What was your first industry job?
My first job in the industry was working at a local cafe near my parents cooking breakfasts.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I would most probably be a butcher. I did work in a butchers when I was younger and could easily have gone that way.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
I really admire the likes of Brett Graham — his work ethic, enthusiasm and passion for the industry as well as his creativity. Theo Randall was one of my first experiences of high-end food and it blew me away.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
My pet hate would have to be chefs trying to prep or portion fish with a blunt knife.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
A customer once asked me if I enjoyed cooking. If I didn’t, I would probably be doing something else.
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Actually cooking British seasonal food.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
Our worst review was from a Danish wine blogger who claimed to be the most influential critic in Scandinavia. She got really drunk, was rude to all our staff, and then went home and wrote a scathing review about us on Google.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
If you’re starting out in the industry, all you need to do is shelve any ego you have and work hard, really hard.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
A mini BBQ that Nathan Davies made me around four years ago. It’s so, so good.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
My last meal would have to be cote de boeuf with chips, béarnaise and salad for two, and I would hope my wife could be around to eat with.
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting menu for sure. I know à la carte is all the rage, but sustainability-wise, as well as getting a full gastronomic experience, tasting menu is best for me.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
I went to Noma this year and it blew me away. It’s the best restaurant in the world in my books.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
I just think that pizza is the best fast food, I love it. Don’t necessarily have a favourite takeaway joint, but 50 Kalo in central London is so good. If we are talking proper fast fast food though, it’s got to be McDonald’s.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
The dish I wish I had thought of would probably be chicken liver parfait with Hobnob biscuits by chef Alex Harper.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu.
What’s the most overrated food?
It would have to be truffles. They are nice, but honestly, the price is mental.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Tasteless flowers.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
Rick Stein, Arsène Wenger, David Seaman, Rory McIlroy, Keith Floyd.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Making cheese and biscuits for my mum and dad on the plane. I would take the cheese and squish it onto the biscuits you get given with grubby hands, and then hand it over to my poor old dad to eat.
TikTok or Instagram?
Instagram. I have no idea what TikTok is, to be honest.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
A 10L bucket of water fell off the roof of one of our restaurants while myself and my business partner were chatting outside. It missed me by half a foot as it crashed to the ground from three floors up.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
I have a six-month-old child, so I hardly ever let my hair down, but probably a pub — has to be a pub.
What’s your tipple of choice?
I love a martini — gin with a twist — or a pint.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
Comté cheese and white wine from the Jura — it’s the best!!
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
The restaurant doesn’t really have a signature dish, but I might say that our British satay sauce with English Peking duck would be up there.