What was your first industry job?
My first job was as a kitchen porter in a local pub.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I think I would work in some sort on design industry - definitely something creative.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
There are loads of people I look up to for various reasons, but Clare Smyth is probably the one I admire most overall. She’s incredibly skilled, and her precision is unmatched.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
I have a few, but my biggest one has to be when people don’t trim the tops of vac-pack bags, piping bags, or the tassels off ballotines.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
I’ve been invited to live with a few guests, and to be honest, I’m still unsure whether some of them were joking or not!
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Flavour led and sustainability driven.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
Thankfully, we don’t get many (touch wood, no national ones yet), but I think the worst we’ve had was about food not being cooked to a guest’s liking. Guests leaving unsatisfied is the worst review we could ever have!
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Find a chef whose food style and ethos you believe in, and commit to working with them. Try to stay for a good couple of years before moving on to ensure you take as much from the experience as possible.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
Probably the rational oven, I love how much control and accuracy it gives.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Probably Peking duck, or maybe lasagne.
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting for me, so that I can try everything.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
Da terra in Bethnal Green, London, I think the experience they have created is incredible.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
Does the local sandwich shop, Yellow Bird Café in Haltwhistle, count? Not really fast food, I suppose, but it’s my go-to for a quick takeaway lunch. Other than that, I’m not sure… but definitely not KFC - I hate that place.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
L’Enclume’s Berkswell pudding - unbelievable.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
GBM, easy.
What’s the most overrated food?
Ketchup, absolutely disgusting, but people love it!
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Ketchup, and people being rude to staff.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
Ozzy Osbourne, René Redzepi and Clare Smyth.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Getting a bollocking from my dad for only buttering one side of the bread when we were making sandwiches. He told me if I was going to help, I had to do it properly and not be lazy.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
Probably the time I thought I was going to be the victim of a ritual sacrifice. Turns out I was just in a place where they were doing traditional folk singing that I had no idea about, and just to clarify that is really not my scene…
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Danny Hart’s Descend Bike Park.
What’s your tipple of choice?
I don’t drink alcohol, so usually whatever non-alcoholic cocktail is available wherever I am! It’s great to see more and more options these days.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
Happy Hippos and a latte.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
The venison tartare from our tasting menu. I think it perfectly sums up what I believe in - very local produce (including deer from our estate), lots of ferments and preserves, minimal waste, and, of course, in my opinion, it tastes great!
Connor Wilson was named as one of the National Restaurant Awards Rising Stars of 2025 earlier this year