation in the region.
Founded in partnership with acclaimed chef Michael Caines in 2004, the event has grown to become one of the most respected culinary competitions in the UK, attracting top chefs, aspiring cooks, and food enthusiasts from across the region.
As it celebrates its milestone 20th anniversary, the competition remains committed to promoting culinary excellence, nurturing talent, and championing the vibrant food culture of the south west.
It has seen many previous winners, including Elly Wentworth, Simon Hulstone, Scott Paton and Matt Mason, go on to have amazing careers, winning many more accolades, including coveted Michelin stars.
Michael Caines MBE DL, who is chef/patron at Lympstone Manor, said: “The 20th anniversary of the South West Chef of the Year competition is a testament to the incredible talent and passion for food that exists in our region.
“Over the past two decades, we have witnessed remarkable growth and innovation in the culinary landscape of the south west, and the competition has played a pivotal role in recognising and celebrating the achievements of our talented chefs and cooks. It is also an amazing opportunity to showcase the incredible food larder here in the westcountry.”
The 20th edition of the South West Chef of the Year competition promises to be an exciting event, featuring a diverse range of categories and challenges designed to showcase the creativity, skill, and flair of participants. From professional chefs to home cooks and junior chefs, the competition offers opportunities for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to showcase their culinary talents and compete for prestigious titles and prizes.
In addition, the competition boasts an impressive panel of judges, comprising a roll call of the region’s leading chefs, including head judge and co-founder Michael Caines MBE DL, Nathan Outlaw, Hywel Jones, Scott Paton and Peter Gorton.
Entries are invited in five categories:
- Professional Chef (for those of any age working as sous chef or above)
- Young Professional Chef(for those aged 19-24 and working in any position up to junior sous chef)
- Student/Apprentice Chef (aged 19-24)
- Home Cook (aged 16+)
- Junior Chef (aged 11-16)
Last year’s South West Chef of the year overall winner was Andrew Jenkinson, now at The Olive Tree in Bath.
This year’s event culminates with the finals of the Professional and Student/Apprentice Chef categories on Tuesday October 29 at Exeter College, which is followed that evening by the Awards Presentation Dinner at Exeter Golf and Country Club.
Tickets for the Awards Evening, which features a four-course meal cooked by judges and previous competition winners, offers a unique opportunity to sample high quality food cooked by the region’s best chefs, are available to purchase. Visit the website, or email info@southwestchef.co.uk for information.
Photo credit Steven Haywood Photography.
New Sushi & Washoku College Coming to London
The Tokyo College of Sushi & Washoku is opening a London branch in September where chefs can go to learn the specifics of Japanese food. Washoku is Japanese word for cuisine. The new college will teach authentic Japanese cooking and cultural practices with sushi playing a leading part in the full and part-time programme.
To launch the college a free demo and tasting session is being held at So Japanese Restaurant on Monday 24th June from 2:00pm-4:00pm where chefs will demonstrate what they will be teaching. So Japanese is located on Middlesex Street, London E1.
This exclusive event will offer a glimpse into the world of Japanese culinary excellence and allow participants to observe professionals at work and sample authentic Japanese cuisine.
Places are limited and are available by appointment only. OPEN TO ALL HOSPITATLITY PROFESSIONALS AND CATERING STUDENTS. To reserve a spot, please contact brogen@redcherry.uk.com
A spokesperson for the new college said:
“We believe that the journey of mastering Washoku & Sushi begins with a deep understanding of ingredients and techniques, adapted to local cultures and environments.
“At the Tokyo College of Sushi & Washoku, London, we offer a unique opportunity to learn and master the art of Japanese cuisine directly from Japanese instructors, in English. Our curriculum starts with the basics, requiring only a passion for Japanese food and a desire to learn the traditional crafts associated with it.”
Furthermore, they offer a variety of culinary programmes including:
Full-time Professional Diploma Course
This transformative 6-month daytime programme is designed to mould participants into proficient Sushi and Washoku chefs. Delving into the intricacies of Japanese cuisine, the course equips students with essential skills in Japanese knife techniques and fundamental cooking knowledge, laying the foundation for a successful culinary career.
Part-time Intensive Short Course
Tailored for graduates of the Professional Diploma Course or chefs currently working in the restaurant and foodservice industry, focusing on various subjects such as charcoal grill skills, Soba and Udon noodles, Matcha and Japanese sweets, Sake and food pairing, and more.
For more information please visit the Tokyo College of Sushi & Washoku London here: www.sushicollege.uk
Chef of the Week: Cidalia Andrade – Head Chef at The White Haus in Farringdon, London
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
One and a half years.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I have a family background of chefs.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Passion for cooking and teaching.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Lemon, olive oil and garlic.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
The grill.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
Mediterranean, French and Portuguese cuisine.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
Lack of preparation with mise en place.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Christmas, because it’s a festive season.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I’m proud of all the dishes I make.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Research and family recipes.
Who was your greatest influence?
Simon Young.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Gordon Ramsay, Adam Perry Lang and Simon Young.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Gordon Ramsay and Adam Perry Lang.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Monica Galleti.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Bacchanalia London.
Indidog Wows the Cornish Food Scene
Falmouth eatery Indidog threw open its doors on the 24th May to the cream of the Cornish food media.
Owners, Vanessa and Simon Clark teamed-up with the Chefs’ Forum, to invite the local food media to highlight the menu and create a unique opportunity to meet the chefs.
The idea was to bring together Indidog’s great new ‘Seaside Tapas’ menu and The Chefs’ Forum media contacts and friends to highlight one of Falmouth’s best waterside restaurants.
The special event was also an opportunity for Indidog chefs Alfie Hazlitt and Ryan Holder to show-off their skills. They put on appetisers and small plates such as asparagus and brown butter Hollandaise, smoked cod’s roe and dill, Cornish langoustines and local Mylor Fish shop scallops among many others.
Desserts included white chocolate cheesecake and affogato – A delicious ball of Cornish ice cream, drowned in a shot of espresso.
Vanessa Clark said: “We really enjoyed working with The Chefs’ Forum on this special event. We were able to highlight our new menu and meet many new friends and customers.”
Chefs’ Forum Director, Catherine Farinha, said: “We were really excited to help Indidog reach a new audience. Rather than just send out a standard press release announcing the new menu, we decided to create a whole event so that local media and influencers could experience the new menu and meet the wonderful people involved. It was a great success. Indidog is a real front-runner in the Falmouth Food Scene.”
Indidog is a must-visit destination on Falmouth Harbour, with beautiful views of fishing boats moored along the estuary. Falmouth is the first and last port in the UK and boasts the deepest natural harbour in Europe.
Indidog is proud to source the freshest ingredients from across the county and makes everything fresh in their vibrant open kitchen full of happy chefs in a beautifully designed bistro setting.
For more information on Indidog, visit www.indidogeatery.com
Photography by Carlos Farinha.
Mate, That Aussie Beef was Stunning
London chefs got the full Aussie Beef Mates experience at a special Focus Group for Fine Dining held at West London College this week. The chefs worked primarily with Aussie Wagyu which proved very popular. The cuts being tested were ribeye, featherblade, Angus sirloin and picanha.
The object of the focus group was menu development but Aussie butchers were on hand to give a masterclass before the chefs and students got together to create some new dishes.
Consultant Chef Alan Bird said: “The beef we worked with was outstanding. The flavour profile was spot on and the texture and ageing was perfect. Cooking with it was a dream and allowed me to really experiment because I knew I could rely on it.”
This is how the chefs got on and what they created.
Robert Grist, Head Chef, German Gymnasium
Seared Aussie ribeye, charred baby leeks, wild garlic and salsa verde
Alex Thiel, Execitive Head Chef, German Gymnasium
Braised Aussie featherblade roulade, white asparagus, young carrot and potato puree
Ioannis Grammenos, Executive Chef, The Heliot Steak House
Aussie sirloin with asparagus, aubergine puree and amba sauce
Dani Ciniglio, Sous Chef, Royal Garden Hotel
Aussie picanha with asparagus, peas, broad beans and spring herbs and a light butter sauce with mint
Jurjis Antonovs, Sous Chef, Duke of Sussex Waterloo
Aussie ribeye with Cajun new potato wedges, grilled asparagus, deep fried cherry tomatoes, chestnut mushrooms, sweet and spicy chimichurri sauce
Daren Liew, Chef Patron, Nanyang Blossom
Sarawak Black Pepper Aussie sirloin, blue pea rice, crispy dough and poached asparagus
Graham Green, Chef Patron, Green Herring Catering Co
Aussie featherblade with roasted caulifower and squash
James Sardokie, Chef de Partie, Fulham Football Club
Aussie sirloin with chimichurri, parmesan mash potato and grilled asparagus
Alan Bird Chef Consultant Chef Alan Bird Consultancy
Aussie ribeye tagliata with wild garlic butter and roasted vine tomatoes
Luciana Berry, Top Chef Brasil Winner and International Chef Consultant
Aussie picanha, grilled courgettes, chimichurri and farofa
Hospitality Meets Hospital Catering at the Wessex Salon Culinaire Event 2024
On Thursday 16 May chefs from NHS hospitals from across the south competed in the Wessex Branch – Hospital Caterers Association Salon Culinaire challenges – with industry chefs judging their final entrant.
It was a great day with attendance from hospital chefs from across the south, including Bristol, Isle of Wight, Hampshire Hospital, Southern Healthcare, Salisbury, Gosport and Sussex.
Caroline Benjamin, the coordinator for the event was tasked with sourcing an alternative venue as their usual venue, Bournemouth & Poole Catering College is currently being refurbished. Newlyns Cookery School was a great option due to its location and that they also sell local farm produce, which contestants were able to select for Class 2, Ready Steady Cook. The Wessex Branch are looking to return to Bournemouth in the future to enable students to participate and work alongside hospital caterers to promote a healthcare catering as a career path.
Ronnie Parrett-Harris, Chairman of the HCA Wessex Branch – highlighted It was an outstanding event. Newlyn’s cookery school was an amazing location. The Wessex Branch Salon Culinaire is an annual event where Hospital chefs have been given the platform to showcase their skills and compete with other likeminded chefs. This is a great opportunity for them to step out of their normal surroundings and compete and produce high quality food. We hope this event will give the chefs a buzz to enter more competitions such as The NHS Chef of the year competition.
It was a great day, a massive congratulations to everyone who took part. The standard of what was produced on the day was first class! We would like to thank all the fantastic judges who volunteered their time, the mentors for supplying the winner prizes of shadow days and everyone who attended and supported the event. Special thanks to Caroline Benjamin who pulled the entire event together. You smashed it out of the park, taking the competition to the next level!
Supporting Charity
We were pleased to support Sophie’s legacy charity, thanks to Charlotte Fairall for hosting the raffle. It was such a moving moment on the day when Sophie’s story was told.
Charlotte stated “We are deeply grateful to the HCA Wessex Branch for choosing Sophie’s Legacy as their charity to support and for their incredible effort in raising £675. It was a brilliant day filled with enthusiasm and generosity, and we appreciate everyone who contributed to making it such a success, and the amazing prizes including a night at Chewton Glen, Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych and at Lainston House Hotel.”
The Main Events
There were three live classes covering Curries, Ready Steady Cook and butchery and presentation of the classic Sauté Chicken Chasseur dish where the ingredients were the identical, but the final dishes were all different in taste and presentation.
In addition, we had four static classes, where chefs produced two fruit tartlets, a trio of desserts and trio of tapas and finally the traditional ‘time for pie’ which saw a variety of different pies with stunning examples.
The standard and quality that was produced challenged the judges when marking with some scoring very close to the knuckle for several of the classes.
Nick Vadis, Culinary Ambassador – NHS Supply chain Food Lead judge on one of the teams stated.
“As a judge on the day and it was great to see, the skill and energy of the NHS Chefs pushing themselves in the competition arena. All competitors are a credit to their trusts raising the profile of the great work that goes on in out NHS Kitchens”.
Having industry judges from hotels, and food development encouraged the participants to push to their limits, competing with each other for the great mentor prizes.
It was great to see Dominic Teague from One Aldwych, John Feeney from Griffiths Foods and Phil Yeomans of Lainston House all offering different perspectives when judging the dishes presented, alongside NHS chefs Phil Shelley, Nick Vadis and Wayne Harris.
These types of events offer NHS chefs a day when they can showcase their artistic skills and also is great for moral building and broadening their horizons. The mentor shadow days on offer will also be great CPD opportunities, where knowledge and experience from both the mentor and mentee can be shared.
Phil Yeomans, Executive chef Lainston house “I had the pleasure of judging on the day, it was great to see the individuals from the NHS trusts cooking, really nice to see their passion and pride for their dishes. Some outstanding personal dishes full of flavour and textures presented nicely. The judging was very tight and the competition so close. Everyone delivered on the day and should be very proud of their efforts. I look forward to a mentor day with one of the winners.”
Winners
The winners can be viewed on the attached document, alongside the mentors and sponsors for each category.
Finally
Iain Robertson – National Chair of the HCA, stated on the day of the competition I acted as judge coordinator for four of the classes. The standard of the entries were exceptional, and the professionalism of the judges was fantastic. There was a real buzz around the place, and it was clear that everyone involved enjoyed themselves.
Phil Shelley Senior Operational Manager at NHS England. “It was a pleasure to be a judge at the Wessex HCA Branch Salon Culinaire at Newlyn Farm Shop Culinary School, the skill and finesse from our healthcare chefs proves that we have the ability to drive positive improvement in NHS food services and be ambitious with our menu choices”.
- Winners see full details by clicking here
- Mentors see full details by clicking here
- Judges’ further information please click here
Chef of the Week: Carl Newey, Executive Head Chef at The Stonegate Group
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I have been working at The Chapter Collection for the past 2.5 years, prior to that I was Head of Food at Bermondsey Pub Company.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
I think my passion came from my Mum, she always tried to do the best she could with what we could afford at the time. I trained at the Birmingham College of Food (now University of Birmingham) and worked at Malmaison and Hotel du Vin around the UK.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Being able to be creative, play and develop new flavours and work with some brilliant chefs in the business. I love developing new ideas with our chefs to create dishes that our guests will love and want to come back for.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Garlic, sea salt and butter.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Great question, my knives… but also my Thermomix. I love how versatile they are, I’m like a big kid when it comes to gadgets in the kitchen.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I have recently been out in Miami on a food tour and the biggest trend that I can see eventually coming to the UK is ‘Omakase’ which basically translates to ‘trust the chef’. Let the chef take you on a culinary journey without a menu and allow yourself to try new flavours and experiences.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
So many elements on one dish, simplification is key these days, just have 3 or 4 ingredients on the plate but make sure they are on point and deliver a great experience to your guests.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Autumn going into winter, the perfect time for slow cooked, hearty food. Cold weather but heart-warming food that makes you smile and soothes your soul.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
To be honest I am most proud of having developed award-winning products that are on our menus such as our red wine & fennel sausages that won Gold at the National Craft Butcher Awards in 2023… it makes me feel proud to be able to serve award-winning food to our guests that they keep coming back for.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Spending time out in London visiting different establishments such as pubs, hotels and places that are trendy on social media like Instagram and Tiktok.
Who was your greatest influence?
My first Head Chef at Malmaison, he was driven by quality and instilled that into his team, he wouldn’t accept anything that wasn’t right and he wasn’t proud to serve. It’s a line that I still work too now, and I reflect on when working on development.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
1. Marco Pierre White
2. Tom Kerridge
3. Heston Blumenthal
What is your favourite cookbook?
I recently did a count of how many cook books I have, its 452 …. way too many! The one that I keep going back to is Le Repertoire de la Cuisine, you can’t beat the classics.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
The Devonshire, I have consumed way too many calories thanks to their beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding.
