What was your first industry job?
My first job was an apprentice chef at the Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair. When I was 16 I worked for free on weekends and when I was on holiday from college, to gain experience.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
Honestly I have no idea what I would do if I wasn’t a chef. It’s been my dream since I was a child to be a chef. I love it and wouldn’t change it for anything.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Andrew Turner, a chef I have worked with for many years over my career. His knowledge of food and the industry is incredible, he taught me everything.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
When people don’t respect the equipment. Most chefs take the equipment for granted until it’s broken.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
I once had a guest when I was doing a breakfast shift order smoked salmon and then send it back because it ‘tasted like smoked salmon’. That one I found a bit strange.
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Good, tasty, honest cooking.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
I haven’t had many, but normally the biggest issues I have is people complaining about pricing. It’s really difficult to make the food affordable, but still provide top high-end cooking. Unfortunately, prices will only continue to rise, I can’t see them coming down any time soon.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
If I was speaking to someone just starting out I would tell them to be a sponge, soak up all the information and knowledge given to you and come to work with a spring in your step. If the chef sees someone keen and eager they will invest their time in you.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
The Thermomix is probably very common amongst chefs, but it’s an amazing piece of equipment with multiple functions.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Côte de boeuf with fries and béarnaise.
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting menu - it’s always nice to be wined and dined, and it’s a great way to see multiple dishes from the menu and how the chef showcases themselves.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
Not sure about ‘best meal’ but my best dining experience would have to be at Eleven Madison Park back in 2012.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
Wendy’s.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
I think fried chicken would be the dish I wish I had invented.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu.
What’s the most overrated food?
Lobster! I’ve never seen the fascination. Also anything that goes viral on social media, because it’s not usually as good as they say.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Late tables.
What’s your earliest food memory?
As a kid my parents would take me and my sister to the Cotswolds and I remember eating a lot of lardy cake. So amazing.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
Probably in 2023 when I had a chest infection that lasted five months. This was not a pleasant time. Or when I can back from Argentina last year and the plane had to make an emergency landing in Tenerife.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Usually I go home to my misses, that is where I find my peace.
What’s your tipple of choice?
A good whiskey sour.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
Fried chicken mac and cheese with a Fernet-Branca and coke.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
I wouldn’t say I have one.