What was your first industry job?
Washing dishes at a golf course restaurant. I was only 15 and worked weekends, but it led to becoming a commis chef and doing day release at college.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
At this point, I have no idea. I can’t imagine fitting into any other profession now. I’ve always been interested in computers and tech, though, so maybe something in that.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
There are so many. Anyone who started before me and is still going, as it’s a hard career. The chefs who have maintained their standards over a long period of time are the ones I admire most.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
Not keeping clingfilm in the box. If you could total the hours I’ve wasted trying to fix messed-up clingfilm rolls in kitchens around the country, your mind would be blown.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
I once had a furious customer who was convinced I’d served him beef fillet instead of the sirloin listed on the menu. He was wrong, so I couldn’t really understand why he was so mad about it.
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence
Classic flavours, modern techniques.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
The worst was after I took over as head chef of a country house hotel. They’d had the same head chef for about 25 years and we got absolutely panned by the regulars for anything we dared to change. Apparently it was even my fault that the new curtains in the restaurant were green.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Take your time to really learn the craft. Try a few different styles of restaurant and cuisine, and focus on the building blocks and basics of each. It’s a long career, so don’t rush.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
Avoiding the obvious answers, a precise thermometer.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
It would be cute to say something like my mum’s lasagne, but what I’d really want is a massive turbot, some simple greens and a huge tin of caviar — plus a bottle of champagne to wash it down.
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting menu - I want your best dishes, so you choose.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
In the UK, it’s probably a three-way tie: L’Enclume about six months before they got their third star was phenomenal; Moor Hall after getting to know Mark, with some of the best hospitality I’ve ever experienced; or Da Terra, after becoming friends with Rafael and Charlie and being treated to the absolute best of what makes restaurants so good.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
A proper fish and chip shop — eaten out of the paper bag, sitting on a cold stone wall.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
Do I get royalties? In that case, a Big Mac meal.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu.
What’s the most overrated food?
Lobster - give me a couple of langoustines instead.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day - what would you ban?
Keeping clingfilm out of the box.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
In this job you don’t get many chances to get all your friends together — everyone’s always busy or tired. So just a table with all my best mates, plus a few quick-witted legends like Brian Clough (I’m a Forest fan), Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ricky Gervais.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Food that’s tied to a bigger memory - like a bag of chips walking along the banks of the Trent on the way to the football with my dad.
TikTok or Instagram?
Instagram - I’m too old for TikTok.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
Career-wise, probably when I broke Daniel Clifford’s Pacojet blade when I worked at Midsummer House. I nearly just left it on the side and went home, but he actually took it quite well.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Home.
What’s your tipple of choice?
Champagne.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
Pork pie, malt vinegar and lager.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
Turbot with a champagne sauce has been on more of my menus than anything else, but it’s too much of a classic to claim as my signature. The beef cheek and celeriac royale dish at The Pass is getting there.